STORMR Builds Momentum at Bassmaster Classic
OutdoorHub 02.19.14
Last year’s curiosity is this year’s must-have outerwear
At the 2013 Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, competitors were confronted with temperatures in the teens and a wide range of precipitation that froze equipment and anglers alike. Meanwhile, Greg Hackney and Jeremy Starks fished comfortably, with little more than a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans under their STORMR outerwear. The rest of the fishermen took note of their comfort, and when this year’s Classic blasts off on Friday at Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, a substantial portion of the field will have access to a full lineup of STORMR gear should the conditions dictate its use.
Several major companies, including Strike King and PRADCO, have outfitted their pro-staffs with STORMR outerwear to ensure that instead of focusing on keeping their core temperatures elevated, the only thing they’ll have to worry about is how to catch the five biggest Guntersville bass each day.
“It is the best cold-weather gear I’ve ever used,” said two-time Classic qualifier Hank Cherry. “If I’d had it last year, no part of me would have been cold. I recently fished a tournament at home where it was 33 degrees out and raining hard all day. I wore the whole outfit and there wasn’t a drop of water on me.”
STORMR products use Neoprene Core Technology to adapt the benefits generations of divers have used to fight the elements to land-based and amphibious activities. STORMR is owned by Henderson Sport Group, which has manufactured neoprene for half a century and understands the material’s unique abilities. The resulting gear provides maximum comfort and maneuverability, along with superior thermal benefits, in a thin, soft, flexible, windproof and waterproof shell which also provides positive buoyancy. There’s nothing like them on the market today. The products – which include jackets, bibs, hoodies, socks, hats and gloves – are all adaptable to multiple outdoor activities. While some are targeted at a specific group, like waterfowlers, all of them will serve double- or triple-duty in the field, on the beach, atop the ice, or afloat. The possibilities are limitless.
First-time Classic contender Paul Mueller, a veteran of brutal northeastern winters, said that the STORMR gear enhances not only his comfort, but also his ability to fish effectively. “It blocks the wind so you don’t have to put many layers on,” he said. “Most importantly, it’s so comfortable in the way it fits your body and doesn’t put as much weight on your shoulders. I wore it all through practice last week when it was cold and didn’t feel anything at all.”
STORMR gear could be potentially found on the backs of these anglers at the Classic: Chris Zaldain, Keith Combs, David Kilgore, Mark Davis, Jason Christie, Gerald Swindle, Terry Scroggins, Jordan Lee, Chris Jones, Doug Thompson, Alton Jones, Patrick Bone, Paul Mueller and Hank Cherry.
STORMR gear will be available at the Bassmaster Classic Expo at both the Bass Mafia and Mark’s Outdoors booths. If you can’t make it to Birmingham this week, you can obtain more information about this game-changing clothing at the company’s official website: www.stormrusa.com.
