Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Tadpole]

Finally had the chance to test my Pilot II jacket yesterday on a higher elevation mountain stream, where I was greeted with incessant rain, hail, sleet and merciless wind, logging a total of 12 kilometers along the stream.
The jacket performed flawlessly. Water rolled off it in beads, keeping me dry and comfy. The neoprene hand cuffs were 90% effective in keeping the water out of my arm despite my holding the rod up in the downpour for quite some time.
The jacket is very comfortable to wear - doesn't ride up when casting and stretching and it has an array of water-proof pockets for storage and loops to hang things. Breathability is top notch.

My buddy Tad who was with me and uses a Simms Guide 3 jacket (or maybe even 4, not sure), said the Pilot II will be his next purchase, that's how impressed he was with it.
 
Simms performance at a fraction of the price. What's not to like? 


 Yes, I am on my second Simms jacket . G4 was first and now G3. They lasts 4-5 years and start leaking on the shoulders( I fish almost every week). It cost me lots of coin and don't lasts. Now days we got a lot of new gortex type of product from different manufacturers and they are increasingly better. There is no reason to fill Simms coffers if I can get something equal at fraction of the price.

[clarki]

Frogg Toggs - company report/comment.

The zipper on my HB is a tad tough to start after a few trips (I may even be the culprit.....), so I emailed them and asked how much to replace.  They quickly replied back that they would warranty it (although it's slightly out of warranty period and I don't know where my receipt is anyway).  I asked if there was anyway to upgrade to their new jackets - sure say they, $40 upgrade fee and I'm good to go!  Since I'm in Canada, no need to send the old jacket back, just cut the tags off and send them in with the return authorization (so the cost of a stamp vs. the cost of courier/package to return).

I was already sold on the quality/price of their products - THAT warranty offer and quick, friendly correspondence sealed the deal - can't say enough good things about Frogg Toggs!!

Based upon the comments in this thread, last November I bought a Froggs Toggs Hellbender wading jacket. It got use in the light rain a few times in the past year, but in early November of this year I was fishing in a solid heavy rain for 2-3 hours. I had the hood up, the neoprene cuffs cinched tight, but both sleeves of my sweater were soaked from armpit to wrist.

I emailed Froggs Toggs, explained the circumstances and expressed my disappointment with the product. I got an immediate reply and was asked to ship the jacket back for a warranty inspection. Then a couple of days later I got a second email saying that they were just going to replace the jacket and send me a new one. They wouldn't have my size available until Spring, 2017 and would ship it out then, and was I OK with that? I was/am.

Now, we'll see what happens in the spring, but I was very impressed with the offer to replace the jacket sight unseen, and based upon my word. Heck, I even think they are going ship it to my home and save me a trip to a US freight forwarder. 

Very satisfied with the unexpected level of service.                 

[HOOK]

Anyone have a review they could give me about the Rapala Tactics wading jacket ?

I've gone around checked out every jacket in the price range I feel comfortable spending and this jacket fits and feel best of all for what I want in a jacket. I cannot find any reviews online besides companies that sell them so far

[sugartooth]

Anyone have a review they could give me about the Rapala Tactics wading jacket ?

I've gone around checked out every jacket in the price range I feel comfortable spending and this jacket fits and feel best of all for what I want in a jacket. I cannot find any reviews online besides companies that sell them so far

I tried this jacket on at army and navy today. It felt very comfortable to me. The only things I didn't like were the water tight cuffs seemed tough to cinch up and didn't seem like they would keep water out and it's a thin jacket so many layers would be needed on colder days.  I also found that the hand warmer pockets sat too high. Other than that I did really like it.

[HOOK]

I tried this jacket on at army and navy today. It felt very comfortable to me. The only things I didn't like were the water tight cuffs seemed tough to cinch up and didn't seem like they would keep water out and it's a thin jacket so many layers would be needed on colder days.  I also found that the hand warmer pockets sat too high. Other than that I did really like it.

My Simms G4 is just a shell so very thin which I like and have learned to layer properly. Hand warmer pockets are also located in the same area as my simms, any further down and they may get rain in them left open (has never happened on my simms)

Cuffs will never keep the water out fully no matter what jacket unfortunately but yes some are definitely thought out way better than others.

If I had several hundred dollas to buy a Simms or Patagonia I would do that but alas I do not and my current jacket can't even hold out a light drizzle now 

[RG]

If my neoprene cuffs get pounded on by rain or repeated submerging the water creeps up the cuff.  Once that happens then it creeps up the sleeves and then my arms are soaked from the inside.  The gor-tex never lets water in from the outside.  I've never been happy with that prospect, next jacket will be outer gor-tex shell with no neoprene cuffs.

