Hunting Clothing

andyb15 · Oct 17, 2017

Curious what you guys wear for hunting clothing. I'm looking for some kind of coat/bib setup to wear for rifle and bow hunting. I just can't justify spending the coin brands like Sitka.

cooter00 · Oct 17, 2017

I'm am also in the market for some new duds I was if anyone uses the h.e.c. clothing line I might just be a sucker but if it actually works it's pretty impressive

PAIN · Oct 17, 2017

for good clothing that is breathable, comfortable, and will last you really get what you pay for. if you buy just one article every year it's not as bad to swallow and after 5 years you will have a system that will last a long time. with that being said, I really like Cabela's berber fleece with 4-most wind shear for late season hunts and it always goes on sale for around $50 for the jacket and pants in November/December. For early season and fall hunts layering is key and this is when the Kuiu, Sitka, Kryptek, First Lite, UA, etc. really shine. I have a mixture of all these brands that I have pieced together over the years that work well for me. It really depends on what your hunting style is, but I can't stress enough how critical merino wool is. Once you try it, you won't go back!

H82bogey · Oct 17, 2017

Depends on temperature. Obviously rifle season is the same month every year, but for archery, are you talking early, mid or late season? My clothing set up changes by month, but I really like scentlok. I am very meticulous of my scent control, and do believe in their product. I have had many deer, both doe and bucks down range within 30 yards and have not been busted. For cold weather, layering is key. I like merino wool for my base layer. The cold weather jacket/pans I use are from Under Armour and have been happy with both. I have hunted in -5 with them and they are warm enough to allow me to sit for 2-3 hours with the proper layers.

Duckslayer100 · Oct 17, 2017

I have a full set of Sitka waterfowl gear that was given to me as a perk (former job, long story). I wouldn't spend a dime on Sitka if it came out of my own pocket. You could literally buy yourself a brand new set of bibs and a jacket every year for the next 10 years for what one set of Sitka costs (this includes the 18 layers they suggest and all the extra hats, gloves, etc.).

Prior to that, I had a Gander Mountain Guide Series set that worked just fine. Bought it with an employee discount when I was in high school. Still have the two-part jacket and bibs. Still keeps me warm and dry when I wear it. Didn't cost two-months worth of mortgage payments.

Can't go wrong with something like that. Spend a few hundred bucks and get a good set that will work for your needs. Wear it for 5-10 years and buy a new set, if needed. You'll be money ahead.

andyb15 · Oct 17, 2017

I'm mainly looking for something that I can use during the month of november and the probably add a few layers beneath if for late season hunting.

SDMF · Oct 17, 2017

More info needed. Do you need clothing for sitting in a tree-stand? What month? Sept 1 clothing is much different than Oct 15 clothing, Nov 15 clothing is differenter, and Dec 15 clothing probably doesn't include anything from your Sept 1 outfit.

Maybe you're in an enclosed blind. Heater or no? Insulated or no? Fabric, wood, plastic, or ??????

Maybe you're hunting afoot. If that's the case you'll need far less insulation. Breathability and moisture management become a far bigger issue than "warm enough".

I mostly hunt afoot and mostly balance warmth and moisture management via my base layers. The same pair of pants or favorite jacket will go an awful long ways by just running the gamut from silk-weight base layers to polar weight fleece base layers.

I love windstopper/Goretex garments when I'm stationary but I'll be drenched in sweat quickly if I try to move very far or very fast in a windstopper/Goretex garment.

Wool is more comfortable for me in a wider temperature and activity level. Wool IMO also "airs out" better than synthetic garments. Synthetic garments however dry much more quickly than wool.

Packing in a layer of Prima-Loft or 650+ weight down layers are an easy way to have a lot of warmth quickly without a lot of weight or space taken up in your pack.

5575 · Oct 17, 2017

Cabelas has a sale flyer out there right now with some good deals, their fleece is on sale as well.
Lots of choices out there.
Never heard of SKRE but camofire has a sale on it today.
https://www.camofire.com/

fnznfwl · Oct 17, 2017

Duckslayer100 said:
I have a full set of Sitka waterfowl gear that was given to me as a perk (former job, long story). I wouldn't spend a dime on Sitka if it came out of my own pocket. You could literally buy yourself a brand new set of bibs and a jacket every year for the next 10 years for what one set of Sitka costs (this includes the 18 layers they suggest and all the extra hats, gloves, etc.).

Prior to that, I had a Gander Mountain Guide Series set that worked just fine. Bought it with an employee discount when I was in high school. Still have the two-part jacket and bibs. Still keeps me warm and dry when I wear it. Didn't cost two-months worth of mortgage payments.

Can't go wrong with something like that. Spend a few hundred bucks and get a good set that will work for your needs. Wear it for 5-10 years and buy a new set, if needed. You'll be money ahead.

Screw that.

You get what you pay for with clothing. if you like bulky,cheap quality clothing, or hunt one or two times a year in mild weather by all means buy gander moutain or cabelas. But if you are going to hunt hard and move around hike, walk etc. the quality stuff like Sitka Kuiu, FL and others are well worth the coin.
That said, as far as waterfowl clothing goes Drake is probably the worst stuff out there, and its priced about the same as some quality stuff.

And if you take your time and watch for deals, there's not reason you will ever pay much more for the high end brands than the cheap stuff.

Duckslayer100 · Oct 17, 2017

Hey, some guys get by with Coleman coolers to chill their Blue Num Nums, others need to spend $500 on a Yeti.

