In the world of outdoor enthusiasts, anglers hold a unique passion. For them, the call of the open water, the thrill of the chase, and the serenity of nature combine to create a timeless pursuit. Yet, behind every successful angler stands a wardrobe of specialized gear, meticulously designed to combat the unpredictable elements. We sat down with Addy Hanson, Director of Marketing for Blackfish Gear, for a deep dive into the world of high-performance fishing gear and how Blackfish uses eVent fabrics to deliver waterproof, breathable protection without sacrificing comfort.
eVent fabrics: Tell us about Blackfish and what differentiates your gear?
Addy Hanson: Blackfish is a technical line of clothing suited for various weather conditions designed with anglers in mind. The complete line of Blackfish apparel was developed to keep people comfortable no matter the conditions – sunny and warm, you would want to choose cool with our UPF apparel; if it is rainy, you would want to choose dry with our rain gear; and then for the cold and windy days, you would want to choose warm with our line of soft-shell apparel. Each of these lines has technologies developed by the Blackfish R&D team, or we have partnerships with other brands (such as eVent fabrics) to differentiate our apparel from other items on the market with the benefits these technologies offer in the garments.
EF: As anglers, how do you experiences inform product development and drive innovation?
AH: Many members of the team at Blackfish Gear are avid anglers and spend lots of time outdoors and know what customers like us would be looking for in gear to be wearing in these situations.
EF: From the Pacific Northwest to the Florida Keys, Blackfish has a team of professionals and brand ambassadors spread across the U.S. What can you tell us about working with such a diverse team and the insight they provide for product development?
AH: We partner with anglers across the United States with diverse fishing backgrounds. Some people are professional guides, some are professional anglers at the highest level of fishing, and then some are influencers or fit another type of ambassador category. By being very diverse in our group of ambassadors, we can ensure that we are targeting different types of customers based on their needs and wants, along with hitting other areas throughout the United States in our reach. These different perspectives help us with product development for us to gain additional perspectives and ideas about things our team may not think of or is aware of.
EF: New this year is the Zephyr Rain Suit and Rage Rain Suit. Can you tell us more about these rain suits and what enhancements users can expect?
AH: We are very excited about the Zephyr Rain Suit because it is very lightweight and packable and is unlike the other rain items currently in our line. The Zephyr is different because it is a pullover and a pant versus a jacket and a bib. This suit will be ideal for anglers looking for something during the wet summer days when they must stay dry but don't want to wear something heavy or bulky. This rain suit features 3-layer eVent DValpine fabric with a waterproof rating of 20k and a breathability rating fo 20.8k, so this suit will be perfect for those warm wet days!
The Rage Rainsuit for Blackfish is different from the other rain suits in the Blackfish lineup because it features a two-layer eVent fabric instead of a three-layer system that is in our other rain suits of Aspire, Endure, and Zephyr that we have. This offers something different to the consumers in terms of price point and waterproof and breathability ratings. This suit features a 20k waterproof rating and a 26k breathability rating. Those combined ratings are the highest combined ratings out of all the rain suits in the Blackfish lineup. The Rage Rain Suit was also designed with the thought of being minimalistic or simple to appeal to anglers looking for that. These suits are color and have simple branding so it will be easy for people to be able to wear these items every day on and off the water.
Zephyr Rain Suit Rage Rain Suit
EF: Why does Blackfish use eVent for their waterproof protection?
AH: We have decided to partner with eVent fabrics for our rain suits because we wanted to ensure our garments had the best fabrics and waterproof and breathability ratings on the market. We have worked with eVent since the beginning of the Blackfish brand and are excited to continue to grow our product offering featuring eVent fabrics.
Blackfish's commitment to anglers shines through in every facet of their designs, from meticulous attention to detail to their unwavering focus on functionality. Durable and reliable gear ensures that anglers can focus on what they love most — the pursuit of the perfect catch — while their gear takes care of the rest.
Your next fishing adventure awaits — seize it with Blackfish's Zephyr Rain Suit or Rage Rain Suit, available now on their website and at select retailers.