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Done with Simms

8K views 51 replies 33 participants last post by  troutfly1 
#1 ·
Orvis Bellevue is liquidating it's Simms stock. Up to 50% off until it's all gone. First come first served. No coupons. Nuff said.

Leland.
 
#11 ·
Simms is taking a beating here. Speaking for myself, I am a major Simms fan. They make great stuff and they give remarkable customer service when products fall short of expectation. Yes their stuff is a little pricey but so is the top of the line stuff from Patagonia and Orvis and other major players in outdoor clothing.

I have two pairs of Simms waders; one stocking foot and one boot foot. They get regular hard use and no leaks.

I have a Simms G3 Guide wading jacket. Tough as nails, comfortable, well designed for its use, and genuinely waterproof. I am dry and comfortable when my friends with jackets from other brands are wet and cold.

I have two pairs of Simms boots which I use regularly: My G3 (or G4) boots are tough, durable, lace well, and provide great support. I expect them to last me for hundreds of days on the river. The Rivershed is comfortable, light weight, and appears very durable.

I have a Simms windstopper fleece jacket and a Simms permaloft jackt. Both get regular use and they perform better or at least as well as any similar competing product that I know about.

I rely upon and regularly use a Simms wading staff.

So, I look forward to visiting Leland in Bellevue.
 
#12 ·
Leland - What products did you guys stock out there?
Don't worry Don, some people are just bitter. Funny thing is that if you compare profit margins on waders, Pata/Orifice/Baileys are likely making double margin per wader than Simms. There are only a few wader factories in the world, and Simms in Bozeman is one of them and the other 2 or 3 make all the waders out there regardless of price. Not to mention, if proper testing was done everyone on this board everyone would eventually agree that they are the best no matter how bias they were at the beginning. My favorite part is that the people who spend 50 days or less per year in waders are the ones who seem to "know it all" about them, rather than folks who test them or fish them or a nearly daily level.

Simms = the best waders, and if you can get them on sale then do it.
 
#14 ·
My favorite part is that the people who spend 50 days or less per year in waders are the ones who seem to "know it all" about them, rather than folks who test them or fish them or a nearly daily level.

Simms = the best waders, and if you can get them on sale then do it.
Or maybe there's also those of us who fish around 150+ days a year that happen to prefer other waders because we've had bad luck with Simms. I'll admit their other products are hard to beat; but I'd take Patagonia, Orvis, or especially Filson waders over Simms at the same price point any day.
 
#16 ·
Years ago I bought the cheapest pair of waders that Simms offered, I think they were called the lightweights. I'm still wearing them to this day, never a leak and they've been beat to shit. I've got a theory about waders....regardless of the brand, when companies start sewing too much crap on a pair of waders, i.e. reinforced knees, articulated this & that, etc. they are just asking for leaks. So buy the $500 waders with all that extra stitching all over 'em and expect leaks, or buy the cheaper waders with less crap sewn all over them and you'll probably be happier. Just my two cents.............
 
#17 ·
I can't see paying $700 for a pair of waders when I can buy two pairs of really good waders for the same $. It just seems that Simms has raised prices to a point where there is a dminishing margin of return for what you pay. I'll go with Orvis, Cabelas, Filson etc. and if I want to change waders each year, I'll buy Caddis and get a new pair every year for about five years at that same amount.
 
#18 ·
Everything leaks if you try hard enough, and if you aren't succesful making them leak yourself, you can always find a bad review of any product if you look for 30 seconds on the interwebz.

Also, there's a rule on the interwebz about product feedback: The more units of a product a company sells, the more likely you are to hear bad reviews. You might read 10 bad reviews about Simms and only one about Dan Bailey, for example, without doing the full math that includes the fact that Simms sells probably several thousands of pairs of waders to Dan Bailey's few hundred (just a guess). Regardless of the real numbers, remember that both numerator and denominator are important to consider when evaluating others'...evaluations.

That's not to say Simms waders don't suck, btw. Maybe they do, but I don't have enough information to decide.
 
#19 ·
I've had really bad luck with Orvis waders and their quality control. I do however like other fishing products they sell, hence the reason why I have an Orvis card and have a decent amount of money/reward dollars on it. I'll be calling that shop today because I have not had a singe wader issue since switching over to Simms. Thanks for the info, let's hope I'm not too late!
 
#21 ·
Yes, 700 is huge amount for waders, but $300 is typical across the board to get into a high end wader. $300 at Simms goes a lot further day in day out, of course there are always lemons but Simms does back a customer well as long as the customer isn't a total dick about it.

Patagonia has certainly made some good waders in the past, in fact I used to back them more than Simms because I had a pair run strong for several seasons. When they started to leak, they gave me new ones. (Sweet.) The next three pairs didnt last more than a week on the water without leaking each. End of story there. Patagucci makes some of the best products out there, and they dont come cheap but they last. But I dont think their waders compare to the rest of their clothing and in this case, their competition. (Simms)

Sorry to highjack your ad Leland.
 
#22 ·
Done with Simms? I can't even get them on.

