This is a game changer.
One of the most exciting new products at the IFTD show this year were the new Simms Freestone Waders. Simms took home the best in show honors for both men’s and women’s waders this year. Only two of the seven honers they enjoyed, but significant in that the new Freestone Waders from Simms have fundamentally changed the wader market.
Simms has, for many years, held the distinction of making the best waders on the planet. Plenty of companies have tried their hand at making lower priced knock offs Simms waders. This year Simms has taken the bold step of knocking off themselves!
It’s a truly brilliant move and one that’s sure to shake up the wader market but good. Simms has produced a line of waders, in the Freestone, that incorporates all of the technology that makes their waders great, but is made in Asia. The result is a bona fide Simms wader at a remarkable price. Literally half the cost of the Bozeman waders.
Check out the video and learn all about the new Simms Freestone Waders.
Louis Cahill Gink & Gasoline www.ginkandgasoline.com hookups@ginkandgasoline.com Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter!
I personally dislike the freestone wader for one reason and on reason only, they are made over seas. Simms has had the best waders in the world BECAUSE they are made in Bozeman Montana USA and I hate the fact that they think they need to get into the over seas market to remain competitive!I
The Bozeman made wader are the best in the industry, period and the last wader made in America and that means a lot to me. Even if I have to save a little longer I will ONLY buy the one made right here in my home state and encourage other fly fishing fanatics do the same!
Joel
I know where your coming from buying
everything locally and made in the States
as possible. I do the same thing often sacrificing price
to keep our money here. I sympathize with
Simms, however, as the price spread between
Their high end and others had become
so significant that they undoubtly were
loosing market share and felt it necessary
To get competitive. I agree they make the
The best wader out there bar none. I have
a pair of G4’s and I love them but products
Like Orvis Super Sonics’s and probably
Others are good waders at half the price.
I’m sure Simms made a business decision
To keep competitive in the wader market and
I’m anxious to see reviews on the Freestone.
I’m sure they’ll be many that stay with
The Bozeman products but this now lets
people have the option of continuing to purchase
the great Simms products and not having to
mortgage the house to buy a pair of waders.
You just resolved a big dilemma for me. I’m going to patch up my current waders and wait for March, Bravo Simms and thanks for telling us about it Louis.
Let’s be honest Simms is in this to make money which is fine but to come out smelling like it’s the you and me that they are making these is false. While they make the best wader bar none they have built a reputation as high price and continued to raise said price. It would be interesting to see the true margin on manufacturing and see if the mark up has grown with raw material and labor costs or sim
Or simply on reputation. Could they just lower price on existing products and sell more? Yes but this expansion opens up a less affluent group. Why not lower and capture this group and bury everyone else?
Seems like Simms is too busy trying to be “everything to everyone” these days and is losing some of what made them great for so many years. They are turning into less of a fly fishing brand and more into a general outdoor apparel company led by decisions that are made by a marketing team and not by what the end user is requesting. Let’s face it…probably 90% of the product line that Simms sells is made overseas, so promoting “Made in the USA” is a bit of a red herring.
Most of my fly fishing outerwear/boots used to be Simms, but recently I’ve broken out of that phase and have replaced old/failing equipment with offerings from another brand. Even 5 years ago the products from several other companies weren’t even in the same ballpark as Simms…that divide has been broken down to where the equipment that other major players are offering is on par with what Simms has in my opinion, and I like their culture more than what Simms has seemed to adopt.
This country is going broke saving money. How many jobs will this cost Bozeman when USA wader demand falls off? See you in the soup line.
Amen Bozeman Fisherman! Would you rather save a little money or make our country and its people a little stronger and more secure? I choose the latter!
I love this buy in America debate. I’m from Detroit and buying American is in the blood. You couldn’t even park an Import in our driveway growing up. Let me be devils advocate here…shouldn’t i be able to buy the best product for my money regardless of where it’s made?
Isn’t this part of what makes are country great..we have a right to choose what we buy and not be forced into buying one particular thing?
I have been loyal to Simms for some time. I am from Montana, and am proud that Simms is what it is and is from here.
But if the only Simms waders I can afford when great old Guide Waders finally give out are not made in Bozeman, then I will have no loyalty to buying Simms waders that are made in China. What made Simms Simms was made in Montana. Simms made in China are no different than Patagonia, Dan Baily, whatever.
I live in the most beautiful towns in the world Soldotna, Alaska which has one of the most.famous rivers known for THE
BEST WILD SALMON RUNS EVER ! The Kenai river runs throughout town weaving like a wild snake looking for its home. This is my first year that I have saved enough to buy a beautiful Simms wader which I pull out and look at like its a new born child LOL. ANYWAY, FISHING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, and I will give a full review. Good luck everyone, and have fun.