Destin, FL (May 9, 2019) – This isn’t about converting those ratty old blue-jeans into a pair of 1979-style cut-offs. Nor does it have anything to do with slicing the sleeves off that Megadeth t-shirt and flash the disproportionately inflated biceps.

Erase those images. Now reset your thinking on technical fishing gloves, and the radical idea of self-customizing a pair of hand-protectors to your own exacting specs . . . minus the frayed strands of fabric.

Tailored to fit and perform like an NFL wide receiver’s glove, the new Fish Monkey Free Style Custom Fit Glove adds a singular standout feature: the option to cut each glove finger to match individual fishing style. It doesn’t get more versatile than that.

Crafted with precise cut-lines on the thumb and first three fingers, each pair of Free Style Gloves can be modified to expose the digits of your choice—or leave them covered— as well as to choose the exact length of each appendage. Simply cut each finger at or above the cut line. And to eliminate fraying or splitting at the seams, each glove finger is reinforced and double-stitched.

“Few weeks ago, I sliced my finger badly but needed to protect it to stay in the game,” says Captain Noah Lynk, a light tackle and fly-fishing guide from Cape Lookout, North Carolina. “My job as an inshore fishing guide required me to maintain the finger sensitivity to detect bites and the dexterity to tie knots, and manage fish and tackle. A pair of Free Style Gloves helped me perform and keep my clients on fish. By removing the thumb and first two fingertips of my right-hand glove, while keeping my injured finger covered and protected, I never missed a beat.”

Designed by Fish Monkey president and avid fisherman Tim Mossberg, the UPF 50+ Free Style Glove serves the individualistic requirements of bow- and spear-fishing specialists, as well as anglers and hunters. In addition to total hand protection against the sun and the elements, special wiring pads on the thumb, index finger and outer pinky finger protect against line cuts—ideal for those who engage in hand-to-hand combat with big, tough fish.

“Bow fishermen,” says Mossberg, “often cover and use their pinky finger as a brake on their reel. They also fight fish by holding or wrapping line around their hand. The Free Style Glove offers the total range of movement, and the toughness to get the job done safely.”

Mossberg also notes that while the glove allows for complete customization, its “second-skin-like,” compression fit means many folks opt to wear them as is. “We added features like a touchscreen-compatible index fingertip, and silicone in vital areas of the palm and most of the fingers for grip. But silicone is absent on the thumb and index fingertip to preserve sensitivity and dexterity for thumbing a baitcasting spool or manipulating a spinning reel.”

The benefits of such fish-centric thinking, says Mossberg, are less hand fatigue, and ultimately, greater fishing performance.

For total dexterity and hand protection, fully customizable Free Style Gloves feature a comfortable, fit and UPF 50+ sun protection. High-performance Free Style Gloves utilize Fish Monkey’s lightweight, breathable, fast-drying 4-way Stretch Fabric. A non-slip silicone palm and fingers grip fishing rods, steering wheels and fish without damaging the critical slime layer. Special wiring pads on the thumbs, index fingers and glove sides prevent cuts from wire or braided lines. Velcro wrist enclosures provide a perfect, snug fit. Available in sizes Medium to 2XL, the Fish Monkey Free Style Glove is available at stores now, MSRP: .95.