EXPOSED! The Truth About Microfiber Performance Fishing Shirts [VIDEO]

This could be the most controversial post we have ever published…

In fact, the majority of the major fishing apparel brands are NOT going to want you to see this…

But we have watched it happen for too long, and quite frankly we are shocked that so few of the leading fishing apparel brands haven’t done what’s best for you (their customer) in terms of performance fishing shirts yet…

What I am talking about?

First, let me tell you the story of my recent trip to the Bass Pro Shops here in Tampa where I stumbled upon something incredibly eye-opening about these popular “microfiber performance fishing shirts”.

And if you stick around with me in this blog, I will reveal the findings from 11 of the top-selling performance fishing shirts brands that I personally inspected…

But first, let me tell you what shocked me that day at the local Bass Pro Shops.

I came to find out that the vast majority of brands offering performance fishing shirts were cutting a few corners.

What do I mean?

Let me ask you a question.

When you buy a performance fishing shirt, which of these descriptions sound more appealing?

• The design and logo on the shirt gets hot and sticky after being out in the sun fishing
• The design and logo on the shirt doesn’t breathe
• The design and logo on the shirt can crack and peel off over time

OR…

• The design and logo on the shirt is literally burnt into the microfiber fabric so it is never hot or sticky out in the sun
• The design and logo on the shirt breaths like the rest of the performance shirt because there are no extra layers prevent breathability
• The design and logo on your shirt is PERMANENT. Meaning, it can’t crack, peel, or be removed from the performance shirt because it is transferred on the microfiber performance material permanently.

I have to imagine you picked the second list of features… I mean, aren’t you buying a performance fishing shirt for top of the line performance?

And don’t you want the best in comfort and performance when out in the sun all day?

I know that I sure do!

In fact, I can’t imagine any angler who spends any decent amount of time in the sun purposely picking a performance fishing shirt that:

1. has areas on the shirt that don’t breathe
2. gets hotter and stickier while out in the sun
3. has a logo or design that can crack and peel after being out in the sun and saltwater for a while

Yet, why is it that so many performance microfiber fishing shirts out there fit these negative qualities?

Let me explain.

“Screen Printing” vs “Permanent Printing”

The two scenarios that I described above are the two different ways to manufacture a performance fishing shirt.

The first list of features describes the result of a method that we are all familiar with called Screen Printing.

It’s the same process of putting ink on any cotton t-shirt you have ever worn.

It is essentially a layer (or multiple layers depending on how many colors are used) of ink that sits on top of the shirt.

Here are a few facts about Screen Printing:

• It’s super easy to screenprint, and it’s not hard to find someone who knows how to screenprint a shirt
• It’s cheap (which is why most cotton shirts you see in America use screen printing)
• It will crack and peel over time as it like having paint on your shirt. The more you use it, the more you wash it, and the more time it spends getting wet and hot means the quicker it begins to weaken and come off the shirt
• It’s not very breathable (because paint on your shirt doesn’t breathe like cotton or a polyester synthetic would without the layer on top), it makes the shirt heavier (as it adds layers of ink), and it gets hot and sticky after extended sun exposure

The second group of bullet points I listed describe a process known as “Sublimation”.

Sublimation printing on performance polyester shirts is a special printing process that uses heat to transfer dye into the shirt fibers making it “Permanent”, and giving it the feel of being “burnt in” to the fabric.

Here are a few facts about Sublimation “aka Permanent” Printing:

• It’s a more complicated process than screen printing, and there are a small amount of manufacturing groups in America that can properly sublimate a shirt
• It is more expensive than screen printing when done properly on professional commercial grade sublimation machines
• It is Permanent – A sublimated design can never crack, peel, or chip regardless of how much wear and tear you put on the shirt
• It is 100% breathable in regards to the material used on the shirt, and it adds no extra weight to the shirt

How To Tell If A Performance Shirt Is “Permanent”?

Can you tell which of these performance shirts use some screen printing and which ones use 100% “Permanent” sublimation?

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t… it’s actually really tough to tell the difference just by looking at them from afar.

