Driology is the brainchild of fly angler Steve Symons.
His aim was to create fly fishing apparel that is thoughtfully designed and well constructed.
This journey began back in 2019 and I’ve been wearing the Lotic jacket for just over a year, so I now feel qualified to give my verdict.
There has clearly been great thought in the design process. It could easily be argued that it is actually over-engineered but this isn’t the case at all. It is better than that.
Steve has taken many years of experience as an angler (a skilled one at that) and sat down and drawn up a list of what he feels has been lacking from other brands offering wading jackets. He has then thought long and hard about this and consulted other anglers too.
The first thing you’ll notice is how the jacket feels in your hand. It is soft to the touch compared to other jackets and doesn’t make much noise when you move around. The fabric feels, and is, high quality.
The jacket is highly breathable and despite the material feeling slightly unfamiliar to the norm it is also highly water repellent. I’m told it is 20K Hyrdostatic, I have no idea what it means but what I do know is that after all this time it still sheds water in a heavy shower just like a new-out-of-the-bag jacket would.
It is also worth mentioning that the hood can easily be stored away in a cleverly-concealed storage area without any sign of bulk. The collar sits nice and high to protect you if the wind gets up while the hood is stowed away.
Also, the hood is adjustable so that it fits snugly when you’re wearing a cap but I also wear mine when walking the dog without a hat. I have noticed that I struggle to get the hood to fit comfortably with other brands. Not so with the Lotic. This makes me happy, and also dry.
Storage was clearly given a lot of consideration. During the design process it was decided not to have outside storage for gear like snips, pliers or forceps, that loose fly line could get caught on. Everything would have a place, including areas for holding good-sized fly boxes without the jacket looking or feeling bulky. The jacket as a whole has been engineered to ensure line does not get caught anywhere. There is nothing worse than watching a great cast travel out and the line getting caught on something that didn’t need to be there.
One of the features I really like is the hand warmers on the inside pockets. They are always welcome on a cold day but usually once wet they are not of much use. With the Lotic jacket you can turn the pockets inside out to let air get to them and they dry quickly. This is genius. When on a wet few days of fishing, I just pull the pockets out at the end of the day and they’re good as new the next morning.
The jacket can also be vented by means of a zip and popper system so you can wear it at the start of the day when it’s cooler and if temperatures rise you can store away the hood and open the vents to keep cool. I don’t have to worry about whether to take a jacket or not and know I have all bases covered if the weather turns against me.
See what I mean about the thought process?
As a whole, the jacket has a clean, contemporary look that is pleasing to the eye.
I am ashamed to say I don’t look after gear as well as others but despite the abuse my jacket has received it is still performing as it did the first day I wore it. When it comes to wading jackets I can’t say this has always happened.
The work and quality of fabric means the jacket isn’t going to be the cheapest at £475, but the whole idea was not to cut corners, and be something of extremely high quality and durability. This means on a cost-per-wear basis the jacket will pay back with interest. I’m convinced of it.
Visit driology.com for more details.
