Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Scott E on May 15, 2014, 08:00:00 PM
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I've been guilty of hunting in jeans and a north face jacket. It's time for me to get some real hunting clothes.
I'm looking for a company that has a layering system that will carry me from September to January. Sitka is the only company I know of so what else is out there? :help:
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If using camo in cooler weather, I generally use military clothes and layer with wool. Otherwise, I use wool trousers and either La Clair or Asbell wool top. In early bow season, when it is hot, I wear a camo mesh bug suit over a T-shirt. Whatever the garb, ALWAYS "wear" Permanone spray on your clothes to kill ticks. Also, snake boots, especially when you come down South to hunt.
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I go cheap, kinda. Synthetic under shirt, fleece zip-up, gore-tex rain jacket. I know gore-tex isn't cheap, but it aint $300. I also don't look for camo. Straight black works for me.
I also like fleece neck gaiter and hat. This combo works well if you hike a long way before and after you hunt.
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asat bibs 70$
asbell wool 81$
Thats about all ya need! layer accordingly.
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Core4element. Check Camofire.
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Wool. Next to the skin, midlayer, outer. Layer according to temp. Rainsuit is nice but optional.
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Silent Predator wool. I bought a few pieces over the past year and I am really impressed with the design, quality of the wool itself and especially cost.
Ron
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Check out the Pedator camo line we carry . We will also have several new layering items in the next couple months
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KUIU
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Wear no cotton near the skin. Wool is great! Merino wool is best by far.
First Lite, Kuiu. Want more traditional look how can you beat Asbell.
Also check out a Cabelas or Gander Mountain catalog or website. Lots of options and brands for modern hunting camo.
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I'd also look at getting a vest WITH a windblocker. They go a long way towards keeping you warm for their weight. You can use it as a layering component in really cold weather or outerwear for a good bit of the year. Fleece vest is good.
Get some Merino wool tops and bottoms from Core4Element from Camofire.com, a wool jacket from Asbell, bib, and a good rain jacket. Think you would be set. BTW, merino can be had cheap in solid colors if you watch the Internet for sales.
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It depends on the kind of hunting you do. There is some overlap but my elk hunting clothes are different than my November tree stand hunting clothes. Base layers are always merino wool.
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I just about had a heart attack when I priced some of the clothing "systems". I probably don't know what I am missing with the high end quality hunting apparel, but I would rather spend my money on Pronghorns, Black Tails, and Swarovskis. So, lately I have bought whatever on sale. I don't have a picture of what I wear in the really cold weather.
I guess I did spend some money a matching set once, sweater and vest and pants from Bob Fratzke and I liked it a lot. But that was twenty years ago, still have the vest in one of the photos below.
This in Colorado when chasing elk:
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd43/MnFn/elkhunt2013004_zpsa4835bce.jpg) (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/MnFn/media/elkhunt2013004_zpsa4835bce.jpg.html)
This when chasing deer in ND:
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd43/MnFn/09misc040.jpg) (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/MnFn/media/09misc040.jpg.html)
When it gets cold in MN I use these bibs and add an Asbell Wool Hoodie with Merino wool next to my skin.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd43/MnFn/100_4602_zpsbe424db7.jpg) (http://s222.photobucket.com/user/MnFn/media/100_4602_zpsbe424db7.jpg.html)
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If jeans and a northface work for you, so be it. I've been out in a T-shirt and cargo pants.
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As long as you buy something a size bigger, for when you pack on that inevitable 20 pounds that comes and goes, high quality clothing is something that will last not only your lifetime, but you can actually pass it on to another generation.
Another aspect of high quality clothing is, it's one of the rare opportunities where you can 'Buy American", where the vast majority of material and labor is actually made here. Think of it as a "put your money where your mouth is" proposition.
Wool is nearly impossible to beat for traditional archery hunting. The material attributes are well known, those being warm, good when wet and quiet. But it's the quiet part that is so important, since traditional archery is a close range game, where 30 yards is well out of range for the majority of hunters. Other materials, with the exception of unlined fleece, can make the slightest noise when dead, dead calm in the woods.
I suggest you actually pick a lighter wool versus a heavy weight wool. Most archery hunting is done in fairly nice Autumn weather, where temps in the 40's-60's is common. Heavy wool on a sunny 50 degree day can be too much. That's where buying up in size in a lighter wool comes in handy. If October or November temps dip into the 20's or 30's, extra layers with a heavy wool sweater will take care of the chill. Heavy weight wool is great in December, but most hunting hours afield are logged prior to December, for most archery hunters. And lots of hunters are south of, or at least near the old Mason-Dixon line, where even December isn't frozen.
Unless you're going to late season deer hunt in Canada, Minnesota, Michigan UP, etc. most lined wool garments are excessively warm and heavy to boot. Also, any lined garments typically always make a little noise. Do you see that I hate any noise?
