Good luck on that as a marketing strategy. Fly anglers, a vocal segment at least, are very adamant about flyfishing becoming competitive, and many dislike the fly fishing competitions. They are quite satisfied that fly fishing is a small segment of sport fishing, and do not want fly fishing marketed as bass fishing has been marketed. I can just see a competitive fly guy outfitted in a Simms suit rushing out to the competitive waters in a Skeeter boat equipped with a Yamaha 250 HP motor, and his hair streaming out behind.

Expand the customer base by branching out into other industries, therefore supplimenting the fly fishing industry? You bet, bring it on. I'd bet this will even expose non-anglers to fly fishing for the first time, and a few might even start fishing.

Well, this is just the excuse that I've been looking for to kick Simms to the curb. When they came out with the arm sun guards (What the Heck - Long sleeve shirt anyone?), humidors, simms branded sunscreen, etc., and their big bad anti-felt stance, then hear that they are back in the felt business, it becomes all too apparent that they are another huge corporate entity only concerned with the bottom line.
I look at someone adorned head to toe in Simms much like I view someone in head to toe Cabela's gear - Another Johnny Armchair, who gets out once a year, or a guide on a pro-form, because who else can afford an $800 dollar pair of waders that leak and then suffer through their horrible customer service?
Filson it is. If you want a product that actually stands up, and a company that has customer that is like no other, look no further.
Simms may be based in Bozo, and I'm a Montanan, but they have completely forgot their base and who paid their bills. Good buy to the Wal-Mart of the fly fishing world.

I hope the BASS guys understand that drain plugs won't help stop the leaks.

How can anybody hate an object such as a company? Really? Did Simms sell raincoats to the Taliban or pollute your favorite river or sleep with your wife? Simms back tracked on the felt because no one followed their lead. Everyone else was hoping to be the last man standing in the felt business and reap the profits. Give Simms credit for trying. If felt is to be banned then all the manufacturers must leap at once. Nothing wrong with watching over the bottom line either. It keeps people employed.

I hoping no one thinks less of me for wearing fancy fishing clothes because my wife bought them for me. Makes about as much sense as hating a company.

Time for another beer...

Can we go a month on this blog without a Simms ad, er blog?

Looks like Simms is picking a niche in the bass/boat fishing market. Good for them, they make good stuff. Simms is a smart company and wants to make money (that's why they sell felt again).

As far as getting any of them to compete with a fly rod...well, as soon as they think they could win a tournament with a fly rod they'd do it. All the goo and plastics and swimming baits those guys use currently just simply catch more big fish.

Buckhunter..What this topic amounts to, IMO, is the need to GROW, just like our economy is NOT, it is shrinking. They are trying to GROW in a shrinking economy..good luck to them. These co.'s like Sage, GROW, or die, it is that simple. Sage was bought out by a sizeable, capital investment co. located in Texas as I remember, and they expect a good return for their investment dollars. Sage was going nowhere, and got rid of a number of key people at the top. So investment capital buys RIO, Buys Redington RODS trying to expand. Simms, I don't know if they have had an injection of capital, but I dislike liberals wanting to change my life style when it is based on phony science..like wanting me to get rid of my SUV and buy a clown car, or make my light bulbs illegal, and many, many other things they want control of my life over.

I don't hate Simms the company, but I really dislike what Simms has become. I feel their products are severely overpriced for the quality that you get, and if the product fails, the elitist attitude kicks in - What? Our product failed? That's unpossible!!!! Take your leaky rain jacket back and quit bothering us with trivial details like product failure because that jacket leaked within our specs.
They took the moral high road in the felt debate, couldn't produce a product that didn't produce twisted ankles and broken wrists from falls, so they went back to the old ways that work and made them money. Is this good, bad or indifferent? Well, when you look down from your moral high horse and judge others, you'd better be able to ride that pony into the sunset.
If you can fish, and wear Simms clothing, or Whorevis or whoever, I have no problem with who bought you what or the fact that you were sucker punched into buying a $90 garment that is no better than a $25 Carhartt shirt. But the vast majority of the clowns streamside can't get a drift or roll cast beyond the end of their rod tip, yet look like a walking catalog endorsement. That is where the cart has begun to lead the horse.
As so many company should have, Simms should have stuck to what to what they knew, practiced what they preached, and continued to provide quality garments to those that used them, not whoring themselves to every niche market segment that they could invent.
Rant over.