FIELDTEST

Watch the online article on a fieldtest I did for Patagonia's new Guidewater Waders.

DOWN-BRANDING ON WHISTLES AND BELLS

Patagonia’s great Guidewater fly fishing vest does not come with in-built retractors, but with attachment points designed almost in such a way that one would suspect the designer had this famous, strong and functional retractor in mind manufactured by a brand with an unspeakable name that begins with an S.


You can of course buy two of those retractors, dress down the all too obvious S-branding and still have a pair of strong retractors that seem to be an integral part of the Patagonia vest.

Patagonia’s innovations (the hits and the misses) are being discussed in detail in the Way Upstream blog. Here is a short paste on the ongoing retractor theme.

El Pescador (Patagonia’s product development director Steve Stracqualursi) said...
[...] Fly fishing product design seems to demand retractor attachment capability. Do you agree? If so, what kind of retractor do you use (pin back, post, clip)? If not, why? Regardless of your retractor opinions, what tools are mandatory and how do you attach or store your tools of the trade? [...] I think you'll all be happy with some of the new Spring 2008 product development. We have included attachment point needs and tool storage in vest, pack and bag design but in a integral way. The designs work as a whole instead of appearing like a product with whistles and bells stuck on.

Ian said...
Retractors are really a deal breaker for me. If it doesn't have a retractor built in, I've already written off the product before I give it a closer look.

[...] 
I think Simms is the only company that really has it dialed in with retractors at the moment. The retractor system on the G3 Waders, G3 Jacket, and Classic Guide Jacket tuck out of the way, take up no room, are lightweight, and are easily accessible.

I'm not particularly interested in 'attachment points', as I've yet to find an after-market zinger that I'm really happy with. Give me built in retractors, two of them at most.

ESOX LUCIUS said...
Retractors are very usefull. I use strong diving string-retractors attached to my pontoonboat to hold all necessary gear and instruments securely attached to the boat in de strong saltwater surf.
 On my vests I am more moderate. It depends on the fish I chase after. The vest that is most decorated and therefore most cumbersome in wearing is the one I use for trout fishing in mountain streams. There I have retractors for pliers, nippers, a small torch, very fine pliers, amadou pouch you name it and if it can be on a retractor I do it. I'm no heroe in the strong icy currents of a mountain stream and changing flies or tippets while balancing I find it usefull that all essential gear is secured by a retractor.

I might swear a lot when using the S-word, but I am capable of recognizing a good product when I see one. An essential product.

GORE-TEX SMOKES!

Where else than Alaska to give your gear the ultimate test? The rugged environment puts a hurting on every item you’re hauling along.

We did a floattrip on the Ongivinuk and Togiak river last September and we fly fished for salmon, grayling and trout. The weather most days was so so and that meant living in your waders for the better part of the day. The breathable waders we wore came from Simms, Hodgeman, Modulus and Patagonia.

Let me lay it down for you up front: I wore the Patagonia Watermaster II (Long), one of the few waders out there my 6’6’’ long legged stature feels comfortable in. And this one didn’t end on the fire. The Hodgeman did as it started leaking along seam after seam. The Modulus did within two days with multiple pinpoint leakage problems. The Simms did the year before, and I’m talking about the Simms G3 Guide Stockingfoot wader. It leaked heavily along the...stockingfoot.
Now I know full well that one buys a wader just to have it leak on you sooner or later. My Watermaster II however is still in prime condition after two seasons of rather heavy duty. All of my Patagonian stuff, from performance baselayers, to sweaters, to rain jacket, to duffel: they held remarkably well under Alaskan circumstances. I have definitely become a full blown Patagonia fan.

Now for the rods... We broke three # eight rods on Silvers that didn’t choose to jump but went straight for Dillingham and the open sea in one scorching run. I broke my Gatti three piece, a fine example of Italian rod builders craftsmanship but a tad on the fine side for those silver bullets in the Togiak River. So faired a new Sage TCX and a Dutch custom built eight rod that goes under the name of: ‘a fucking good rod’. My Redington Red.Fly and a Snowbee outperformed the brands with the big names altogether. ‘Dutch reels’ where used predominantly (what else?) along with a few System Two’s and the Dutch beauties did exactly what was needed of them. Simply fantastic reels, the whole series. I will spare you the details of all the knots that weren’t up to the power bursts of silvers and big rainbows, suffice it to say that in the end only true blood knots were used. Blood knots on strong tapered nylon leaders and 24 lb test fluorocarbon tippets. Stay tuned, I might be back shortly with more detailed info on our Alaskan adventure.

Power packed fresh silvers on the Togiak river in Alaska.