High performance Clothing?

[truck driver]

We discuss lots of stuff here but I've never seen anything on what to wear while we hunt.
I'm looking for different types of under wear that will keep us both warm and dry while hunting with out being bulky.
The back in the day long johns have come a long way with all the new fabrics that have come out. And I must admit I'm behind in the times( no pun meant) on what to wear while hunting in areas that the temps can change from the 20*s to the 50*s during the day in some western states and mountain areas.
I'm looking for maybe the impossible here since I want to stay warm,dry and comfortable as the day warms up not to mention while walking and climbing in high timber areas that you find Elk and other game in.

 

[Kodiak]

I remember some 2 piece (top & bottom) Bifold cotton LJs from the '50s and '60s. I still have some in the back of the hunting clothes closet, I just looked. They are kinda bulky to wear under Levis, but did keep me from freezin' to death.

My younger hunting buddies now wear some style of UnderArmour first layer clothing, next to the skin, then an in-between layer, then an outer layer. I imagine there are other brands on the market.

Sorry, I'm not much help on the newer stuff,

 

[DrMike]

For years I wore silk long johns purchased from Cabela's. Wading northern streams during snow storms while stalking trout or conducting a moose hunt, the silk kept me dry; and dry meant warm. I learned about this product from duck hunters, and it was good advice. Some of the newer stuff I've found in the past several years is more readily available today and superior to silk, but the silk was very good. I do note that L. L. Bean still sells the silk long johns (http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/514949?gnrefine=1*GENDER*Mens^1*MATERIAL*Silk^) and Cabela's sells newer versiona of the product (http://www.cabelas.com/category/Mens-Silk-Weight-Base-Layers/104039280.uts).

 

[DrMike]

I notice that silk long john products are still available in a variety of places. I may have to look into this again.

http://wintersilks.blair.com/c/silk-long-underwear/long-underwear-for-men/pc/195/385.uts?icid=HL5UA

 

[jimbires]

I have a couple set of these , in different weights . medium and light , if I remember right .

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/search.c ... l+Products


I also bought a set of these . I have not worn these yet , the weater has not been cold enough since I bought them .
I have the polar weight ones .
http://www.cabelas.com/product/clothing ... Collection

 

[Vince]

I have some lightweight "hi tech" underwear and recently upgraded to midweight.
For the cooler end of the spectrum I like the midweight fabric. When I get ready for new stuff I'm going to break down and part with the shekels for wool.
Wool has come a long way from the scratchy stuff I grew up with. It also does better at eliminating the smell one develops from wearing the same clothes for a week.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[SJB358]

I have some lightweight "hi tech" underwear and recently upgraded to midweight.
For the cooler end of the spectrum I like the midweight fabric. When I get ready for new stuff I'm going to break down and part with the shekels for wool.
Wool has come a long way from the scratchy stuff I grew up with. It also does better at eliminating the smell one develops from wearing the same clothes for a week.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

Same here. Slowly replacing the other stuff with wool based clothing. Works well and doesn't stink after wearing after hiking around in it for a week straight.

 

[Wyo7200]

I'd like for the companies to start offering better fitted sizes... 6'3, long legs and arms does not mean I'm also 300 pounds. I tried a sweater from cabelas last year that was two inches short of my pant line. No one wants to see that!

Stop the wind, stop the cold. I use merino wool under, mountain hard wear middle, and windbreaker jacket. I'd like to get some first lite asat clothes, but need to check their sizes.-

 

[BretN]

As I've gotten older, 46 now, the piece of clothing that I would not go on a cold weather hunting trip without anymore is a vest. I still have on all the other base layers, turtle neck, hooded sweatshirt, and wool pants.

But adding a vest, even a low tech fleece or carpenter vest, adds a layer to my core without bulking up my arms/shoulders. If it gets warm enough, especially when hiking to the stand, I just wear the vest and pack the coat to put on when I get set up. In my youth, I never needed half what I bring with now, but it keeps me warm and sitting on stand longer. I do have more patience to sit in a good spot longer than when I was younger, so I'd like to think I've at least got that on my younger self.

 

[HTDUCK]

Another nod for wool.
I duck hunt a lot and there is always the possibility of falling in the water.
Wool will keep you warm when wet and it breathes very well.
Best piece of gear I have that I never leave home without is a wool fatigue sweater from Cabelas that has a gore-tex windshear lining in it.
Wool long johns, a wool shirt and that sweater topped w a light fleece jacket, I'm good to go.

