Columbia – The Gear Fish Fear - Brand New to Farlows!

‘We’ve got the gear all fish fear’ is an impressive boast, even from a clothing company with the pedigree and innovative heritage of Columbia, but what does it mean? How can fish fear your gear?

OK, so tackle technology can help you cast a bit further, improve your line invisibility, give you the upper hand in the dirtiest of fish fights but what has your clothing got to do with it? It’s all about putting the right fly (or lure) in the right place at the right time, in the right way - isn’t it?

Well yes it is, but having the right clothing means being able to stay fishing, and to fish comfortably, whatever extremes the environment throws at us, be that excessive heat, cold, wind, rain or snow. A comfortable angler fishes better, harder and longer than an uncomfortable one – I know that from bitter (bitterly cold…) experience so yes, fish do indeed have every reason to fear the angler who has the correct clothing as well as the correct tackle.

Being an industry leader in angling apparel takes passion and a deep understanding of anglers and the conditions we face and that’s what drives the cutting edge technology, and, in addition to being incredibly stylish, the new range of Columbia fishing clothing currently in-store at Farlows certainly delivers on the tech front!



Omni-Freeze® ZERO Omni-Freeze technology is activated by sweat, so when you start to heat up the material reacts and the temperature of the fabric is lowered, helping you to stay cool. Combined with well-designed ventilation and sun screening it makes for increased comfort when things start hotting up. You can see it on the very smart and stylish, as well as cool and practical, Airgill Chill Zero Long Sleeved Fishing Shirt.

Omni-Wick® Omni-Wick technology actively breathes and wicks moisture away from your skin, allowing sweat to dissipate quickly to help keep you dry and comfortable. It’s a feature of much of the range, including the brilliantly-priced Airgill Lite II Long Sleeved Fishing Shirt

Omni-Shade® UPF 30, 40 or 50 provide maximum protection for when you are fishing long hours in the sun and Columbia have incorporated it into their fingerless gloves, caps and cachalots as well as into the range of shirts and trousers.

Omni-Shield® The innovative Omni-Shield Blood ‘n Guts™ advanced water and stain repellent helps not only to prevent stains in the first instance, but also to ensure they are easily removed without effecting the breathability or water repellent properties of the fabric - no matter how much slime, mud or blood you get covered in!

I must admit to being quite a clean and tidy angler ‘most’ of the time but a few big fish have given me a serious ‘sliming’ in the past, so much so that I’ve had to throw shirts and trousers away because it would just not come out – and boy does it smell. This is a game changer for me!



It’s incorporated into the Blood & Guts III Long Sleeved Fishing Shirt and the versatile multi-purpose Henry's Fork V Fishing Vest

Some of the range also includes an anti-microbial treatment to ensure that the shirt you leave damp and dirty in your fishing bag, or at the back of the wardrobe, isn’t a bacterial wasteland by the time you need it…

Away from the pure tech my detailed look at the range with the team at Farlows showed me the sound, practical features too, such as the neat rod holder loops, sunglass cleaning patches, tough ripstop fabric, well-designed collars and venting and secure zipped pockets.



Combine sound features such as these with hi tech, add some seriously funky colours, comfortable styling - that looks as good in the bar as it does on the boat, bank or flats – and a great range of prices and you do indeed have gear that the fish will fear, and gear you really need to wear.