Warm, Quiet, and non bulky clothing... is it out there?

[GingivitisKahn]

Originally posted by katie:
Longhunter wool shirt.  It is quiet, not bulky and very warm!  A good priced American made shirt!
Check Shrew Bows website.

+1 to that.  Straight up wool for me but if you find that Holy Grail garment, you danged well better tell us about it.   :D

[tecum-tha]

1. Use a raglan style cut with the bulk(needed to move) in the back and not in the breast area(all Cabelas, Bass Pro etc. is not made with this kind of cut)
Leave the shirts/jackets longer, best mid upper thigh to knee
p.e. graywolf woolens outfitter line uses this kind of cut
2. Buy top quality: cashmere,merino or loden fabric (no it is not $5/yard)...
3. Sew yourself, so you can accomodate to your figure, movement style, pocket position etc.
Before you cut the expensive fabric, sew up a mock garment out of some cheap cheese cloth and check for fit and movement
4. for ultimate warmth get a quivit vest or pullover
5. use a thin windshear layer
6. If you use coarser wool(like the one ron la clair uses, then use fine and soft merino or cashmere on the cuffs and around the neck area. That will not be scratchy in sensitive skin areas, even if you sweat or wipe sweat off your head..

[South MS Bowhunter]

Roland, i like your ideal.  Have you made a jacket/coat yourself?  Can you post pic's? What is a raglan cut?

[Preston Lay]

I just received some wooltimate pants and right off washed them in a machine and tumbled dry. They are absolutely quite. I mean no noise. Ive used KOM and Swandri and would say the wooltimate will be warmer because of the wind stopper. I too have alot of sitka and its not for sittin in cold tree stands.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Preston,

Was the wooltimate noisy prior to washing? Perhaps the wash will make the different. Mine are absolutely noisy with the liner. The jacket/pants rustle when I move in any fashion.

[Preston Lay]

John,

To be honest I really dont remember. I opened them, tried them on and washed them so I could wear them that afternoon. I think I surely would have noticed the noise if they were. FYI the wooltimate is more bulky than KOM, but not so bulky to cause a problem. I dont think sitka will help you but I here the Kelvin vest and jacket are pretty warm. One of my best investments was the ulfrotte (wool power) underwear. I bought some for a moose hunt in Alaska 10 years ago and its WARM. I have worn the heck out of it every year and its still going.Its ok next to the skin and traps air real well. Hope this helps

[South MS Bowhunter]

Thanks, The Wooltimate I got was order large but it is quite a bit larger than normal.  Does the Wooltimate shrink any during the first washing?

[wulf]

I agree with Tecum-tha about that raglan cut.  Not having a seam over the shoulder makes for a much more comfortable cut for maneuvering your arms.  Plus eliminating that seam helps keep water at bay.  

I was lucky enough to purchase a wool "Swannie" (Swanndri) jacket from Paul Brunner when he owned Screaming Eagle.  It has drop shoulders with a full gusset under the arms which gives me incredible arm and shoulder manueverability.  It is cut long and has a two-way zipper so you can squat down without blowing it out.  Mine is in a Skyline pattern that blends in like deer hide.  

I believe you can still get it as Swanndri still makes it although maybe not in camo any more.  Be aware that the sizing seems to run a size small so be sure to ask about that. Because the "Swannie" jacket has such a thin, tight weave it's perfect for layering over any bulky, lofty, garments you use for insulation while protecting you from snow and rain.  Again just get it big enough.

I have had KOM and Sleeping Indian products as well as Filson and the Swanndri wool blows those first two away from a quality, tight weave point of view and is at least the quality of Filson.  Try it you won't be dissappointed.  wulf

[killinstuff]

Natural Gear is wind proof, warm and quiet. The price is right and it's not "bubba sized" either, a large is a large like it should be. I don't wear camo often preferring old wool army pants, plaid shirt and vest but when the temps drop below freezing, the NG bibs and pull over come out and I'm comfortable sitting for hours.

[cacciatore]

Beavertail vest from KOM, above whatever you want and bibs,can make you confortable everywhere in the world and no wind will pass through.

