Buff Headwear: What is a Buff?

Buff Headwear has become an essential piece of fly fishing outerwear for anglers in Colorado and all across the globe. Skin Cancer is no joke, especially for those who fly fish in Colorado where the sun is extremely intense. For those of us that would rather fish than remember to reapply sunscreen  all day….Buff is the answer for all day neck and face protection against the UV elements we encounter on the water.

Buff Headwear and Fly Fishing

Buff has quickly become synonymous with fly fishing as a must have guard against sun, wind, dust, cold and insects. 

Why Use A Buff While Fly Fishing in Colorado or Anywhere?
A Buff^® helps keep its wearer comfortable, guarding against the cold, sun, wind or dust in a wide range of rapidly changing outdoor settings. It’s a high-quality piece of performance gear that’s an excellent addition to any outdoor equipment arsenal. With many designs and colors to choose from, it’s also a good way to make a style statement. 

 

Different Ways to Wear a Buff
There are at least 12 different ways to wear a Buff on your head. Some of the most popular uses for fly fishing are to wear a buff around your neck that can then be pulled up to cover your ears, nose, neck and face.  They can also be changed into a hat, headband, neck gaiter, balaclava, sun, wind or dust screen.

My First Impressions of Buffs….

I remember the first time I saw someone wearing a Buff while fishing Grey Reef a few years back and thinking it was the silliest thing ever.  A boat pulled in behind me in  and I thought I was about to get jacked by the river pirates wearing “bandanas” covering their entire face.  As the year progressed, I continued to see more and more anglers wearing them and continued to think it was just another trendy piece of fly fishing attire without really thinking about it’s functional use.

Taking A Bite of Buff Headwear Humble Pie
(After My Ears Blistered From Sun/Wind Burn Guiding in Wyoming)

Having darker complexion I never wore sunscreen and until this year the sun never got to me.  Then after a two weeks guiding in Wyoming this past Spring, my ears started to blister from the early season burns, and I felt continually fatigued from what I later found out was sun poisoning.  Since then, I’ve had to eat a piece of humble pie and have started wearing a buff.  They are comfortable, lightweight and really do protect against the sun.  They have also been made with insect shield that really does keep the bugs away.  See our review on the Simms BugBlocker Shirt for more on BugBlocker and how it really does work.