I guess, personally, I'd rather buy myself a new shotgun with what I have leftover after getting a "garbage" set of hunting clothes, versus spending everything on high-end clothing.

guywhofishes · Oct 17, 2017

fnznfwl · Oct 17, 2017

Duckslayer100 said:
Hey, some guys get by with Coleman coolers to chill their Blue Num Nums, others need to spend $500 on a Yeti.

I guess, personally, I'd rather buy myself a new shotgun with what I have leftover after getting a "garbage" set of hunting clothes, versus spending everything on high-end clothing.

Some people who use their coolers hard would also say that a Yeti or similar high end cooler has paid for itself by not having to replace some POS coleman or igloo every year, two because of busted latches, broken handles, lids that wont seal anymore etc.
I never understood why someone would pay $300 for a cooler until I realized how many $50 coolers I used one summer and threw away cause they were shot.
By quality once.

MarbleEyez · Oct 17, 2017

Duckslayer100 said:
Hey, some guys get by with Coleman coolers to chill their Blue Num Nums, others need to spend $500 on a Yeti.

I guess, personally, I'd rather buy myself a new shotgun with what I have leftover after getting a "garbage" set of hunting clothes, versus spending everything on high-end clothing.

HAHAA!! Dad?? Is that you??

You pay for what you get. The higher end clothing brands are not geared for the weekend warriors. It is geared towards the guys who spend a good amount of time out in the field and in the back country. I can throw on a hoodie and put my Sitka Kelvin vest on and be just as warm as my dad who has his sharp polyester jacket over his sweatshirt over his long johns. It's not the 80's anymore. Things have come a long way in the clothing world. We're not wearing everything cotton now.

Sitka vs. Gander Mountain, Yeti vs. Coleman, Swarovski vs. Bushnell

There's reasons why they are more expensive. One is being quality. We go on a several trips a year. Guess which cooler we're digging in to ice down our crown on the 4th day of our fishing trip in June? You still have to take the bag out and slam it on the ground to grab ice out of it. Open up the Coleman and you have a puddle of water.

2nd weekend of deer season, 2 minutes left of legal shooting light. You can see the outline of the bodies walking into the field and pull up your bino's. Guess who can see everything in detail? Guess who can hardly see light through their optics?

To say they are the same quality is like saying a corvette is the same as a Honda accord. No comparison. Also, guess who now has one of those "fancy" coolers that can hold ice for more than 24 hours......

Duckslayer100 · Oct 17, 2017

What the heck are you guys doing to your coolers to make them bust in a season?? I have a Coleman that I won in 2002 during my senior graduation night and it still has all it's pieces and still keeps things relatively cold. Thing couldn't have cost more than $20 at the time.

Hey, if you guys want to spend big money on big ticket items, I have zero issue about it. All I'm doing is answering the OP's question with personal experience from a guy who hunts 30-40 times a year from August-January for geese, doves, ducks, deer, grouse, pheasants and coyotes. :;:huh

- - - Updated - - -

MarbleEyez said:
HAHAA!! Dad?? Is that you??

To say they are the same quality is like saying a corvette is the same as a Honda accord. No comparison. Also, guess who now has one of those "fancy" coolers that can hold ice for more than 24 hours......

I NEVER said Gander/Cabela's was the same QUALITY as Sitka, etc. ,etc. I said that for the price, you could afford to buy a GM/Cabela's "high end" set every year for the next 10 years and still be money ahead on a single Sitka/Kuiuiuiu/whatever that maybe has the same shelf life.

That's all! Flame away.

fnznfwl · Oct 17, 2017

Duckslayer100 said:
What the heck are you guys doing to your coolers to make them bust in a season?? I have a Coleman that I won in 2002 during my senior graduation night and it still has all it's pieces and still keeps things relatively cold. Thing couldn't have cost more than $20 at the time.

Using them 100 plus days a year.

Up Y'oars · Oct 17, 2017

Good medium or heavy weight wool socks. Base layers, wool or poly pro, and you won't have to spend $500 on the jacket! I have a wool camo jacket from Cabela's that I wear from September through January, it's just dependent on how many layers below I need based on the temperatures of the day. Yes, the jacket cost $130 but I use it heavily during hunting season and adjust what I wear underneath it all.

Lungdeflator · Oct 17, 2017

This is probably going to open up a whole pallet of worms, but here goes....
I have been wearing Scent Blocker or Scent Lok stuff for 10 years or more. Yes it is expensive, but I have never bought an article at full price, most has been picked up for 50% off or more. Whether or not the scent control stuff works or not, I don't know. But even if it only blocks 30% of my scent, thats 30% less out there and I'll take it.
It is nice stuff though and stuff I bought 10 years ago is still in great shape. Last year I bought a Scentblocker suit on sale after the whole Under Armour fiasco and Scentblocker stepped up and offered a big sale. Blocks the wind, is waterproof, is quiet, and has sensible pocket placement. Works as my outermost layer from October to January. Jacket and pants for ~150$.

Long story short, buy quality clothes on sale.

guywhofishes · Oct 17, 2017

scent block clothing money would be ill spent for this guy
when deer hunting my diet is not exactly conducive to being scent free - you catch my drift? :;:rockit

Duckslayer100 · Oct 17, 2017

I hear ya Lungdeflator, and I agree! I think where I might differ is the degree of quality and price. Even if you found Sitka at half price, it's still more than double what you're talking about. At least from what I've seen.

Fishmission · Oct 17, 2017

guywhofishes said:
scent block clothing money would be ill spent for this guy
when deer hunting my diet is not exactly conducive to being scent free - you catch my drift? :;:rockit

You don’t smell like a Korean after eating kimchi all day do you? That can be smelly

Hunting Clothing

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