Tips and Reviews

Review: Mustang Survival’s Taku Essential Waterproof Jacket

With the inevitable onslaught of rain filled weekends during the spring tournament season the one constant frustration can be keeping your tackle and more importantly yourself dry. Being able to stay comfortable when out in the elements allows you to stay focused on the task at hand. With that being said I have gone through numerous brands of rain gear, mostly on what I consider to be affordable end of the spectrum and have time and time again been disappointed.

Unwilling to spend the large sums of cash or some rain gear on the market in fear of having the same failures left me at a crossroads - spend the money or continue the cycle? The opportunity arose to try out a new product from Mustang Survival and I jumped at it. Can I be convinced that spending a little more money on rain gear would be worth the investment? At an MSRP of $359.99, the expectations for the Taku Essential Waterproof Jacket were very high to say the least.

Initial thoughts

The first thing I noticed was that the jacket is lightweight at just 1.55 lbs, but looks and feels high quality. The 3-layer Marine Spec SP fabric, fully taped seems, stitching, and zippers are all solid. The ability to move freely without restriction or ride up in the back was on point. Nothing worse than your rain jacket riding up and getting cold rain down your lower back - quite a miserable experience I assure you.

The deep side pockets provide an area to keep you phone dry and other sensitive items. It also has a marine loop to attach a kill switch to if you are running a Torqeedo or Minn Kota with that option or if you also compete in glittery bass boat events.

The cinchable neoprene wrist closures are easy to adjust on the fly, and unlike some other jackets the comfort level remains the same. No pinching or cutting off the blood flow and the fabric is neither harsh or abrasive.

The reality torture test

I have been using this jacket along with the Bass Pro Shops HDR bibs for the past 12 months exclusively whenever weather called for rain. Spring of 2023 had plenty, and it seems for a while there that you could just the weekend weather on the tournament schedule… it was going to rain at some point at all of them.

Although the HDR pants had seemed to give out often the Taku had kept me bone dry. Whether sitting or standing, heavy or light rain and long or short showers. I didn’t miss a beat skipping docks and making bomb casts feeling comfortable all day as well as being assured I was going to stay dry and comfortable. To the point where finally, after many products and years of dreading the rainy events I was no longer bothered by the weather reports. Other than the need to dry out my tackle and re-oil my reels… that nightmare that jacket couldn’t fix sadly.

Storage abuse

The jacket has taken abuse in action and inaction, shoved in the truck, under the seats, rolled up and jammed between the kayak seat straps and taken on and off throughout some hotter days when the rain would come and go. It has had its moments of smelling like I had a great day on the water. After wiping down wild mild soap and water and letting it air dry in the sun it was back in business. I have yet to see any noticeable wear and the performance is the same as day one.

Was I convinced?

If you can’t tell by now the answer is yes… this is another case of spending the extra few bucks one time versus wasting money trying to find a lower priced alternative is the way to go at least as far as the Taku Essential Waterproof Jacket goes. The jacket doesn’t do a super job at cutting out cold wind, but the breathability is great for warmer weather. If you’re like me and like to keep on a budget but can get by the initial sticker shock then this is definitely a worthwhile investment. My goal this winter is to replace the HDR bibs with the Taku Waterproof Bibs and eliminate all the headaches I have had with rain gear once and for all.

As is with most things in the bass fishing world, finding that proper middle ground with cost and quality makes a tremendous difference. Moving up to mid to high end gear saves in the long run with equipment that will last and pay for itself in time. Rods, reels, fishing line, hooks, rain gear and even quality clothing can keep you on the water longer which is the key to improving and putting fish on the board when it counts! Budgeting for these types of upgrades should be a priority if you enjoy the sport and see yourself continuing in the competitive bass fishing world.

Check out the complete Mustang Survival line of products from inflatable PFDs to rain gear built to hold up and perform!

Note: Neither Basstrail nor I are sponsored by Mustang Survival. The agreement with the staff at Mustang Survival was for a long term use review in exchange for the product to be tested. This review was an honest opinion after using the product in both recreational kayak fishing as well as during national competition events across the Southeastern U.S. Please feel free to contact myself or Basstrail with any questions or concerns.

---

Eric Nelson
Professional Kayak Bass Angler

Biography

I was born in Southeastern Massachusetts, where I began fishing for bass when I was in my early teenage years, graduating to competitive bass tournaments in my late 20’s. I moved to North Carolina in 2015 and found the passion for bass fishing from a kayak, and quickly became involved in both the local and national kayak bass tournament scenes. My fishing skills have allowed me to qualify for almost every major event since joining the clubs, be it at a club, state and even national level.

Being a professional in the online web development and design field for publications, I have always used my skills to help promote the clubs and the sport as a whole in my spare time.  I have been a part of the club directors for Cape Cod Bass, and now for Carolina Kayak Anglers, one of the larger kayak clubs in the country. I am also a part of the national KBF tournament advisory board.

The Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) format has allowed me to travel across the United States, fishing against the best fisherman in the country. Now with the KBF Pro format, and the merging with the FLW organization, I am looking forward to where this adventure takes me in the future.

Highlights

Total Career Earnings - $3,250

Competition Highlights
Inaugural FLW / KBF Cup Championship Qualified 2019 - Hot Springs, AK
KBF National Championship Qualified 2020 - Lake Guntersville, AL
KBF Challenge Championship 2018 - Toledo Bend, LA
2019 KBF National Championship - 57th overall out of 462 anglers - Shreveport, LA
KBF Regional Trail Championship Qualified 2019 - Lake Wheeler, AL
KBF National Trail Championship Qualified 2019 - La Crosse, WI
2nd Place 2018 KBF National Trail - High Rock Lake, NC
2nd Place 2019 - Plastic Pirates - Randleman Lake, NC
11th Place - 2019 KBF Southeastern Region Trail - Santee Cooper Lakes, SC
13th Place - 2019 KBF Southeastern Region Trail - Chickamauga Lake, TN
46th Place 2019 FLW / KBF Cup Qualifier - Nickajack Lake, TN
2nd Place - Plastic Pirates - Randleman Lake 2019
1st Place - Cape Cod Bass,  2002 - Lake Winnipesaukee, NH
1st Place - Cape Cod Bass, 2008 - Glenn Charlie Pond, MA