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Apparel Review


The Hoo-Rag Offers Quality Face Protection at a Great Price (continued)

Real World Tests: To test the Hoo Rag we not only ordered a few off the shelf patterns from Tackle Warehouse we decided to do a custom order to see just how seamless the process was. We tested the Hoo-Rags side by side with a number of competing products, but primarily Buffs, which are probably still the most well-known garments of this type. We fished with these garments across the entire season, employing them in both hot and cold weather conditions, and while targeting everything from Largemouth to Striped Bass.


The garment provides up to 30 UPF rating for those long days in the sun

Operation: Hoo-Rags are extremely easy to use and while most anglers will wear them as a face mask or neck gaiter to either stay warm or protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays, they can also just as easily be worn as a head band, hair rag, or even a ninja style balaclava. I found the Hoo-Rag offered good stretch and was slightly more form fitting than most Buffs, and while some of our staff felt they were tighter than some of the Buffs they were used to wearing I found that I actually liked the more form hugging fit in the chin and neck area that the Hoo-Rags offered which helped the garment stay on when making fast motions or running in the boat at 60mph.


The Hoo-Rag also provides some light wind protection

The Hoo-Rag is also seamless and there are no threads to irritate your skin, and they offered decent wind protection as well. The woven fabric is small enough that when wearing the garment it also acts as an effective barrier from dust, and when I did get any boat spray on the Hoo-Rags they dried out very quickly as well.


We found the fit to be tighter than the traditional Buff, but this was a plus in my book as the garment stayed in place easily

When it came to sun protection I found that the Hoo-Rags definitely performed well as a good shield from the sun, but on most days I still found that I could still get some sun irritation, though not actually burned, if I didn’t put on some sunblock. Truth be told I do burn relatively easy so a garment like the Hoo-Rag is much more than a “nice to have,” and they have become a “must have” in my everyday fishing garb. Whether you choose to wear sunblock or not to while wearing the Hoo-Rag (I still recommend using both), the garment does provide a welcome layer of protection where anglers are often most exposed to the sun’s harmful rays.


The Skull Daddy pattern quickly became my favorite

There were three areas where we felt the Buffs still have an edge over the Hoo-Rag and that is in the overall refinement of the garment when it came to matching up patterns and cuts, the overall softer material which is a little bit more comfortable over a long day on the water, and finally the odor control. Buff’s include Polygiene® Active Odor Control which does do a good job neutralizing odor and stops the growth of odor causing bacteria and fungi. Most of the time after I go fishing for a full day I toss my Hoo-Rags or Buffs in the wash anyways, just to get the odor of the sunblock off so in many ways this is one is somewhat of a moot point. I was pleased to see that the printing on the garments stays on well through wash after wash and there was no detectable bleed into my other clothes after each wash.


While most anglers will use the Hoo-Rag as a facemask it can easy be worn many different ways

Performance Ratings for Hoo-Rag

Wind
Block (1-5)

Water
Repellant (1-5)

Mobility(1-5)

Breathability (1-5)

Adjustability of fit 
(1-5)

Total

Possible

Rating
(=Tot/Pos *10)

3

3

5

  5

5

21

25

8.4

Next Section: Great for more than just fishing applications

 

   

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