Hunting Clothing-I need recommendations

[ChuckC]

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

[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.

[Scott E]

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]

[Scott E]

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.

[fisherick]

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.

[Marksman Quivers]

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

[The Night Stalker]

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.

[Gdpolk]

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.

[Bjorn]

Combine Sitka and wool, or light fleece etc. Depends on the weather.

[Ryman Cat]

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.

[jonsimoneau]

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.

[eidsvolling]

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.

[Scott E]

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.

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.

[eidsvolling]

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.