New Products for My Panama Testing Ground
As we embark on our fourth trip to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge, I’ve learned that while there are plenty of creature comforts there, inferior gear will get left behind. Everything from the climate to the fish themselves is unrelenting and potential brutal. If you bring bad gear, its going to get beaten up, and you may get injured or angered, too.
Accordingly, there are plenty of products that will make a return trip to Isla Parida (more on that, tomorrow), but I’ve saved some room in my luggage for some new items. After all, it’s the perfect testing ground for future fishing trips around the world.
Here are five items hoping to get a permanent slot in my travel bag that will make their first trip to Panama:
While it’s not the rainy season, I’ve learned the hard way that if an afternoon storm creeps in, a 30 mile run in a relatively open boat can get very uncomfortable, very fast. This is no place to skimp on raingear. I got this jacket (and the matching bibs) from BASS at the 2023 Classic and it has yet to go through a heavy downpour. I hope that won’t happen this time, but I’ll be prepared if it does.
I’ve become an absolute sunglass junkie, but I’m still picky about what I wear on the water. I consistently reach for my Bajios with the readers in them. Now I’ll try these in the light blue frames with gray glass – a little avant garde for my typical taste, but Hanna encouraged me to branch out and be slightly more fashionable for once.
I’ve started looking more to crossover hunting companies for their fishing gear. After all, if a manufacturer has made items that’ll stand up to briar-filled woods or the rigors of a duck blind, they can probably handle all of the stress that Pete can dish out, too. This one is sun protective, but it also has odor control technology – my fellow travelers may appreciate that.
I don’t know if I’ll wear this ultra-comfortable tee on the boat because it has short sleeves, but I’ll wear it around the lodge in the evenings to keep my eyes on the prize. Again, odor control and fast wicking are key in the heat.
I occasionally live in my ultra-comfortable Free Fly Barrier Camo hoodie for days on end, so I’m thrilled to add these featherweight shorts to the mix. Hanna says they’re too nice to risk getting them stained with tuna blood, but they’re just so perfect, I can’t resist.
If you’d like to do some hard core product testing of your own, email Hanna and let’s get you down to Panama for the trip of a lifetime.
