When the mercury plummets, you better be wearing the right cold weather gear. As far as first-world problems go, there’s nothing more miserable than getting cold in the morning of a long winter day on the water and never being able to warm back up. I was at risk of doing just that last Saturday while fishing a local pot tournament on Lake Martin here in central Alabama. It’s a good thing I happened to be testing out the Gill Meridian-X Waterproof Bib and Jacket.
The air temp was hovering around 30 degrees when we took off and the water temps were in the mid 40s when we dropped the trolling motor in the water. Our rod guides clogged up with ice every 10 casts for about the first hour, and there was ice on the water’s surface in the shade up until lunch time. For Alabama, that’s pretty dang cold — a perfect day to test out some heavy-duty rain gear.
Gill Meridian-X Specs
Both:
- XPLORE 2-Layer Fabric Construction
- XPEL Water & Stain Repellent Fabric Finish
- Main – 100% Nylon
- Lining – 100% Recycled Polyester
- Reinforcement – 100% Recycled Polyester
Jacket:
- Vortex Hood Technology
- High-cut Thermal Collar
- YKK AquaGuard Front Zipper
- Adjustable Double Cuff w/ Watertight PU Seal
- Adjustable Shock Cord, Inner Waist, and Hem
- Large Cargo & Chest Pockets
Bibs:
- Velcro Shoulder Adjustment w/ Stretch Back Panel
- YKK AquaGuard Front Relief Zipper
- Abrasion Resistant Panels
- Adjustable Ankle Closure
- Multiple Pockets & Reinforced Side Tool Pocket
Out of the Box
I got my hands on the Meridian-X rain suit a while ago, but I waited for the cold weather to come in before testing it on the water. Besides, I was sent an XXL set instead of the XL I usually wear, so there was plenty of room for layers underneath.
At first glance, I could tell this suit was more of a shell. Some cold weather gear is big and bulky, with a lot of built-in insulation, but that’s not what this set is.
There are multiple layers to the suit, since it features Gill’s XPLORE 2-layer fabric construction, but it isn’t heavy at all.
The seams are fully taped for waterproofing and breathability, and the exterior features the company’s XPEL plant-based water and stain repellent finish, so it’s easy to clean up when the fishing is over.
On the jacket the 3-way volume adjustment Vortex hood streams airflow through two vents, so the hood stays on your head and doesn’t turn into a balloon when you’re going full throttle. It also has a high-cut thermal collar.
The main closure is a YKK Vision zipper with a storm guard to keep all water out. There’s a big cargo pocket and chest pockets to haul gear while keeping it dry, along with double cuffs and a shock-cord hem.
The Meridian-X bib is built from the same stuff also with waterproof seams and the easy-clean finish. The stretch panel in the back and simple hook-and-look shoulder adjustments let you stay flexible. They also feature thigh-length zippered legs, adjustable ankle closures, and an AquaGuard YKK front relief zipper — super important and it will come up again. Plus, there’s plenty of pockets for tools and other small gear items.
Meridian-X Rain Gear On the Water
As I said, the day I spent testing this suit on the water was very cold. But thanks to this suit, I wasn’t. I have a particular method of layering for cold weather. Essentially, I like to wear a couple layers for warmth and then just use a large rainsuit as the outer shell, to knock wind off and hold heat in.
That day, I had a thin pair of joggers and a pair of jeans on, as well as an AFTCO Samurai Long Sleeve Shirt, a StrikerICE Barricade Hoodie and a StrikerICE Shield Float Vest.
On top of all that I wore the Gill Meridian-X Waterproof Bib and Jacket. And I was honestly as snug as the proverbial bug in a rug.
Gill Meridian-X Bibs
The first thing I noticed was that the adjustable shoulder straps on the bibs could use a little more velcro; I couldn’t tighten them as much as I would have liked, but again, the bibs are a full size larger than my usual size, so I chalked it up to the bibs being a bit too big for me, even with my layers.
In a moment of need, I thought I found a massive flaw; most bibs have a double zipper on the front, one that zips down to get in and out of the bibs and another at the bottom that unzips up, politely referred to as a relief zipper. These bibs do not have that second zipper.
When I went to look for it in a time of need, I was quite frustrated to find it wasn’t there and thought I’d have to completely come out of the bibs to do my business. But I was wrong, and Gill is actually one step ahead of the rest in this department. These bibs have a traditional fly zipper just below the front bib zipper, like you’d find on a normal pair of pants—quite convenient. Alright, enough toilet talk.
The bibs also have adjustable cuffs around the bottoms of the legs, which are a nice feature that help keep water from getting into your boots.
Gill Meridian-X Jacket
There were a few features that really stood out to me on the jacket. The tall collar does a great job of keeping the wind at bay while also not bothering me like some taller collars do. There are two vent holes in the hood to allow air to blow through while running down the lake, so that your hood doesn’t catch the wind like a sail.
The adjustable double cuffs at the end of the sleeves are very effective. There’s a “PU Seal” around the inner cuff that creates a comfortable and tight seal around the wrist. You can tighten these cuffs down, slide gloves on and then tighten down the external cuffs over the gloves—no rain or wind is getting in through all that.
There are stretchy shock cords scattered throughout the bibs and jacket for tightening them down to keep wind and rain out. I really like the placement and design of the pockets throughout this set as — especially the unique, reinforced, open-top tool holder pocket on each side of the bibs.
Water Hose Test
When I tested this suit on the water, it was sunny without a cloud in the sky. The jacket and bibs did great keeping me dry on the boat and of keeping me warm on a frigid day, but this is a rain suit after all, and I wanted to know how it would do in the rain.
The garden hose does a great job of simulating lousy weather, and dumps more water on rain gear than you will, hopefully, see out in the wild.
So, I suited up, ventured into the backyard, and gave the bibs and jacket a pretty good dousing for about 10 minutes.
I was fairly confident the sleeve cuffs would have let water in them before I was done, since I had to hold the water hose straight up in the air to get the water to fall on my head. This orientation of the sleeve would be rare on the water, necessary only for a second here and there on a cast.
But after shooting water up and onto my head for a few minutes and then hosing the bib legs down, I was pleased to find that I was as dry as a bone beneath the suit. Even my arms were dry.
Water did make it past the outer shell sleeve cuff, but the inner cuff with the PU Seal performed flawlessly and not a drop of water made it past my wrist.
Gill Meridian-X Waterproof Bib and Jacket: Final Verdict
The Gill Meridian-X Waterproof Bib and Jacket are top notch products, and they come with a top notch price tag too. The bibs come in at $325 and the jacket is priced at $350 — that’s $675 for a rain suit.
As high-end gear goes though, astonishingly that’s kind of in the middle of the pack now. The new Simms ProDry jacket and bibs cost $1,400 total. The Buck N’ Bass Reservoir combo is close to that at $1,380.
Of course, there are cheaper sets of rain gear out there, but this is what it looks like right now at the top of the pile, and it’s pretty wild. I don’t know if I fish enough in adverse conditions to invest a tremendous amount of money in a high-end rain suit, but the Gill Meridian-X is plenty for me and
I’m thankful to have this set for those bitter cold days here in Alabama and when I go on the road.
The design of the suit is well thought-out and it performed as well or better than all the others I’ve tested around this price point, making it a pretty solid value.
