Hands-On with Trxstle Technical Fly Fishing Apparel

When I’m fishing, what I wear is as important to me as my fly rod, line, and even flies that I’m using. Time of year, potential weather changes, and UV rays are all things I consider when heading out, as I always want to be comfortable and protected in whatever nature brings my way. I’m always excited to see the new ways that companies are improving the technical aspects of apparel but without skimping on style. Here, we’ll be looking at three new technical apparel items from Trxstle, a brand that is probably best known for its well-designed and highly functional CRC System vehicle-top rod carriers.

Bucking Brown Sun Hoody

I love sun hoodies. Every base layer top I’ve purchased in the past five years has a hood. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen how important it is to be careful during the 11am-2pm hours of the day when the sun is most intense. This Trxstle hoody has an eye-catching limited edition fabric print of a cowboy riding a brown trout that I’m really a fan of. On the technical side, it has a UPF 30 sun protection rating, is anti-odor, and has quick-dry and moisture wicking polyester fabric. This all-season hoody is perfect on its own summer days or even just as a layering piece in the winter under a jacket. The hood is more than large enough to accommodate that hat you’re wearing. And the hood has a button clasp near the neckline that allows you to hide more of your skin from the sun. On the sleeves, thumb holes are an added feature that keep the top of your hands covered while also preventing the sleeves from riding up.

Bear Creek Rain Jacket

Rain jackets are one of those tricky pieces of apparel where there has to be a good balance of water repellency, breathability, and weight. The Bear Creek Rain Jacket checks all the boxes very nicely. Made from a 2.5 layer 40D Nylon stretch fabric, this jacket is incredibly light and breathable. It has a DWR rating of 80/20 and fully taped seams and zippers to keep water out. The stretch in the fabric is noticeable won’t inhibit movements such as casting. This jacket is easily packable as well. As far as styling, this jacket could be worn anywhere as it has a pretty snazzy mixture of the fly print khaki upper and deep navy lower. There are a lot of little logo details spread out on the jacket as well. The hood has plenty of room to accommodate wearing a hat with its oversized structuring. The hood also has adjustable bungee cords for when it really starts pouring.

4-Of-A-Kind Specialized Fleece

A good fleece jacket is a necessity in all times of the year where I live in the Rocky Mountains. Trxstle designed the 4-Of-A-Kind Specialized Fleece with performance and detail in mind for use not only while fishing, but for everyday life as well. The main body of the fleece is constructed of 100% polyester in a heather gray color. One of the more interesting features of this fleece is the addition of stretch underarm panels on each sleeve. Constructed of 95% polyester and 5% spandex, these panels add a lot more mobility to the arm areas. The sleeves also have thumb holes that really come in handy during colder or windy days. The interior is mesh lined for breathability and comfort. The chest pocket also sports a clever headphone port as well. Like the other two products mentioned, the hood is more than large enough to accommodate a cap. There are some very nice patch and logo details placed on different parts of the fleece to add character.

Trxstle has produced three really strong products here. Between the three, they cover functional purposes that not only fly fishers but any outdoorsperson will appreciate. Personally, I pay a lot of attention to fit when I purchase technical garments.  So I’m not a fan of items fishing very loose and oversized, but I also don’t like them if they’re too tight. Wearing a size small myself, I don’t always have the leeway to go down another size in many brands if something fits too large. All three of these items had a perfect fit though. I wouldn’t change a thing about the length or width of the garments. The Bear Creek Rain Jacket was a little wider and longer in length than other jackets I’ve owned, but I think that will be useful when wearing the jacket with waders. It’s a jacket I would definitely wear just as a wind breaker during the summer as well when I’m not concerned with having insulation for warmth. The attention to detail on all these items is very noticeable. You can tell that Trxstle put a lot of thought in logo placements, patterns and color combinations—they’re not stereotypical “fishing apparel” and can be worn just about anywhere.

You can see and purchase all three pieces of Trxstle Technical Apparel here.