2016 Simms Tech Clinic

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Jasmin Holt
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1 2016 Simms Tech Clinic HISTORY In 1980, Simms was started by John Simms, ski patroller and fishing guide from Jackson Hole; KC Walsh purchased Simms in 1993 and relocated the company to Bozeman, MT Produced the first waterproof/breathable wader made from GORE-TEX and currently has one of three patents to build GORE-TEX waders Simms has the only Gore factory in the U.S. and is the only U.S. made wader when a wader comes in for repair, it s going back to the exact factory that built it; no other wader company can claim that In 2012, the Simms facility moved to its current location in Four Corners, on the outskirts of Bozeman; it s 60,000 square feet and open to factory tours GORE-TEX Founded by Bill Gore in 1958; Five licensed factories: US, Germany, Japan, Scotland, China 72% of Americans own a GORE-TEX product; 98% re-buy GORE-TEX What is GORE-TEX? Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (eptfe) through heat Why GORE-TEX? Gore-Tex is the most durable, waterproof, breathable fabric available. It s inert to bug dope and gasoline GORE-TEX is used in headlights, cell phones, NASA space suits, medical devices, etc. The membrane contains over 9 billion microscopic pores per square inch, which are approximately 20,000 times smaller than a drop of water, but 700 times bigger than a molecule of moisture vapor. So while water in its liquid form cannot penetrate the GORE-TEX membrane, as moisture vapor it can easily escape. Perspiration is converted to a vapor due to heat exerted inside your waders this is called breathability. To aid breathability, layering properly is essential and you should always wear an inert layer to wick moisture from your skin; this layer speeds the process of converting moisture from a liquid to a vapor o Core layers wick moisture and allow moisture to evaporate o Mid layers trap heat and allow moisture vapors to escape The GORE-TEX membrane makes garments durably waterproof, windproof and breathable so that you stay dry and comfortable. Other companies use a laminate for their waterproof/breathable waders which will break down quicker than GORE-TEX and is not a membrane like GORE-TEX; Toray is 10 times the size of Gore and sells waterproof/breathable fabric to a number of companies, including Simms for the Freestone waders. It s cheap which is why we use it in our lower-priced product (Toray Quadralam is 4 layers: nylon face fabric, microporous PU coating, PU Film Lamination, tricot backer

2 Types of GORE-TEX Gore recently rebranded its products to become easier to understand: o GORE-TEX Products (2 layer, 3 layer); 3 layer is face fabric, GORE-TEX and tricot backer material; 2 layer is face fabric, GORE-TEX and PU layer for abrasion resistance; most Simms outerwear is GORE-TEX product o Pro Shell GORE-TEX (3 layer, 5 layer)- Pro Shell is 25% more breathable, durable and lighter weight; all GORE-TEX waders are Pro Shell as are the G4, Slick and Pro Dry Jackets Wader Features Center front seam Asymmetrical, hourglass right and left feet Double heal seam Waist high conversion; opposable suspender clips 3 Layer upper for better breathability and 5 layer lower for better durability G4 waders have 5 layer higher up; G4 Z uses the YKK Aquaseal zipper, originally designed for the Navy Seals G3 Guide Waders have 27 sizes; Custom Program- booties $65 extra Sell Headwaters over Freestone; $100 gets you into our entry-level GORE-TEX wader, made in the US and repaired in the same facility it was built Warranty/Repair Pin Hole Leaks/Small repairs- turn waders inside out and treat with a isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol); pin holes will appear as a black dot and can be fixed with the supplied Aquaseal, even while still wet from the alcohol; small tears can be treated with the supplied repair kit Warranty- First 30 days, no questions asked; First year, first repair is on Simms; beyond the first year, a nominal charge for repairs for the usable life of the wader ($40 for fixing pin-hole leaks); charges are spelled out in the workbook Care/Washing of Waders Cleaning Waders- Always follow the manufacturer s care label for instructions. Machine wash your waders with a small amount of LIQUID detergent in a warm, gentle cycle. Rinse twice. Line-dry your waders! Revive X- your waders are treated with a DWR, or durable water repellency; this is what makes water bead up and over time, your garment will lose this water repellency and the fabric will wet out ; it s still waterproof but without the DWR, water comes closer to your skin and will feel wet next to your skin o Applying Revive X- after your waders have been washed and are still in damp stage, apply Revive X generously; use a hair dryer on a high-heat setting to set the Revive X into the fabric, but NOT the neoprene feet; do not use a standard dryer as the neoprene feet won t withstand high heat.