There's some great sponsors here that sell some great clothing. Also look into King of the Mountain, Silent Predator, Gray Wolf Woolens, Day One Camo, Classic Sportsman Wool and others mentioned in other posts. If you want plaids, Johnson Woolen Mills has some fantastic patterns to mull over. Any Pendleton Board Shirt will last a lifetime too, although I believe they are assembled in Mexico now. Still, I have several new Pendleton's because it's hard to find a high quality, yet light weight plaid button down shirt with a straight bottom hem that's made in the USA. A Pendleton Board Shirt with a very light weight wicking base layer is perfect when temps are in the 60's.
I'll give a specific shout out to Gray Wolf Wool, because they will do custom work, even with wool you provide. They've done a bunch of clothing for me, even some blaze orange wool for rifle season. In fact, today I'm sending a yard of a sweet Johnson Wool plaid pattern to Gray Wolf for them to make a bucket hat for me. While certainly not Wal-Mart cheap, that's they type of quality and service many traditional archers love and seek out.
Johnson Wool makes plaid wool daypacks/backpacks and fanny packs and their prices are very reasonable...
http://johnsonwoolenmills.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=2
I found the oddest source for great, one of a kind Pendleton wool plaids. It seems Pendleton wool plaid is big with the South LA Low Rider crowd. Who knew? Check out this link for the best new Pendleton selection you'll find. They even have prior year plaids and exclusive plaids made for just them, by Pendleton...
http://greenspansstore.com/category.sc?categoryId=37
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First lite is some great stuff. I know that our Sponsor Rocky Mountain Specialty Gear is now a dealer for them. Check it out.
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I echo Dave at St. Joe. I have predator from the compression under ware through poly shirt/pant, poly jacket, fleece vest, to rain jacket and pant. Combo works great for me. Just finished colder than normal turkey season from 80's first day to 50's last day. Various combos worked great. I hunt on the ground natural cover w/no other camo cover and call Toms up to long bow range.
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I'm a lifelong backpacker, nordic skier, canoeist and winter camper. I live in NH currently and have lived and worked as a SAR dog handler in AK, MN, NH and WA. When I stopped doing that about 6-7 years ago, I took up hunting for the first time. I won a Sitka Gear outfit in a contest a few years back. I also sold outdoor clothing for several years. What follows comes from that experience.
First thing is to match clothing system to season and locale. If you're humping heavy loads up a mountainside out West or in AK, you need to shed heat and keep your skin dry as much as possible during the ascent. This is where much of the Sitka Gear clothing and its followers in the market do best, IMO. (They are based on materials and clothing design features that backpackers and mountaineers have used for years.)
However, if you're going to be sitting on the ground or standing around for any extended period in cold weather, you will need additional insulation with you. I haven't used the Sitka cold weather clothing that is intended for treestands and the like, so remember that when I say the rest of their stuff will not keep you warm in winter conditions without other insulation.
Wool is great for hunting, right up until it has to deal with a downpour. It will absorb a lot of water and keep you warm, but that water does not lose weight until it is evaporated off or dried next to a honking big fire. The material is heavy to start with, and a downpour makes the weight that much worse. I have a wool parka and pants which feel like a suit of armor which I'm very happy to have on during cold weather. But I wouldn't want to wear it up a Western mountain unless I had some some saddle stock under me.
Bottom line for me is: Wool in thin to thick layers as needed, starting from the skin out. High-tech stuff over it when it's necessary to travel light in truly harsh weather, especially on sweat-inducing steep slopes or in atrocious wind.
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Check online for Army surplus wool. You can get new, unissued wool shirt-jac and wool field pants for less than $30 apiece. My shirt is 80% wool and 20% nylon, so it is hand washable. My field pants are 100% wool (I think). Of course, they are solid OD. For early season I use my BDUs in woodland camo. Be sure to treat whatever you have with permethrin.
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kuiu, great stuff and a sponser
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If you are starting out, consider some sort of camo pants, regular (non camo) woolens and under gear, and several over sized long sleeve camo T shirts to cover the stuff. Day One made great T shirts. You don't have to have the expensive stuff and you can still stay warm.
Also, under the T shirt, but over the under gear, look at golfing wind shirts. Find a quiet one, any color and it will break the wind just fine and let the other stuff keep you warm.
If you do this, invest heavily in vests (no sleeves). We tend to bulk up wearing several layers of shirts, long johns etc and our arms bulk up. Gets in the way and is uncomfortable.
We don't need our arms to be nearly as covered as our torso.
ChuckC
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Originally posted by Sam McMichael:
If using camo in cooler weather, I generally use military clothes and layer with wool. Otherwise, I use wool trousers and either La Clair or Asbell wool top. In early bow season, when it is hot, I wear a camo mesh bug suit over a T-shirt. Whatever the garb, ALWAYS "wear" Permanone spray on your clothes to kill ticks. Also, snake boots, especially when you come down South to hunt.
Up here in upstate NY we are over run with ticks. Sawyer Permethrin on my cloths and DEET on exposed skin. Wrap the pants into the socks. It's a terrible way to have to go out but, damn, way to many cases of LIME and now I hear things can get worst from a tick bite.
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I have lime and I would really hate to get the disease that makes you allergic to red meat. Permethrin is always in my car and I treat everything with it. Even with that I found a deer tick in my leg the other day. I was hoping the long winter would have cut the numbers down but the damn things are everywhere.
