Gear test: Under Armour Shoreman Gore-Tex jacket and pant combo

Over the past two months, I have spent countless hours wearing the Under Armour Shoreman Gore-Tex jacket and pant combo. It has seen wind, rain and snow, as well as activities ranging from hiking to fishing, and even a bonfire and some late night pick-up ice hockey on the local pond.

Before receiving the Shoreman jacket and pants, I did not know if I could be impressed by this new entry into the waterproof technical outerwear category. Since the early 90s I have been wearing similar products and thought I had seen it all. I was completely wrong. This combo, particularly the jacket, impressed me from the moment I opened the box.

The camo pattern is designed to break up your body’s silhouette on the water more than traditional patterns, and is as stylish as it is functional. The real benefits became apparent the first time I wore it. Fit is true to size and is long enough in both the waist hem and sleeves for just about any activity. Not only did I feel no restrictions or issues while casting, but I also felt like it moved with me quite well. One of the innovative features I found particularly useful were the storm cuffs. This feature is an inner cuff in the sleeve that hugs the wrist without being even the slightest bit uncomfortable. It keeps out not only the wind, but to a large extent the water that normally soaks the end of your shirt sleeves as you reach in to grab that trophy trout for a photo op.

The pants are equally impressive with leg zippers that extend high enough to make changing in and out without removing boots a breeze, and cargo pockets that are well-placed and roomy enough to carry just about everything you need, regardless of pursuit. Again, the fit is spot on and even roomy enough for high-stepping up steep trails with relative ease.

If getting salty is your game, saltwater resistant materials were chosen to withstand everything a day on the flats can dish out. For me that is a huge perk because I know that I can have one go-to choice for all of my fishing outerwear needs. By chance, I had the opportunity to test the Shoreman combo for a day of chilly saltwater fishing in northeast Florida, as we poled through inches of water looking for hungry redfish.

After a day of serious line hauling, I can say that there was not a single instance where the line became wrapped up on any pockets, cuffs, zipper pulls, etc. Everything is so streamlined, the only thing you need to worry about grabbing your line are your feet and reel. Again, the storm cuff came in handy when releasing fish as it kept the water from soaking my shirt underneath. The hood adjusted well to keep the elements out during the full speed cruises between each fishing spot and the marina. Additionally, I found the magnetic closure pocket on the rear-side particularly useful on this day, as I was able to quickly stash my gloves when it was time to stand on the bow and fish, then quickly access them again when needed.

Overall, the only criticism I can muster is the lack of pit-zips for those hot summer days, but I am so incredibly pleased with every other aspect, it is easy to look past. Lastly, at $250 retail for the jacket, you get quite a lot for your money. You could easily spend $100 more and not be as pleased as you would be with this product. From Gore-Tex Paclite construction to the performance inspired fit, and innovative camo pattern, the Shoreman combo is a masterpiece, plain and simple.

— Scott Criqui