How Skwala Is Rethinking Fishing Apparel - Spooled Episode #39

What makes a piece of fishing apparel genuinely better?

For Skwala founder Kevin Sloan, the answer starts much earlier than the finished garment. In a recent conversation with Brian, Kevin explains how Skwala's textile-first approach influences everything from material selection to product design—and why the company has taken a different path from traditional fly-fishing apparel brands.

As obsessed anglers and guides, we've seen a lot of gear over the years. Most of it has come and go like the seasons in Northern Michigan. What has impressed us with Skwala has been a completely different approach - one rooted in years of industry experience. While many companies out there make great gear (we really are spoiled with options today), Skwala has quickly jumped to the top of review lists and found its way into some of the best anglers and shops around the country. 

What's Kevin's background in the fishing industry?

Kevin has spent almost thirty years in the apparel business starting with Orvis before a decade leading the hunting industry icon Sitka. His focus is using apparel technology & design advancements to provide consumers with a better experience on the water.

How does a textile-first approach influence product design?

It's clear that by focusing on the textile first in the design process and accepting a longer research & design path - Skwala is building products that will be around for years. As a fly shop we love this - product turnover is inevitable but some companies seem to make things quickly and are just hoping something sticks. This isn't Skwala. They're still selling many of the same products they launched with in 2022. Why? Because they still work great.

What makes Skwala different from other popular fishing apparel brands

Kevin came right out and said "we want to be the reference brand in everything we do." That's a big goal but it says a lot about how this team approaches problems. With 2-3 years or more in development for each piece, you know they're not rushing the process or cutting corners along the way. 

Another thing we've seen unique to Skwala is the refusal to build a "good/better/best" product hierarchy. Instead, from the beginning, they've built products to solve specific problems. This is most evident in their wader lineup where you see three offerings all built to be the best for specific use cases. 

Why are some of their products so popular?

As a staff, something we've seen over and over are customers who come back after putting their gear to the test happier with their purchase than the day they left the store. The design features are sometimes subtle but shine the brightest in difficult conditions. Whether it's waders, pants, sunshirts, or boots, this has been true since we started carrying Skwala. 

Sol Wading Pant: The "gateway drug" for many anglers into Skwala gear, this pant started with just textile development. Eventually, they ended up with a durable, breathable pant that dries incredibly fast.

Carbon Jacket: Durable, lightweight and designed to move with anglers. This rain jacket features 4-way stretch but is still a true 3-layer hardshell rain jacket.

Thermo Wool: Skwala isn't just a synthetics company. The've built some of the softest, most comfortable layers we've ever worn. Interestingly, one of the reasons they actually chose wool was the rate at which moisture moves through the fibers. After tons of research and design, they have actually designed their pieces to breathe at a similar rate to their waders.

Want to see the current Skwala line up? Check it out here.