Originally posted by Joe03:
Originally posted by Sam McMichael:
If using camo in cooler weather, I generally use military clothes and layer with wool. Otherwise, I use wool trousers and either La Clair or Asbell wool top. In early bow season, when it is hot, I wear a camo mesh bug suit over a T-shirt. Whatever the garb, ALWAYS "wear" Permanone spray on your clothes to kill ticks. Also, snake boots, especially when you come down South to hunt.
Up here in upstate NY we are over run with ticks. Sawyer Permethrin on my cloths and DEET on exposed skin. Wrap the pants into the socks. It's a terrible way to have to go out but, damn, way to many cases of LIME and now I hear things can get worst from a tick bite. [/b]
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Thank you for all the replies. I hadn't the slightest clue on the different types of materials and options out there. Lots to think about now. My ultimate goal is to hunt more and longer by being comfortable in any weather.
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As stated above, Sitka, Kuiu, and Core4 are great layering systems. During the last few years I have been updating my hunting clothes. I started with Core4 Element jacket, pants, and merino wool base layer. I have now expanded to several shirts, merino wool base layers and vest. It has worked out perfectly for my Sept Colorado hunts, and my N.E. hunts thru mid November. (It shows up on the Camofire discounted site.) For my late November-December tree stand hunts I usually fall back on my Cabelas Wooltimate outerwear. Can't go wrong with either setup.
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Check out the new gear from TUSX they are a sponsor on here http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=137187;p=1
This stuff is extremely functional and born from years of experiences in the field.
Regards
Mark
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I use Sitka for the two weeks I elk hunt. Stand hunting in the mountains, I layer merino and fleece and use my heater body suit.
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I just make sure I am in earth tones that are similar to what's in season and call it good. Yesterday I hunted in jeans, an olive colored Carhartt polo, and a brown light weight jacket. I saw tons of game and even walked up within 15 yards of a buck.
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Combine Sitka and wool, or light fleece etc. Depends on the weather.
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I love all my KOM cloths some 5,000.00 of them however they are a little warm in eary season when its still hotter out. I needed a lighter set so I am looking into Predator. I just some light weight items from Bow Man at the Baltimore shoot so those seem to be very good based on what I could see. Have to try them out.
Wool is the coldest imaginable with cottoen worn under it. You need to create a barrrier and was taught this from Bob Zuwig a KOM dealer. He was out at a Harrisburg show many years ago I told him I have all this money in KOM and still cold afer I sweet. He said get yourselve a set of winter silks and that creates a barrier and that I did. problems solved and orderd more silk underware I loved it so much now I wear it alot for work and outdoors under my outtergarmets.
people thing you just go buy clothes and put them on and now your good to go but in reality you need to know what goes with what and how to layer and what not to use which is cotton under wool at least.
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I've been a hard-core wool guy my entire life in the outdoors. Last season I bought some Sitka gear and am blown away by it. Still wear wool as the baselayer, but for outerlayer I have never worn anything warmer. Makes those long hours in a cold November treestand much more enjoyable. The Fanatic is what I went with and I really love it.
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Originally posted by Ryman Cat:
Wool is the coldest imaginable with cottoen worn under it. You need to create a barrrier and was taught this from Bob Zuwig a KOM dealer. He was out at a Harrisburg show many years ago I told him I have all this money in KOM and still cold afer I sweet. He said get yourselve a set of winter silks and that creates a barrier and that I did.
The wool is not at fault. Cotton holds moisture but provides almost no insulating value when it's wet. The reason you were told to wear silk next to your skin was to get the moisture away from your body. Some of the worst cold weather clothing available is that old-time "thermal" underwear with cotton in it. There's a reason old-fashioned diapers are made of cotton, and it isn't to keep babies' bottoms warm.
Next to your skin should be wool, silk or a synthetic that transports moisture away. Many synthetic materials stink like a high school locker room once you perspire in them.
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What are you guys using for cold weather hunts? I've always had trouble keeping the bulk down for string clearance when it gets cold.
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I wear a camo Filsen double Mac when is below freezing. The trick is getting the perfect fit for sleeve length and a lace up arm guard to hold all of those layers of wool down a little. Other than that the freedom of movement is the same as a comfortable wool shirt, just be sure that you don't order them too small. I had a local lady adjust the sleeve length for me.
Never wear a white cotton T shirt under one of those man made fiber Cabela shirts when turkey hunting. They don't breath well and to keep from sweating up your T shirt you want to take it off well hiking out. You end up shooting a turkey with your camo stuffed in your back quiver. Maybe that turkey thought that I was a farmer.
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The wool parka and pants I use in cold temperatures are the Cabela's Outfitter's Wool (not Wooltimate Windshear). With a warm balaclava (or one thick and one thin), wool next to my skin and some thin layer(s) as needed over that, it keeps me plenty warm. (I really can't use the parka and pants except in cold conditions because they are that warm.) I don't have a problem with the bowstring.
Note that I'm not in a treestand for hours. If I were, I'd probably carry a pair of extra warm boots or overboots to put on when I get there.