[txtrout]

Ok Guys,

I need to look at getting a new jacket. I have three here at the house, but none of them fit the bill the way I want. I would like to keep with a minimalist style, I don't like to carry a bunch of stuff. I'm 6'1' and about 175, so tall and slim with skinny wrists. I tend to like a plan front and like for my jackets to be able to pull double duty as street wear if possible.

I have a older version of the Simms Rain Shell, that I love for carrying along for unexpected weather, but it doesn't seal off around my wrists very well to keep the rain out during a heavy rain. It works great for family vacations to NM and MT during the summer, but it's not for monsoons. It also works around town.

I have a heavy-as-can be older Cabela's Gortex, but it doesn't keep the rain off my wrists and is kind of heavy.

I have another one that was cheap and never gets used, doesn't breath well.

I recently noticed the Patagonia Salt River Jacket and wondered about about peoples experience with it?

I don't fish in the PNW much, more in the Rockies. Trips to WA/OR are limited.

Also open for other thoughts.

Thanks in advance,

Robert

 

[TTL]

Check out the Orvis Sonic Tailwater Jacket if you are only after a shell. Doesn't look too 'fishy' to wear around town, but it does what you need on the water.

 

[ramcatt]

Simms slick jacket

The river salt is nice, but the new version doesn't have a hem cuff covering the gasket cuffs and looks too "fishy" for off the water ... Imo

 

[G_Smolt]

X2 on the Slick, it is pretty dang functional and would make a great snowsports jacket as well.

For straight-up rainforest fishin' awesomeness it is REALLY tough to beat the Simms G4pro.

 

[Pac8541]

My home waters are the Rockies also, SW CO to be exact but I have aspirations of getting up to the PNW and BC.

I purchased the Pat River Salt about a month ago and I'm very glad I took the advice of some of the guys at a trusted fly shop. This thing is absolutely everything I was looking for and more. Now, I need to say that while I looked at some of the stuff from Simms, like their Guide jacket, the only reason I was able to afford the River Salt was because of a discount coupon from Patagonia I was sitting on all year. I needed to use it before the end of the year and I saved up for the things I wouldn't have been able to afford without the coupon. This jacket was ordered along with new waders and boots also.

I wanted a jacket that kinda did it all and didn't have large pockets on the front like the SST or Simms guide-style jackets. Name the awesome feature you'd like to see in a jacket... chances are good you're gonna find it on the River Salt. Mine is the 3 in 1 version so it came with a Nano Puff shirt liner which is quite nice on its own. Pocket layout is very smart and even with stuff inside them the bulge on the front stays smooth. The cuffs seal well around my wrists, even better when I take off my watch. All the pockets have some form of water drainage capability: the outer storage and handwarmer pockets all have small drain ports along the bottom edge, the inner pocket is mesh. There's mesh along the bottom edge of the whole coat where the drawstring is. Handwarmer pockets are lined with a fine fleece or felt feeling stuff. The hood is brilliant and fits very well without feeling like "head in a box," is one-pull adjustable from the back, and has a storm flap covered vent on the back that is supposed to allow air coming in through the front to vent out the back preventing the hood from catching wind like when you're on a boat. I haven't experienced that personally but that's the theory. The hood can roll up and be secured behind the collar also. There's a D-loop top/center/back for hanging a net. Pat says the material its made of the same stuff as the upper half of their waders which I believe since I got their waders also. Its comfortable to wear, not noisy or crinkly, and not rough to the touch; its just a pleasant overall feeling when wearing it. I'm 508, 170lbs. I followed their sizing chart and went with a medium which went against what I normally buy. I'm glad I did because it fits very well without being overly bulky feeling or draping down to my crotch. The sleeves don't run up my arms when I reach overhead but there's still enough room to layer with something like a R1 pullover and merino long sleeve, including the jacket's nano puff shirt snapped in. Stitching and overall construction is typical Patagonia: beyond excellent.

FWIW, this jacket retails for $549 which is ridiculous. The 2015 version due out sometime this spring will have the upgrade of a nano puff shirt liner that features a hood and will retail for $589. There are past versions of this jacket that come without the liner (shell only) that go for around $350. I wear this thing at work all the time and although it looks like it has a purpose, its stylish enough to wear anywhere. Also something to think about, in the summer I carry a Pat Torrentshell rain jacket that packs into its own pocket and clips to my waist pack. This jacket is fully waterproof, takes up very little space, and ran $129 but you don't have any storage space and is made of much lighter weight material. It works extremely well as a rain coat so in that respect it works every bit as well as the River Salt. But its all the fishing-specific and well thought out features of the River Salt that make it outstanding. Like I said up top, if it weren't for the discount coupon I wouldn't have even considered this jacket but having worn and used it, there is an argument for saving up a little longer or bridging with something cheaper until the money's there. Based on construction and quality I expect this jacket to last for a LONG time.

 

[Onesunca]

Just PM'd you some info on some jackets txtrout.

 

[Rick J]

the Simms Guide jacket is pretty sweet - like it better than my G4 - does not have lots of bells and whistles - - just two big front pockets and two recessed clips. It is heavy so if looking for more of an all season jacket this may not be the one

 

[txtrout]

Thanks for all of the suggestions and comments. Please keep them coming.

There are so many nice jackets that no one can try all of them. I also don't want to spend a super amount since I'm not able to fish a lot at this stage of life. However, I don't want to waist my hard earned dollars on sub-par products that don't last. I'm not too worried about the jacket doing multiple duties, it would just be a nice plus.