3 Boots Platforms o Rivertread- G4 and G3 Guide Boots; provides proprioception or the ability of the foot to tell the brain, you re about to fall! ; the TPU plate is around the boot edge so it s softer in the middle and harder around the edge like a mountain goat foot; new Vibram Idrogrip rubber is 30% stickier ; self-sharpening lugs o Streamtread- Rivertek Boa, Freestone and Rock Creek- TPU retention plate (tetrapoly urethane) encompasses entire foot from side to side, toe to heel; rubber is the same Idrogrip in the Rivertread with a different lug pattern o Vaportread- Vapor boots; TPU plate is in the center of the boot, not the edges; better for hiking and sharp rocks; harder Vibram rubber called Megagrip Boa Lacing System o 150 different companies using Boa in 30 different categories o 49 strands of stainless steel; most reels are the M2 o Lifetime warranty Outwear/ Sportswear Design Team- category managers from Spyder, Obermeyer, Smartwool, Ex Officio, etc. Differences between G4, G3 and Guide Jackets Windproof is important as wind robs the body of heat; Gore Windstopper fabric is virtually 100% windproof (but not waterproof because the seams can t be taped) thus, keeps you warmer Bulkley Jacket- all in one piece, 100 grams of Primaloft Gold in body and 60 grams in hood and sleeves (Primaloft Gold retains 96% of insulation value when wet, Silver is 85%) Core 3- silver dioxide is infused into the thread of Simms Sportswear and provides wicking, quick dry, anti-smell and UPF factor (Waderwick) Pro Program- go to and hit the link to Apply

4 Simms Spring 2016 Product Information Attract, Hook and Land 9428 hours product field testing and counting Waders : 2 new waders available for guides o G4X- Darth Wader, $405 to guides, available 9/15 o G3 WQW Wader, $525: 10% of proceeds to WQW, available 11/1 : None Footwear o Headwaters Boot, $179: Rivershed replacement, but lighter in Vibram or felt o Vaportread Boot Salt, $179: a lighter, more nimble version of the Oceantec o Intruder Boot, $179: innovative wet wading boot in Vibram or felt o Currents Boat Shoe, $99: quick dry, light weight with Right Angle Footbed o Westshore Shoe, $89: casual boat shoe with Right Angle Footbed o Westshore Slip On, $79: slip on version of the laced shoe o Westshore Flip, $49: price conscious flip with Right Angle Technology o Oceantek Boot o Strip Flip Outerwear o Guide Jacket, new color Honey Brown o Vapor Elite Jacket, $449: for warmer climates, C-Knit Gore-tex is10% lighter, 15% more breathable and 4x the abrasion resistance; 2/15/16 delivery o Vapor Elite Pant, $349; G-tex Pro Shell, lightweight and packable, side zip o Acklins Jacket, new color Current o Hyalite Rain Shell, new colors Black and Scarlet o Windstopper Guide Hoody, $399: 4 way stretch, micro fleece backer, blocks 99% of wind; 2/15/16 delivery o Windstopper Jacket, $249: Winstopper Softshell, micro fleece backer; 2/15/16 delivery o Windstopper Vest, $189; 2/15/16 delivery o Kinetic Jacket, new color Black o Windstopper Hoody o ADL Jacket, ADL Vest Women s Currents Shoe, $99 Clearwater Sandal, $79: fashion forward fishing sandal Atoll Flip, $59, new colors

5 Guide Jacket, $349, new color Hyalite Jacket, $149: great fit, great colors in a price conscious rain shell Pro Reina LS Shirt, $99: women s version of the Tricomp Big Sky LS Shirt, $79: updated fit and new colors Drifter Tech Henley, $59: super comfy wicking layering piece with DriRelease Bugstopper Hoody, $64: InsectShield protection with 50 UPF sun protection Solarflex Hoody, Artist Series and LS Crew, new colors Drifter Pant, $79: updated fit, more burly than the Isle Pant Drifter Short, $69: updated fit Isle Pant, $69: updated fit Women s specific Sun Gaiter, $29 Women s Guard Sock, $39 and Neoprene Sock, $24 Packs and Bags o Waypoints Backpack Large, $149 and Small, $129 o Waypoints Slingpack Large, $129 and Small, $99 o Waypoints Hip Pack Large, $149 and Small, $99 o Waypoints Chest Pack, $99 o Dry Creek Z Sling Pack, $229 o Dry Creek Duffel XL, $299: 164 liters for the ultimate trip o All Headwaters Packs Accessories Guard Socks and Neoprene Wading Socks, new colors Neoprene Wading Belt, $24: nicer clip and feel Cam Wading Belt, $19: ballistic nylon with a Cam Lock buckle Wading Koozy, $12: attaches to wading belts and bags Plier, $179, new color: black Nippers, $29, new colors: black and lemon Quick Stash Lanyard, $29: interchangeable locking clip Quick Stash Accessories, $29: floatant holder, tool clip and Tippet Tender Rivertek Belt, $24, new colors

insurance Silver Sonic Tech Bulletin

insurance Silver Sonic Tech Bulletin w a d e r s f l o o d insurance patented sonic-weld technology Silver Sonic Tech Bulletin Featuring the Orvis-patented SonicSeam technology, our new Silver Sonics are the most versatile waders we ve ever