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Cloudveil Flat Creek Fleece Jacket

Reviewed by Scott Richmond

Cloudveil Flat Creek Fleece Jacket. $235. Available at many fly shops and online stores.

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here are clothes that work with you, that you never think about because they just quietly go about doing their job. The fact that they don't call attention to themselves is a testament to their quality.

Cloudveil's Flat Creek Fleece Jacket is in this category. I have used it long enough to wash it three times, although you'd never know to look at it that it had spent that much time being pushed, spun, tossed, and generally banged around; it still looks new.

The Details

The Flat Creek jacket is hoodless, but with a high, soft collar. There are two deep slash pockets, one on each side. Near the top of the chest there are "Napoleon" pockets that you get at sideways. Each of the chest pockets is large enough for a fly box. On top of the left chest pocket there is a small vertical pocket. All five pockets have zippers with comfortable molded plastic pull-tags.

"Windstopper" fleece is used, so a cool breeze will not steal the warmth you are trying so hard to generate, yet moisture escapes so you don't trap it next to your body. The inside is mesh-lined, which helps with air circulation.

The Flat Creek jacket comes in navy, red, and moss green. It's machine washable/dryable.

The Bottom Line

In mid-September I was on a one-week wilderness float trip in Alaska. This was my standard outer garment while fishing, rowing, and sometimes while sleeping in the tent.

A few weeks later I was steelheading on the Deschutes, and this was the only jacket I wore. My large Scientific Anglers fly box fit nicely into one chest pocket, while my leaders went into the small "over" pocket.

And at home, I wear this jacket around town in the fall because it's practical and good looking, and I wear it out to the barn to take care of the horses because it's rugged and warm.

Throughout, I found the Flat Creek jacket to fit superbly, allowing easy, non-constrictive motion while casting, rowing, wading, etc. Workmanship is excellent and the jacket should provide many seasons of good use--as you would hope for the $225 price tag.

This is an excellent product that I don't hesitate to recommend to anyone who is looking for high-end, high-performance outerwear. It's an ideal choice for spring or fall angling when it isn't raining. For wet weather or winter fishing, it makes a good layering garment under a shell or heavy rain jacket.

Bottom Line: Stops the wind, keep the warmth in, fits great, stands up to abuse, practical.  Reviewer Rating: 5

Scott Richmond is Westfly's creator and Executive Director. He is the author of eight books on Oregon fly fishing, including Fishing Oregon's Deschutes River (second edition).

Uploaded 10/23/2006.

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Flat Creek Jacket from Cloudveil. $225