Stop wasting your money!
Go buy a set of Frogg Toggs and throw them away after a couple seasons and buy new ones. You can get them on E-Bay. You will stay dry and if you rip them somewhere you wont be out much.
Lived here all my life, fished damn near every river in this state in all weather over 50 years and I have never seen so much whinning about rain!

Just an update. I bought the Nixwax tech wash and Nixwax waterproofer per Todd's recommnedation. My Patagonia jacket sheds water in sustained rain, and then does it again next time out.


Thanks Todd.

Vince - I got wet because I wore a hooded sweatshirt. The hood of the shirt stuck out enough to get soaked - and the water went down the inside of the coat. Matter of fact, you can see the blue hooded sweatshirt in my avatar.

I too bought the Nikwax cleaner and waterproofer for both my Goretex and Windstopper fleece. They are good to go now, but I haven't had them in the rain yet.

So, I guess my SIMMS never failed in the first place. But oh well, I have a new SIMMS jacket on order because of it. Hurt me with that problem.

Got me a bottle of Tectron DWR restorer as well. Will spray my SST down tonight. The G3's will have to wait another season or two.

two words...Ebay and goretex...nuff said

Jerry, where is the "other" picture I took of you when you were over last year? Seems to me you were sleeping in that one too.

I went on a drift on the Skagit last week. We stopped often and cast spinners and spoons. From 4:00am until 4:00 on the river. I was wearing my Stearns Float Coat and a nice Filson felt hat (cowboy type). It poured and poured and poured. I was comfortable the whole time. Did get my wool gloves wet tailing a few chum, buth otherwise very comfortable all day. Had a slipover shirt underneath and my neo waders.

Don't always have to spend big $$ to stay dry.

Steve

Thanks for sharing your experience with your raingear. But I have specific needs that are different then what I would need if my activity was limited to boat fishing.

I'm comfortable now. Just mildly damp from sweating. But my jacket is working to my expectations.

Vince,

Wading or in the boat...it doesn't seem to matter...

Glad the Nikwax worked for you...it's good stuff.

Fish on...

Todd

Looks like the SST is a hands down winner. Not only is the performance equivelant to the 400.00 Simms G3, but it is the SST warranty that is second to none.

Now all I got to do is get out at least 2wice a month to put it to the test, and Lord only knows when that will happen...

That NikWax is the right stuff. I have used it for a long time with my Cabela's Guide wear rainsuit and that suit still keeps me dry after seven years. I use that suit mostly for freshwater boat fishing and I have Grundens for the salt.

I also own a Cabela's wading jacket, which I also clean and treat with NikWax. I fell in the upper Chilliwack River one year with that jacket zipped up and over my neopremes. I floated like a boat and stayed dry.

Works in the Bering sea, might work around here. If your wearing these a beer can won't drop on your head either.

http://www.grundens.com/