It occurs to me that some of my closest friends, my fishing buddies, might believe that I own but a single shirt and pair of pants. It’s not an unreasonable assumption. They may never have seen me wearing anything else.
When it’s time to go fishing, first out of the closet is my REI Sahara Tech long-sleeve shirt and a pair of quick-drying Columbia PFG Aruba convertible pants. Sure, I own other “fishing apparel,” but this combination always seems to be on my back, and my backside, when there’s fish to be caught.
After a few years of bushwhacking and stream-stumbling, hundreds of outings, they are definitely showing their age - loose at a few seams, frayed at some edges - but then, so am I. I do wear other things, but usually only after being out for a couple of days when my favorites have reached the point where they can stand in a corner on their own.
At home, when I come off the water they hit the laundry immediately. I say that it’s so they’re ready for fishing the next day. Mary says it’s so they don’t stink up the place. Both arguments have considerable merit.
The irony is that Mary swears that 80% of our laundry load is my clothes. That's not bad for a guy with just a single shirt and pair of pants.
A dozen fly rods, yes, but, apparently, just one set of fishing clothes.
I've seen those clothes before, somewhere...
ReplyDelete"Both arguments have considerable merit." That had me rolling.
You have indeed, Brandon, and I hope that you get to see them again before they're nothing but tatters.
ReplyDeleteI think I have three fishing shirts and four fishing pants but I do have my favorites and find myself wearing the same khaki colored North Face quick dries and the same olive checkered shirt again and again. I'm sure it's cause those clothes have mojo.
ReplyDeleteMy Simms quick-dry/SPF shirt with the Fredericton Outfitters logo & Columbia convertible pants (or my day-to-day Carhartts if it's cooler out) have been my go-to. Now I've sunk to...(read below)
ReplyDeleteI think I turned a considerable corner in my life when I tried the convertible pants almost two years ago & thought, "These are comfortable AND practical!" and didn't give a rat's ass on the appearance of them.
With regards to the sinking I mentioned above: As I'm a boat owner (& am deluded enough to think I'll travel south to fish more), I've moved on to long-shorts, made by Prana. Some call them capris, but considering I typically carry knives, pocket tools & big pliers with me, they don't say it often to my face.
If they do, a little "Have you seen how hot my girlfriend is?" usually ends things :P
Coincidentally, you have done a fine job of describing my gardening clothing ensemble.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I alternate between two pairs of pants and two long-sleeved shirts, because it takes me mere minutes of weeding/lugging mulch to get my clothes to the "stand in a corner on their own" state, and sometimes I'm too tired to wash them the same day.
I was just told that "those shorts are no longer acceptable ... even for fishing." I suspect I'll have to rescue them from the trash can ... again.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the mojo, isn't it Steve. Can't wait to see pics of this outfit from Yellowstone.
ReplyDeleteConvertible pants rule, Mat.
And Cathy, good outdoor clothes fit most any activity quite nicely, weeding and lugging included. Nice hearing from you!
Sounds like them shorts are finally getting 'bout right, Chris.
I think so, too... trouble is, as the wife says, they don't keep many secrets... such is life.
ReplyDeleteHA! Don't know about you, but I ain't got many secrets left to keep.
ReplyDeleteTechnically, since you own a pair of pants, you have two pants, right? Unless of course, you own just one pant? It's not as simple as one may think, or perhaps I'm overcomplicating matters.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm confused. Not that that's particularly unusual these days, but pants parts are a new stumbling block, I must admit. Thanks for that, Kirk.
ReplyDeleteI blame Sanders for the confusion. It all started for me when he posted a review about some Redington Wader Pants, but he called them Pant. Technically that's what Redington calls them so he was not inaccurate in referring to them as such, but the singular label goes against everything I was ever taught to believe. LIfe throws a curve ball every now and again.
ReplyDeleteI blame a lot of things on Sanders.
ReplyDeleteHaha,
ReplyDeleteMy wife thinks the same thing. Like you, I throw mine in the laundry as soon as I'm home... so that they are ready for the next trip out.
I don't have that goto shirt yet, having a couple different varieties of shirts that I prefer to wear on the stream. But I do have and love my Columbia convertibles!
Universal truths, wives and Columbia convertibles. Thanks for the shout, Paul!
ReplyDeleteIt is a bit surprising how unstained your pant is.
ReplyDeleteThe ol sink wash and overnight hang is quite effective with these fabrics when on the road I find. If you don't quite execute that, just say you have a matching pair (and don't spill on yourself at dinner).
ReplyDeleteClif, I have not gotten into fish large enough for that to be a problem. And yes, they hold up surprisingly well.
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct, RR - a quick rinse and they're ready to go. But, sadly, that dinner spill is pretty much a sure bet.