Simms G3 Guide Waders Shadow Green

G3 Guide Shadow Green

When Simms brought out the current model of G3 Guide waders they quickly proved to be hands down better than any previous model. The big improvements are weight and breath-ability. But if there was one characteristic that many anglers quickly pointed out against was the extremely light colored fabric finish. Many worried it would be flashy and spook fish.

G3 Guide Color Cinder

Personally I have 3 seasons on a pair of these waders and they are the best of the G3's in my opinion and I won't say that this light coloring made any difference in my fly fishing success. But I do agree that a darker color wader is more desirable.

New for 2020 - G3 Guide Waders in all New Shadow Green Color
Same great wader in new darker shades.

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New from Simms - River Camo

In addition to  New Simms G3 Guide Wader in Veil River Camo is also two new jackets. Up top is the new Kinetic Jacket in River Camo and Below is the new Bulkley Jacket in River Camo. 

Simms Kinetic Jacket - River Camo
The Kinetic Jacket is an ideal all around jacket that provides warmth with function. Plush Polartec Wind Pro stretch fleece in the underarms breathes the moisture away while providing unparalleled range of motion. All pockets and hood are created to be low profile as to not catch lines. The kinetic jacket is designed to layer perfectly with Simms outer shell jackets to create an ultimate layering outfit ready to tackle whatever your day on the water throws at you.

Simms Bulkley Jacket - River Camo

The Bulkley Jacket is the one stop piece of outerwear that takes care of cold and wet in one complete package. Primaloft Silver Insulation provides the warm while Gore-Tex outer shell sheds the h2o. Do it while maintaining stealth with the new Veil River Camo desinged to distort a fish's ability to detect shape and movement. 

Men's Outerwear Top Size Chart

Men's Sizes	Chest*	Neck*	Sleeve*
S	36" - 38"	15.5" - 16"	33" - 34"
M	39" - 41"	16" - 16.5"	34" - 35"
L	42" - 45"	16.5" - 17"	35" - 36"
XL	46" - 48"	17.5" - 18"	36" - 37"
XXL	49" - 51"	18.5" - 19"	37" - 38"

* These are body measurements

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Simms 2018 G3 Guide Stockingfoot Wader Review

It was time for some new waders. I've always had Simms G3 Guide Waders. I have a lot of hours spread across 10 years with the last two generations of these time proven waders with great success I'll add. While the two older generations of waders served me well I was hopeful for some improvements in this new 2018 model.

Comfortable
I'll kick this review off with "comfort!" After my first day in these New G3 Guide Waders I noticed they felt very comfortable. By comfortable I mean light, breathable and all around good fit. Five days in a row I spent hiking, climbing, wading, crossing rivers (everything except swimming, thankfully), all in total comfort. Certain that they were actually lighter in weight I scale checked the new G3's against my past two generation G3's and the new ones are in fact lighter. In addition to being approximately a couple ounces lighter, they also felt more breathable. Without scientific evidence of breath-ability I'll just once again affirm the new G3 Guide waders just feel more comfortable, period.

On the Front
Thank you Simms for putting zippers on the reach-through microfleece-lined hand warmer chest pocket. Besides being able to stash stuff without worry of losing things, zippers also prevent things like tree limbs, boat oars and rod butts getting caught in the pocket flap. Also the addition of the Super-Fly Patch is a nice feature.

Tippet Tender Pocket
Most the time I don't use the Tender Pocket so being able to remove it is a great convenience. It's not that I don't ever use it. I find it a great feature when I go out for an evening of swinging flies and just want to leave my pack at home and be minimal. I rig the Tender Pocket as needed and have it always ready to go for those quick swing trips. On extended fishing trips I usually carry a pack and don't need to have the tippet pocket; just unzip and leave it behind. A thoughtful addition Simms gave this Tippet Tender Pocket is a safety zipper loop to secure the pocket preventing it from becoming unzipped by accident. The zipper pocket system also allows you to switch the tippet tender for an accessory add-on Waterproof Wader Pouch from things like phones and cameras.

Tippet Tender Pocket Safety

The included stretch wading belt along with the low profile belt loops worked really well together. Waist location the belt sits on felt very natural. With my previous pair of G3's I didn't use the belt loops because they seem to sit too low. I'm going to call this "improved."
Over many years of wading I've learned that a stretch wading belts are the only way to wade. Stretch wading belts provide more comfort and freedom of movement than a non-stretch style belts and you don't waste time trying to adjust a wet belt on the side of the river.

