Gear Review: Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II

As an avid outdoorsman, I spend a lot of time out in the sun. Fly fishing definitely takes the top spot, however I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, and camping. With how much time I spend outside, I am constantly being battered with the hot sun. I do not particularly enjoy putting on sunscreen, so for the past while I have been searching for something to protect me from the rays. I tried a buff and, although it works, I find them better to wear in the winter. When the temperature is hot, a buff makes me feel even warmer. Also, when I put a buff over my mouth and nose, it fogs up my sunglasses, a big no-no. I then wore a long sleeved Columbia shirt for a while. It worked, but again it did not cover up my hands nor my head and neck. I wanted to find something that would provide substantial coverage of my upper body. Preferably, I wanted it to be a solo item. I didn't want to pack a sun shirt, gloves, and buff all to protect me. Frustrated, I did more research and finally found the perfect solution. Researching led me to an article from Fly Fish Food, reviewing a great sun protection shirt from Patagonia.

The Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II is the only clothing item you'll ever need for great sun protection. Not only is it rated for UPF 50+, it's also lightweight and incredibly breathable, all very important characteristics when spending all day in the sun. I never feel too warm in this shirt, and with it's lightweight stretchy fabric, am never restricted with casting.

Another big selling point are the sleeves which contain thumb holes. I don't know about you, but I would find the tops of my hands to always be a place that sunburned. With this sun hoody, the sleeves extend the fabric to the knuckles which completely cover your hands. This is a well thought out design, and makes me wonder why so many other top companies have not included thumb holes.

The hood is another great feature. With it's wide capacity it easily covers your face, even when wearing a hat. There is also a button at the top of the shirt that when buttoned, easily covers your neck. Due to the lightweight fabric, your head never feels warm as one might suspect. The hood simply eliminates the need for a buff, a big positive for me.

Lastly, Patagonia claims that the item has permanent odor control with Polygiene technology. I can attest that this clothing item will not leave you stranded outside the tent due to your buddy kicking you out because you smell like skunk. Whatever Polygiene is, it works. Odors do not linger around with this hoody.

Truth is, if you spend lots of time outdoors, you should be taking care of your largest organ, your skin. Living in Utah, which has one of the nations highest rates of melanoma, I try and take extra precaution when I know i'll be in the sun for long periods of time. I have spent many days all day in the hot sun and have never been burned when wearing this hoody. Although my skin can at times feel very warm, I have never burned. You will occasionally still need to put sunscreen on your face, as the hoody cannot completely block out UV rays (reflection of sunlight on water). Though, it still does provide ample protection.

Patagonia is also one of the only companies who strives for clean practices when making their clothing and gear. All of their cotton is organic, and the facilities that produce and house their gear use much less (and more efficient) energy than others. All good things for the environment, which is the cornerstone of the company. This is a company I am thoroughly impressed with, and that's why I will continue to purchase from them.

Spring Retreat: Annoying Campers, Kayaking, Trout Bum, Pink Flies, and a Hula Girl

Part I: Family Camping Trip

Spring has unleashed it's warmth over Southern Utah, so the family and I set out for our first camping trip with our newly two year old daughter. Would she sleep all night in a tent? Who knew, I wasn't really thinking about that. I just needed to get away from the world. My birthday was the day after hers, and I finally got a new tent that I had been wanting. It was a perfect time to hit the mountains.

We set out to a nearby reservoir that we had camped at once before. The road leading up to the water was lush with vegetation and giant red rocks towered above. Someday, I would like to hike around in the area and explore. We arrive at the lake and set up camp near where we did our first bout. As soon as I was finished, I anxiously set up my new kayak and hurried out to the water to try the new rig. The rowing took a while to get down, but I think I have the general motion. It will take a few more trips  to fine-tune the technique. I eventually returned to shore and decided to take the whole family out. Maybe I will toss Daisy aside and let her swim, maybe.

