Getting Hooked on HUK "Kryptek" Garments

Introduction: Huk continued to build momentum this year at ICAST and though the brand is relatively new to the angling apparel scene it has become one of the fastest growing brands out there, and has even become the foul weather gear of choice for some of the biggest names in professional bass fishing including Kevin VanDam, Skeet Reese, Brent Ehrler, and Gerald Swindle.

Pro Angler Skeet Reese shows us the latest from Huk apparel

Huk, pronounced hook, was founded by a number of performance apparel veterans that saw a niche to develop high performing, technical and comfortable apparel specifically for both fresh and saltwater anglers. They offer a wide range of fishing garments including long sleeve sun shirts, shorts, pants, hoodies, gaiters, headwear, and foul weather gear.

 
Huk introduced new shirts featuring very cool looking Kryptek patterns

Kryptek Series: One of the coolest things Huk is rolling out this season is a wide range of apparel sporting Kryptek camo patterns. Kryptek utilizes a multi-directional design to effectively conceal the wearers in a multitude of terrains that have either a lateral or vertical flow. The bi-level layering of the patterns incorporates background transitional shading and sharp random geometrical foregrounds to create a three dimensional effect that provides concealment at both short and long ranges. These distinctive looking patterns have military applications and have been used to camouflage everything from personnel to vehicles.

Kryptek is available in a variety of slick looking patterns

Today Kryptek is now being employed in recreational sports including hunting and fishing. Huk utilizes Kryptek in their shirts for example, proving not only camouflage but a very attractive looking garment that stands apart from the sea of traditional sun shirts.

John Holschuh, Director of Product, introduces the new Huk all weather gear

The Huk Kryptek long sleeve shirt for example is mid-layer mock neck top that utilizes a durable poly knit with moisture transport to keep anglers comfortable, and an added mesh vent at lower back helps provide superior temperature regulation. Huk has also added stain release protection to keep the blood or any other stains at bay, and anti-microbial to keep you from smelling like the last fish you caught.

John shows us the complete Huk All Weather Suit

Comfort and mobility are critical elements to Huk and the team adds a small amount of spandex to make sure no movement is restricted, which means less fatigue when casting all day long. The long sleeve shirt will retail for $49.99 while a short sleeve version will cost 10 dollars less, and both are just starting to ship to retailers now.

The new neck features vents that channels air upwards to prevent glasses from fogging up

Huk All Weather Gear - Next Gen: This past season Huk provided anglers with their “All Weather” Bib and Jacket which were designed to be leak proof, breathable, and still provide excellent mobility with non-binding stretch materials. These garments start with a single layer, breathable, waterproof shell and tape the seams and weld on the zippers to keep them from leaking. They added a removable visor bill hood and internal neoprene storm cuffs that sit beneath Velcro closure shell cuffs and designed in a camo in the body and arms for a very distinctive look.

Special pads on the shoulders provide a grippy surface for keeping suspenders in place and are also hi-vis reflectors
 

These foul weather garments were well received but now the company is taking things to the next level with enhanced materials, Kryptek patterns, and new angler friendly features that are a direct result from input from their prostaff.

High volume pockets hold gear and are accessible even when seated in a bass boat

John Holschuh, Director of Product, walked us through these enhancements on the upcoming new gear and the attention to detail is impressive. Examples include use of flexible materials throughout, giving wearers of both the next-gen jacket and bib a greater range of motion and flexibility than many competing foul weather garments. The neck area of the jacket is large enough to protect anglers from high wind, and features special flaps that channel air up to keep glasses from fogging up, a very slick implementation! The new jacket and bib offer even more storage in all the right places. For example, Skeet wanted to be able to access tools and gear while remaining in the seated position when piloting his boat during tournaments. The new bib accommodates this request with strategically placed high volume pockets that are reinforced to handle a variety of kit. These are just some of the examples of details that are cleverly engineered into the new garment, and the Kryptek pattern gives the entire outfit a very striking overall look and feel. The new bib and jacket will be shipping next Spring and will retail for $350 dollars each.

Even the bibs make use of Kryptek and feature extra reinforcement on all key wear areas. Like the previous generation this foul weather setup is designed to keep anglers dry while still remaining comfortable to fish in all day long

Judging by what the team at HUK showed us at this year’s ICAST it certainly is understandable why so many anglers are getting hooked on Huk. The company and brand seem to be doing an excellent job blending style, innovation, and performance together to create specialized garments that are not only highly functional, but truly enjoyable to fish in.