Look good, feel good. Feel good, play good.
MAR 8, 2024 | BY NICK NORTHERN
THE JUICE:
You’re probably wearing at least one piece of performance apparel right now, and if not, you undoubtedly have some at home. It took hold in the late 1990’s, but was introduced roughly a decade earlier when workout videos still came via VHS and were laced with Spandex and improbable hair decisions. Now, you won’t catch a person in the gym not wearing some.
Much like the arenas of fitness and sport, performance apparel has taken over the fishing industry. Mind you, if I could make a cotton polo, jean shorts and bandana look as good as Steve Huff of Norman Duncan did decades ago, I’d live in that uniform. But for me, such a class of style is unobtainable. Fortunately, companies like ANETIK exist.
THE SQUEEZE:
Much of the impetus behind Chasing Tides is identifying products that are multi-functional. ANETIK is one of few performance apparel brands whose products look and function as well in the office as they do in the field. The company’s Instagram feed displays an array of pursuits. To name a few - surf, fish, hunt, golf, cowboy stuff, and metal music. We like this.
My favorite product of theirs is the UltraGuide. The UltraGuide defies convention. It’s a hooded, long sleeve love child of your standard performance button-up and a typical sun hoody. I’ve had one since December of 2022. It’s just as at home in the office as it is in a brewery. Mine has accompanied me on numerous trips into the marsh, and even braved one family Thanksgiving.
The UltraGuide is incredibly designed - blending technical innovation with traditional aesthetic and functionality. Its five secure pockets provide plenty of storage, and it’s ventilated better than a Vegas casino. There are plenty of “lightweight, quick-dry, and moisture-wicking” claims out there, but the UltraGuide truly lives up to those descriptors.
What I appreciate most is its subtlety. It’s technically advanced, and precision crafted, but its appearance is so humble. I often feel apparel companies in the outdoor industry are competing to create the loudest shirt possible - shirts that can’t help but yell at you from across the room like “Hey, I do outdoors! Do I fish? Of course I fish, look at my shirt.”
The UltraGuide isn’t the cheapest option out there, but the quality is superior. I’ve tested it against saltwater, fish slime, baby vomit, and good old-fashioned sweat. It’s upheld against them all and looks virtually the same now as the day I got it. If you’re in the market, give it a shot. It’s more of a daily driver than a weekend warrior, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding reasons to wear it.