1. The legs are too narrow for the human species. You cannot get them on or off easily, or layer underneath them, and kneel down or climb over stuff. The chest is also narrow.

2. They are hot as bejeezus. If I wanted non-breathable waders I would use my neoprenes, which are more comfortable than simms.

3. They leak as soon as any other brand of waders, at the usual point of entry (crotch, back of knees). You'll hear other opinions and experiences; but trust me, it's no great shakes. The main difference is they are uncomfortable and hot. You'll get perhaps 30 days, max, before they start leaking. Not 200, not 150, not 100, and not 75 and not 50 days. Thirty days. That's it. And, I should add, if you are an aggressive wader like me - that's pretty much standard. You'll still need a couple gallons of alcohol to find the leaks, and bow-coo aquaseal to reduce the leaks to reasonableness. That doesn't make them bad waders - the terrible fit makes them bad waders.

not only would I not pay $500 for the current line of Simms waders; I would not use them if you gave me a pair for free and paid me $500.

Simms wader durability is right up there with sticky rubber.
 
#35 ·
Done with Simms? I can't even get them on.

1. The legs are too narrow for the human species. You cannot get them on or off easily, or layer underneath them, and kneel down or climb over stuff. The chest is also narrow.

2. They are hot as bejeezus. If I wanted non-breathable waders I would use my neoprenes, which are more comfortable than simms.

3. They leak as soon as any other brand of waders, at the usual point of entry (crotch, back of knees). You'll hear other opinions and experiences; but trust me, it's no great shakes. The main difference is they are uncomfortable and hot. You'll get perhaps 30 days, max, before they start leaking. Not 200, not 150, not 100, and not 75 and not 50 days. Thirty days. That's it. And, I should add, if you are an aggressive wader like me - that's pretty much standard. You'll still need a couple gallons of alcohol to find the leaks, and bow-coo aquaseal to reduce the leaks to reasonableness. That doesn't make them bad waders - the terrible fit makes them bad waders.

not only would I not pay $500 for the current line of Simms waders; I would not use them if you gave me a pair for free and paid me $500.

Simms wader durability is right up there with sticky rubber.
What a pant load.

I disagree with every single thing you said here.

Problem is some newbie is going to read this rant and believe it. Simms makes fine products and they do a standup job servicing things. Yes, they get premium prices, but they produce a premium product. They are an excellent value.

No one makes a wader that can't leak...and Simms is no exception. But they are fixable if you tear them and pin holes can be easily detected and fixed with the alcohol test. They come is a wide variety of sizes...their website show 24 different sizes! I've had several pairs and they are durable, comfortable, easy to layer under...great to spend day after day in. My next waders (if I can ever wear these G3's out) will be Simms.
 
#24 ·
So, you've had multiple pair of Simms give out before even using them? That's almost funny. I've spent 100+ days per year on the water since about 1990 and haven't had a failure that wasn't due to overuse or me being an idiot.

Anyone remember the old StreamLine neoprene waders.....? That's a thread all by itself.
 
#25 ·
Holy freaking crap what a bash fest. As I read this, Leland is having a SALE at his ORVIS store and they are BLOWING OUT their SIMMS stock. You can read into it what you want. Orvis is making inventory room for this year's stuff? Orvis is no longer going to carry Simms, since both companies have their own wader, boot, clothing and gear/pack/bag lines? When did the notice of a sale become an invitation to bash a company? If you like Simms stuff, go see Leland and the crew and buy some at great savings. If you don't...well, don't. When Orvis has more room for their Orvis stuff you can go over and see Leland and the crew and buy some of that stuff too. Want Patagonia...there are shops and online places to get them. Filson more to your rugged preference, well, I think if you can post here you can find them too. Dan Bailey's has a good fan following too. Each has fans and foes for a variety of reasons, style, comfort, durability, slim, baggy, seams outside...whatever.

Orvis is having a sale on Simms. Go simulate the economy and visit a friendly staff while getting a great deal...or don't. {chuckling for days reading this one}

I have had three sets of Orvis and three sets of Simms waders. One of each was a problem, seemingly with little use. Both companies worked with me and I appreciate that. Each of the other two sets...awesome and exceeded expectations greatly and continue to do so.

Have a nice day.
 
#30 ·
For those that are interested in the Simms waders, I called there today and they only have xxl g4's and g3's left. $349 & $259 I think were the prices. While not 50% off, both prices worth every penny and I would have bought a pair had they been in LL or XL. Are there any other Orvis shops that are clearancing Simms waders that anyone knows of?
 
#32 ·
Keep your eye on Cabelas...they have good deals coming and going all the time. I grabbed a pair of the Simms Rivershed waders on there on sale for $199 a few months back...and not in some crazy ass big or small size either. I thought that was a pretty good deal. And so far no leaks - just a good solid set of waders.
 
#31 ·
Sorry, my post may have been taken wrong. Everything I've heard about Orvis has been positive and when I've been to their store have always received excellent service. I was only responding to the Simms bashing but this isn't a thread about that company.

Good luck!
 
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