Like most anglers, I have been known to stray outside for reasons other than ‘going fishing’. And, also like many others, some of my fishing tackle and clothing has been known to come with me.
As somebody who owns an energetic dog that needs at least an hour’s running a day, I really felt the effects of the cold spell in the UK recently. The arrival of my Realtree Hardwoods Beanie hat could not have come at a better time. Suffice to say, it’s had some use lately!
I’m not going to sit here and write pages and pages about a hat. It’s a simple piece of clothing that most people are quite familiar with, so I think a short description will do for most….
The hat itself is of RealTree Hardwoods HD design and made under licence by Fladen. It is 100% polyester polar fleece, so is extremely soft and comfortable to wear. It is also a generous size and moulds nicely to the head. And, believe me, it is just so warm and a blessed relief in the icy winds we’ve had recently! Pound for pound, it’s got to be one of the best bits of clothing I have, simply for the fact that it gets daily use and does exactly what I want it to do.
Camouflage in fishing clothing has often been debated in various internet chatrooms. Some see it as a part of their overall commitment to ‘hunting their prey’, whilst others see it as a fashion that they want no part of. I don’t wish to re-open that debate, but one thing is for sure: If you wear camo because you want to adopt a stealth approach, then the chances are that your overall approach and mental attitude will be such that your chances are greatly enhanced.
On the flip side, if you wear it and then stomp about the bank, wave your arms about and shout at the top of your voice, then you’re probably going to have a few blank sessions!
The Realtree Hardwoods HD Beanie hat is available from Tacklebargains at just £9.95 and, in my eyes, is worth every penny. Click here to go straight to the correct page.
Elton Murphy • March 2005
