Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket Product Review

Apparel Review

Entering the Vortex with Gill's New FG2 Tournament Jacket (continued)

Mobility is not limited in anyway with the FG2 jacket and while you can certainly tell you have a jacket on, it's not bulky in anyway and allows you to move around quite easily. Warmth, as we mentioned earlier is very good while breath ability is average for a garment like this - you don't really expect a robust rain coat like this to be breathable. There are adjustments at the cuffs to help keep the sleeves tight around your wrist and a drawstring at the hood to close it around your face - both of which are effective.

Movement is difficult to sense due to the camera's shutter speed, but note how the back of the Jacket is filled out from the wind, but the Vortex Hood is not inflated at all.

Performance Ratings for Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket
Wind Block (1-5)	Water Repel (1-5)	Mobility (1-5)	Warmth / Breathability (1-5)	Adjust ability of Fit (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
5	5	4	3	3	20	25	8.0

The Vortex Hood really works!

Features: The biggest feature of Gill's FG2 Tournament Jacket is the afore mentioned Vortex Hood, but of the items we score in this category, there's really nothing convertible about the jacket as the Vortex Hood does not fold away or detach. The jacket has two waterproof pockets at the top front, and the hand pockets down below are fleece lined for warmth. Below the front pockets on the right hand side of the jacket is a plastic D-Ring for attachment of your boat's ignition kill switch.

Features Ratings for Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket
Convertible (1-5)	Fastened Pockets (1-5)	Water Proof or Fast Drying Fabric (1-3)	Adjustable Cuffs (1-3)	Insulation or UPF Rating (1-5)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
1	5	3	3	4	16	21	7.62

The sleeve cuffs feature an inner and outer Velcro closure so you can close the inner cuff around your wrist, put on a pair of gloves, and fasten the outer cuff closure around the outside of the glove helping to prevent water infiltration at the sleeve. The jacket itself is not insulated but it is a 2 layer fabric with excellent wind and water protection. Gill suggests layering underneath the coat for warmth reducing bulk of the jacket itself.

Sleeves feature both an adjustable inner cuff...

Design & Ergonomics: One of the nice things about the Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket is that it does not necessarily look like a fishing jacket. It just looks like a nice, warm, dry raincoat. The high collar is stylish and helps with warmth and insulation. It's available in two different colors (grey or red) and in sizes up to XXL and really is comfortable enough to wear as an outer layer all day if conditions call for it.

... and an adjustable outer cuff for maximum protection against water infiltration.

Design & Ergonomics Ratings for Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket
Aesthetic (1-5)	Oversized Sizing (1-3)	Available Colors (1-3)	All Day Garment (1-3)	Packable (1-3)	Total	Possible	Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10)
4	3	2	3	1	13	17	7.65

Just in case you need it, the FG2 features a two way zipper.

Application: The FG2 Tournament Jacket is built with the bass angler in mind, but thanks to that Vortex Hood, it would be equally at home as your top layer on a skiing adventure or protecting you from the elements on a nasty mountain bike ride. It's stylish enough to wear out on the town running errands or just a walk in the rain. It's not just a fishing jacket is our point.

Ratings:

Gill FG2 Tournament Jacket Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	Gill's jackets and bibs have always been outstanding right out of the package	10
Performance	Fabric is extremely waterproof and the Vortex Hood really works to reduce drag on your head while running	8.0
Price	The FG2 might not be priced for everyone, but it's a good price when compared to ski apparel which is the only comparable jacket that comes to mind - and you can totally wear this in the snow!	7
Features	Really good water protection and the Vortex Hood makes all that more comfortable to wear	7.62
Design (Ergonomics)	A comfortable jacket that doesn't feel too bulky while it's on	7.65
Application	A great jacket to wear in the elements whether you're fishing, headed to the snow, or on some other kind of excursion in extreme conditions	8.0
Total Score		8.05
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Vortex Hood is a true benefit	- Cost may be prohibitive to some
+ Gill's waterproofing technology is second to none
+ More than just a fishing jacket

Born in sailing, and now ideal for anglers, the latest Gill products exhibit plenty of features that benefit bass anglers like the the FG2's Vortex Hood

Conclusion: We're glad to see Gill tackling the needs of the bass angler head on. We've always enjoyed the quality and performance of their garments, but always felt compromises were being made because they weren't designed with the fisherman in mind. Their new FG2 Tournament Jacket changes that and is hopefully just a precursor of other things to come. For now, the FG2 Tournament Jacket by Gill, featuring the company's exciting Vortex Hood, is an excellent foray to supporting the wardrobe needs of bass anglers.