It’s hard to find anything winter oriented at ICAST held in Orlando each year at the hottest time of the summer. Even when I see something “winter,” it’s hard for me to get very excited when I spot it. An exception to this came last summer when I stopped by the Whitewater booth. The booth had plenty of “summer” gear on display. Whitewater produces a solid line of hi-tech summer wear since there are probably 10 times more people participating in fishing and other outdoor activities in the Great Lakes area when it’s 80 degrees than when the lakes are frozen and the words, “wind chill” are in every forecast.
Don’t think every Michigander (or Minnesotan, Wisconsinite, Illinois or Indiana person as well as anglers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario) hibernate during the cold months. The designers at Whitewater know this and being a Michigan based company where not only is windchill is understood, so is “Lake Effect.” They live there and understand the problems inherent in many winter parkas, bibs and other outdoor gear.
There are dozens of hi-tech parka and bibs makers, these days, but few of them seem to offer winter suits that check off all the boxes. Some are long on insulation, but so bulky it’s hard to do much more than just stand there. Some are not so bulky, but not so warm. Few of them are waterproof. Many seem to concentrate more on flashy colors and patterns than clothes that perform.
When I’m out on the ice in early winter, in my boat fishing cohos in early March or walleyes in late November, looking spiffy is less important than being warm and able to move - whether it’s setting a line or drilling a hole.
Don’t think the Great Lakes Pro suit looks clunky. It doesn’t; but instead of being bright red, blue or other colors, it’s black. Perfect for me. On sunny days, the black color helps keep me warm. More important, after a few trips, it doesn’t look like it’s overdue for a trip through the washing machine.
Unlike most parkas and bibs I’ve worn which use the same amount of insulation top to bottom, Whitewater’s Great Lakes Pro suit is built around various levels of insulation in different parts of each garment. There’s more insulation in the back of the parka than in the front. The sleeves have even less because it’s more important to have more insulation in the torso than in the hood, arms or in the legs in the bibs. That increases flexibility in the right places while maintaining warmth in others.
The best winter bibs have reinforced knees to keep them from wearing out and an additional bit of waterproofing when kneeling next to a tip up or crawling around on a boat’s floor. More than just an extra layer of cloth, the GL Pro bibs have reinforced the knee area with a rubberized, waterproof fabric. That makes the knee extra durable and totally waterproof while the rest of the suit relies on the a Durable Water Repellant coating. That little patch of waterproofing doesn’t really hurt the garment’s breathability rating (13K) or its waterproof rating of 30K.
I’m a “pocket” person in that I like outerwear with plenty of pockets. Nothing worse than having to dig deep into mid-layers to warm my fingers for a minute or grab my cell phone, key fob, camera, pocketknife or most any other item I might need during the course of the day. The jacket has five pockets, all are zipper closed for security and extra water resistance. The bibs have six pockets, interior and exterior.
Another thing I noticed immediately was the suspenders on the bibs are stretchy which I’ve found to be a great feature since whether I’m wearing several layers under the bibs on extremely cold days or just a hoody inside on warmer days, I’ve not had to adjust them. They stretch to fit. I love the silicone grip surface on the underside of the suspenders that keeps them from sliding off my shoulders when I’m in the middle of doing something.
At the time of this writing, I’ve yet to use them on board my boat but they will soon be with me and will be my top layer, rain or shine through most of the spring. I tell my customers, “On southern Lake Michigan, winter lasts to Memorial Day, so bundle up.” They don’t always remember that warning, but I do - and I’ll be using my Great Lakes Pro parka and bibs nearly every day.
Whitewater’s Great Lakes Pro tops and bottoms are widely available at retail and online sources. Check them out or purchase them (along with other Whitewater products) at www.whitewaterfish.com.