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Simms Celebrates American Made Heritage with the All-New G3 Guide Wader
from FFE Magazine 2022
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SIMMS CELEBRATES AMERICAN MADE HERITAGE WITH THE ALL-NEW G3 GUIDE WADER
Quality, craftsmanship, and passion; the very ideals that represent the foundational building blocks of Simms’ DNA. Built by highly skilled craftspeople with a penchant for fishing, Simms’ Bozeman, Montana made waders have earned icon status. Providing consumers with the best experience possible has always been the mission critical objective but it also validates the lengths they are willing to go in order to achieve perfection. Why? It is their belief that time spent on the water is far too valuable to squander.
BY John Frazier
As a brand, Simms understands that in all actuality, achieving perfection is an unattainable goal. However, it’s that never ending pursuit that inspires new ideas, new innovations, and next-level waders.
Simms secret to success begins by utilizing premium, performance driven materials that are put in the capable hands of their Bozeman based Wader Maker team. Men and women, who take pride in their work, willingly sweat the small stuff, and scrutinize over every single seemingly minute detail of the process.
From design to delivery, every step of the process happens under one roof – a unique aspect that provides a unique advantage. Presently, Simms is the only US based wader manufacturer of scale which is not only a badge of honor, it’s a deliberate manufacturing choice that allows complete and total control of the end result.
Harnessing this level of control awards the highest level of continuous and consistent quality. From designers and developers to material experts, and quality technicians – every team member that plays a role in the final product has a direct line of communication with the team members who tirelessly transform concepts and ideas into tangible realities.
Whether it’s from the product development team, the inhouse testing lab, or the in-house repair center, when ideas arise that can make something stronger, improve functionality, or increase efficiency, the Wader Maker team has the ability to implement these advancements on the fly. “Having such a talented team right here in Bozeman not only allows us to experiment and make adjustments on the fly, it also allows us to test those adjustments right then and
there” says Simms CEO, Casey Sheahan. “In addition to the Wader Makers, we also have a testing facility onsite as well as an in-house repair team. The feedback we receive from these two teams is invaluable. We also firmly believe the devil is in the detail and because of our Bozeman manufacturing capabilities, we have the advantage of being able to pay extra close attention to every detail, every step of the way. And really, it’s that attention to detail that makes all the difference in the world.”
All of the steps in Simms’ wader making process require precision, especially sewing. It takes months to achieve the proficiency required to be a Simms sewer.
Some of the waders in the Simms collection require upwards of 150 steps before they are folded, boxed, and delivered to consumers and retailers worldwide. Therefore, extensive planning plays an essential role in the production process. Before a wader hits the production floor, all of the materials, the construction methods, and attachment procedures have passed rigorous lab and field testing. The latest wader to pass all the requisite tests (with flying colors by the way) – the all-new G3 Guide Wader. Available in January of 2022, the release of this wader not only represents the most technical and durable iteration of G3, it is also the 20-year anniversary of its inception.
Available in a Men’s and Women’s (as well as a pant), the new G3 is a testament to Simms’ staunch stance of never settling. “Making something you perceive as the best even better is never an easy task and that’s exactly what we’re up against when the time comes to revamp a wader such as G3” says Sheahan. “So, before we offer a new version, it’s critical that the improvements we make are going to be improvements that anglers will immediately and easily recognize.”
So what are the latest updates with the new G3 Guide Wader? According to Simms, the new G3 is without a doubt, the most durable, most comfortable, highest performing G3 they’ve ever launched. Powered by a brand-new GORE-TEX® fabric package (built with a 3-layer upper, and a 4-layer lower), the new G3 has increased tongue tear strength by 7.5%, increased standard puncture resistance by 23%, increased pinhole puncture resistance by 84%, and increased breathability by 33%.
The wader carries over popular standard features such as the traditional external G3 pocket array, removable tippet tender pocket,
Some waders require upwards of 150 steps
anatomical left and right stockingfeet, and the patented front and back leg-seam. New additions include a much more comfortable/functional air-mesh suspender system, a new hookless gravel-guard design as well as the inclusion of an internal, stretch-woven drop-in pocket for small essentials.
For any product, 20 years of design and development is a major achievement. G3’s both past and present were, and always will be built to withstand the test of time. Ever since the first pair hit the shelves, the G3 emblem has become synonymous with quality, craftsmanship, performance, innovation, and most importantly, reliability. While none of these attributes are easy to come by, over the past 20 years, they’ve been earned due to an unwavering commitment to manufacturing by hand, heart, and soul.
