• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

New Hunting Wardrobe Advice

Nutterbuster

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
Messages
10,066
Location
Where the skys are so blue!
I haven't really bought hunting clothes since...ever. I picked up a few odds and ends when I worked retail sporting goods, but never consciously bought a system. Kinda have always pieced stuff together and made do. Most of what I bought 5-6 years ago is getting a little rough around the edges. Losing weight, and when I hit target I'd like to buy some clothes for that weight.

I have the following criteria:

  • Must let me be comfortable walking or sitting in 15-60 degree weather.
  • Must be light and compact enough to be either stuffed in a daypack or strapped to it.
  • Must include a water and wind proof jacket with hood
  • Must be reasonably quiet
  • Must be multispecies (deer, duck, turkey, small game)
And the following preferences:

  • The more pieces that can be worn as street clothes, the better (ie, camo not preferred)
  • Durability and longevity is being considered
  • Strong preference for companies that give a damn about their people and the environment.
More info:

  • I hunt by boat more often than not.
  • I do not plan to travel extensively, and if I do it will be for just a couple of nights.
  • I don't care at all about scent control
  • I generally have purchased synthetics (particularly fleece) vs wool. But I've never owned quality wool except for socks, which I love with my rubber boots.
I don't need footwear, but I'm open to suggestions on everything else. I kinda want a wardrobe that lets me sit around the house, go camping, camp out on a rut sit, wear under waders at the beaver pond, walk around with the .22lr, or stay warm on the boat if I decide to fish instead of hunt.

I've never paid much attention to the clothes I hunt in, so don't assume I know a thing. Happy to read any threads on the topic you care to link to. Open to wool, synthetics, whatever. Thinking I'd rather piece together stuff than buy a system, but not against a really good system if one company has figured this thing out.

I also have tried on a lot of sitka and never been super impressed with anything but their fanatic jacket, which I've been off-and-on intrigued by over the years.
 
comfortable to hike and sit in 15-60 degrees, windproof and waterproof jacket, milti species and quiet... You seem to be looking for a unicorn.

I have a very good system put together but to cover everything listed as well as being able to duck hunt and Deer hunt in those vast conditions out of the same pieces probably isn't going to happen... You're going to need an awful lot of pieces to this system to check every box.

Throw in also that they are good for casual wear and not camo and you immediately reduce the amount of options tremendously... Solids are getting more popular for sure but there aren't enough out there to do all this.
 
It may help if I go over what I usually use.

Base layer is usually a t-shirt and boxers if it's 40s-60s. Heavyweight polypros if it's colder.

Midlayer is usually a fleece pullover if it's cold. If it's just cool, the fleece is usually my outer layer. Yesterday the low was 46 and I walked in with the poly top on and just threw the fleece on when I cooled off. By lunch it was about 72. I was a little warm walking out but fine otherwise.

Years ago I bought a now discontinued Browning Hell's Canyon 4-in-1 parka. Not sure why it was 4-in-1, but it basically was a synthetic puffy jacket packaged with a water/windproof shell that was covered with a thin fleeceish layer. I've about worn it to pieces. It's a staple. If it's teens to 30s, I usually pack it and wear heavy polypro under it.

Legs I wear uninsulated scentlok savanna pants (bought them clearance years ago and just like the way they fit and how the legs stretch over my yoders chaps). Polypros underneath if it's cold, and I can pull up the chaps for wind/rain protection.

Duck hunting I use more or less the same gear. I do have some fleece pajama bottoms I wear under my uninsulated waders in addition to polypro on the really cold days.

I'm more or less fine with that setup, and I guess I could keep doing it. I'd just like some nicer stuff.

It's probably important to add that that 15 degree temp I mentioned applies usually for just the first couple of hours of a day. A very cold day down here may start in the teens and rise to the 30s or low 40s during the afternoons. I've kinda quit hunting the really hot days during early archery season, so a typical "warm" day for me starts at 50s at the highest and climbs to the upper 70s.
 
Well me being a hardcore deer and duck hunter myself, I use pretty much all Drake gear. Between the non typical line for deer and the drake waterfowl stuff I'm fully covered but for the 2 it is several different pieces. If interested in any of their stuff send me a message and Id be happy to make suggestions. I can also get ya a discount direct through them to help with buying a whole new wardrobe but that's totally up to you.

Their non typical stuff doesn't get a lot of press but its awesome gear and they have definitely stepped it up in the last 2 years! Having Mcalister upland gear, Drake performance fishing and old tom gear under them is awesome as well. One stop shop for just about anything outdoors.
 
