FISHEWEAR THERMAL ¼-ZIP TOP

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

Most of the items I feature in this column are products I have personally used so I can evaluate them from my “fisherman’s” point of view. I needed some help with this one, so I enlisted my wife – both to choose the particular item from Fishewear’s line-up of designer outdoor women’s wear and for her to use and offer her impressions.

She chose the Thermal ¼ Zip top in the Rainbow Ridge pattern. Like all of Fishewear’s patterns, it’s a spectacular mix of colors, this one with a continuum of blue hues from light to dark so vivid the trout, wind, water and waves create a vibrant, eye-catching shirt.

At first glance the quarter-zip seems to be a summer-weight performance fabric pull-over, worn as much for sun protection as style. However, there’s a brushed jersey thermal layer inside that provides just enough warmth for crisp mornings in spring or fall, or as a base layer on colder days. The quarter-zip adds extra functionality by having the option of zipping up to provide a windproof collar for extra warmth and wind-blocking comfort when needed; or zip it down to add extra ventilation when hiking, fishing or some other activity that gets one’s blood pumping. Whether worn under another top or jacket, or as an outer shirt, the fabric is breathable so there’s never a clammy feel next to the skin.

Fishewear was founded a decade ago when Linda Leary stepped away from her partnership in a trucking business in Anchorage, Alaska – think Ice Road Truckers – to produce a line of fishing apparel for women. Her goal was products tailored for women, functioned perfectly and featured bold, art-inspired patterns and designs. I think she was successful in every aspect.

Check out the ¼ Zip Thermal top and all the other Fishewear gear and garments, styles and color patterns at www.fishewear.com or at their retail outlets in Anchorage and select locations in the Great Lakes region.

SILVERTIP BOAT SHOE BY STRIKE

Reviewed by: CAPT. MIKE SCHOONVELD

I have fishing clothes that I only wear when I’m fishing and I have some fishing clothes that I also wear when I’m not fishing. Does that sound stupid? It is, to a degree, but when I’m fishing, I don’t much worry about how I look or what’s going to happen if what I’m wearing gets wet or slimed by a fish as much as I want those clothes to be warm when it’s cold, cool when it’s warm and always functions as it should. When it comes to shoes, they need to be non-slip on wet surfaces and feel comfortable for those days when I’m on my feet at the back of the boat almost all of the time.

When I’m wearing “fishy” clothes when I’m not fishing, it’s a personal fashion statement. I am a fisherman, I’m proud to be a fisherman and I don’t mind it when others recognize me as an angler, as long as it’s not just because I’m spattered with fish gore.

The two “wardrobes” are not mutually exclusive and when I was looking for a pair of boat shoes, I wanted a pair that would easily go from “work shoes” on my boat and “go anywhere shoes” when I’m off the job.

The Strike Silvertip Boat Shoe is one of those crossover products. And why not? Stephan Palmer, owner of Strike, is both a shoe designer and an ardent angler. Many of his shoes and boots are more boating and fishing than fashion, but the Silvertip is a solid performer in both categories. It has a proprietary tread on the bottom that ensures a firm grip, stylish leather uppers – highly water resistant – and unique outsole with “gills” – holes that channel water away from the shoe as you move around the deck that also give the shoes a racy look.

The shoes have an “inner sock” made from a recycled polyester knitted yarn that feels good on my feet when I choose to wear the shoes without socks, but isn’t so bulky than I can’t wear the shoes when I want to wear stockings. One doesn’t often think much about a shoe’s lacings and fastenings, but I noticed and appreciated how the shoestrings pulled snuggly without having to pull them to my preferred tightness, up and down the tongue.

All of Strike’s line up of footwear uses recycled plastic and bio-based new components throughout their construction.

Check them all out at:www.strike-footwear.com.

AFTCO REAPER CAMO SWEATSHIRT

Reviewed by Capt. Mike Schoonveld

When you think of a camo sweatshirt, I bet you think of a cotton or cotton/poly pullover with the logo of your favorite bow or firearm stitched across the front. Forget that when it comes to AFTCO’s Reaper line of hoodies and pullovers. Most important, the Reaper isn’t a cotton or cotton blend, which violates my ABC (Anything But Cotton) rule when it comes to picking fishing clothes. Cotton is comfy, but when I’m out fishing, something is likely to get wet. The weather is likely to be very warm or very cold and I don’t want to be wearing cotton garments in either extreme..

The Reaper Sweatshirt is made from a poly-microfleece material (whatever that is) – what I do know is it’s soft, warm and comfy. The exterior is a decidedly smooth tight weave finish with an inner fleece. That means it more windproof than a cotton sweatshirt and in my opinion, about 50% warmer but the poly material doesn’t absorb water/sweat like cotton would.

So far, it’s been my “outer” layer worn over a performance cloth shirt as my base layer for chilly fall mornings. Later in the fall and for winter work, it will become one of my middle layers over a heavier poly base layer and a heavier coat or parka on top. I’ve worn it on every trip in the ice-out and early spring fishing for Southern Lake Michigan coho as a mid-layer on cold mornings and as a top layer when the spring sun warmed things up midday.

I’m not a fan of “hunting camo” for fishing, though the Reaper Camos are available in a brown camo “Shadowgrass” pattern, green camo OG pattern and a gray/green, “Bottomland” hunting patterns. I am a fan of “fishing” camo patterns however because I’m a “messy” fisherman and by the end of a busy trip, I’ve got (pick one) mud, blood, grease or other dirt on my exterior clothes and the camos help disguise what would be a prominent dirty spot on a solid color garment. There are three dark, fishing/nautical patterns as well. I chose the Navy digital blue pattern. A side benefit is the poly-material is stain-release, so a regular trip through the washer, has it back to looking like new.

A couple of neat features is the built in face mask which is great when I’m speeding to a fishing hotspot on a cold morning. When it’s not in use, the facemask gives the garment a sort of turtle-neck like collar which makes it warmer all day. Anytime I’m wearing a hoodie, I inevitably end up with “stuff” squirreled away in the pouch-pocket on the belly of the shirt – cell phone, keys, spare change, small tools, etc. The Reaper’s pouch has small “hook and loop” tabs that makes the pouch a bit more secure.

The Reaper’s are available at retailers, at numerous online outlets including Amazon.com and of course at www.AFTCO.com.