The abrasion-resistant built in Gravel Guards worked great. The only reason I mention these is that on my last pair of G3's my gravel guards seemed really hard to stretch over my boots. These seemed to be easier. They look like the same rugged material so I don't know what's different but I'm going to label them as "improved." The stockingfoot feet are great fitting as always, never had an issue.

After living in these new waders for 5 days straight, hiking and wading miles of river through some rugged Patagonia / Chile countryside I can say without hesitation the New G3 Guide Waders are better then ever. I can't wait for my next adventure in my New Simms G3 Guide Waders.

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop
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"My Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"

Simms G3 Guide Stockingfoot Waders - New for 2018

Simms industry workhorse wader, G3 Guide, got a complete makeover for 2018. While there are lots of new enhancements the big word on the street is "lighter". As in much lighter then previous models. 

Simms Details

Time on the stream is time well spent. And with the G3 Guide™ Stockingfoot wader, those precious hours can be comfortable and well-ventilated. The G3 has all the in-river essentials you need, with legendary Simms durability that can stand up to heavy use in rugged conditions. Rigging a hopper-dropper combo just became a little easier with the help of a flip-out Tippet Tender®™ pocket with dual-entry zippers and Super-fly Patch® with integrated utility tabs. And numb, sore feet are a thing of the past with anatomically designed neoprene stockingfeet with a funk-fighting anti-microbial finish.

Features - 

• Three-layer GORE-TEX® Pro Shell in upper
• Four-layer GORE-TEX® Pro Shell in seat and legs
• Zippered chest pocket
• Removable flip-out Tippet Tender®™ pocket with dual-entry zippers and retractor docking station
• Zippered reach-through microfleece-lined hand-warmer chest pocket
• Super-fly Patch® and integrated utility tabs
• Low-profile belt loops with 2" stretch wading belt included
• Patented front and back leg seams deliver an articulated fit that fights wear zones, bolsters wader longevity, and maximizes mobility
• Adjustable elastic 1.5" suspender with opposing YKK® buckles for waist-high conversion
• Abrasion-resistant built-in Gravel Guards with boot hooks
• Anatomically engineered neoprene stockingfeet with anti-microbial finish

G3 Guide™ Stockingfoots Size Chart

Men's Sizes	Largest Girth  (chest, waist  or hips)	Inseam (crotch to floor)	Stockingfoot
S	35" - 36"	31" - 32"	7 - 8
SK	37" - 38"	31" - 32"	7 - 8
M	39" - 40"	33" - 34"	9 - 11
MS	39" - 40"	29" - 30"	9 - 11
MK	41" - 42"	33" - 34"	9 - 11
MKS	41" - 42"	29" - 30"	9 - 11
ML	39" - 40"	35" - 36"	9 - 11
L (9 - 11)	43" - 44"	33" - 34"	9 - 11
L (12 - 13)	43" - 44"	33" - 34"	12 - 13
LS	43" - 44"	31" - 32"	9 - 11
LK	45" - 46"	33" - 34"	9 - 11
LKS	45" - 46"	31" - 32"	9 - 11
LL (9 - 11)	43" - 44"	35" - 36"	9 - 11
LL (12 - 13)	43" - 44"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
XL	47" - 48"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
XLS	47" - 48"	33" - 34"	9 - 11
XLK	49" - 50"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
XLL	47" - 48"	37" - 38"	12 - 13
XXL	51" - 52"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
XXLS*	51" - 52"	33" - 34"	12 - 13
XXLK*	53" - 54"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
XXLL*	51" - 52"	37" - 38"	12 - 13
3XL*	55" - 56"	35" - 36"	12 - 13
3XLS*	55" - 56"	33" - 34"	12 - 13
4XL*	59" - 60"	35" - 36"	12 - 13

These are body measurements
* Only available through Simms' Custom Shop Program for an additional charge.

Most sizes are in-stock now. See our entire collection of Waders

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Greg's Top Picks from IFTD / ICAST 2017

As of this writing I am sitting in Orlando Airport waiting for my flight home. The show week went all to fast as usual. I only have a weekend and a couple of days before I head off on another adventure. I'm going to have to cut this years recap a little brief and limit it to the new stuff that really got my attention.

Sage Salt HD - Winner, "Best New Saltwater Fly Rod" and "Best of Show"

Sage really delivered in a big way with the new Salt HD. Light, fast, powerful but the best feeling from this rod is just how connected you feel to your cast. You never lose contact with your line. I can't tell you what makes that happen but I can tell you the difference is recognizable and real. I will have one as soon as I can get my hands on it!