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

With all due respect to other posters. But anything wool or fleece with wind stopper you can hear on those cold frosty mornings with no wind .People who tell you different are hunting where the wind is blowing. I sold the Cabelas berber fleece pullover due to this. I wear the Cabelas wooltimate bibs for tree stand hunting. BUT my legs and body aren't moving when I draw from a tree stand .I wear a fleece or wool pullover on the top with a base layer or 2 under everything. Fleece hat with a heavy neck gaiter. Quite as a church mouse . Anything with windstopper around your chest ,shoulders and arms should be avoided due to the SWISHING noise it makes when drawing a bow. Again with respect to other posters this is what I have found after 36 years bowhunting spooky whitetails in the east.

Good Huntin'
Jack

[ermont]

I have tried the Sitka gear. Way overpriced for what you get. Also not fire resistant....don't ask!

[Bowwild]

I'm new to Sitka Gear this year because I found a very strong discount.  I've bought WAY TOO MUCH camo over the years and still have most of it (tubs and tubs). I won't be buying any other brand for some time now. I love the zip-front T, the stratus bibs, and the polyester-filled jacket. I don't have a pair of pants yet though. I have many other pants that I like and that work just fine. I like the new woodland pattern but I don't think it matters to the beasts I hunt -- I could hunt in my fleece PJs and do as well I'm sure (but I wouldn't "feel" as deadly).

The only thing I'd like to find would be old-style Predator in the uninsulated cotton coveralls. I called the company and they stopped making it more than two years ago.

[Todweelz]

Try Predators 380gram fleece with windstop, the windstop they use is dead quite have the pants and vest, when I layer it with my asbell wools I am warm and quite, bought the pants for $90 and vest was 50ish, the jacket is only $90 as well, don't know what they use for there windstop but it is quite, and warm. Todd

[Broken Arrows]

During the late Elk season this year it was around 5 degrees with out wind snow on the ground I was waring my wooltimate with base layers and the snow made all the noise I could drew my buy move and the wooltimate made no noise. I also washed it right after I got it.

DAVE

[South MS Bowhunter]

I was looking at the Swandri line of wool jackets and bush shirts last night and they look good but there color selection are limited to one or two patterns.  No camo was offered.  Anyone know where to find some in more of the neutral tones?

[waknstak IL]

South MS Bowhunter,  My  Wooltimate jacket is a 2x and I think the jackets are cut pretty generously. The pullover and pants seem to run normal. I've washed and dried mine several times, but only in cold water and on very low heat and not had any noticeable shrinkage. I would have to believe washing and drying them or any wool on a higher temp would likely cause them to shrink. I am lucky that they have a retail location about 30 miles away so I can try things on beforehand.

[reddogge]

A trick I like is a fleece vest as a layer so you don't bulk up the arms.

Another for cold feet is the little toe warmers they sell now.  I don't wear them to walk in but take the boots off and apply them on stand.  They work wonders.

A neck gaiter is a great way to keep your neck warm.

The last tip to "unbulk" yourself is to use a chest protector over your outer layer to hold everything close.  I use mine I used back in the 60s and 70s in tournament shooting.

[waknstak IL]

Reddoge that last tip is a good one, I try to put  my hunter safety system vest on last for just that reason. It really helps especially if your like me and a little bulky there already  

[highpoint forge]

I had browning Hydrofleece for years when I gun hunted and wore Patagonia Capilene midlayers under it. Very warm. I added Under Armour base layers and did not like that.

Now, I'm sold on the CUT and FORM of Sitka Gear and have bought a ton of it and SOLD a ton of it too. I love the now integrated wind blocker layer and don't notice much noise. I do get cold though as I'm really lean. Late season, I'll be trying a doubled up mid layer with the Kelvin top and bottoms under my outer layer of Stratus. I also want to try merino wool base layers, as that seems to be the warmest out there.

So my Sitka clothing system is:

Core base layer (don't know if I like it yet, cut is weird)
Traverse mid layer
Kelvin insulated jacket and pants if sub 30F midlayer
Stratus bibs and jacket outer layer
Stratus hat and Traverse balaclava
Stratus gloves
Smartwool merino socks and a sock liner

I don't find it bulky, but for stationary hunting not sure if it's the warmest stuff. It's designed with the mountain hunter in mind who has to move a lot, and shed perspiration and excess heat quickly. I'm intrigued by the Incinerator lineup from Sitka for goose down warmth. We'll see. I think the multiple thin mid layer approach and merino base is the way to go. Sitka founder Jason Hairston has a new company named KUIU and he's taking the Sitka concept all the way. Merino base layers are the foundation of the system he's designing.

Don't forget with Sitka you need rain protection too.