[Steven Sinclair]

Gents,

Over the years I have become less and less impressed with spending fortunes on wading jackets (fishing gear in general). Some of the prices for "top quality" gear is staggering. I understand the whole you get what you pay for philosophy but i'm a tad dubious as to whether this is really true. I'm more inclined to think that in many instances fly fishing tax is at play.

With this in mind has anybody ever used a kayaking Cag in place of a traditional wading jacket? In my head it works but in reality this may well be a stupid idea?

Edit: I forgot to mention that I came to this idea due to the fact that I am planning on using my Kayak mostly in still waters and to save me investing in two separate sets of gear (drysuit + Waders + jacket etc) I figured I could use my waders and invest in a cag to cover both bases.

Thoughts?

 

Steven.

[Mike Barrio]

Don't see why not Steven, I rarely wear a proper wading jacket ..... and all these things are down to personal preference

Cheers
Mike

[Euan Innes]

Great minds Syeven!
I have had the same thoughts, even going as far as being in a canoe shop to check out cags and  "canoe waders".
I was coming back up from A&P Tyne with my boss who is a mad canoeist and fisherman and  we stopped in a  shop  near Alnwick. I was looking at the canoe dungarees (what is the correct name?) but they were about the same price as good waders. The cags looked great BUT no hoods. Very good quality but I don't like rain running down the back of my neck.
Further up the road we stopped at Angus Angling and I bought some new Guideline waders  These have chest pockets that take all the kit that I need fishing for silver tourists. A week later I was in Aviemore and picked up a windproof hoody from Mountain Warehouse at half price (£25).
I try not to wear a wading jacket if it isn't raining as I prefer the freedom of movement, with the fleece inside the waders. Cags yes but only when the weather is good, so pretty pointless really 

Euan 

[Steven Sinclair]

Euan,

Good to know that i'm not completely off my head then 

I too had been looking into the Yak salopettes as I figured they may last longer than waders (i struggle to get a season out of a pair before the bloody things start leaking) i've even gone so far as to consider teaming them up with some canyoning shoes.

On the Cag front i've managed to track down quite a few hooded options as a lack of a hood did put me off to start with. I'm quite taken with this http://www.jackson-sports.com/SearchResults.aspx?Search=peak+uk+tourlite+hoody the front pocket looks big enough to carry a flea box and some nylon which is all I like to carry.  The only thing missing for me is a d-loop but i'd get the Mrs to sew one on.

I think i'll bite the bullet when I get back from Brunei. 
 

 

Steven.

[Euan Innes]

I like that a lot 
It was the Palm gear I was looking at and they do a service and repair deal with their gear, but they are very expensive.
I think waders are a hit and miss thing. I have a pair of Orvis cheapys that are about 7 years old and after a Diver Dave re-seal have not leaked at all. They just got worn out but will still be OK as boat waterproofs and for trips up to Loch Beannie.
My new Guidelines will get the same treatment when they leak as I am sure they will. All breathables leak eventually 
And when they are at Daves being sealed I will get him to change the boots for smaller ones because waders that fit me usually come with #10 socks which are way bigger than my feet 
The free Alta boots swung the deal 

Euan

[Allan Liddle]

There's actually a few anglers using these already Steven especially competition guys who fish nymphs in faster water.  Keeps 'em dry when they fall in (something i do all the feckin time so maybe i should get one) 

[Dave Felce]

waders & cag combo. perfect for kayaking, but a bit hot for all-round use. unless skishing with nymphs of course..... 

[Dave Felce]

got it this time! 

[Rob Brownfield]

I fully agree with the sentiment that we, as anglers, are paying way too much money for inferior "fishing" jackets.

However, of the jackets I have that are "fishing" jackets, my Vision wading jacket is pretty decent. The hood could be a tad bigger, but as I now wear a Tilly hat, I have the hood rolled up and in the collar pocket.

The thing I like about the jacket is that it is completely unlined, meaning no wicking of water when you take a step too far!.

It was sub £200 (by a fair bit) but 100% waterproof as proven earlier in the year when caught in several downpours.

However, back to Kayaking clothes..I saw one of these over on the west coast and it will be added to my wardrobe soon!

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/330973348351

Its almost the same cut as my favourite Paramo smock but without a lining.

[Dave Felce]

i agree with most of your comment Rob, but having been in or associated with the outdoor industry for all of my working life i think there's a pretty clear dividing line as far as quality/suitability & pricing goes. currently it's broadly about £200, IMO (feel free to shoot me down here)

this is in line with quality mountaineering jackets which are effectively doing the same thing. having owned a vision sade for a number of years i can vouch for their quality, so i presume the same can be said for their kust, lohi & vene which are essentially the same construction

the higher end jackets are worth it to a degree. for instance the "basic" simms guide at just over £300 is bomb-proof, similar construction to a top-end mountaineering jacket & around the same price. also backed up not just by simms, but a Goretex warranty which in my experience is worth paying for. once you start adding on loads of extra pockets & dangly bits the price sky-rockets and you have to ask yourself....

the fishing jackets i really take issue with are the sub-£100 ones or maybe slightly more that are normally not worth buying at all. typically these will have a liner of some kind, be with some generic membrane, covered in pockets etc, poorly designed cuffs & hoods etc. someone's bound to pop up and tell me they found something perfect at this level... well, horses for courses.

just as a point of interest, the kayak cag i'm wearing in the photo is the sort of thing worn by touring sea kayakers for multi-day trips and has a full hood. at this level of performance they retail at around the £200 mark too....

[Rob Brownfield]

Hi Dave,
Appreciate your comments.

Like everything in life, you can get good that is cheap, and you can get bad that is expensive

SIMMS has a deserved reputation, they are, after all, a top of the range clothing company at the end of the day. But cost does not guarantee quality. Think for the original Hardy goretex wading jacket. Folk were bringing them back after a single shower, let alone proper rain. That's was a £400+ jacket

Vision has a good reputation too, and I guess that can be put down to the "testers" fishing in Scandinavian weather rather than some soft southern chalk stream in a bit of drizzle . The Pike team fish in some horrendous conditions and swear by their Vision kit...as do I. Its the original Sade I have, which I got for about £110 because it was "last years colours".

I am a Paramo fan for mountain wear. Medium cost, exceptional quality and unrivalled "lastability". 

[Dave Felce]

yes, people always have personal favourites. however, i would not buy hardy waders or waterproofs: it's not their core business whereas  Simms are a specialist clothing manufacturer with a licence from Gore and Gore taping machines. this is important, as not all manufacturers have this although they may still use Goretex (and advertise as such)

below the £200 price point or pretty damned close, i view it as impossible to produce a jacket of sufficient quality, once you take into account the cost of 3-layer materials, seam taping machines, hydrostatic testing etc....  above £200 (vision sade rrp £220) is a pretty good indicator but, as you say, no guarantee .

btw, if you ever take your Paramo on an extended trip be prepared to take some re-proofer with you.... 

[Rob Brownfield]

btw, if you ever take your Paramo on an extended trip be prepared to take some re-proofer with you.... 

Funnily enough, I have, many times, and never an issue In fact, when I was working at Go Ape my smock did an entire season working with no re-proof