Fly Fishing Gear That Proved Its Worth While Guiding in Alaska

Gimmicks and flash don't amount to much when your work depends on your gear. Here’s a list of my favorite equipment that proved its worth in Alaska.

My Down Forloh Jacket and hoodie kept me warm when taking a jet sled up an Alaskan creek. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

Earlier this summer, I was asked to guide at The Ridge Lodge in Alaska for a week. The manager, who knew me from working at one of their other lodges, reached out to see if I was available. I said yes.

Alaska Will Test Everything

Guiding in Alaska will test you — and the equipment you depend on. It’s not a place for gear that’s more style than substance. If it’s fragile or high-maintenance, leave it home. You need gear that can take the abuse Alaska will throw at it — because Alaska will throw at it.

It’s Got to Work — Every Time

Guiding up there means trusting your gear completely — it has to show up every day, no matter the conditions. Things get soaked, dropped, banged around, dragged, abused, and neglected. I’ve even had a piece or two chewed on by a curious brown bear. I don’t care about the name on the label or style points. It has to work when I need it, every time I need it.

Back to Work, Back to Alaska

Before heading north, I dug through my old gear and packed the things I knew I could trust — and slipped in a few new pieces to test. I returned to my old stomping grounds to guide for a week, and I was also there as a writer seeking stories.

What follows are the standouts — Gear that has proved itself to perform reliably under demanding conditions.

Keeping the chill out. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

Buff Neck Gaiter - Simple and Versatile

Small, simple, and not the kind of thing you’d call “essential.” Don’t make that mistake. A Buff neck gaiter has been part of my kit since the early 2000s. It keeps you warm, works as sun protection, dunk it in cold water, and it’s instant air-conditioning. I’ve used one as a headband, a signal flag, a first-aid wrap, and when I forgot the coffee filters, my Buff worked in a pinch. It’s my security blanket.

Side shields help with glare by blocking side light, keeping polarization effective and vision clear. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Sunglasses With Side Shields

Polarized sunglasses have always been in my Alaska kit, but I added a new pair of Smiths this year, and for one reason — the side shields.

I became frustrated in using high-end lenses only to lose their benefits due to sunlight sneaking in from the sides. Try carrying a bunch of gear, plus a fly rod, and having to cup your hands around your eyes to block out the sun. It didn’t matter how "high-tech" the glass was — if light came in from the edge, it caused glare, reflections, and reduced the polarization. Side shields fix that problem.

The Fallkniven F1pro fixed blade, a Loop Classic fly reel, and a vintage Rolex Explorer. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

The Knife I Trust Most

The Fallkniven F1pro Pilot Survival Knife. I’ve carried mine for over ten years and have come to depend on it. Call it a survival knife, an EDC, a utility blade, or a camp knife — it’s done it all. Made in Sweden, it’s also the official survival knife of the Swedish Air Force. The F1 is strong, balanced, and minimal in design — just the right size, holds an edge, and has a grip that sticks even when my hands are coated with salmon slime. I’m a fan of knives, but this one is the one I lean on.

The Forloh Down Jacket is an essential mainstay in my Alaska guiding kit. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

A Puffy Jacket Can Save Your Life

A puffy jacket is mandatory gear anywhere the weather can turn cold fast. Mine fills a very specific role — comfort, warmth, and packability. I don’t count on it to keep me dry; that’s what my rain jacket is for. But for instant comfort and warmth, my go-to is the Forloh ThermoNeutral Down Jacket.

My Down Forloh Jacket and hoodie kept me warm when taking a jet sled up an Alaskan creek. | Photo provided by Ken Baldwin

The Jacket packs down to nothing, lives at the bottom of my waterproof duffel, and gets pulled out when the temps drop. Its big, roomy pockets are great hand warmers. All Forloh gear is American-made.

Simms Flyweight Packable Waders (in gray). I pushed these hard all week, and they stood up to the best Alaska could throw at them. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Simms Flyweight Waders - The Best Waders For Traveling

This piece of gear was an experiment. If I were guiding a full season in Alaska, I’d bring heavy-duty waders. But for a one-week stint, I wanted to see how the Simms Flyweights performed in a challenging environment. I travel a lot to fish, and bulky waders are a pain — especially when they’re wet at the end of a trip and you have to make space for them in your luggage.

I prefer wearing waders as pants for ease of movement and comfort. | Photo by Luke Valentino

If I can find waders that pack easily without compromising on performance, that would make my travel a lot simpler. What I discovered during the week of use is that they are lightweight yet surprisingly tough. The design is smart in that I can wear them as wading pants, which I prefer, and convert them to bibs if I have to wade deep water. KB - Follow me on my Fly Fishing on SI's Facebook page.

Next, Part 2 - The Rest of My Gear List

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"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" –Flip Pallot

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Some of the gear reviewed in this article was provided to me at no cost for evaluation. The views and assessments presented are my own.