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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