SIMMS has been making waders since 1980. As the only company making fishing waders in USA and the first company to introduce breathable waders in the early 90s, SIMMS is in a class of it's own when it comes to the production of high-quality, American-made waders. SIMMS has been based out of Bozeman since 1993. Located in southwestern Montana - the heart of Big Sky's Trout Country, SIMMS moved to a new 65,000 square foot facility at the crossroads of the Gallatin and Madison Rivers on the west side of Bozeman in 2011. This state of the art facility is home to SIMMS HQ and the manufacturing facility where each and every G4, G3, and Headwaters PRO wader is manufactured by hand. Utilizing industry-leading and proprietary GORE-TEX® fabric, the waders leave SIMMS HQ and travel to over 50 countries where Simms waders are sold.

This past week, I had the chance to tour the facility and see everything that goes into producing a pair of SIMMS waders. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, I want to admit some bias. I wear SIMMS G3 waders. I have for some time now. Why? Because they last. They last longer than any other pair of waders I've had previously and stand up to the abuse that I put them through day in and day out on the water. Are they expensive? Yes, $500 certainly put a dent in my bank account when I bought my first pair some 6 years ago. But, after more than 350 long days on the water, when it came time to buy a new pair, I didn't think twice.

After visiting the manufacturing facility this past week and seeing the attention to detail, the skill required, and the number of American hands that produce those waders, I can confidently say, that when my current G3s kick rocks, I'll be sending my hard-earned dollars back up to Bozeman for another pair. Let's get to the photos!