hopdrop

My vote is for anything made by Smith. Good quality, decent price and unreal warranty. Took my last pair back in a ziplock after the dog got a hold of them. Zero dollar replacement.

Be careful 'exploring'. There are some rough dudes around that area.

I was in Denver last month and hit the Bass Pro shop there. Was in there for like two hours, only spent about 40 bucks. Deals weren't really amazing. The 'premium' gun room was cool though, I could of either taken home the truck I was picking up or a shotgun. Talked to the cashier, she was one of about 400 employees! That didn't include the restaurant. I'm pretty sure you can see the one being built in Balzac from Hwy 2. Looks like it's still just a skeleton with yellow building wrap on it. I wouldn't get your hopes up for a while.

The solution for long wait times, is CASH ONLY! For the do it yourselfers, Kicking Horse is boss.

Broke my leg skiing a few years ago. I always wanted to learn, so I bought some gear, taught myself how to cast (kind of) sitting in a lawn chair in the yard with a busted leg. Neighbours thought I was crazy, I don't know how many times I was asked, 'How's the fishing?'. It's been a slow, steady, spiral into addiction ever since.

3/4 vs 1 ton? Most of the difference IS in suspension, you can get the same engine in either truck but that suspension difference could be a big deal as it allows you a bigger payload. DOT (Department of Transportation) is starting to crack down on overloaded vehicles. So far, it's mostly been oilfield service trucks (usually mechanic trucks from what I hear) but the word is that personal vehicles are going to be next. Something to consider, but from my experience, it's tough to get a strait answer from the DOT. Gas vs Diesel? Pretty tough to argue the power of a diesel, it's nice to have when you need it. That being said, in my opinion a gas engine has more driveability. You don't need to allow it the same warm-up/cooldown period, noise, smell, ect. If the truck is going to be used around town it's something to think about. As far as cost goes, not sure. I would think that Taco has it pretty close. Diesel isn't as cheap relative to gas as it used to be and some of the milage numbers I've been hearing aren't that impressive. 7-10K for the diesel option and they ain't cheap to fix, but the resale value is there. Tough call, I'd think long and hard about what you're really going to use the truck for.

To me, it's a part of the sport. A good comparison in my eyes is mulligans in golf. It's still golf but...........

Thought I would pass my experience on. Decided to be a meathead and take my reel apart to clean it camping last summer...................two hours after sundown and a few beers deep. Yup, it jack-in-the-boxed me and I lost a few pieces. Not knowing exactly what parts I lost, I went to Teton's website hoping for an exploded view. None to be had. Called them up, told the lady what happened, she said she would have to send a total rebuild kit to me. Asked for my name and address, as I started with my credit card number she cut me off. All parts AND shipping (granted it all probably fits in an envelope) were free, covered under their lifetime warranty. WOW.

I'd be in for sure.

19.5......but you tell the girls 21.

To ensure a low turn out next year, I'm handing out raisins.

The voices.........

In my opinion you´re crazy to buy anything but Smiths. Great quality for less then Maui Jim´s, Oakley ect and a fantastic lifetime warr. I literally took back my last pair in a ziplock bag after the girlfriend´s dog got a hold of them. No questions asked, I had a new pair.

Broke my 6 weight twice, second time on the third cast. 4 weight currently has a zip tie holding the cork together. As others said 25 bucks and an hour beats 60 bucks + shipping and going on 5 weeks for my sage.