I've also got one of the old Mil Surp OD green wool shirts that gets worn alot as a jacket.
Wasn't expensive, bought it new at a surplus store for $9.95

If it's really cold (to me that's anything below 20* F ) and I'm sitting on stand I put on UnderArmor cold gear long johns under the wool.

 

[salmonchaser]

I used to be an under armor fan, still own three sets. Last year I tried Marino wool. Truly the most comfortable I've ever been.

 

[truck driver]

Thanks for all the ideas fellows. I was thinking light weight silk with a medium weight wool or just skip the silk and go with straight merino wool blend?

 

[SJB358]

I used to be an under armor fan, still own three sets. Last year I tried Marino wool. Truly the most comfortable I've ever been.

Same here Don. UA is good but Merino wool is very good stuff.

 

[Darkhorse]

There used to be adds for a product called Damart, they said the Chicago Bears wore it. So in 1980 my wife and I both ordered a set of the light weight stuff and took it Colorado where we climbed mountains and sweated for 5 days. The stuff worked so well we ordered another set of heavyweight for those long, cold days on stand.
I wore mine out eventually and ordered a set from Cabelas of what was basically the same material. I'm still wearing those.
I think the material was Polypropylene and similar stuff is available widely today.
The Merino wool looks real interesting. The next time I order it might be the wool but I wouldn't hesitate to just buy more of the Poly stuff.
Prior to the Damart I wore those cotton long johns sold at Kmart and such. I froze everytime I hunted. The Damart changed my hunting for life. It started me on a path to wear the stuff that worked the best such as wool and thinsulate.
I hunt in comfort now.

 

[salmonchaser]

I tend to run a little cold in the morning, maybe it's just morning in high country is cold. In any event I dress relatively warm so I can sit for the first hour and then start climbing. With under armor sooner then later I would have to stop, clear away the snow, and get the long johns off.
With the merino wool I generally stay comfortable much longer and if I take them off its not until I start my power climb out of the canyon.
Merino will also last a lot longer then under armor before stinking.

 

[Guy Miner]

I've found it hard to beat a good three-layer system:

Merino wool or newer high-performance long johns - something that wicks away sweat and keeps me dry.

An insulating layer - I really like fleece as it's lightweight, flexible, dries fast and insulates even when wet. Wool of course is the old standby and I've got some of that that I still use.

And then a shell garment. Something to at least cut the wind, and better yet, shed water. Last few years I've been using some pretty good stuff from Cabelas. It's soft enough that I can move in it without spooking every critter in a hundred yards. Still have an early government-issue style gore-tex parka that I bought for a USMC trip to a part of Norway up above the Arctic Circle in the 1990's. It's worked real well, but is noisy to move in, so I don't usually wear it while hunting.

Three layer system that works well in cold & wet. Also - don't be afraid to remove and add layers as necessary. I generate a lot of body heat while climbing these danged ridges and rarely wear the insulating layer while climbing - it just cooks me - even in cold temps. But I'll quickly put it on once I pause to sit and glass for a while.

Guy

 

[salmonchaser]

My layering varies slightly from guys. Over the Marino wool I wear a running t shirt. Very little in the way of insulation, but something to wear when the wool comes off. In the old days I used to do my power climb out of the canyon bare chested, no longer have the abs to support such nonsense. Once I get on top or the benches near there, pull off my pack, let the sweat evaporate layer up and finish the hunt or hike on the trail or road.

 

[billbam]

I also had tried Damonts from years ago as my father had used them while working at the airport during the winters. The guys there had swore by them. They were good but you had to be real careful with keeping them out of the dryer. I also tried Bluejohns that I got from Ravenwear a bunch of years ago. They were heavier and worked well too, but also had to keep them out of the dryer. I have been using wool blends after that for a long time now and that’s been working well.
I just ordered some lightweight merino wool from Firstlite. I ordered the light weight, med weight and the heavier vest. I am refining my layering system.
I also picked up a Gatorskin top last year which is wind resistant and claimed to be warmer than wool. I’ve worn it a few times hunting as a second layer and it does stop the wind but I haven’t used it enough for an opinion yet.

 

[Thankful Otter]

I like Merino a lot but have also used some synthetic for the base with wool as the mid, plus a caribou hide turned inward under one turned outward. Before I could say dada and mama, I knew "if your feet are cold wear a hat"

can not stay and play, at work

 

[truck driver]

Thanks Cheyenne, I'm a little short on caribou hides and was wondering if you had any to spare?
Seriously though at one time I had a deer skin shirt I wore that was great for cutting the wind and repelling the water. Like all good things I wore it out and didn't replace it.