I've had this mindset for the better part of 25 years beating the brush and walking/driftboating countless miles of river. Up until now, I've put my Helly-Hansens through hell and them some but I'm starting to agree with Strike Zone's point.......I want more comfort too.

Frankly, I'm sick of that heavy god***n HH rubber that doesn't keep me all that dry either at the end of a wet day. It is restrictive to cast in too. It's virtue is toughness and that's what's kept me using it all these years but damn!.....Something light, with a hood and breathable is pretty appealing to finally try.

Problem is I can't justify $400 clams for a coat........yet

Eric, you only live once!
Some of the best advice I have ever heard was not to be the richest guy in the cemetary...

Very true Sky-guy but $400 for a coat? Guess that's no more insane than $3-600 for waders.

Might happen(said in a hesitant, non-committal tone)

I don't get fishermen thinking buying a $200 rain coat is going to keep them dryer than other rain coats, same goes for rods. If you spend more you feel like you are getting more???
You can buy a full set of Frog Togs and be completly dry, they work great and cost $50 a set. Better yet, you can use them for a couple season and throw them away if you choose and not worry about damage like you do with Simms. That is at least 8 years of being dry for the same price as on Simm coat that may or may not make it the same amout of time, and no worries mate!

There's a lot more to it than just staying dry...you could do that with a hefty bag, or with just a heavy rubber jacket for $25.

With rubber, however, I'd sweat out ten pounds on the rivers I hike, and I'd probably get heat stroke rowing in it...so I've got to have some breathable material...something to keep me dry and not let me get too hot.

The Columbia Queets River jacket I picked up is perfect so far...worked like a charm today...I could wear it with a t-shirt underneath and stay cool, or wear it with two sweaters and polypropylenes and stay toasty, depending on the weather.

Fish on...

Todd

I sure love my Cabelas Guide Wear... I have a bad way of beating the crap out of everything that I own. I'm currently on my second set and the first set (Parka and bibs) were purchased 4-5 years ago. But as mentioned earlier, comfort is important and to me rubber rain gear isn't comfortable to me in 50-65 degree rain, you'd sweat to death if you were doing any physical activity...

Keith

Todd, How much did they ding ya for the Columbia Queets jacket?

I've had my Rivers West Jacket for about 3 months now, and I can say that it is the warmest and quietest rain jacket I've ever owned. I have worn it both in the salt and on the river and I still can't believe how comfortable it is. I don't wear anything special underneath it, either. It came with magnetic closures on the pockets, which sounded pretty cool, but I got tired of the jacket grabbing everything it got close to (like my tail gate), so I cut the magnets out and it works just great. Only drawback I've found (other than the magnets) is not enough pockets to do away with my vest, but that's not a huge deal. It is definitely the best coat I've ever used. Ten year waterproof guarantee. It even has a "butt crack" cover (you listenin' T-Bird?)

I live and work in one of the wettest places on earth ...

I can get a discount on just about any type of raingear that I want ...

There's only one I wear

Make that "two", Bob! (places, that is)

Have you used River's West, Bob? Without cutting your own throat (or discount, rather) Can you give us your analysis of "yours" vs. the rest?

Haven't tried, and won't based on the number of people I've seen in the boat coming in soaking wet while I'm still dry.

Parker hit most of it on the head. When you're rowing hard all day ... anything not breathable is gonna make me as wet as not having anything on at all.

Waist design (non elastic) is way better for rowing and jumping up and down all day vs. the std. Guide Model ... doesn't have the tendancy to ride up through all that.

Fricton between the material while rowing seems to be less with G3 ... I physically wore through std. guide model material where it rubbed from rowing.

You break it down dollar per use and youre usually gonna come out ahead with most of the Simms products. It may sting some a little to start, but in the long run, it's often cheaper than buying a numner of the middle of the road products.

Funny how I see much of the angling public freak at some of the prices for equipment.

Before guiding and as I started up, I still sold golf equipment and people then waited in line and Backorders for a single $300 club that most would use sparingly and then often toss in the closet ... most never thought twice about it. Amazing for me to watch the difference in reaction between the two population segments in respect to quality equipment.


Didn't all Moms always teach everyone that to a degree and in nearly all cases, you get what you pay for

Pretty convincing testimony if you ask me.

Simms it is... but I probably gotta wait another 3 years or more to wear out my current Patagonia SST.

I have had them all over the years, I like my simms jackets. But when it comes down to a hard down pour I much prefer to be in my grunden bibs and jacket. One piece of rain gear that I have put 15plus years on is a Henry Lloyd rain suit, still like new after countless days in the weather.

Matt

Used Grundens and HH for years in AK. Now I have a Simms Classic and a G3. Parker's right about the cuffs on the Classic as they really need to design it so the velcro is on the outside of the cuff and not the inside. It makes the cuff way too puffy. Rubber wears like iron and will keep you drier but you'll probably wind up as wet because of the persperation factor. Gortex is much more comfortable but it won't keep you as dry in long, continuous downpours. When I'm fishing I don't mind getting a little wet so I opt for comfort.

Nothing funny when your on a budget.

Don't disagree with your points about getting what you pay for. I am hard on fishing gear and get the best I can with what I have. My problem at the moment is I'm due for new waders, rain coat and wading boots. I want, and hope to go, top end but I don't have a spare $1,000 to shell out on a whim for all that stuff.

No discounts on this end.......just reality.

Eric, the Columbia Queets rain jacket has an MSRP of around $150, but is on sale at OE for $85 right now...I'm a PSA member, so that gets me an additional 10% off, so it was about $78 plus tax.

I just wore it for two days in pouring rain and stayed nice and dry...except for when I stepped in over the top of my waders and jacket collar this afternoon

Fish on...

Todd

Whoa there. Did you just say you you took a dunk up to your neck?

If so, please do tell! Photos???

No photos, but I'm totally blaming it on T-Bird...

We were crossing in a spot that has a little more than waist deep water, and it's fast...and I'm not kidding, waist deep and fast...the kind of chit that can knock almost anyone down if they aren't firmly grounded.

I'm 6'3" and 200 pounds and on the way upstream I found that I was right at my limit of being floated away on that cross. T-Bird, of course, is like a one man coffer dam, so the river just runs around him in stuff like that.

On the way back down Tommy was in front of me about six feet while we were doing the cross, and all of a sudden he stumbled and was pirouetting and looked like he was about to go down...and it gets much deeper right downstream from us.

I took six running/swimming steps towards him to see if I could help him get his balance before he went down, and caught my right toe on the same rock that tripped him up...when I went to step over it with my left foot to re-gain my balance, the rock caught that one, too...

Just about the time T-Bird re-gained his balance all by himself I was pretty much swan diving down the river right at him. I bumped into him, which was like running into a tree trunk while doing the 40 yard dash in the woods at night, and I stood right back up...but not before shipping about half a gallon down the collar of my jacket.

Not enough to make it to my toes, just enough to soak my chest, stomach, and pour a couple cups of freezing water on my junk.

I'm glad we were on the way out!

Just goes to show ya, no good deed goes unpunished in this cruel, cruel world.

Fish on...

Todd

Oh, and when we got back to the beach T-Bird informed that he had tripped over the same rock the day before...thanks for the heads up, Buddy!

Fish on...

Todd

Great story! Made me laugh.