|
Blending Technical and Lifestyle Apparel Seamlessly - FAT
BASS Performance Shirts and Neck Gaiters
(continued)
  Operation:
Everything is thought out when it comes to the FAT BASS apparel designs. The
signature green color that is prominent in the logo and found on many of the
garments is designed to be a soothing color but it also has a much deeper
meaning to Micky for example.
Stitch work on all the shirts is
excellent and held up well over an entire season
“Our colors
actually do mean something very special to me. A dear friend and mentor of mine
who was a legendary acting coach, director and all-around bad-ass women in the
entertainment industry always spoke about the “GREEN LIGHT!” Your green light
being when you close your eyes and you’re in your heart when you see and feel
that green light wash away the negativity and bring in positively and healing.”
The Origin Shirt is excellent in
hot weather and keeps anglers protected and cool
Personally, I
find the brand’s signature color visually pleasing, and different than most
blue, white, and grey garments that are commonly found in our industry. When
fishing with both shirts I found the garments from FAT BASS to be well designed
and very comfortable, and they also feature a boutique apparel look and feel. I
get asked all the time from other anglers on the water, or from DMs on
Instagram, about the shirts and especially the neck gaiter designs. The FAT BASS
logo catches plenty of attention but because the brand is still up and coming it
isn’t something that everyone has seen on the water. At least not yet.
The sewn on logo on the shirts is
a very nice touch
While both
shirts that FAT BASS offers can be considered “technical” the Lily Camo shirt is
the more performance-oriented shirt with an integrated hood and vented neck
gaiter. Both shirts are UPF50+ and feature a 90% poly/10% spandex blend so there
is some extra flexibility for those casting motions. I felt this also added to
the overall comfort of the shirts, and overall breathability on the garments is
excellent.
The Fat Bass Lily Camo Performance
Shirt features an integrated gaiter that stows out of the way when not in use
Look both inside
and outside on these shirts and there are impressive details that you would
normally find on custom garments including the green tablecloth pattern inner
neck taping, printed elements on the sleeves, and a woven label sewn right into
the bottom edge.
The traditional green tablecloth
pattern inner neck taping is unnecessary and yet a totally awesome touch
Fit-wise I found
both garments had a true to size fit but the white Origins shirt was more
comfortable without the integrated gaiter. Maybe it is my oversized head but the
gaiter on the Lily Camo shirt was quite tight fitting, and I preferred the
option of being able to put on, or completely remove, the gaiter. This was
especially the case when FAT BASS offers some great standalone neck gaiter
options.
After a few months of use the Fat
Bass gaiters became a staple on my boat
I liked the FAT
BASS neck gaiters the second I put them on as they are constructed from a 100%
polyester microfiber that is naturally elastic, making these tubular garments
easy to slip on, and very comfortable. Unlike some gaiters that overly compress
your neck and face these gaiters stay firmly in place without ever feeling
tight. I also found them to be very breathable, wick away sweat very
efficiently, and they also dry very quickly after use. Like the shirts the neck
gaiters provide a UPF 50+ rating, and I never got burned a single time when
wearing them.
When is a gaiter more than
just a functional garment? When it sports original artwork, and the FAT BASS
“T.I. Elite” pattern is a perfect example. This eye-catching garment was
designed specifically for Bassmaster Elite Pro Angler Taku Ito and features some
great colors and patterns and a fun take on the company’s own logo.
“We wanted to do
something beautiful that represented not only Fat Bass but Taku and his journey
to Americas biggest stage of competitive bass fishing. The crane in the Neck
Gaiter represents Taku and Taku’s family, Big Crane for him, Medium crane for
his wife, and the little crane for his young son, they are flying with big one
representing Taku in the back that watches over them. The two bass represent the
two people that run FAT BASS, my wife and I,” explained Micky. “The style of art
is an homage to the Ido period of Japan , when things were peaceful, no war and
the time they produced the most art. The drawing itself was designed and put
together by my wife “Sunny Hwang Parker” and I, and she drew the whole thing
herself as an original art piece.”
Catching a few quality spots with
the Fat Bass shirt and T.I. Elite combo
Each piece from
FAT BASS feels like a canvas with hidden elements and details that give the
garments more character. To me the Origins Shirt and Neck Gaiters felt like the
most signature garments from the FAT BASS portfolio as they both exhibit the
performance and comfort to match up with the appealing styling of the pieces.
Fat Bass also offers hats and
beanies to go along with their shirts
In terms of
durability all the garments held up well to heavy use. Unlike some technical
shirts these garments do not feature any antimicrobial treatments for odor
control, or stain protection, but that didn’t stop these garments from
performing well over the long haul. I found the material so breathable and
moisture wicking that odor was never an issue, and stains came out easily with a
normal cycle through the wash. The neck gaiters have really held up really well
and are exhibiting no loose threads, or stretching, after an entire year of use.
The Fat Bass garments have a lot
of character and look different than other technical shirts as they make use of
proprietary designs
Price
and Applications: Anglers relish their time in the sun
and on those long days on the water out it is important to stay covered and
protected, not only to prevent UV damage but to stay comfortable and better
enjoy your time on the water. There are a lot of great options out there and I
frequently use shirts from both Simms and Aftco. The Aftco Samurai 2 Hoodie
continues to be one of my go-to garments and yet the shirts from FAT BASS
somehow continually make it into my weekly rotation.
Besides the fact that the
garments perform as well as they are designed to do I think that the reason I
keep reaching for them is because of the attention-grabbing artistic patterns.
These garments are both functional and fun, and I love the attention to detail
and creativity found in the designs.
The printing on the arm is a nice
touch and wherever you look there are small details that set the garments apart
Next: Price,
Ratings, and What's to Come...
 |