G.Loomis IMX PRO - Winner , "I-Cast Best New Fly Rod"

I personally award this new rods series as "Best mid priced rod line ever." While I've been informed before the term "ever", should never be used but I think an exception needs to be made in this case in order to drive my point. The IMX PRO performs like a top class rod. Load feel, swing weight, power and speed all precisely match a PRO level caster preferences. This has been accomplished by putting the R&D in the material makeup and refinement of rod tapers. With a technology G Loomis refers to as Conduit Core Loomis is able to reduce material in key ares yet retain strength and efficiency. IMX PRO rods are referred to as guide tools because guides will rate their rods more on performance and less on how much titanium nano resin sauce is dripping from them. Besides standard four piece offerings the series also include two 1-piece streamer rods and a full series of Short Spey (not switch) rods.

RIO Flats Pro - Winner, "Best New Saltwater Fly Line"

Complementing the Salt HD is a new line from RIO called Flats Pro. I'll have to give you more detail later when I have the technology resources in front of me but the big deal about this line is in its ability to lay out in a perfect straight line, without wiggles and connect you directly to your fly. Even with my imperfect casting mechanics this line somehow finds the straight path every time. I've got my sample line and will be doing a full comprehensive review coming soon.

Nautilus GTX - Winner,  "Best New Saltwater Fly Reel"

Nautilus unveiled a new top level Saltwater Fly Reel. Nautilus is taking a different approach of creating the largest "Tarpon" size first and will engineer smaller sizes in the near future. Drawing from all Nautilus technologies and emphasis on reduced weight has come together to form this winning package.

Waterworks Lamson Cobalt Saltwater Reel

I'm highlighting this reel because this one could have caused an upset in the saltwater category. WWL spent two years in the development of this new reel. While some of it's uniqueness is apparent other features are subtle as trout sipping a caddis. It's light, strong, sealed and precision. I will do a future article on this one soon highlighting all the features.

Scott G Series  - Winner, "Best New Freshwater Fly Rod"

The revised G Series of rods once again advances it's long lived heritage as an incredible spring creek trout rod series. The uniqueness of this series is while light for spring creek use, the action is between moderate and fast with Scott calling it a medium action. Not too slow, not too fast, just right!

Simms G3 Wader - Winner, Best New Men's Wader"

While most are not going to notice the differences between past and future G3 waders they are in fact quite different. Feel, breath-ability and convenience features have all been stepped up to premium levels. Starting with material these new G3's feel much more supple to the touch. Much less rigid then previous models yet Simms Claims them to be more breath-able and more puncture resistant.
Belt, belt loops and pocket design and many other features also have been improved and upgraded. I'm in need of a new pair of waders and the G3's will make for a great test product review.

Korkers Women's Darkhorse - Winner, Best New Women's Wading Boot"

Built from the foundation of the hugely successful men's Darkhorse, the new Women's Darkhorse displays style and fit for a women in a premium wading boot package. You can review the Darkhorse features in an article I did this past spring.

Korkers Triple Threat Traction Soles

Traction is a huge concern for many anglers. I say without hesitation Korkers has shut the door in the extreme traction category. I'm going to let the picture tell the story and only add one detail that all three configurations are built upon the same sole.

Korkers Wraptr Wading Boot

The New Korkers Wraptr Boot utilizes a technology were a new highly abrasion reistant material is actually wrapped and molded to form the boot thereby eliminating the key wear component of stitching. Expect to hear more about this new advanced boot soon

Plan D Fly Boxes

My first Plan D Fly Box has revolutionize the storage of my stinger type flies. Because of this functioning storage system I overlooked its shortcomings of being thicker then necessary and not waterproof. Wait till you see Dylan's new line of boxes. Using the word upgraded doesn't do them enough justice. Slimmer, lighter, solid latching, waterproof and overall better constructed. Adding the line is a new tube fly solution. I acquired a sample of this one and look forward to providing a future review.

Great stuff coming! We'll be busy testing and reviewing every chance we get

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop
Read more Greg's Post...

"My Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"

Wader Comparison - G3 Guide Vs. Sonic Pro

G3 Guide Vs. Sonic Pro

Waders! Love them or Hate them. I personally view waders as an expendable item. They have a given life span. So no matter how much money you choose to spend on waders the ultimate fate of them is always the same. But all cost aside there is some very important aspects to consider when buying waders that will help determine the given life expectancy you may get out of them such as proper fit and amount of use.

FIT - Today's breathable waders don't have much stretch in them. A proper fitting wader will be baggy in the legs. If you buy them to fit like your clothes then you'll most likely end up with seam leaks. To test this try bending down on one knee. If your waders are stretched to do this than they are too small. Follow the wader sizing chart of the brand you're buying. Most new buyers think that the charts are wrong because of how baggy the waders are on them. Trust me...follow the chart!

