With Oregon races like the Lake Run, Up the Lazy River, and the Salmon Run, it’s hard not to draw the correlation between two popular outdoor activities – running and fishing. I am not the worlds greatest fisherman, but I do make a few attempts each summer with my wife’s family – usually resulting in coming home empty handed. Free Fly Apparel is rooted in the outdoors, and specifically the fishing, scene. However, they do have a few items that could absolutely be used as a sole running item, or as a crossover one that you could use in both settings.
Shoot. Now that I’m thinking about it, an 8 mile run around the lake followed by a couple hours of fishing sounds amazing (do we call this “funning” or “rushing”???).
At first glance, you wouldn’t necessarily see great similarities between these two sports. One takes place on land and the other on water. One involves being upright on the other is often seated. And one consists of continuous energy followed by brief periods of rest while the other involves continuous rest followed by a brief glorious burst of energy (if lucky).
There are some similarities however, and not just that both leave you hungry afterwards. It is really important for the appropriate apparel to be worn during both. Nobody wants to run a bunch of miles, nor be stuck in the middle of the lake or shoreline, and feel uncomfortable the whole time. Additionally, having sun coverage capabilities is not only a good idea, but pretty necessary to avoid the many hazards of sun damage.
We recently tried out a few men’s and women’s tops and bottoms from Free Fly Apparel.
Looks:
All items from Free Fly Apparel are pretty straightforward and simple in their visuals. There are a variety of color options available, but the tops don’t even showcase any identifiers on them. The bottoms have a small logo on the left leg, but it’s almost “blink and you miss it“. All their pieces truly provide a clean and straightforward look. All in all, there’s nothing uber-flashy in these pieces – which can absolutely be a good thing.
Fit:
The Motion Tee fits a little larger on the body. It is definitely not a slim fit, which can be nice from time to time. There’s enough room in it for freedom of motion, without feeling like you are swimming in it. It’s still true to size, but expect to size down if you desire that slimmer fit.
The Shade LS Tee also fits similarly and actually runs a little longer on the torso than many running tops. There are thumbholes embedded at the end we found the sleeves long enough to use without issue.
The Breeze Shorts fit true to to size and the man are they comfy. They are super lightweight and breathable – a wonderful warm-weather combination. They fit a little longer (8″ inseam) and roomier through the legs than most running shorts.
The Breeze Skorts are 15 inches in length with the internal short part at 4″. We would probably recommend sizing down, as even the small we tried seemed just a touch too roomy if you are like me – and have no hips.
Function:
Both tops we reviewed are constructed from Viscose from bamboo, which creates a buttery soft feel. They are light and breathable to enough to use in many settings, from running to yoga to even casualwear. They are both UPF 50+, which is absolutely crucial for the outdoors.
The Skorts are great for running, with a wide waistband and a zipped back pocket for storage. There is also a pocket on the interior shorts as well for some additional items. They are UPF 50+ and the shorts part is made from that same soft bamboo construction.
While the Skorts are perfect for fitness, the shorts are probably less something that you would consistently run in. Don’t get me wrong – you could absolutely run in them, but I feel these operate better in a cross training or casualwear sphere. They would be excellent for those “funning” or “rushing” trips we discussed earlier.
Overall:
Runners should not be one-dimensional beings and neither should our clothes! Obviously, Free Fly Apparel isn’t the most running-centric apparel line out there. But even though we are “Run” Oregon, we aim to be outside a lot and have a multitude of interests. We very much recommend checking out their items if you are like us and want some items that can blur the line between multiple outdoor activities.
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Products & Price:
- Bamboo Motion Tee | $25-34
- 68% Viscose from Bamboo / 29% Polyester / 3% Spandex
- Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve | $58
- Solid | Heather Indigo | Heather Grey: 68% Viscose from Bamboo / 29% Polyester / 3% Spandex
- Heather: 48% Viscose from Bamboo / 49% Polyester / 3% Spandex
- Breeze Skorts | $68
- Shell: 86% Polyester / 14% Spandex; Lining: 65% Viscose from Bamboo / 26% Polyester / 9% Spandex
- Breeze Shorts | $68
- Woven Breathe 127 – Shell: 86% Polyester / 14% Spandex ; Pocket Lining: 68% Viscose from Bamboo / 29% Polyester / 3% Spandex
Thank you to Free Fly Apparel for providing us with test items. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