Emma's ready to go

It was a little awkward at first. The rowing was out of sync, we were leaning to the right, but the kayak was upright and floating, all that mattered. Natalie's nerves were high when we were out in the middle of the water. I tried comforting her, but my words seemed to blow right away as the wind was.

The wind and erratic rowing took us to the far shore where Natalie was much more comfortable. After a while, our rowing began to improve and we were soon far away out into the lake. It was really fun being out on the lake with the whole family. You can cover lots of water in a relatively short amount of time. This will be great when scouting for fish.

We eventually return to shore and I venture out again solo, in hopes of finding some tug. I make my way over to a small bay and cast out my line. Within a matter of seconds I realize that fishing from a kayak is definitely going to take practice. The main problem was the wind. Any subtle shift in the wind and the kayak would turn, messing up my drift. I foresee many early mornings and late evenings free from wind will be key if I want calm water and better drifts. I ended up not catching anything, but felt a few nibbles. At least the fish were interested.

I return to camp and while I wish I was in a state of peace, sitting there enjoying my surroundings, I certainly could not . From the camp nearby a loud annoying ruckus was going on. Adults were yelling at their kids, swearing, and just being loud. Out from the trees came a dude with a purple mohwawk. I had to get out of here. I go to the mountains to escape from people. Life's too short to deal with this crap. We decide to break camp and head over to where the stream flows into the lake to pitch our tent.

As we were carrying gear over, I noticed a trio of fly fisherman fishing the inlet. I sparked conversation with one of them, someone who turned out to be a true trout bum I have known through the internet. He was one of the guys behind Whisky and Windknots, a fishy blog dedicated to our grand sport. We chatted for a while, mostly about fishing of course. It was fun to talk with someone who's fished a lot of the same areas as me. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

The camp was perfect. No noise but the sound of rushing water and wind through the trees. We enjoyed a nice campfire meal and dessert and all watched the sun fade over the mountain. Now this is why the mountains call to me.

Healthy Food = Feel Good

One thirty AM, Emma is awake crawling all over us and not going back to sleep. Soon enough we're all awake, and now Emma is crying. She will not go back to sleep, no matter what we try. At this point the thought of an early morning sunrise, flat water, and bent rod all but seems to disappear. This is life with a toddler. I love her, but man it was hard packing out in the middle of the night. We break camp, and make the grateful quick drive back to home.

Part II: Redemption

Due to the disaster the day before, I had to get out again into the mountains. The void was less than half full, as I had not been out fishing for a long time. Mike and my dad pick me up, and we head North to one of our favorite mountains.

The destination was a small secluded stream with plentiful trout. And plentiful it was. Due to runoff, the higher water had us reaching for pink flies that would shine through the muck. Mike's trusty "muddy water worm" was the true ticket of the day. It has proven it's worth time and time again. Although, the san juan proved to be working fairly well also. The fish would even hit our dries once in a while. At one point, I was fishing a pink chernobyl that met the lips of a few trout. My void was beginning to fill, this was something that had been missing in my life for far too long.

Healthy snowpack

Mike was kind enough to let me try out his light saber, aka his Blue Halo 3wt. This rod truly shines on small water. If I could describe the rod in one word it would be smooth. The casting, the delicate presentation, and the fight of a fish, all perfectly smooth. There's just something about fiberglass that truly shines. 

We break for lunch on the side of the stream, and I scarf down a PB&J and banana. It was nice to feel some calm and peace from last nights disappointment. Eventually, the stream was calling to us and we venture out again. While fishing, I make my way around a corner to find something rather unusual. A girl, standing on some sort of platform, performing an array of hula hoop techniques. I would have never guessed to see an acrobat in this type of country. Nonetheless, she seemed not bothered by our presence. We decided to not fish through their camp, and headed upstream to the last pool.

We traded off picking fish from this pool, and eventually retired back to the jeep. The day was filled with beautiful fish, thundering clouds, and free spirits. The perfect redemption from the day before.