What it is:
If you fish or hunt in Ontario, you know about biting insects. In a quest to find the best way to enjoy bug country, I tested The Elite Edition Bug Shirt, made by the Original Bug Shirt Company (OBSC), in SCII camouflage. OBSC has been making bug-proof clothing since 1989 and The Elite Edition is its flagship model.
The test:
I took the jacket for a spin on a mid-May last year, in low-lying swampy woods near the shore of Georgian Bay for an off-trail hike. The bugs were out in force. I also wore it while bushwhacking trout streams later in the spring and summer and on early fall hunts.
What we think:
The roomy loose-fitting design provides plenty of mobility and space for layering, if needed, and side vents for cooling. The fabric is lightweight but also densely woven so that mosquitoes, blackflies, deer flies, or horse flies don’t bite through.
The face mesh provides a large view, but it’s also fine enough to protect against the tiniest of biting insects, like no-see-ums. I had no issue with the viewing space or with insects getting through. Being able to zip open the mesh mask and throw back the hood is a nice option when you don’t need the protection.
The hood also has enough room to fit over a baseball cap. I sat still in the woods with bugs flying all around me knowing I wasn’t getting bit, which made for a much more enjoyable day fishing or hunting, especially knowing I wasn’t giving away my location to deer or turkeys by swatting at bugs.
I did put some bug dope on the back of my hands. A definite advantage of using the jacket, however, is not having to use chemical sprays on skin or clothes. The shirt folds into its own zippered pocket to store or travel with.
OBSC Elite Edition:
Bug Shirt Designed and made in Canada, available in seven sizes and colours and in 100% polyester or cotton. Elite Edition from $94.95
www.bugshirt.com
Originally published in the April 2023 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS
Leave A Comment