WEATHER BEATERS!
The Team Vass 350 combination.
Alfred Wainwright once said “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” A passionate hill walker, he knew his stuff. Fell walking is not unlike angling in that you have to accept that the weather can change, frequently for the worse. Vass manufactures high-quality, weather-resistant clothing specifically for anglers, and recently I was sent a Team Vass 350 waterproof jacket and bib and brace from the new winter range.
Both are made from Vass-Tex 350 material, heavy-duty and tough, yet supple and flexible, to offer full protection from the elements.
Team Vass 350 fabric has been described as a ‘modern sports oilskin for professional anglers’. It’s 100 per cent waterproof, but this has only been achieved by making it non-breathable. It is not recommended for use in warmer or less extreme climates than ours.
HIGH STANDARD
Key features on the Team Vass 350 Winter Lined Jacket include a double front storm flap with gutter, which covers the high-quality YYK full zipper. The padded winter lining is warm and promotes internal air circulation, and the finished product is noticeably flexible for a heavy-duty garment, and not in any way bulky.
The design includes lower hand pockets, a huge bonus on cold days. The jacket also features a fold-into-collar storm hood with clear peak, an adjustable lower hem elasticated cord, and reflective printed logos. All seams are what Vass describes as being ‘quad welded’. Cost of the jacket is £109.95 (there is a smock version for £89.95).
The matching bib and brace, priced at £74.95, is manufactured to an equally high standard. Best of all, both garments are machinewashable, making it possible to avoid the rancid, lingering odour that most sea angling clothing acquires. Both jacket and bib and brace are very easily repaired.
WARM AND DRY
A succession of cancelled winter fishing trips meant it wasn’t until early February that I got the chance to actually try out the clothing. As it turned out, the day was absolutely perfect for this purpose, as while we were at sea we experienced rain and sleet, compounded by a fresh to strong and bitingly cold north wind.
I stayed absolutely warm and dry, as you would expect, and very noticeable was the comfort and flexibility of the clothing. Throughout the trip I was working with my cameras to shoot various boat-to-boat images. This involves a lot of climbing around, along with kneeling and bending, in order to shoot the required angles, and I found the clothing to be beautifully flexible and not restrictive in any way.
If you regularly fish afloat throughout the winter, or if you are planning a trip to Arctic Norway, especially to target the winter run of Skrei, this is the clothing you need.