Comfort on the water.

[DFoster 0]

It's taken time but through the years I have acquired a lot of fine tackle, top quality wading gear, a premium vise and my fly tying bench is well stocked for the types of flies I tie.  This year I've decided to use most of my fishing budget on items to make my time on the stream more enjoyable.  After years of using super cheap Walmart polarized sunglasses last week I finally replaced them with a reasonably decent pair.  They have definitely improved my ability to see the bottom. 

Sometimes the streams I fish are small and don't require waders.  A pair of calf high water proof boots like Mucks work just fine on these small streams.  But in my area I always seem to have to trek through brambles and briars to reach the spot I want to be in.   I've been fishing these areas in jeans and I typically end up with bloody/stinging legs by the end of the day.  My son in law recommended that I look into a pair of brush pants made for bird hunters.  I ended up buying a pair from Cabela's and tried them out yesterday.  I have to say they worked perfectly at least against the type of briars in my area.  I was able to walk right through without any trouble.  I still have to watch for the taller ones but these pants are a huge improvement from what I was used too.  They are essentially a pair of heavy denim jeans with some canvas covering the front of the legs.  For $60 they seem really well made and feel like a normal pair of jeans when I wear them.  

[partsman 0]

The older I get and I’m 66 years old now, but staying comfortable is of primary importance to me. Yesterday it was colder than I expected and I didn’t bring the right stuff, I was not comfortable and couldn’t get warm all day long. Of course after being up since 3:30 am and driving 2.5 hours north and fishing all day I finally got warm enough on the way home with the heat going full blast. Which of course lead to sleepy eye syndrome. I had to stop a couple of times and get out and walk around a bit and have a coffee. Getting cold really never used to bother me, now getting to warm I never liked, but I need to find some nice warm lightweight insulated underwear that breathes and feels good. I’m done being uncomfortable.

Mike.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

14 hours ago, partsman said:

I need to find some nice warm lightweight insulated underwear that breathes and feels good. I’m done being uncomfortable.

Long underwear has come a long way in recent years. I recently bought a set off of Amazon that is "microfleece" lined; they were very reasonably priced and are supremely comfortable. In early spring and fall, I layer those under breathable nylon fishing pants and stay warm and dry in my breathable waders all day. On the rare occasion that I venture out in actual winter temperatures, I replace the fishing pants with heavy polar fleece pants over the microfleece underwear. Proper socks are important too. I wear a super-thin polypropylene liner sock under wool or synthetic outer socks and can stay in the water a long time without getting cold feet. Wool is the only natural fiber I wear for cold weather; otherwise I stick to breathable synthetics. At all costs stay away from cotton. Just my two cents, hope it helps.

[DFoster 0]

19 hours ago, partsman said:

The older I get and I’m 66 years old now, but staying comfortable is of primary importance to me. 

Mike.

My point exactly-  this year I'm going to force myself to look more at quality outdoor wear and less at rods and reels, tempting though they may be. 

[Poopdeck 0]

I’ve been doing the same thing or at least trying to. I still have a problem prying a dollar out of my wallet. I am getting better since my comfort is gaining in importance. Ive been eyeing up some storm bibs and a nice jacket for the boat but ponying up 5 bills for rain gear just seems wrong. 

[DFoster 0]

On 4/20/2024 at 8:08 AM, Poopdeck said:

I’ve been doing the same thing or at least trying to. I still have a problem prying a dollar out of my wallet. I am getting better since my comfort is gaining in importance. Ive been eyeing up some storm bibs and a nice jacket for the boat but ponying up 5 bills for rain gear just seems wrong. 

There is definitely a certain amount of sticker shock that comes with quality gear but sometimes you can get stuff on sale.  This weekend I bought a pair of replacement Muck boots. My old pair of Mucks had zero tread left which made them very slippery and dangerous on steep inclines. They also had several wear holes which I plugged with JB Weld and Goop so it was time.  I paid $89 for them 4 years ago and wore them almost daily.  What are basically the same boots now retail for $159.  Friday Cabela's was running a sale and had them for $119.  I wasn't planning on buying them just yet but saving 40 bucks made the decision easy.

[Poopdeck 0]

9 hours ago, DFoster said:

There is definitely a certain amount of sticker shock that comes with quality gear but sometimes you can get stuff on sale.  This weekend I bought a pair of replacement Muck boots. My old pair of Mucks had zero tread left which made them very slippery and dangerous on steep inclines. They also had several wear holes which I plugged with JB Weld and Goop so it was time.  I paid $89 for them 4 years ago and wore them almost daily.  What are basically the same boots now retail for $159.  Friday Cabela's was running a sale and had them for $119.  I wasn't planning on buying them just yet but saving 40 bucks made the decision easy.