USE - Use is a pretty big factor in how many years you might get from a wader. I know many anglers that can wear out a pair of waders in a year...maybe even quicker. But we're talking anglers that fish maybe 100 days a year or maybe more. But maybe you're the angler that gets to fish one week a year. You might get 10 years out of a pair of waders if you take care of them and no mishaps occur.

My view of value
$700 over 10 years = not a bad investment for great waders
$700 over 1 year = Kind of hard to swallow!

And let's not forget that mishaps occur -
No wader is indestructible. The demise of a wader can come from snag on barbwire, scaling basalt rock cliffs, bushwhacking, trail blazing, thorn bushes and whatever else your endeavor may include. Fortunately many minor issues can easily be repaired with a tube of aquaseal. But tears, seam leaks, and neoprene bootie problems tend to render waders destructed!

Features to consider -

• Gravel Guards - MUST HAVE, and almost all waders today have gravel guards. I remember my first pair of waders did not have them. Big mistake! I actually gave up those waders before they leaked.
• Wading Belt - Another must have for nothing else but to wade safely. I like Stretch wading belts. They give and stretch for all day comfort. I also like waders that have built in belt loops
• Stretch Shoulder straps - I like these for the same reasons as the belts.
• Front hand warmer pocket - I like this feature
• Internal tool and tippet pouch - I can take it or leave it...sometimes they are nice when all you want to carry is some tippet and nippers but most the time I have a pack to carry that stuff
• Zipper front - Talk to anybody that wears zipper waders and they will tell you that they never want to go back. But the zipper is pure luxury. They don't make a wader last any longer, just easier to get in and out of as well as stream side relief. 

Two waders we offer today fit all these requirements and I currently use and test both. They are the Simms G3 Guide Waders and the Redington Sonic Pro Waders. Both have the features I like and both have performed well for me.

Let me break down the main differences between these two waders.

Simms G3 Guide Waders - $499.95

• Made with breathable Gore-Tex Pro Shell
• Made in USA
• Warranty - Yes and I suggest reading the Simms Warranty Guide for more information
• 19 factory stock sizes and other sizes and features can be custom ordered for a proper fit.
• Sewn Seams

Redington Sonic Pro Waders - $299.95

• Breathable yes but not gore-tex
• Imported
• Warranty - Yes - one year and I suggest reading the Redington Warranty Guide for more information
• 12 stock sizes - No custom sizes available
• Welded seams

Summary

Fitting - Luckily I fit into a Large King size in either brand of waders but as you can see Simms offers many more sizes and this may be a determining factor for you. Also Simms has the custom shop that can tailor your needs. A distinct advantage of Made in USA. 

Origin 

I like to support Made in USA. But in the case of waders it's not the same as a fly rod or fly reel. I said earlier "waders are expendable", so its not like they hold their value or you will hand them down one day to your offspring. Spend 100 days a year in your waders and trust me, no one wants your waders! 

Breathable

I honestly can't tell the difference. I hear the claims and those claims can be proven with machines but if it's hot then your hot, if its cold then your cold. I think the more important fact is to learn how to layer properly under your waders. If you hike long distances to fish you might find it worth packing waders in and/or out for true comfort. Here is a trick for doing this that will keep you from having to pack another pair of shoes. Buy the Simms Guard Socks. Pack them in and when your ready to get out of your waders, slip on the guard socks and back into your wading boots. No need for another pair of shoes. Now you only need to pack your waders out and you can experience true breath-ability. 

Seams

I don't know how much this matters. They both have good claims to why theirs is better. I think you pretty much either have a seam leak right from the beginning or they develop due to improper fit or the fatal mishap occurs like doing the splits in the middle of the stream. Again mishaps do occur!

Warranty

Tough call with this one. Both brands are good to honor their stated warranty. Simms will certainly evaluate your waders and in most cases they get repaired in a timely manner. Redington warrantly says they will repair or replace but I've yet to see a repair done. Usually they are replaced if they meet the qualifications. I think for the long term Simms can keep your original waders in use with the ability to repair in a USA facility even though down the road it may cost you a small fee. 

Wrap this up

Both Simms G3 Guide and Redington Sonic Pro wader have performed flawlessly for me. Nothing bad I can say about either one. They both have all the features I like in a wader. With so many variables that will dictate the life of your wader I can't even say what the better value is. Hopefully the information provided here can help you determine what the best value is for you. 

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop Internet Sales Manager | Product Specialist

"Fly Fish the World with Us"