Free Spirit are more well known for their superb range of top quality rods, but Simeon Bond and his hand picked team of consultants have come up with a top quality range of clothing suitable for year round usage. When Simeon asked UKMA to try out and review part of the clothing range, we jumped at the chance.

The first item that UKMA was sent was the Carpy Storm Jacket. The first thing that stands out is the use of the Realtree Advantage Timber pattern that has been chosen for the material pattern. Free Spirit were the first company to be granted a license for the Realtree designs to be used within angling, and is something that Free Spirit are proud to continue to use.

Manufactured as a ¾ cut jacket to offer the optimum protection against the elements and combined with the 7000g/m2 waterproof and 2000g/m2 breathable fabric, the angler is guaranteed to remain dry in the harshest of conditions faced in the British and European climate.

As with all good breathable clothing, the jacket is lined with a mesh that keeps the outer shell material away from direct contact with the skin. This works in a similar way to how a second skin on a bivvy system does and allows air to circulate.

The Storm Jacket is designed to be worn over the top of other layers. Requiring the use of layers is by far better - in the reviewers opinion - than all out thermal clothing due to the versatility. In the winter it can be worn over a fleece or heavy sweatshirt without making the wearer feel like the StayPuft Marshmallow man, restricting movement making it less likely for the angler to move onto showing fish. This makes it ideal for all year round use, and can also be stowed away in a pocket of a rucksack or bag in the summer in case of a sudden downpour.
Due to the time of year that this item has been reviewed in, our reviewer obviously couldn't test it outside in warm humid conditions, so he used his initiative and has spent several evenings sat in his living room with the heating on to test breathability - and the jacket passed with flying colours with no clamminess felt at all on the skin that is associated with non-breathable materials (as well as wearing it during the sub-zero temperatures that we have experienced in the UK over the past couple of months due to being tight and not wanting to waste gas on heating!!!!).

The generous cut of the material also allows the jacket to be put on very quickly should a take come out of the blue in adverse weather conditions. This also stops the back of the jacket from moving up and leaving the base of the spine open to the elements.The Teflon coating of the outer shell allows water to run off the fabric whch allows it to dry quicker and remain light to carry or wear.

To finish off, the base of the jacket also has an elasticated drawstring which can be tightened up to stop any wind coming up under the material. There is also another elasticated drawstring around the waist area to pull the material in tightly ensuring a snug fit.

The main zip is of a high quality and remains easy to open and close under all fabric tensions, with no snagging on the material or under clothing. This is finished off with a wind flap that is secured by press studs. The reviewer prefers press studs to velcro due to the less noise made when undoing it - which the less noise made in general the less chance of spooking margin feeding fish or annoying other anglers that may be fishing close by.

The cuffs on the jacket are adjustable via velcro straps, which have enough adjustment for those with thin wrists as well as those that are built like Arnold Schwarzenegger. The range of adjustment will also allow the cuffs to be easily secured over the top of gloves on those days where they are required - totally eliminating the risk of rain running down the sleeve into the glove itself. This also will help to retain any heat escaping from the glove and help keep the angler that slightest bit warmer.

As with all good all weather clothing, the Carpy Storm Jacket has been fitted with an oversized hood allowing ease of pulling over a hat. The peak of the hood has had a wire placed into it allowing it to be shaped for maximum visibility and also allowing any pooling of water on the hood to run off the sides rather than dripping or running down the wearer's face (and then running down inside the jacket). The hood also tightens up qell around the face by a drawstring and spring loaded toggle adjustment.

The Storm Jacket is also laden with plenty of pockets that the angler will find ample to store needed items when sitting out in the elements such as mobile phone, tobacco products, packets of terminal tackle or bait, etc.

The second item of clothing that UKMA were given to review, are the Carpy Waterproof Trousers.

The Waterproof Trousers are made from the same material as the jacket and have the same waterproof and breathability rating.

The cut of the material is suitable for anglers of all dimensions, including those wth longer legs (something that some other manufacturers neglect and cause the bottom of the legs to ride up exposing the ankles and shins).

The waistband of the trousers is fully adjustable with an elasticated band (which is wide so not to cut into the anglers waist when tightened up). This is adjustable by velcro adustment at each side to set the tension so the trousers do not need pulling up every few minutes when standing up, but also allows the angler to be comfortable when sitting down. The waistband is secured by a double press stud fastening that does not pop apart when sitting down, as well as a velcro tab for additional security.

On both sides of the hip are a zipped pocket which has been lined with a soft touch material that feels warm to the touch. Having zips means that the angler can secure items inside them without worrying about keys or money falling out when sitting down.

The inner lining at the top part of the trousers is extremely comfortable and can be worn without any trousers underneath - ideal for quickly putting on straight from the sleeping bag should a take occur at night in bad conditions. The lower part of the lining is of the same mesh material as the jacket, which will allow it to dry quickly should moisture ingression occur from wading or stepping in puddles.

At the base of the legs, Free Spirit have chosen two methods of adjustment to make a cosy fit around the ankles. A zip is present to allow the leg to open up making it easy to put on whilst wearing light footwear, and this is finished off with a velcro tab allowing inifinite adjustability around the ankle which is especially effective to stop water dripping into the top of boots.

During our testing procedure, we endured some of the strongest winds and rain storms in the past decade, and the reviewer never had a single drop of rain come through the material, nor feel cold from the biting wind.

Free Spirit also have a range of headwear within their range of clothing. Simeon sent us a couple of the products that are more suited to cold weather and we have had chance to test these out under various situations (both angling & non-angling) over the past couple of months.

The first is the Thermal Baseball Cap. This baseball cap is manufactureds out of a soft brushed material that is extremely comfortable to wear. As soon as the cap is placed on the head, you can feel the warmth that it holds in straight away. This cap is ideal for the angler that also likes to use a boat in the colder months due to the addition of ear flaps that can be folded up into the main part of the cap when not required.
Unlike most caps of this type, the ear flaps are held down by an elasticated strap across the rear of them which keeps them close to the ears rather than requiring to be tied under the chin. The flaps themselves are also thin which does not impair the anglers hearing.
Available in a Brown colour with an orange Free Spirit branding on the front, it will tastefully fit in with all the clothing that we have worn it with (so for all of the tarts reading it, you have nothing to be afraid of!). If you fish on those bright cold winter days when the sun is low in the sky, then this hat is ideally suited for you.

The second piece of headwear we were sent was the Fleece Bob Hat. This hat is like your typical fleece hat that is worn in the colder months to keep as much heat in as possible, and this one is no different.
Manufactured from a realtree patterned fleece material, it is super comfortable when being worn without irritating the skin on the forehead which some hats of this type can after wearing them for a while. The pile of the fabric is windproof and withstands that biting cold wind that anglers are sometimes faced with.
All in all the bob hat can be worn whilst sleeping during winter night sessions to keep the head warm without twisting up. The amount of material is just right for most anglers heads without looking like a "chav" or Benny from Crossroads. The sides will snugly cover the ears, although because of the make-up of the material, some hearing impairment will be inevitable.

Coming from a match angling background as well as being very experienced in outdoor pursuits, the reviewer has worn the vast majority of waterproof clothing materials, and the Free Spirit clothing is up there amongst the very best available. His exact words were "this clothing is as good, if not better than any GoreTex clothing I have used". UKMA thinks that this quote is enough to describe how good the clothing is.

For more information on the Free Spirit clothing and other items in the range, please visit the company's website by clicking the image below.