The Huk Grand Banks Jacket is serious rain gear for serious anglers.
Every angler should own a good rain jacket because you just never know what mother nature is going to throw at you when you are out trying to catch the big one. In recent years, Huk Fishing has set themselves apart for fishing apparel in general and their Grand Banks Jacket is more proof of that.
This jacket and the Huk Gunwale rain jacket are new products for the company this spring and it is safe to say they knocked it out of the park with this line.
These jackets will help you stay on the water when others are heading back to the launch.
Huk Grand Banks camo jacket
This jacket did not arrive until the middle of June when Michigan was starting to dry up a bit. It took a while before we got some decent rain where I could give this jacket a real test. For reference, my previous rain jacket was a light and cheap one from Columbia that functioned best in a sprinkle. The Huk is a whole other animal. The jacket is made of a durable polyester that gives just the right amount of weight to the whole thing. This thing feels like it would laugh at a hurricane.
Huk says they built in three layers of moisture protection that help make this jacket both waterproof and windproof. The first layer is a durable water repellent and it is impressive. It is difficult to explain just how well this jacket sheds water. I attempted to take photos of the jacket wet and had a lot of difficulty because moisture simply slides off. The closest comparison I can make is one of those water repelling chemicals you can apply to a car windshield. The water sheds off the jacket in the exact same fashion.
Not once during my testing did any moisture ever leak into this outerwear. The fully taped seams, adjustable hood and the storm flap just help add to this jacket's effectiveness against the toughest conditions mother nature can dish out. This would be a great fishing jacket for trolling in the rough seas of the ocean or the Great Lakes.
Travis Smola
In their promotional materials, Huk touts this jacket as multi-purpose for both freshwater and saltwater fishing, but I found uses beyond that too. Most notable, I used it to check my trail cameras during a steady downpour. I mention this instance because I ended up walking through a lot of wet grass on that trip and I was completely soaked. Except for my top half, which was thoroughly protected by the Huk. It made me seriously want to look at their rain pants too. That may be a future purchase. This jacket offers great breathability too. My round-trip hike to check all my cameras was roughly a mile on a very warm day. I expected to be a sweaty mess after that, but the jacket kept me cool the whole time.
In addition to keeping me dry every time I used it, this jacket has great pockets. I liked the zippered chest pocket for keeping my cell phone accessible and dry. The hand pockets are large and fully zippered with plenty of room for small fishing accessories. I will note that I got my exact size and it does feel slightly large. If you are looking for a better fitting jacket, you might consider ordering one size smaller. Personally, it is something I can live with as it just helps to add a little more protection from the elements.
Overall, if you are looking for a great-looking jacket that provides great moisture protection and will stand up to the elements, the Huk Grand Banks is a jacket worthy of your hard=earned money.
Huk Kona
While we are talking about Huk products, I was also recently given the chance to try out the stylish Huk Kona woven short sleeve shirt in blue wahoo colors. Huk is offering these button down short sleeves in seven colors. The photos really do not do these polyester shirts justice. You might think a polyester shirt would be heavy and uncomfortable, but that is simply not the case. Were are not sure what Huk did with these shirts to make them so light and breathable, but they are extremely impressive in that regard.
If you have super sun sensitive like I do, you will also be happy to learn that these Huk shirts have special materials for blocking out harmful UV rays. It is nice to have a shirt that helps prevent me from immediately turning into a tomato during casual outdoor activities. Plus, this is simply the nicest shirt I now own. If you are looking for a stylish and casual piece of men's clothing for fishing or family get-togethers, the Kona is a great choice.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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