Simms Solarflex Shirt Delivers Comfort and Sun Protection

Total Score: 8.42 - GREAT

Introduction: Simms apparel all look and feel like they are cut from the same cloth and each garment, while unique, feels like it truly belongs in one family. These garments typically feature clean lines and an emphasis on functionality, but are also surprisingly stylish for outdoor apparel. The Solarflex shirt is designed to be comfortable to fish in all day long and deliver ample protection from the sun.

The Simms Solarflex long sleeve shirt was designed with bass anglers in mind

Impressions: My first experience with Simms branded offerings was years ago when my interest peaked in fly fishing and I found myself constantly investing in new garments season after season. The level of wear and tear on fly gear is startling, the constant contact with river rocks, or even just the constant packing and unpacking during trips can cause damage to subpar waterproof garments. 

This is not just another long sleeve shirt, the Solarflex features a weaves stretch-knit construction

Simms clothing on the other hand are built for enthusiasts and professional guides that place serious demands on their gear. While very well known in the fly fishing arena many bass anglers are now becoming more and more interested in the company’s outerwear and sun protection shirts over the course of the last season.

The stitching is meticulous

This past ICAST Simms drew a line in the sand, they got serious about the bass market and introduced a slew of new products that are designed specifically with bass fishermen in mind. This included new foul weather gear, sun protection, new gloves, and even footwear. Traditional tackle retailers started carrying the new lines, and while still priced at the higher end of the market these garments are designed to be highly technical and target serious anglers.

The attention to detail is impressive, instead of a standard tag the inner label is screened on to prevent abrasion

The Solarflex shirt is one of the first garments that we decided to take a look at post ICAST, as it is a piece of clothing that bass anglers can use on an everyday basis either alone or when layering. This sun protection shirt features the company’s COR3™ technology which is constructed out of stretch-knit 100% polyester fabric and is designed to offer excellent wicking & anti-odor performance.

The Solarflex shirt provides UPF 30 protection

Real World Tests: I purchased two Simms Solarflex shirts straight from Tackle Warehouse which carries both the Ash Grey and River (blue) colors. In typical Tackle Warehouse fashion the shirts arrived the very next day and just in time for a series of trips up to Clear Lake to capitalize on some unexpected warm weather.

The Solarflex is very comfortable and is easy to move in

Operation: Prior to wearing the Solarflex in the field we inspected the garment inside and out. The seams looked clean and the stitching was meticulous throughout. The one area for improvement would be the actual Simms logo on the front. This logo features a reflective material but it appears as if it was applied with some sort of iron-on process, we say that because under certain lighting we could clearly see the outline left by the application procedure which extends well beyond the logo itself, luckily in bright outdoor lighting this is not noticeable at all.

This shirt is ideal for warm sunny days...