Posts tagged: buff gear

Our IFTD “Share The Pain” Post (or, We’re Not Going to IFTD, So You Get To Read Press Releases)

September 9, 2010, by 1 comment

With the International Fly Tackle Dealer show about to kick off in Denver – and my interest in attending hampered by a lack of any real interest in the latest fly rods or reels – I needed to formulate a plan.

Instead of going to show and uncritically gushing about all the like totally awesome gear I see, I’m going to instead shovel the interesting new product announcements to the Undergrounders via cleverly disguised PR posts (which I’ll label as “PR Posts”).

That way, I can preserve my limited stock of “gush” for things like actual fishing reports and essays.

Enjoy, Undergrounders. Tomorrow we’ve got some interesting news from Orvis, and whatever else comes across my desk. (Given my lack of interest in publishing prior press releases, it turns out I’m not on all that many media lists. Who knew?)

Buff Gear

Buff – the makers of the handy “tube” headwear so beloved by the Underground has expanded its line of tubes with Polygiene treatment (designed to keep the synthetic tube from smelling like crap after one use) and its Insect Shield treatment (described below):

The Polygiene® treatment lasts a lifetime and effectively blocks 99.9-percent of odor-causing agents. Additionally, it reduces static electricity and has a soft, next-to-skin feel.
Polygiene® does not contain any harmful substances and is 100-percent safe to wear.

Insect Shield® is a man-made version of a natural insect repellent found in certain types of chrysanthemum plants; think of it as invisible, odorless, non-toxic and wearable insect protection.

I like the Buff products for all sorts of reasons (and all sorts of weather), and while I’m not above springing for a less-expensive substitute, I use the things enough that I probably will tumble for the real thing.

Simms Rebate

Simms is throwing down a $50 rebate on your old waders if you buy a new pair of Simms. From their email:

We couldn’t have made it any easier. Just register online for your rebate voucher, locate a participating retailer, trade in your old pair of breathable waders and you receive up to $50 off immediately.

Fly Rod & Reel

Things are picking up for Fly Rod & Reel magazine, who reports a 15% growth in readership from 2009. Obviously, I don’t know if the improved “quality” of the magazine is responsible (it would help newsstand sales), though their press release doesn’t offer up any subscriber information:

…verified reports on issues served through the mail plus newsstand show Fly Rod & Reel is reaching more than 51,000 fly-fishers—a 15 % growth in readership from 2009. “The numbers came in for our March 2010 issue, and they’re whopping. This was the first issue of FR&R with our new upscale format and readers voted a resounding ‘yes’ to our upgrades. For example, we sold nearly 14,000 copies on newsstand.

Hardy USA

Launches two new lines of high-tech fly rods:

…their new Zenith freshwater and Proaxis saltwater ranges of fly rods. Each range is built with Hardy’s proprietary new Sintrix material. Sintrix is the result of ground breaking technology in the use of Silica Matrix Resin technology in collaboration with the 3M Corporation.

Hardy has developed their own specific formulation from this technology, and the results have been extensively field tested over the past 18 months. Their team of fishing pros from the Florida Keys to Montana has hailed the rods as truly innovative and exceptional fishing and casting tools.

The Sintrix material allows the design team to build the first series of rods that combines the best attributes of the modern reserve-power, fast action fly rods with the more technical requirements of tracking, tippet protection and a taper that shifts the load to the butt when you need to lay into the fish.

3M Corporation is offering up a new resin technology for graphite rods that is popping up like Dandelions in spring, and while those who worry about eighths of an ounce in their fly rod want to know more, I still haven’t forgotten that 3M bought the Bill Phillipson Rod Company and then shut it down (bastidges!).

Never speak their name around the Underground again.

See you in the PR Department, Tom Chandler.

The Underground’s Friday Skin, err… *Thoughtful* Gear Post

June 19, 2009, by 16 comments

As every fly fisherperson knows, the fly rod is at the core of the fly fishing experience, which is why the Underground has stared at this Buff gear ad from the Drake for upwards of four hours, all so we can ask you this thoughtful, penetrating, journalistically derived question:

Is that a hexagonal grip on that fly rod?

Look closely at the grips on that one.

There’s no need to explicitly thank us for the time we invest keeping you up to speed on the latest gear trends.

It’s just one of the many sacrifices we make for our readership who doesn’t send checks nearly as often as they should, and we’re happy to do it.

See you in the buff, Tom Chandler.

UPDATE: Singlebarbed – as if reading my mind (or exhibiting other power of precognition) – takes issue with our ongoing attempts to keep readers enlightened about the latest gear trends (the nerve).