Confused mid-life crises, cannot decide what camo (or wool) to wear

[David Yukon]

I agree that good wool is pricy, But stuff like Sitka gear is to! And i'm sure that good quality wool(filson) will last longer than most synthetic stuff. The other thing that make me choose and call me what ever you want, is the fact that it is not a petrolium base product. Wool grow back every year on the back of a sheep so the impact on the environement is a lot less!! Be camo or plaid or solid color, wool is the way to go!!

[Kip]

Wool is great unless you hunt in Lousiana or other semi- tropical states in October.Kip

[German Dog]

Don't think of it as Trad clothing but instead, vintage.  When I got out of school and started hunting alot more I started to accumulate bow bowhunting clothes and bird hunting clothes. After a season of bird hunting pants wearing out I started to look at better clothing(Filson) and since that have always liked the old "vintage" feel/looks/and durability. That Filson stuff is awesome and they stand behind it. I'll skip all the filson storeis and get back on track....

I also picked up a wool vest from filson and a pair of wool filson pants and that there started my love with wool and occasionally used it bowhunting. For most of my bowhunting I stayed with camo but went with Predator wolfskin(synthetic) pants and a wool predator coat. Just this past year I'm makeing the switch to earthtone and plaid wool colors for bowhunting and fading out the camo. I'm not trying to impress anyone with the "plaid wool thing" just taking a step back to a simple "vintage" look and also switching out the last of my synthetics.

synthetics don't last as long as wool!!! Did I mention I like filson wool stuff???? LOL!

[Jeff Strubberg]

Originally posted by dan d:
I'm going thru a midlife crises on what to wear for hunting. I have always wore camo of some sort, never got cought up in having to wear the latest fashion statement for camo, if it looked like it would conceal me and the price was right I bought it. Right now I'm wearing a department store leafy suit and I like it, but it is getting worn and I have been accumulating wool wear ( some of it is Fred Asbell's stuff) I love the traditional look and feel of wool, it makes me feel complete as a trad hunter, but...................  Then my more youthful brain (that has been brainwashed over the last 50 years with the need for the latest greatest gadgets and trendy hunting outfits ) kicks in and I think I need the latest greatest gillie suit I see so much talk about here. Then I wake up the next day looking at the cool woolens (dreaming about that woolen two tracks vest           ) and I want to be a true trad hunter when I grow up. ( walk the talk, and talk the walk           )

Just throwing this out for tradgang conversation, I enjoy everyones thoughts and they will be used to help me thru this mid-life crises          

Thanks,
Dan

Camo is made to catch hunters, not fool deer.  If you want to fool deer, look at texture more than color or pattern.  Fuzzy and uneven are good.  Slick and flat are bad.

[njloco]

You could also go with this, and have the best of both worlds, it's still available, though also still in storage.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=64;t=003257;p=1#000000

[Autumnarcher]

I wear camo. Always have.I used to get caught up in the "latest-greatest" craze, until I sicovered Predator camo. Wore it for years, but somewhere along the way, they changed their dyes or something, and the stuff is just to bright.

I bought a set of Cabelas outfitter wool bibs, jacket and parka. I rarely need the parka, but I love  wool. I also started using ASAT stuff earlier in the year(cotton pants and LS tee shirt). I bought an ASAT leafy suit, which I can wear over top anything. PRoblem solved.

I have a pr of mil surplus wool pants, wool sweater, fleece vest with Windstop liner, ditto for a fleece hoodie. Then I can layer as needed, and wear the leafy suit over top whatever I decide.

The advantage wool and fleece have over all others is theyre soft completely quiet and don't shine.

I love the ASAT leafy suit over any of the others. It breaks up the outline of the human shape wonderfully. From here on out, its prety much all I need.

[wulf]

Hey don't over think this thing!  I hunt in Michigan where it's cold and damp for much of the archery season or at least the best part so wool is the natural answer.  I try to use muted or "earthy" colors in my outer wool as much as possible and if they are also a plaid then so be it.  Of course not everything in nature is all vertical and horizontal lines as it usually is in a plaid pattern but it won't matter at all to the game animals.

 I have gone through similar feelings in regard to camo vs non camo (must be a Michigan thing) but only because I want to hide from the other two-legged predators.  With as many archers as we have in the state it behooves us to keep our "spots" to ourselves.  That being said bowhunters have adapted military camo (and olive drab) for as long as it's been available.  Don't worry about what you wear so much as how you feel while hunting.  You're hunting with a recurve or longbows so you're traditional.

[centaur]

If it ever will cool off this fall, I have some old Woolrich wool camo that I bought in the 80s; it is sort of a WW2 pattern, is warm and quiet, and is about my favorite hunting wear when it is chilly. It seems like I wear more of the modern camo when it is warm, but I often wear a wool shirt under my lightweight camo jacket. When it is cold and wet, wool is king, and I believe as many do here that we don't need no stinkin' camo. If I didn't have so many hunting clothes, I would be on some of the Asbell wool in a heartbeat.

[dan d]

Ah......  The wool guys to the rescue, I was getting nervous as when I first posted it sounded like I had to have predator camo !

I do hunt the ground now that I'm traditional, nothing to do with being traditional, just getting to old to fall out of trees.

I think I will be ordering one of them Mackinaw's from Asbell !
Looks like the midlife crises might be over      Im done wanting to look cool, now I'm gonna look like my Dad  

Dan

[ChuckC]

I use whatever I have, and I have both.  They both work, but the plaids and wool just make me feel good.  Just my thing I guess.  Wear what you want and stop worrying.
ChuckC

[wulf]

That's a good choice Dan d,  I have one of Fred's (Theresa's) wool mackinaw's and shirt and like it fine.  Do yourself a favor and get one of those windproof vests they offer as well so if the wind really picks up you can put it on right under the wool.  Now you have a versatile wind and water repellant setup for many conditions.  

When it gets cold I like to wear merino wool (soft) long johns as my base layer with a fleece or wool sweater over that and then Asbell's wool system as my outer garment.  The key here is to buy sizes to allow layering and again, don't forget that lightweight windproof vest.  I realize you weren't asking about how to wear this stuff but thought I'd throw that in there.   wulf

[dan d]

Thanks Wulf !  I was wondering about them windproof vests, Thanks !
Dan

[57HOP]

I've been using more and more wool - Just because I'm retro-minded.
I shoot wood bows, paddle homemade skin-on-frame kayaks, play lacrosse with wood stick, and do my running barefoot. (really, I don't even have $100 "barefoot shoes") My family jokes about my "Hillbilly Ways".
That said - I just made a deal for a Cabela's Wooltimate jacket with wind-shear. Poly wool fleece blend with a high tech membrane.
'Cause I'm also Schizoid minded I guess?