What is Rob Burgess wearing this summer?

Rob Burgess spends a lot of time out on the bank, not only for his own fishing but also when carrying out his role as the Korda Koach, fishing in carp matches, and of course filming for Korda.

So, it is essential to him that he feels comfortable and doesn’t have to worry about what he is wearing letting him down or not being suitable, leaving him to concentrate on what he does best – catching carp!

That is just as important during the summer months, where feeling too hot, or sweaty, or even wearing material that is uncomfortable against your skin, can ruin your overall experience, meaning that you fish far less efficiently, or even end up going home earlier than you’d planned to.

Here we take a detailed look at what Rob can usually be found wearing during the summer months, and what makes these products so good.

T-shirt

Rob is a big fan of the Korda Clothing t-shirts at any time of the year, wearing them underneath outer layers in the colder months, but in the summer he will often be found wearing one of our Birdsnest Tees, in black.

This stylish design, with a ball of unravelled line – hence the name ‘birdsnest’ and a nod towards recycling nylon fishing line – featuring on a large logo across the back, and a more subtle Korda logo on the left breast, has proved to be incredibly popular.

Not only does it look great, and a bit different to the norm, but it also feels really nice to wear with a soft, velvety texture, which feels great against your skin and will also help to wick away any moisture from sweat.

This t-shirt uses a blend of cotton and polyester for the fabric, which allows it to breathe well, due to the 60% cotton content, but also to retain its shape via the 40% polyester, even after repeatedly being washed. All of our tees are tailored for a great fit, rather than looking like they’ve just been hung on you, and the Bridsnest Tee is no exception.

Shorts and joggers

By his own admission, Rob generally lives in shorts from the spring right the way through until October, depending on the weather of course.

His favourite from the Korda Clothing range are the Quick Dry Shorts, and he has a number of pairs of them in black or burgundy, which are not only very comfortable and lightweight to wear, but also highly practical in a fishing scenario.

These shorts are made from 98% nylon, which makes them very lightweight, to the extent you will hardly feel like you’re wearing them, plus ensures they dry very quickly if you do get them wet, plus the 2% Spandex provides enough stretch that they are also very comfortable when moving around and won’t feel restrictive at all, even when sitting down.

They have a soft touch finish, which feels really nice against your skin, and also feature a mesh inner layer that provides good air flow and means that they can be worn without underwear. The zipped pockets are also designed to be quick drain.

This makes these shorts ideal if you do decide to go in the water in them – such as when it is very warm and you’d prefer not to have to wear waders.

On the odd occasion that Rob does need to wear something other than shorts whilst out on the bank, then he opts for our Ultralite Joggers, which are made from an incredibly lightweight and stretchy fabric.

These Ultralite Joggers are designed to be very loose fitting, allowing for plenty of ventilation, and they offer complete freedom of movement and won’t feel restrictive. So, in situations where shorts aren’t so practical – such as if we do get some colder nights, or when the mosquitoes are really bad, or even walking through undergrowth, then these are a great option as you won’t overheat and start sweating.

Hoodie

Even during the middle of summer it can get chilly in the evenings and first thing in the morning, so you will want to have something with you to wear over your t-shirt, even if you don’t necessarily always end up needing to use it.

The Korda Lightweight Hoodie is the perfect choice, providing enough warmth without being uncomfortably hot and causing you to sweat or feel sticky, plus is made from a lightweight material so it won’t feel heavy or restrictive when you have it on. It also means that it can be folded up compactly and easily stored in your fishing rucksack or carryall, or even a barrow bag, until you actually need it.

This hoodie is tailored to look and feel great whilst you’re wearing it, whilst at the same time giving you plenty of freedom of movement and allowing good air flow – unlike some of our hoodies, which are designed for us in colder weather and prevent draughts from getting in, this one actually has a loose fitting neck and cuffs so as to allow good air flow and to keep you feeling cool.

Socks

Even having the right socks on can make a difference to how you feel and perform, as nobody wants to have sweaty, uncomfortable feet, especially if you are out on the bank for a few days and are planning to wear socks for the duration of that time.

Our Coolmax Socks MK2 are a sports style sock that is the perfect choice for anglers, as not only are they very comfortable, which is obviously a big factor when you consider how long you are going to have them on your feet for when out carp fishing, but are also very practical.

They feature our Coolmax material, along with Lycra that ensures they maintain their shape, and the toe seems are fine enough that you won’t even feel them. The heel and to have Cordura reinforcing, which provides extra durability in these areas, which are more prone to wear.

The Coolmax material is specially designed so as to wick moisture away from your skin and keep your feet feeling cool and dry all day long.

Cap

A fishing cap is about more than just keeping the sun off of your head, as it also plays a big part when it comes to spotting fish and keeping glare out of your eyes in general, plus of course it is a fashion statement.

The Korda Dawn Trucker cap that Rob likes to wear is not only very practical for the summer months, but it also looks great as well, with its olive-green crown and mesh back, with a mocha coloured crown, making it a bit different to your typical carp fishing cap. It also features a distinctive ‘Live for the Dawn’ logo on the front.

The mesh backing allows plenty of air flow to keep your head feeling cool, and the pre-curved peak helps to keep the sun out of your eyes and saves you from having to shield your eyes with your hands in situations such as looking for fish whilst wearing polarised sunglasses, or even when trying to cast into the sun.

The structured crown has been designed so as to retain its shape, and a snapback style fastener means that it will fit any head shape, or hair style, and can be adjusted to whatever feels comfortable to you.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are always a very personal thing in terms of what feels good to wear and the style that you prefer, and the Korda range includes a variety of different models to cover most tastes.

Rob Burgess is a fan of our Shoreditch polarised sunglasses, which are incredibly stylish and wouldn’t look out of place around a hotel pool or trendy bar, but at the same time will help you to catch more carp.

The large lenses give good eye coverage and help to cut out glare from the sides when looking down into the water, and the polarised lenses not only cut through that glare, but also enhance colour and contrast, making it easier to spot things that are under water – such as a carp, or even a small gravel spot amongst weed. The lenses are brown, which is a good all round colour that performs well in most light conditions.

As well as looking and performing great, the Shoreditch glasses are built to last and withstand regular use out on the bank, plus they come in a protective case.

Waterproofs

Even during the summer months we can get heavy rain at times, and whilst it might feel warm beforehand and can often be as a result of a storm building up, if you get soaked it can leave you feeling cold and uncomfortable, and especially if it happens at a time of day when you don’t have the sun to dry everything out afterwards.

So, Rob always carries his Drykore MK2 waterproofs in his barrow, in the case of his Dark Olive over trousers, and usually in his van in terms of his Dark Kamo jacket where they can be folded up neatly and compactly until he needs them.

He doesn’t just use the over trousers in the rain either, but also for fish photos where he doesn’t want to get everything else soaked or covered in slime, such as kneeling on the bank for photos and pouring water over a fish on the mat.