Telling The Green Story

This is mission critical - As we look at the brands in the market place, one and one only stands alone when it comes to social and environmental responsibility. This story is a key component to placing and moving Patagonia in your brick and mortar store, fly shop and online ventures. For more information, please visit Better World Shopper.

For more detail on Patagonia's green initiatives, such as the the Nylon 6 SST Fishing Jacket (the first fully recyclable nylon jacket of it's kind), please visit the Patagonia Website.

This Is Fly #12 - Beautiful.

World Trout - Getting Better and Better

From our inside guru Bill Klyn. Please take a moment to look at how this great program has been expanded.

"Having seen the exciting success of our World Trout initiative that has generated over $333,000 since its inception in 2005, we have created a new process to help distribute monies generated through the sale of World Trout t-shirts. The Enviro Team has worked with us to create a new online grants program so we can solicit and receive applications from grassroots groups working to protect any fish and their habitat from around the globe. This grant application program works much the same as our regular grants program. The World Trout online grants application can be accessed through the Enviro page and also on the www.patagonia.com/flyfishing page. Click on the World Trout square at the bottom of the page and you land on the World Trout page, where you can see, at the bottom of the page, an Application Procedure for applying for a grant. . You can also go directly through www.patagonia.com/worldtrout. The bottom right menu has View our Grants Guidelines. This takes you to the Application Procedure."

If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact me via this blog. This is a fantastic and powerful tool to move important projects forward in this territory. I look forward to hearing from you.

Matt O'Connor

SST - Best In Show - Jackets!

From Midcurrent - Once again!

Patagonia emphasizes recyclability and new, distinctive fabric patterns in their 2009 apparel and vest products. The overall line, in our opinion, looks sleeker and more up-to-date. But plenty of smart design changes lurk beneath the surface. The most interesting, in our opinion, come with the redesign of the venerable SST. Gone is the bomber-jacket feel of the SST of ten years ago and even the slightly heavy look of last year's stretch-fabric version. Yvon Chouinard challenged his team to come up with a recyclable jacket that also improved on performance, and the new SST ($425) does just that. It features high-end non-corrosive waterproof zippers on the side pockets, and double-rip-stop Nylon 6 fabric — in part because of its abrasion resistance and because it doesn't wet out as fast as the stretch fabric, but also because Nylon 6 is completely recyclable. The new SST also has new cuff designs and a single-pull hood that works from the back of the head (something from their alpine design team). In addition to a new Women's Guidewater Jacket ($400) and a Shelled Insulator Jacket made of stretch-woven polyester ($275), Patagonia also has several new additions to the clothing line. Their new Guidewater shirt ($120), pants ($75) and shorts ($60) are hardier versions of the hot-weather line; the stretch-woven "dobby-weave" fabric is quite distinctive and more suitable for cooler climes. And the new Marlwalker pants ($85) and shorts ($70) are the first recycled and recyclable lightweight fishing pants in the company's line (check out the new colors, including the "Blood Knot" print). A new fabric for the Sun Mask and new form-fitting Sun Gloves round out the offering. Finally, Patagonia has subtle but clever design changes in place for their Pack Vest ($180), Double Haul ($130), and Hip Chest Pack ($70).

Autumn Special...

Fezzman Shirt? Check. Cap 1 Crew? Check. Trucker Hat? Check... Just a little billboard out there on a private lake in the foothills chucking bugs with my buddy Tom. We had a great afternoon chasing big beautiful rainbows with Platte River Specials, Autumn Splendor Buggers and then when the hatch came alive, big old Drakes. Striking colors AND striking fish. What could be better? Not much. Plenty of fish in the boat and great laughs. Good stuff.

Guidewater Waders Awarded "MidCurrent Best Of Show (FFR)"

"The Patagonia lineup for 2009 is one of the most impressive in years — not because the company did anything overly dramatic in wader product redesign, but because they continue to implement changes that are clear steps forward in utility and style. A great example is the addition of patent-pending merino wool liners in the booties of their top-of-the-line Guidewater Waders ($425), which also sport non-corrosive thermoplastic urethane (TPU) suspender connections, a waist-mounted suspender (for those who don't like zippers), and new gravel guards that are lighter and drain water better. The merino liners allowed Patagonia to reduce the thickness of the booty neoprene while increasing warmth. For the price, it's hard to find such feature-filled waders, and for that reason — and the comfy new booties — the Guidewaters get our MidCurrent Best of Show nod. Also new for spring 2009 are Patagonia's Watermaster Hip Highs, which incorporate quick-release buckle hip adjustments instead of suspenders or belt loops. Field testers say these new waders are going to be very popular for backcountry treks and float trips, where comfort is a huge factor — not to mention the fact that they will cost only $180. The company will also carry forward the improved waist-mounted suspender system and TPU connections into their full-sized '09 Watermasters. In the footwear category, the new Izaak wading sandal ($90) features super-sticky Vibram "Idrogrip" soles and synthetic uppers with a full toe guard, and the new Tideswing ($100) is a lightweight, breathable water shoe with both deep lugs and razor siping, meant to function as well on a skiff deck as when wet wading or surf fishing."