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The Orvis Pro
Guide Stretch Wading Jacket shields anglers from the elements
(continued)
  When it came to mobility
it was easy to move around in the Orvis Pro Guide Stretch Jacket and at no time
did I feel like the jacket was restricting any of my movements when casting or
simply navigating the river terrain. The shoulders actually feel like there is
extra room which is a very welcome implementation. I have fished with wading
jackets in the past that seem loose when standing straight but tighten up right
around the shoulders and forearms once I started casting. The material used on
the Orvis Pro Guide shoulder section is a stretch fabric that has a little bit of
give while retaining structure very well. This stretchy shoulder yoke moves
with your casting motion and the jacket's cuff design is very streamlined so that line
doesn’t hang up during casts.
Rain beads up on the surface of
the nylon face
Even though Orvis does not
disclose what the material is we know it is not Gore-Tex and I suspect it is
Toray based material. In our tests the material performed exactly like Toray
based material used both in other Orvis and Simms waders. Water from the
surrounding river or the rain beaded up and slid right off the surface of the
garment. If I shook the sleeves of the jacket after a hard downpour all the
water would slide right off and the jacket arm would actually look dry. During
tests I didn’t sweat much when I was fishing out of a drift boat but when I had
to wade a good distance down the river I did start to perspire. The Pro Guide
Jacket does a great job moving moisture away and I never felt cold from the
moisture inside the garment.
The jacket is great for both fly
and conventional fishing
Breathability is something
we often take for granted from quality outdoor wear, and is something you really
don’t seem to notice until you don’t have it. Want to see what a non-breathable
jacket feels like? Just put on a rubber jacket and try fishing in that all day.
Just say “no” to rubber based jackets, they may be affordable but they are
terrible on warmer days and on colder days can be very uncomfortable when your
sweat cannot escape, the rubber also tends to harden in cold environments and
can affect your mobility.
On the back of the jacket is a
huge pocket goof for larger items like lunch
The Orvis Pro Guide was
exceptional at keeping out even the heaviest rain, and it got really nasty when
we were fishing on the Smith for Steelhead. Unlike many other wading jackets the
Orvis Pro Guide is relatively clean looking on the front. There are not a lot of
flaps or protruding pockets, and unlike the Orvis Tailwaters XT or Simms jackets
there are no attachments for lanyards on the front. This doesn’t necessarily
bother me as I typically use my own lanyard or in some occasions will wear a
vest on the outside of my jacket. The Pro Guide jacket has a totally stitchless
front that keeps water out and lends to the Pro Guide jacket’s excellent fit.
When it starts to rain the two way
adjustable hood keeps you dry and in the game
During our field tests the
rain came pouring down on us at the Smith River and I really began to appreciate
the full coverage hood. I typically try and avoid wearing a hood unless it is
absolutely pouring because it really dulls your senses as you hear the pitter
patter of the rain all around you. However on this trip the hood was a godsend,
and kept me completely dry and in the game. The hood can be worn by itself but I
found a visor or hat underneath helped keep it in perfect position.
With more time to fish the chances
of hooking up improve, some of the best steelhead fishing comes in the nastiest
of weather
Though there are not any
built in lanyards on the front of the jacket it does offer a surprisingly good
amount of dry storage. Behind two large pockets I found mesh dividers that were
good for everything from fly boxes to pliers, and even some extra room for some
trail bars. These pockets were even able to accommodate large fly boxes with
ease, no fiddling to get them in and out quickly while wading.
Releasing fish is easy with the
dolphin skin cuffs
To aid with comfort the
Orvis Pro Guide Jacket also has two zippered fleece handwarmer pockets that are
lined with fleece to help keep your hands warm when idle. These pockets are
higher up so that you can use them even when waist deep in the river. There were
numerous occasions when I made use of these pockets in the early morning hours
waiting for the sun to come up.
Even though the outside of the
cuffs are wet my shirt sleeves are totally dry
Next Section: Durability, Price & Applications and the Ratings
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