Hunting Jacket

[BCKID]

What do you wear for a jacket when you are hunting? I have tried a few different jackets but I have not found what suits me yet. I put on one of those Gray wool underwear first, then a shirt of some sort, then a fleece, then a jacket. I tried a lined jean jacket, a outback jacket, and a heavy lined shirt or another Grey wool. The outback was not very good. I felt like I was wearing a plastic bag. I think the best was just the Grey wool. I hunt late in the year, temp is 0 to -15 C and I like to climb mountains. I have yet to try those gortex ones. The trouble with mountain climbing is you have a good workout and then you are all sweaty when you get to the top and want to take it easy for a while. Any tips? What works for you? BCKID

[Steeleco]

I don't hunt in the conditions you described "all the time" but I wear a Browning fleece zipper coat. My Wife bought it for me last year. It's teflon treated and works great, keeps the water out very well. As far as cold I layer with a couple of T shirts and a fleece vest on top of those. Santa better bring me the pants and gators to match the jacket or I'll stop sending him cookies!!!!!!!!!!!

[MB_Boy]

This is just my opinion....get rid of the wool and substitute some polar fleece type materials in it's place, as it doesn't help wick moisture out or dry quickly if you are getting sweaty. I usually start with a good pair of long underwear tops and bottoms, and IMO it pays to get the good stuff. From there, just layer away, but again IMO stay with the technical fibres if you are doing a lot of hiking and climbing. One of the guys I hunt with says the worst thing you can wear in cold weather is "killer cotton"....you need fabrics that are going to wick away the moisture from your skin, but on the outside you want a quiet fabric with some insulation, and something that will break the wind is great. I have not bought a new hunting jacket in a few years, but I have looked at a number of different ones through Cabela's. Some guys will probably be able to steer you in the right direction with particular models etc, but from a fabric standpoint I think that is what you want to do.....again....just my opinion. That has kept me warm and dry hunting for deer in MB when it can be down in the -25 range in November.....the temp where you don't want to still hunt....you want to keep moving so "the boyz" don't shift up into your stomach....lol

The other thing to remember is everyone is different...different circulation and thresholds for the cold. My Dad when we are hunting in Nov is always layered up with cotton and wool as he is "old school" and if we take a break in the day to warm up in the truck he is always trying to get some layers dried out if there has been a lot of walking....or if lucky enough, dragging

[BCKID]

get rid of the wool and substitute some polar fleece type materials in it's place, as it doesn't help wick moisture out or dry quickly if you are getting sweaty.

I did try the base layer stuff that is supposed to wick but found I was warmer with the wool. I agree about the killer cotton. Thanks BCKID

[bone-collector]

well 3 cases of wool Vs other material in winter conditions that I have documented over the years from locals

1- trapper fell through the ice @ -25 degrees outside wearing wool pants and jacket, sox toque etc, made a 17km walk after getting out and only suffered minor frost bite to fingers and nose area.(decker lake BC)
2- logger goes through ice in a toyota pick-up crossing a ice bridge well after dark, walked 8 kms back to the logging camp with no injuries other than pride -30 outside that night on babine lake(babine lake BC)
3- snowmobiler goes through ice on sled at night -18 outside , found on ice 1km from accident in severe hypothermia wearing a 700 dollar snowmobile suit lined with fleece , fleece was frozen solid retaining no heat sourse for the victim(fish lakes BC)

wool may not detour sweat as well as some products do but you can buy various thicknesses of wool clothing to suit the activity you are doing , not to mention wool is truly dead silent in the bush , and yes I have 3 pairs of heavy duty wool pants a couple of wool jackets and piles of wool sox , all i will hunt in especialy in late fall when we start getting snow and ice on ponds, never know what may happen , also pack my GSAR vest in my truck for if I plan on hiking anywere, I could light up vancouver with the amount of firestarter I have in that thing another good topic maybe we could start a thread on

[leftcoast]

Ya, wool is where it is at. the really good stuff is damned near water proof. There is a brand from New Zealand that some say is so tight knit it is water proof and i can't remeber the name right now. I used to buy military surplus wool. the Melton drss pants were unreal. Cut them with scissors and you couldn't rip the cut any further.

I can't afford wool anymore and I have outgrown what i did have so i have some of the fleece stuff and it is okay but it is not wool. Some people like silk long johns.

Goretex is far too expensive for what it is. It is not waterproof.

It is raining here most of the time and I quit worrying about quiet. i just put on the full suit and stay dry. I move real slow. If there is a howler it doesn't matter.

My brother used to just put on a suit of wool longhandles and rain gear over top.


=keith=

[bone-collector]

well Keith you get up this way and we will suit you up again in wool , good pants are about 40 dollars-50 dollars a pair and jackets are about 75 dollars if you can find either pant or coat in stock

[leftcoast]

Bones, you got a military surplus store up there?


=keith=

[huntersdad]

Hey guys
THis topic is just like binos.........compromise. Every area and type of hunting requires it own type of gear.

I own a Browning Hydrofleece Unlined jacket and Pants for most duties..
A Unlined Gortex Jacket as a shell..
A 1960's Timberking Wool jacket and a pair of Heavy Duty wool pants
A oilskin slicker...
I prefer to layer with teeshirt, then Stanfield or Wool sweater.
These cover me from Sept. thru to -20 in Nov. The wetter it is ,I go for more of the Goretex to Oilskin. The colder it is , the more wool I put on.

[love the woods]

Hey Guys Dont Forget About That Foodsaver In Your Cupboard.you Can Put Socks,hats And Gloves In The Bags.take Those Items And Put Them In The Bag ,add A Book Of Matches Remove The Air.this Bag Will Reduce To The Size Of Your Fist.this Will Be Waterproof For As Long As You Hunt.leave It In The Bottom Of Your Pack,could Save Your Life One Day.after Reading About The Guys Falling Thru The Ice , I Thiought I Would Throw That In.