Branded Fishing Clothing....Value or Rip Off.

[Ray Roberts]

Last year I bought the Prologic MAX4 Thermo Armour Pro Jacket and Salopettes, not cheap to buy, these are supposed to be the flagship models from Prologic.

The first time I wore the jacket with the inner fleece the loop which holds the sleeve in place came off, on the second occasion the Velcro which does the same job on the other sleeve came off and when I knelt in wet grass to unhook a fish my knees ended up wet, and what is it with manufacturers that make a fly zip that doesn't go down far enough (Not unless you are built like Big John Holmes that is). After you have taken a leak the old fellah looks like he's had the staring role in a S&M film.

On the plus side the cammo is very good so you are less likely to be spotted while "Guesting", on the other hand dogs try to pee on you.

 

[Lord Paul of Sheffield]

I've got a Sundrige bib and braces plus jacket and they have lasted for 5 years and still going strong

They keep me warm and dry

But for fleeces ,trousers, t shirts, caps I buy cheap gear in olive green
,

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Preston Dri-fish 10000 for me too.

Excellent jacket and salopettes that have never let me down in even the most extreme of rain storms.

I do understand what the majority of folk are saying regarding "branded" clothing, but then I have found that the difference in the quality of, say, a Hardy waistcoat to a.n.other brand is huge.

The same goes for something like a Trout Bag as well, yes, you can buy something for just a few pounds at Lidl or your local tackle shop, but the quality just does not compare to a Brady Trout Bag, but then again, neither does the price.

So, it really is horses for courses in my book, and if you can afford it then why not buy what you yourself conceive to be the best?

 

[Richox12]

One of the main reasons, as I see it, that fishing tackle companies cannot compete with the high street is that fishing tackle companies, in the main, are not clothing manufacturer/ wholesaler/distributor specialists. They sell fishing tackle and clothing is an add-on. So they cannot hope to compete with high street clothing specialists.

Ask an Asian factory to make 500 garments and then ask them to make 10,000. The cost will be very, very different and hence retail very different.

 

[richiekelly]

The problem I have is finding things that are for the more robust figure, if I get trousers and jacket the jacket will fit but the trousers will be much to long.

 

[noknot]

Apart from the Gardner range, I buy Bitish Army Surplus, £25 for a -15 Deg' dos bag with comp sack, you really can't go wromg!

 

[tiinker]

I think that anything with the Windstopper lable is value for money they seem to last forever and the same for Aigle boots. I recently bought a two-piace Chub Vantage Weather Shield lightweight suit on a recommendation from a friend Discounted to £90 and have found it to my liking. Army surplus is still good if you get the qaulity items.

 

[barisaxman]

I've had everything over the years, mainly for game fishing where 90% of the time I had waders on. In later years all I needed was a good wading jacket and a good pair of breathable chest waders and I was completely dry.
Since getting back into the coarse side of things, I soon realised that my "chesties! with felt soles were no good on the bank an my wading jacket, whilst great for roaming was getting a bit too mucky when feeder fishing and the like.
What I use now is an old pair of breathable chesties with the neoprene feet cut off as a bib and brace. Its warm and waterproof enough for light showers.For really wet weather the missus bought me a waterproof bib an brace and jacket as used by farmers and the like.Cheap, waterproof, easy to clean and it rolls up and fits into my box or bag.
I've never been a fan of name gear. The family were in the tackle business for years and we understood to well what lengths the manufacturers would go to to sell their gear. Re-brand it, put the price up and kid the punters they were getting something new.....
As long as what I'm wearing does what I want it to do, I don't give a flying fig who made it.

 

[mick b]

Poor Value.
A Waste of money and a Rip-off
I brought a Deerhunter waterproof and stretchable fleece jacket for £80 (ish) waterproof yes but the cuffs weren't, end up with soggy wrists for the rest of the day, the cuff adjusters also pulled out within a dozen trips, now relegated to shopping trips only!

Excellent Value
Highly Recommended
Brought a Daiwa Wilderness wading jacket for £48 this winter, absolutely brilliant! 100% waterproof all over ( fished through a full day of heavy rain and it never leaked anywhere) comfortable and very warm, and well designed, the perfect trotting jacket IMO.

A very good bit of kit.
But the Price - WOW
Jack Wolfskin Blizzard Jacket, 100% waterproof and wind proof and very warm (nightfished in -2C with only two layers underneath), made of Gore-Tex Pro, does what is says in the adverts, but at £160 it damn well ought to!mg:

Never buy any gear from the new Whiz Kid tackle companies, especially if its got carp in the advert!

 

[Ronnie]

I totally agree about the rip-off, i have always thought that most branded fishing gear, Rods, reels etc. are far too expensive, especially tghe Carp Side of things, but then many Carp Anglers always want the best regardless of cost, try buying fishing gear on a pension and you will soon go for the cheaper brands, which in most cases is as good if not better. sorry if this upsets carpers but that is my view

R

 

[mick b]

Hi Ronnie,
I'm retired like you and I agree with everything you've said.

Most branded equipment is resourced from the same few manufacturers, its just badged up differently.
A few months ago there was a programme on the clothing industry in China and the Chinese guy Gok Wan went into the factories and talked to the owner about the ladies jeans he was making.
The factory owner said that the jeans were for some of the high end fashion 'names' but also some for some high street clothing shops, he said that the jeans he supplied to ALL his clients were exactly the same - no difference at all whoever the client was!!!
If you go into the Chinese websites you can get anything made and delivered, no problem at all, as an example just check- out their garage doors, you can spec. the exact design you want and they will make it and deliver it all within 2 weeks -

I could tell you some real rip offs from when I was testing tackle for importers, but I don't want to upset anyone. :wh

 

[maverick 7]

When I was in the "trade"....punters was always bringing back clothing that leaked or had come apart at the seams or something else.

