Reliable fishing clothing for every layer
From morning mist to dusk
Fishing days are long, and the cold finds its way under your clothes surprisingly quickly. The same day can start in a raw morning mist and end in blazing heat, or the other way round, and the fish do not feed by the clock. The wrong clothing cuts your trip short, while the right clothing keeps you warm and dry from first light to dusk.
That is why we have put together a complete, proven set on this page: one go-to garment for each layer. When you spend hours waiting for a bite on a misty lake or stand in a river with a fly rod in hand, your clothing simply has to work. With these garments you cannot go wrong, whether you are an experienced angler or heading out on your first fishing trip.
If you also fish in winter, long spells of standing still and the frost ask more of your clothing, so we have put together a separate set for ice anglers: go-to clothing for ice fishing.
Layers that speak the same language
You do not need to compare dozens of options or guess whether your clothes work together. Here is a set in which every layer is designed to work with the next. The Zero Layer moves sweat away from your skin, the Base Layer brings warmth, the Mid Layer adds insulation for the chilliest moments and the Shell Layer protects you from wind and rain. Merino and Airbase take care of moisture and warmth, so you can focus on what matters on the rapids or in the boat.
Four layers, one complete set
Layering is the answer to dressing for fishing. For each layer we chose one go-to garment that works in an activity where active movement alternates with long spells of staying still. Together they form Svala AIR System™ layering: four layers, each doing its own job, from the Zero Layer to the Shell Layer.
Zero Layer – Next-to-skin performance
When you walk long distances along the shore, wade in a current or cast a fly rod in the sun, your heart rate rises and you sweat. Worn next to the skin, the Airbase-mesh shirt and -bottoms keep your skin dry: Airbase is 100 % polypropylene, which absorbs no moisture at all but transfers sweat away from your skin to the next layer and dries extremely quickly. This means you do not start feeling cold as soon as you stop or sit back down in the boat. No more familiar moments when a wet shirt clings to your back and the wind makes you shiver.
The loops in the 120 g/m² 3D-mesh knit allow air to circulate and trap a thin layer of air against your skin: in hot weather and during activity, it cools you; when you are stationary, it provides thermal insulation. Airbase has a silver ion treatment applied to the core of the fibre, so the garment does not develop odours even on long trips.
Men's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
Women's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
"We never go anywhere without our mesh layers! Simply a fantastic product!"
Base Layer – Temperature regulation
When you sit still while trolling or fly fish in cold rapids, your body does not generate heat, and you need a layer that keeps you warm. Wear merino wool layers over Airbase, for example a Merino Extreme -shirt and -bottoms. Airbase and merino are the best layering combination for anglers: the mesh knit layer moves moisture away from the skin, while merino provides warmth even when damp.
This is crucial on the water. Rain, splashes and a leaking wading jacket wet your clothes, but merino keeps you warm even when damp. It regulates temperature in both directions, so you do not overheat when moving or feel cold when stationary. Merino's natural odour resistance also helps prevent smells, so one layer is enough even for a longer trip.
Men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Women's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Mid Layer – Thermal insulation
When the air cools towards evening or you sit still for a long time trolling, a layer that balances warmth is no longer enough on its own. Over the merino you add an insulating layer that brings extra warmth when your body no longer produces enough itself: in the raw small hours, out on a windy lake or as the evening cools. Svala's Nordic Terry Wool mid-layers are made for exactly this.
Nordic Terry Wool is wool terry with a smooth outer face and yarn loops on the inside. The loops do the work: they trap warmth while moving moisture away from your skin, so the layer insulates but stays breathable. The fabric is soft and stretchy, so it moves with you as you cast, row or lean over in the boat.
Nordic Terry Wool is worn over Airbase and merino, and together these layers keep you warm on even the chilliest fishing day.
Men's Nordic Terry Wool 400 zip-neck mid-layer set
Women's Nordic Terry Wool 400 mid-layer jacket
Shell Layer – Weather protection
The outermost layer completes your layering: the Shell Layer. Summer weather can change fast, and the shell's job is to keep wind and rain out so that the warm air trapped in the layers beneath cannot escape. Protection alone is not enough, though: the shell must also breathe, so that sweat does not get trapped and soak your layers from the inside.
For fishing, your Shell Layer is a wading or fishing jacket, but you do not necessarily need a dedicated fishing jacket: any breathable, waterproof shell protects you just as well. Choose one roomy enough to go over your other layers, as the air between the layers holds on to warmth.
Svala will add a Shell Layer to its own range when the Ventile shell is launched. It is a breathable, weather-protective shell that completes AIR System layering for fishing. Because it is not just a fishing jacket, the same shell goes with you on hikes, runs and everyday outdoor activities too.
Men's Ventile 200 jacket
Women's Ventile 200 jacket
You do not need everything at once – start here
The system works best when you wear all the AIR System™ layers to suit the weather and your activity. Each layer then supports the next. You do not need to buy everything at once, though – you can build up your layers gradually. For most anglers, the best first purchase is the layer next to the skin: it is the most important part of the whole system. For active lure fishing and hot days, choose an Airbase mesh shirt. If you want one set that works both in the boat and on the shore, on a cool morning and a warming afternoon, a lightweight merino top is a safe choice.
If you already have one of the layers sorted, just get what is missing:
- Do you already have a merino wool base layer? Complete it with Airbase: wear the mesh layer next to your skin under the merino and you will stay drier during active fishing than with merino alone.
- Are your next-to-skin and warming layers sorted? For chilly evenings and long spells of sitting still, add an insulating Nordic Terry Wool layer.
- Do you already have a wading or fishing jacket? There is no need to replace it. Make sure there is room for Airbase and merino underneath without squeezing them, as the air between the layers is part of the warmth.
This way you can build a working system at your own pace. Although we put these layers together specifically for fishing, they will not sit in the wardrobe between trips: the same garments also work for other outdoor activities and time on the water.
Do you fish in winter too?
When fishing in winter, long periods of standing still and freezing temperatures place different demands on clothing than summer fishing trips. We have put together a dedicated selection for winter anglers, with every layer chosen for freezing conditions and staying still.
Four layers, one effective system
Layer: Zero Layer - next-to-skin performance