I’ve always mistreated my Muck boots. I’m going to start taking care of them now. 

[DarrellP 0]

In oregon it was all about waterproofing. 

Down here in MS it is mostly about water wicking and sunburn protection.  I need to invest in water wicking underwear.

[flytire 0]

 

 

[DFoster 0]

Too funny!

[flytire 0]

during long days of floating on the bighorn river in montana, the owner of the raft was always prepared

it sure did come in handy after breakfast at the cabin 😁😁

 

[DFoster 0]

Rough but better than the alternative. 😧

[DrLogik 0]

I went from a vest or chest box to a waist belt.  A waist belt with Firstlight suspenders is far more comfortable for me.  I also wear all stretchy hunting clothing primarily from KUIU.  I couldn't be happier and I'm 66 also.  The stretchy clothing is amazing and it sure helps scrambling up stream banks and rocks, which I still do.  And I can use the same pants and wet wade if I choose. 

Once I get out of the water they drain quickly and "dry" in about 30 minutes.  This is a big deal because I also go backpacking in the Smokies and fish as well.  Those pants are a game changer as I can hike in them too.  I wear a Simms stretchy wicking long sleeve hoodie (even in the summer) for comfort and to keep the mossies at bay.

I am done with anything cotton.  I switched to all synthetics decades ago.  I think that is key to staying comfortable no matter the temperature or weather.  When winter comes I stick to Merino wool on top.  That stuff is a game changer also.

Oh, and Kuiu's stuff goes on sale regularly (the only way to buy it IMO) and they have an "outlet" online.  Buy once, cry once and be comfortable for years.

The pants:

https://www.kuiu.com/products/tiburon-pant-ash?variant=42623694078110

The shirt:

https://www.simmsfishing.com/products/bugstopper-solarflex-hoody?variant=42165278998718

[Bryon Anderson 0]

2 hours ago, DrLogik said:

I am done with anything cotton.  I switched to all synthetics decades ago.  I think that is key to staying comfortable no matter the temperature or weather.

Same! Couldn't agree more. Cotton may be "the fabric of our lives" (as the old commercials used to sing), but it is only suitable for climate-controlled indoor leisure wear, IMO. 

[DFoster 0]

On 5/9/2024 at 10:34 AM, DrLogik said:

I went from a vest or chest box to a waist belt.  A waist belt with Firstlight suspenders is far more comfortable for me.  I also wear all stretchy hunting clothing primarily from KUIU.  I couldn't be happier and I'm 66 also.  The stretchy clothing is amazing and it sure helps scrambling up stream banks and rocks, which I still do.  And I can use the same pants and wet wade if I choose. 

Once I get out of the water they drain quickly and "dry" in about 30 minutes.  This is a big deal because I also go backpacking in the Smokies and fish as well.  Those pants are a game changer as I can hike in them too.  I wear a Simms stretchy wicking long sleeve hoodie (even in the summer) for comfort and to keep the mossies at bay.

I am done with anything cotton.  I switched to all synthetics decades ago.  I think that is key to staying comfortable no matter the temperature or weather.  When winter comes I stick to Merino wool on top.  That stuff is a game changer also.

Oh, and Kuiu's stuff goes on sale regularly (the only way to buy it IMO) and they have an "outlet" online.  Buy once, cry once and be comfortable for years.

The pants:

https://www.kuiu.com/products/tiburon-pant-ash?variant=42623694078110

The shirt:

https://www.simmsfishing.com/products/bugstopper-solarflex-hoody?variant=42165278998718

I find a vest works best and is most comfortable for me. I like to have a lot of options when I'm fishing, which means weight and a vest distributes the weight evenly.   My vest is made out of synthetics.  Kuiu makes top of the line stuff and their pricing reflects it.  My son in law is an avid hunter and recommended them when he found out I was looking for a brush pant.  I considered Kuiu brush pants but they were overkill for what I needed.  On occasion I might brush against a briar or I might need to push through a few feet of brambles to get to a casting spot  The Kuiu's are designed for chasing small game through miles of really nasty stuff. 

I'm definitely going to take a hard look at the pants and shirts you posted and I agree nothing beats Merino for warmth.