I’ve lost several pounds so I’ve been slowly replacing my hunting gear. I’ve been mainly stalking eBay looking for used stuff that is I great condition. A lot of clothing sellers don’t have any idea how much some of the camo stuff costs retail. I scored a pair of scentlock pants for $24 that retail for over $100. I’ve gotten some good deals on under armor and Columbia stuff too.
 
Kuiu gear checks some of your boxes. I have some of their products and am very pleased with them. They also have military, first responder discounts.
 
I am a huge fan of Badlands gear. They have the best warranty and return policy. I can take tags off and wear the gear around for a bit and as long as it's still in new condition (didn't get dirty), they'll take it back and pay for the return shipping. Some of their stuff is hit or miss. I am not a fan of their gloves or base layers. They have some stuff in solid colors: their Scree pant is great, as is their task pant. Downside is their more hunting designed gear only comes in camo but, their camo pattern is as good as the FL, Kuiu, sitka groups. They will have a sale around black Friday worth waiting for. Ie, may be a good place to try their pants out to see if they'll fit your needs. I've owned a lot of their stuff or tried and return. Let me know if their is a piece you want feedback on.

Otherwise, FL base layers are personally my favorite. Wool is my preferred base layer. The zip off kiln and furnace pants are money!
Kuiu is the best quality and has a lot of solid color options, but they are expensive. I usually get gloves, hats, and rain gear from them when it's on sale.
For everything else, just find what is in your price range if you prefer solids. Just becareful what you buy off Amazon these days, specifcally Columbia, as it can be counterfeit. Pay attention to the seller and reviews.
 
I like Minus 33 for merino. I’ve thought about going back to a set of coveralls. That’s what I wore when I was younger Midway has a pair for $80.
 
Merino base layers for the walk in. then fleece and windproof. I can wear a first lite base layer +/- klamath hoodie walking in in any temperature and bring one extra layer. 3 layers total, any temperature down to the teens. Kiln + klamath gets me down to mid-upper 40's. Throw on a fleece windproof natural gear sweatshirt onstand I'm good down to upper 30s. Replace the kiln with a furnace down to upper 20's. Replace the nat gear with a king's xkg anarok and i'm good down to the teens. Bottoms are still in test mode. merino long Johns, and minimum 3 different pairs of pants/bibs. I highly recommend different weight merino base layers for different temps. Having that temperature control walking is crucial. That and removing all things cotton has made my temperature management 10x better.
 
I’d research black ovis gear it’s usually on camofire on sale I jusT bought thier trailhead hoodie and have own thier pants and baselayers. Pants stitching wore after about a year in the crotch area but wore great. Baselayers were fine no complaints

as always cheap good camo. Nat gear
 
@Nutterbuster - you didn’t mention a budget as part of your specs. What’s the upper limit for a system that checks all your boxes?

Also, are you looking to acquire the full system all at once, or to piece the kit together over a few years?
 
I can’t get behind a fashionable camo Nutterbuster , it’s off brand.
Browns and Greys - you can pay a little more if you buy from hunting companies that call these colors Ash, Dirt, Earth Smoke, you get the idea.
lighter merino would probably be most versatile for Alabama 145ish and then throw your above layers over it.
The zip off long John bottoms are pretty clever , zip em off for hikes / zip on for a bucket sit.
I prefer rei / ems to pick up pieces after season around 40% off.
The Asbell pathfinder has that “wool trad” look but is a great piece for the price , for the temps above and long lasting
Rain gear/ outer shell I haven’t found anything better than Beyond / NorthFace / Patagonia
I’ve been meaning to try rivers west
 
Last edited:
If price isn’t an issue I’d suggest either Filson or Sleeping Indian. Both make what I’d call lifelong pieces that you’ll wear forever. My dad wore some filson working on the north slope as an oil rig roustabout and that stuff lasted forever, make carhartt look like Walmart.
Sleeping Indian is custom order pieces. Amazing quality.
Both Filson and SI make “lifestyle” colors of their products, many are waterproof with some being both.
For the more budget minded individual I’d recommend Rivers West.
I’d recommend FL or Minus33 for merino baselayers. Both make quality kit and both offer them in normal colors l.
 
Kuiu is having their big yearly sale starting 11/2 I would start there
 
I also like the Drake gear. Most of mine I bought when I seen it on sale. I wanted something super light and easy to pack in and it fit the bill, nothing I have makes me feel weighted down like other clothes I have owned before. Base layers I just use cabelas brand, for the most part I stay warm.
 
I have a pair of heavy wool surplus German military pants. Bought them in 1998 for an elk hunt and they’re still going strong. Great for very cold temperatures and under my waders. Couldn’t wear them in my neoprenes but they are great in my breathables.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top