The Simms Freestone Fishing might come in at first for the best quality and price of a fly fishing vest on the market today. In my opinion..
Fly fishing vests can be pain to purchase, they typically need to have a lot of storage space (not every time), decent quality material, and actually need to perform well even when it starts seeing a bunch of use. I personally believe that the Simms Freestone Vest covers any check mark that you could have for a fly fishing vest, and for a reasonable price.
Bottom line, you get what you pay for in a vest. This vest is probably going to exceed your expectations of what you pay for it.
Features of the Simms Freestone Fishing Vest
Quality
The quality is the first factor that I look for in a fly fishing vest. The Freestone vest has the durability that all fly fishermen and women should want in their vests.
The fabric Simms used in this vest is 100% nylon and the mesh is 100% polyester. The intentions behind this was to create a breathable vest so you don’t over heat. Not only that but it makes for a lightweight vest.
It also has waterproof zippers so they don’t rust out quickly.
Storage
The Simms Freestone has 19 pockets throughout the vest, some on the outside, others on the interior, and the rest on the either waist or back. It has a padded neck area for comfort so the weight of your gear doesn’t gouge into your neck 20 minutes into your adventure, perfect for comfort.
(if you aren’t a fan of vests because of discomfort, I would suggest getting a pack. I wrote an article here about the best fly fishing packs of 2020, if you want to check it out!)
This vest also has a rod holder for an easy location to place your rod (as the name says) while you make an adjustment on the end of the line. Love this, very underrated aspect of a vest that not everyone looks for.
The Not So Positives??
Price
Some might argue that the 100 dollar price tag is expensive. I personally think that spending money on quality equipment pays off in the end however.
Warmth
And also, despite the fact that it the material is breathable, many fly anglers despise vests because they can be very warm, regardless of which option you go with.
No Pack
This vest doesn’t have a back pack on it. I do like a vest that can store gear on my back, especially if I plan to be gone for a long time. If you are like me where you want a high quality vest with a backpack on it, I suggest getting the Fishpond Wasatch Fly Vest/ Combo. I wrote a review on that here.
If, you have gotten to the end of this article and are still not sure what you are looking for, I wrote up this article on how to choose the right vest if you want to check it out!
Conclusion
In the end, I believe if you are looking for an ideal fly fishing vest that has quality at a reasonable price here you go. I think that the hundred dollars one has to pay for the Simms Freestone Vest is very fair.
It by no means is the fanciest vest ever, but will get the job done. If you do ever plan on planning a DIY fly fishing trip, you’ll surely have confidence in the vest when you get to your location! Best of luck my friend and tight lines!
