There are times when not having bibs can severely impact a day on the water. Tough weather, the spray from venturing out in big surf, and other conditions can get an angler wet and in turn negatively impact the day. And especially when the weather is cold, a day on the water wet can turn south pretty quickly.
Thus, a good pair of bibs are gold for an angler taking on a range of fishing situations. From fishing in bays to heading offshore, bibs are a must and can make or break a day on the water.
A bad pair of bibs can also slow you down. Heavy, hot, restrictive bibs would be unwelcome for fly anglers. After all, our game requires quick action in those “one shot” moments when tuna are busting the surface or you’ve been putting in hour after hour for a big striper. Movement and comfort are often king so that we can focus on the technical aspects of pursuing salty critters with fly gear.
For fly anglers, the Dark & Stormy Bib Pants from Grundéns are a superb choice for taking on the elements.
The Dark & Stormy Bibs are a lightweight and comfortable bib that is designed to serve the needs of anglers. Grundéns has utilized eVent® waterproof fabric technology to create a bib that is waterproof yet breathes well. After all, what good is waterproof if you’re sweating bullets underneath?!
The lightweight and loose (but not oversized) feel of these bibs provide comfort but also range of motion. As anglers, we don’t just stand and cast — We can sometimes reach, bend, leap, and take on other acrobatics to make it happen on the water. The Dark & Stormy Bib Pants are designed to fit well with room to layer and do not have sections of access material like some bibs or waders sometimes can. Additionally, these bibs can be adjusted in several places to allow a looser or more snug fit. To have say in such matters is a very good thing. There is also some stretch in the suspenders which also aid in some of that potential maneuvering.
One of the first things I look for with offshore gear are fatal design flaws that would impact fly anglers more than conventional anglers. For example, my former boat shoes had big, thick laces that often caught line. As small as it sounds, this was a nightmare. Standing on the bow of a boat with line at my feet and getting ready to give my best and most precisely timed cast to an albacore to only have line catch on my laces was as frustrating as you can imagine. A poorly-designed bib could easily be filled design flaws that would make things more challenging for fly anglers. When it comes to the Dark & Stormy Bib Pants, I did not find any such problematic features.
Throughout the bibs there was nothing that caught line. The bibs feature low-profile pant pockets that drain water, a chest pocket, and small-opening handwarmer pockets that do not catch the butt of the rod when casting. Perfect.
The Grundéns Dark & Stormy Bib Pants also have a D-ring tool attachment and a crotch zipper to make things easier. Finally, the bibs are rated at UPF 50 and are stain resistant as well.
The Dark & Stormy Bib Pants come in dark slate and olive night color options and cost $350 — less than some rival brands that I have worn with less satisfaction. In fact, the Dark & Stormy bibs will be a key piece of gear for me fly fishing offshore.
To check out more about Dark & Stormy Bib Pants from Grundéns, please click here.
– Tim Harden
Disclosure: Grundéns is in a professional relationship with The Venturing Angler. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.