...and I am talking about £100 to £200 suits here 10 years ago....

Basically, the majority of branded fishing clothing is just OK at best...but when the cost is considered it is downright daylight robbery.

Sometimes I just don't understand people....they will pay £200 for a suit that has very questionable quality issues ...and yet look down their noses at real quality weather garments such as Berghaus jackets costing around £120...and they're even cheaper if you look around.

Even having said that.....you can still get great weatherproof, warm garments for fishing for a fraction of those costs....I have had a blue Regatta waterproof jacket...which I chuck in the back of my car just in case I need it. I have had it years and when I put a fleece under it keeps me both warm and dry as any other top weatherproof garment would.

They serve the purpose....what more do you want?

Maverick

 

[ravey]

I junked the idea of using 'fishing' wear a few years ago. Berghaus is reasonably priced and fits the bill admirably. I even use one of two jackets I bought for use when riding my scooter to and from work. If that does not test a garment's weather proofing, I don't know what does. The second one is for fishing in! £80 each for the insulated RG1.

 

[terry m]

The remarks on here suggest that nobody bothers with this kit. The reality that we can all observe on the bank is slightly different.

 

[sam vimes]

The remarks on here suggest that nobody bothers with this kit. The reality that we can all observe on the bank is slightly different.

Just another little quirk of this forum. Sits nicely alongside the disproportionate number of centrepin and cane fans and those that dislike bite alarms, commercial fisheries and poles.

 

[maverick 7]

The remarks on here suggest that nobody bothers with this kit. The reality that we can all observe on the bank is slightly different.

That is so true Terry......and in my humble opinion regarding that situation is simply that a lot of anglers believe all the rubbish the manufacturers blow at them...AND they like to be seen in clothing that has some distinction to it.

Perhaps not everybody but certainly a large percentage do.

They think that if a big tackle manufacturer has made them..they must be good....unfortunately, most of the time it is not true.

I remember watching this guy I vaguely knew fishing on a commercial....I can't remember the time of year but it was pretty fresh to say the least and it had rained for a while too earlier in the day. I walked up to him and I could see that he was absolutely perished...and he told me so. He was wearing on of those black and gold Daiwa jackets which was supposed to keep him warm and dry...unfortunately this one was keeping him cold and wet. but he liked the jacket and I guess he would wear it come hell or high water....'cos it says "Daiwa" on it....

I also reckon that he thinks that it makes him look like he knows what he's doing or enhances his bank credibility in some way or another....what other reason would he have for wearing that useless garment?

Maverick

 

[sam vimes]

I remember watching this guy I vaguely knew fishing on a commercial....I can't remember the time of year but it was pretty fresh to say the least and it had rained for a while too earlier in the day. I walked up to him and I could see that he was absolutely perished...and he told me so. He was wearing on of those black and gold Daiwa jackets which was supposed to keep him warm and dry...unfortunately this one was keeping him cold and wet. but he liked the jacket and I guess he would wear it come hell or high water....'cos it says "Daiwa" on it...

I hope it wasn't one of the many Daiwa garments that are actually made by Halkon Hunt, or you've rather blown one of your own theories out of the water.

There is undoubtedly plenty of absolute junk clothing out there with fishing tackle branding on it. However, year on year it gets a little better. There are some quality items out there if you look for them. That said, in an ideal world, you would want to be paying much more that a third to half of the normal selling price. Just about all of it is well overpriced.

I am a little bemused by folks that sit around in the rain testing waterproofs to the n'th degree though. Whatever style of fishing I'm doing, I don't have to rely entirely on waterproof clothing to keep me dry. I'll almost always have a brolly, shelter or bivvy with me. I seem to recall getting caught without in torrential rain on two occasions in the past ten years or so. I certainly got wet both those days. Cuffs and neck are a weakness no matter how brilliant the material of the waterproof.

 

[nicepix]

I've got to be the most anti-brand person I know. I can't think of one item of clothing that I own that has a fishing tackle brand to it.

I use army surplus combat trousers when I'm wading through brambles and nettles, as when beating or finding new swims on the Dearne, cheap Dunlop wellies because brambles kill any welly no matter whether they cost £10 or £200 and my warm / wet weather stuff is either Regatta or Aldi with a couple of exceptions they being ex-police dog handler's issue.

Fashion icon I ain't.

 

[cg74]

Just another little quirk of this forum. Sits nicely alongside the disproportionate number of centrepin and cane fans and those that dislike bite alarms, commercial fisheries and poles.

A bit like on the Cemex site, where they are in the main carp connoisseurs that'd never stoop to such lows as fishing on waters stocked with simmo's and/or fish anywhere that has a high(ish) stocking density.

Back to the original question, I basically never buy clothing with a fishing tackle brand name on it. It is on the whole a load of rubbish, no worse, it's overpriced and seldom fit for purpose.

In the last ten years the only item of 'branded clothing' I've bought is the older version of this: ESP Products Super Grade Clothing
Though I didn't pay that stupid a price, I think it cost me £40 for the jacket and trousers combined but at best I'd call them adequate.

 

[pcpaulh]

Hi Mick just wanted to say I've had a waterproof deerhunter coat for about 4 years now. Paid £100 for it and have had no problems at all, it's been given some good abuse as well.