$380 | simmsfishing.com (men's , upper left | women's , on the right)
July 22, 2023
By Fly Fisherman Staff
When they were first introduced by Simms, Freestone waders were intended as an entry-level alternative. It was a basic, yet functional waterproof/breathable wader that didn’t use Gore-Tex fabrics, meant to get people into fly fishing at an accessible price. Now, 15 years later, Freestone waders have evolved, not just with a better fabric package for better durability and breathability, but more functionality and fit that is more comparable to the rest of the Simms lineup.
The new Freestone waders are available in men’s and women’s styles, and as a men’s pant. They’ve been through a two-year development cycle and use trickle-down technology from other premium Simms waders. In other words, they are more like G3s than ever before .
Constructed from a 4-layer Toray QuadraLam fabric package, the new Freestones are feature rich. They have a fleece-lined, reach-through chest pocket, zippered stretch-woven stash pocket, and a built-in Tippet Tender pocket. They fit and feel more like G3s because for the first time ever, the new Freestones have Simms’s patented front and back leg seams, and 14 men’s sizes and 11 women’s sizes. Getting the right size isn’t just about comfort. When a wader fits properly it reduces bunching and the related creasing and extra abrasion that can reduce the life of your waders. Also like the G3s, Freestone waders have stretch elastic suspenders with opposing buckles that allow for a waist-high conversion on hot days, and built-in neoprene gravel guards.
“We are really proud of what we’ve accomplished with the new collection of Freestone Waders,” says Simms Senior Product Line Manager Matt Carara. “Since they were first introduced, Freestones have really come a long way—and each variation has drastically improved. From start to finish, the current iteration took about two years of design and development but in reality, we’ve been fine tuning, tweaking, and perfecting Freestone Waders for 15+ years. In my mind, the Freestones we launched this month are a direct and accurate reflection of all of that time and effort.”
Advertisement
Freestone waders are available in two color schemes, the traditional “smoke,” which is tan and gray, similar to G3s, or midnight, which is a two-tone blue scheme.
$380 | simmsfishing.com (men's | women's )
