Monday Morning Product review...in preparation for Spring and Summer.
I am a big believer in the little things in life. It is the
little things that make a difference in the world. My world is ripe with
examples of this…Yellow mustard on a hot dog vs. spicy brown, or eating that
hot dog at a ball game or at home can change that hot dog from just a hot dog
to a religious experience…. A little to the left or a little to the right on a
clients cast to a trout sipping in the foam or a striper cruising a weed line
can change ecstasy to abject failure in a few seconds, and a cast with such
promise becomes a cast that haunts them for weeks or years… I have made a few
casts that still haunt me today.
It is these little things that I have always thought Simms
Fishing Products has done so well. Any angler that has ever worn Simms products
comes to realize very quickly that they make the most durable, comfortable, and
innovative fishing products around. Add the fact that they use the best fabrics
and technology available and they make the best fishing products on the globe.
That said because of those things I think many anglers over look the little
things that make Simms Products so good.
It easy to review waders, boots, and jackets, as these are
all big ticket items and one would expect these things to address the little
things when it comes to features, but what is so great is that Simms pays
attention to the little things whether it is on a $500 pair of waders or a $20
trucker hat….and these little things are what make the difference between good
and the industry’s best.
2 Examples
Trout Trucker, Bass Trucker, Tarpon Trucker
Everyone wears trucker hats now a days, from the 20
something year old slanging flies at my local fly shop to my 65 year old client
talking about the good old days on my local river. Personally, I wear the Trout
or Bass trucker on a daily basis. They are so sweat stained after the last
spring and summer that they are about 3-4 different colors across the front.
This looks a little funky, but makes for some serious fish mojo. One might
think that these are just cheap trucker hats that Simms throws their logo on
and then charges $20 for…no no no my friend, someone put some thought into
these. Under the bill of these caps is black and most trucker hats do NOT have
black under bills. Well it is the little things that make a difference, like
the addition of one more twist of dubbing that takes a perfectly proportioned
birds nest to a vintage 70’s Penthouse bushy birds nest that no self respecting
trout in the river will eat. Black under bills on hats reduce glare when
wearing sunglasses while on the water or anywhere for that matter. Ask Major
League baseball why all their Majestic Game Hats, no matter what color the team
is, or the hat is, have black under bills. Just like the Bigs, Simms does the
little things.
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| Black under bills...Just like the Biggs. |
As a fly fishing guide in Northern California I spend a lot
of time in the sun. To avoid my dermatologist spraying too much liquid nitrogen
on my face, and tainting the limited good looks I was blessed with I wear the
Sun Armor Facemask. Prior to my local sales rep giving me the Sun Armor Facemask
I had been wearing the traditional buff tube thing. I always had a few issues
with it… One, the triangle sunburn that I would get from the area my buff never
covered at the opening of my collared fishing shirt that I always forgot to put
sunscreen on. Two, the danger of almost crashing my 17’ motor boat when
blasting up or down river because my sunglasses fog up when I have my buff
pulled up over my nose to protect my face from bugs. This situation would
result in me trying to wipe my glasses while driving my boat and then inevitably
a bug would fly in my unprotected eye and then I would be forced to drive with
one eye. This leads to a serious reduction in my depth perception that is a
hazard not only to myself, and anyone in my boat, but everyone else on the
river.
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| Simms Sun Armor = no burring triangle or boat crashes due to fogged up sun glasses |
I have always had these issues with Buffs and I have never
shared them with anyone, I just assumed they were a small price to pay for a
face free of skin cancer and liquid nitrogen burns– though I have had enough
triangle burns I may have off set any benefits at this point. The beauty of the Sun Armor Face Mask is
Simms addressed these issues – little things my friends. Simms created a longer
split neck line section which results in a flap that I can tuck in the back and
front of my shirt preventing the burning triangle and even created laser cut
breathing holes that prevent my glasses from fogging up and me crashing while blasting
around in my motor boat. Now, I am sure these were not intended results, but these
are the little things that Simms pays attention to and in doing so created the
best facemask on the mark.