Anyone who has spent long days on the water knows what pain feels like. It usually settles in the neck, upper and lower back, and shoulders. Have you ever wondered why your muscles ache? Could it be related to the clothes you’re wearing?

Try this: Take the typical hooded sweatshirt that you wear in cold weather and compare the weight of it to a light, down hoodie like the Simms Exstream Bicomp Fishing Hoody. I love my heavy weight cotton hoodies, but it destroys me when I wear it for 10-12 hours on the water. Combine the Simms Bicomp Fishing Hoody with really good long underwear like the Simms Exstream Core Top and Bottoms, and you have both the warmth and the comfort you need for long days on the water.

Another key outwear decision to consider: waterproof bibs versus pants. For years, I loved bibs. But again, when I started to look at where all my back and shoulder pain was coming from, I recognized that my bibs were super heavy. And all that weight was pulling down on my shoulders and back. So here’s what I did: I bought some rain pants instead of bibs. And I fell in love with Simms Vapor Elite Rain Pants.

The last major culprit of weight to your outerwear is your outer jacket. Most gore tex outerwear is super heavy. But, if you were to take the Simms Vapor Elite Rain Jacket and pair it with either the Simms Bicomp Fishing Hoody or Simms Exstream Hooded Jacket, you will find it to provide warmth and rain protection at a fraction of the weight to your body.

Key Outerwear Decisions to Consider:

1. Trade out heavy cotton hoodies for light primaloft fill items, like the Simms Exstream Bicomp Fishing Hoody.

2. Trade out your heavy Gore Tex bibs for lighter rain pants, like the Simms Vapor Elite Rain Pants.

3. Trade out your heavy Gore Tex jacket for a lighter option like the Simms Vapor Rain Jacket.

I’m so glad I made the changes I’ve made - I’m much less fatigued at the end of the day but even more than that - I’m good to go for several days of fishing in a row. It’s made my life as a guide much more enjoyable! If you liked this, leave a comment! Let me know if there’s content you’d like for me to cover in the future!