Alaska can take a toll on outerwear, and as far as we’re concerned, if it survives multiple seasons in our neck of the woods, that’s a testament to quality.
Over the last few seasons, we’ve noticed Alaska West guide, Jason Whiting, sporting the same mid-layer jacket day in and day out (don’t worry, he washes it, we think). It’s called the Velocity Jacket from our friends at Kast Gear, and seeing how it has survived the test of time, we asked Jason to give us his thoughts on it, and today we share those thoughts with you.
Kast Velocity Jacket
It’s that time of year again. Gear that has not survived the winter gets retired, new gear purchases show up in the mail like weekly Christmas presents, and preparation for the upcoming season in Alaska is in full swing. One jacket however, that has not needed to be retired, and has come to truly impress over the past few years is the Kast Velocity Jacket, and here’s why.
- Flexible Sleeves. When purchasing gear, an extremely important factor we as guides and anglers need to consider is mobility. Kast made a winner in our books with this jacket. The sleeves are designed to stretch and move with you. So whether you are rowing a boat, casting, or netting that monster fish, you won’t feel trapped by your jacket. That’s a big deal.. And c’mon, nobody likes feeling like Randy from “A Christmas Story” while trying to fish.
- Durable. If you want to take the best gear in the world and see it worn down to nothing in a year, give it to a fishing guide. Wearing the same waders, boots, jackets every day for hours on end will find even the best equipment’s breaking point. But after three years of being worn almost every day on the water, this jacket has held strong! We think that’s saying a lot.
- Versatile. With a PrimaLoft core and lighter flexible sleeves, this jacket is the best of both worlds. Perfect for a cool day when worn on its own, yet light enough to toss your heavy coat or rain jacket over when the weather turns to gain some much needed insulation without compromising comfort.
So, the next time you’re cruising your local fly shop for that perfect layer, keep an eye out for the Kast Velocity Jacket.. We think you will be impressed!
The Velocity Jacket retails for $199.95 and can be found at your local Kast supporting fly shop, or by visiting their website by clicking right here.
I have to get me one of these Kast Velocity jackets. It’s the third of June here and Billy Jo McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge from Choctaw Bridge but the jacket survived! I loved Matt’s comment earlier.