Wind sucks. It makes fishing a real pain in the ass and it will cut right through ya and chill you to the bone. Enter the Simms Windstopper Softshell Hoody — but does it really work? Is there anything that can keep you from suffering through a biting cold, windy day on the water?
Well, that’s exactly what I wanted to find out this fall and early winter on the California Delta. But first, let’s take a look at what the Hoody has to offer…
Features & Specs
• Soft yet rugged stretch nylon shell with soft and very warm microcheck backer
• YKK® center-front zipper
• Adjustable storm hood fits comfortable around a ball cap
• 1 Large zippered chest pocket
• Zippered, polyester mesh-lined hand warmer pockets
• Adjustable cuffs
• Adjustable shock cord hem
On the Water Test
When I initially tried the Simms Windstopper Hoody on, my wife’s first comment was “Wow, that looks expensive,” which, is of course a compliment coming from the queen of fashion that she is. And in fact, the thing is quite spendy — $219.95 — so I was quite anxious to put it to the test to see if I’d dropped a little too much cash on a fancy sweatshirt.
But she was right, upon close inspection, the thing oozes quality from the stitching to the materials.
The taped zippers are quality...
And the fleece chin patch is a nice, comfortable touch
The Hoody also features high-grade wrist closures and quality stitching
The first day I wore the Hoody was 40 degrees and so foggy that I could barely see beyond the bow of the boat. Now, 40 and fog is about as cold as it gets because of the dampness — then throw on some boat-induced wind chill factor and you’ve really got a good testing ground.
Not really designed to be a sweatshirt, I threw the Hoody on over a fleece and, as soon as I put the boat on plane, I instantly knew that the money I’d dropped was well spent. It completely knocked locked out the biting wind — while my buddy in a straight fleece froze his @#$% off. I also noticed that the Hoody also has a water resistant quality to it, as the heavy fog would bead up and roll off. 
The Softshell feature also makes this thing very comfortable and I have full range of motion — even when I wear it over a bulky fleece sweatshirt. I’m also a bit picky about my hoods — generally, I really hate them because of the “in a cave” feeling you get, but this one’s not too tight and has plenty of room for my big ol’ melon and a baseball hat.
Conclusion
Now, after wearing this thing for a month and a half (no, not straight) on the boat, I have to say that I am truly impressed and wonder where the heck this Windstopper has been all my life! It has totally changed my winter fishing and boating experience. It’s really amazing how much more endurance and “Eye of the Tiger” you have when you’re comfortable and not dreaming of the truck with the heat blasting.
It’s super comfortable, sharp looking…and it works. It really does stop the wind. As far as downsides go, the price is a bit prohibitive and I’ve also scraped my forehead more than once with the hard edge of the cuff fastener. Maybe I’m just a total gomer, but that thing has left a couple good scratches in my when I went to adjust my hat…
Overall however, the Simms Windstopper Softshell Hoody is one slick piece of clothing that I won’t soon be without on a cold, blustery day.