Keep in mind, the BIG difference is not in the look, it is all in the feel and actual performance of the fishing shirt.

Here is the incredibly simple way to tell if your performance fishing shirt has any screen printing or if is was done using sublimation.

1. Simply use your fingernail and scratch over any design, logo, or color on a performance shirt
2. If you feel anything at all with your fingernail, then it is not 100% sublimation
3. That goes for even the logo on the chest, left breast, or sleeve of the arm

Disclaimer: “Permanent” is referring to the design and logo on the shirt, not the shirt itself.

Why Would Any Company Screen Print A Performance Shirt?

When I let people feel and hold any of the permanent Salt Strong performance fishing shirts, the question always comes up after they feel the difference in material…

“Why would any apparel company ever use screen printing on a microfiber performance fishing shirt? 

It usually boils down to one of three reasons (or a combination of them):

1. Screen printing is cheaper so they can make more money per shirt
2. Many times the big brands are locked into long-term contracts with manufacturers, vendors, etc. making it tough to move quickly (even if they know there is a superior way to make a shirt).
3. It could be a supply-chain nightmare to shift gears and change up how they make their performance fishing gear. And the bigger they are, the more distribution networks and retail outlets that they would have to alert and make changes to.

Permanent Performance Fishing Shirt [VIDEO]

The Bass Pro Shops Trip – Shocking Discovery

Earlier I told you what I would reveal the finding from my Bass Pro trip here in Tampa.

Now although I have no problem listing the names of the big brands that I analyzed in terms of their performance line of fishing shirts, I am not going to throw any particular brand under the bus.

I would encourage you (now that you know exactly how to tell if a performance fishing shirt is “Permanent” or not by running your fingernail over the design or logo) to go and test out the shirts yourself.

But I will tell you this:

Only TWO out of the following ELEVEN apparel companies were exclusively using permanent sublimation on their designs and logos on their performance fishing shirts (at the time of my visit to Bass Pro Shops in Tampa in January of 2016).

In other words, nine of these eleven fishing apparel companies were using some form of screen printing on their microfiber performance fishing shirts!

• Guy Harvey
• HUK Fishing
• Salt Life
• AFTCO
• Strike King
• Columbia Performance Fishing Gear (PFG)
• Pelagic
• St. Croix
• Penn Fishing
• Bass Pro
• Under Armour

One final note: I have recently seen an increase in some of these brands starting to make their new 2016 performance shirts using the nicer, more expensive sublimation process. So depending on when you read this, some of these brands might have switched their latest shirt models to be 100% “Permanent” (which is a good thing you for the consumer).

Conclusion

The big takeaway from this article is as follows:

Screen Printing Does NOT Belong On Performance Fishing Shirts!

It’s hot, it gets sticky, it doesn’t breathe, and it cracks and peels over time.

Besides the fact that it’s cheaper for the company, I can’t think of any positive reason to use any amount (even for a small logo) of screen printing on a microfiber performance fishing shirt.

Screenprinting takes performance out of a performance shirt.

You deserve the best, so demand that your favorite performance fishing shirt brands start using the highest quality printing options out there!

Regardless if you ever buy from Salt Strong or not, encouraging the entire industry to use best practices benefits everyone in the long run.

Finally, if you want to see some of the:

• Highest quality
• Softest
• Highest UPF rated (50+)
• Strongest
• And PERMANENT performance fishing shirts at Limited Time prices…

10% OFF if you made it this far: Take 10% Off your next order with this limited coupon code at checkout: permanent10

Click here now to check out the Salt Strong “Permanent” Performance Fishing Shirts.

Note: We also have a 30-Day Challenge on all of our Salt Strong performance gear so you can put it to the test however you see fit, and if you aren’t 100% satisfied, then send it back for a full refund. We’ll even cover the shipping back to us.

Take the 30-Day Challenge Today!

P.S. – If you think your angler friends or fishing networks would like to see this, please Tag them or Share this with them. You Rock! Pa-POW!

Fish ON and Fish STRONG!

Related Post: “Everything You’ll Ever Need To Know About Microfiber Performance Fishing Shirts” – click here to read it now