[Tadpole]

  The gor-tex never lets water in from the outside. 

 I have a Simms g4 jacket. After 5 years it started to leak on the top of my shoulders like sieve.  Gortex is far from perfect. Now same thing is starting to happen to my newer G3. I will never buy this  products again. Not worth the money they ask for.

[RalphH]

My Simms is below the G3 - I don't remember the specific name and it's no longer marketed. I think it is several years old now and still water proof. I wear it a lot - often even when it's not raining or showers are not possible.

I don't think a leak after 5 years is all that bad. Get yourself a cheap back up and get your jacket repaired.

You can send your jacket or waders back to Simms. I sent my G3 waders back last year via Michael and Young. The put in new feet and the waders were reconditions and it cost $100 which compared to the going rate of $600+ tax was a bargain. Leaks can also be plugged with Aquaseal.

I had terrible experience with other jackets, particularly a Bare "Kodiak" with neoprene cuffs. No matter how many treatments with spray products or washes they leak within a couple months either at the shoulder seems or water creeping up past the cuffs. I had far better luck with a Columbia shell I got 10 years ago for $60 (on sale) - it's still waterproof. Right now I also have a Hell Hansen I bought as a street jacket for $100 (on sale).

I think shells are better if the fabric breathes well. In the event of a leak you are far more likely to fin id and to repair it.

[Walleye76]

For anyone in the market for new jackets (rain/wading) there's a sale on at compass360gear.com til end of Dec (use promo code "360christmas) rain jackets from $16-30 and wading jacket from $49 with promo code. I can't comment of the quaility as I have not seen/used them but at some of these sale prices you can't really go wrong.

[HOOK]

My g4 also soaks through like crazy. I tried treating it with Revivex and it sorta worked for 1 outing and then soaked again afterwards. Thankfully I wear a Simms soft-shell jacket underneath which is water resistant enough I stay dry under it.

I plan to send my G4 back to Simms once I get a new jacket and see if they can fix it or maybe get lucky and they replace it. Either way it would be better than it is now. I can't send it back and leave myself without a jacket to to at least slow the rain down because I need to be on the water :-)

[typhoon]

My G4 doesn't leak at all after 5? years.
I wear a sling, not a pack and I rarely wash it which might help. You have to be really careful about getting fabric softener near goretex as it prevents water repelling.

[bobby b]

My Simms Guide jacket is still fairly newish.... so far so good. According to Simms it is a lot stronger than the previous Guide jacket.
The shingle (cinch) cuffs work great as I can tighten them to suit and the fabric under the velcro does not hold water like neoprene does. Keeps sleeves underneath dry and also keeps the wrists from getting cold, no water migrates up my arm at all.
 I can fully submerge my hands in the river to tail a fish or rinse off slime and roe/mess etc.. without worrying about getting water up the sleeve.
My old jacket had neoprene cuffs and my wrists would freeze if the neoprene got wet, the water would also wick up into my underlying sleeves too.

[HOOK]

My G4 doesn't leak at all after 5? years.
I wear a sling, not a pack and I rarely wash it which might help. You have to be really careful about getting fabric softener near goretex as it prevents water repelling.

Love my G4 and if I had the budget would buy abother.  Mine is either 8 or 9 yrs old and starting leaking through somewhat last year and is toast this year even after treating it. I definitely got my money's worth from the jacket and maybe I'll get lucky and they can repair it or very lucky and they send a new one 

Unfortunately I need to get a replacement jacket in order to send it away because I can't be without. Hopefully the cuffs on that Rapala don't suck because I do shove my arms in the water to tail fish and what not. Don't think I've ever owned a jacket that allowed water to creep upward, normally your elbow areas will be wet because of the angle your arm is at while fishing and water can run down your skin regardless of how tight your cuffs are, no jacket can stop it, not even the G4, gloves OVER my jacket wrist was the only thing that kept out the water

[RalphH]

All those potions like Revivex only restore the water repellancy of the nylon shell. The goretex membrane is underneath that. If there is a hole in the goretex, the garment will leak no matter how much of that stuff you spray on or how many time you wash it.

[HOOK]

All those potions like Revivex only restore the water repellancy of the nylon shell. The goretex membrane is underneath that. If there is a hole in the goretex, the garment will leak no matter how much of that stuff you spray on or how many time you wash it.

What about when the rain comes through the jacket EVERYWHERE