Camo costs

[Jerry Potts]

I was amazed at the cost of camo in some shops and the difference in others, like up to $350 for a back pack and hundreds for clothing, for a material that is around $15 a meter in Fabric land put together with a Chinese almost slave labour. Looks like whatever the market will bear, regardless of the cost of production. I bought a some back pack material for 20 bucks and made my own back pack.

[BearStump]

lets ee some pics of your homemade pack. how'd it turn out?

[pnbrock]

Was it hobo style with a pole over the shoulder?

[warnniklz]

I was amazed at the cost of camo in some shops and the difference in others, like up to $350 for a back pack and hundreds for clothing, for a material that is around $15 a meter in Fabric land put together with a Chinese almost slave labour. Looks like whatever the market will bear, regardless of the cost of production. I bought a some back pack material for 20 bucks and made my own back pack.

I still camo pants and jacket my g-ma made me. I have a dickies jacket and pants that are suppose to be waterproof and breathable. Waterproof... very much. Breathable... more like a sauna suit

[Steelpulse]

that's sweet you made one, ive been looking around for a better backpack needs to be bigger but your right expensive maybe ill do the same. not too worried about the camouflage is definitely necessary but not necessarily the North American kind, if you look at the rest of the world they don't wear the camo's you see here, in europe just green dress pants and a green or brown shooting vest over in Kyrgyzstan they wear brown and grey, Africa brown, so yes I would agree 300 400 dollars for a camo jacket is absurd when you can throw on a pair of beige pants a green wool sweater an go hunt down a buck, or just wait until winter and wear a white painter suit.

[russm]

I'd be glad I spent some money on warm good quality clothes if I got trapped outside, not to say I like paying the high priced of gear but you get what you pay for.

[longstonec]

No matter how hard I try I cant knit my own stanfeilds.

[Drillbit]

Went to school with a guy that took sewing.....man did we tease him about that. He wanted a better snowboarding jacket than what was available at the time. He ended up buying a sewing machine when we all bought dirt bikes......we really teased him then.
Anyways, next thing you know he was selling jackets & pants for $500 each, unreal quality.....he teased us when we asked for a deal.

Lesson learned. Cheers CL if you're reading!

[tadpole]

I don't want to look like hill billy so army surplus for me with wool clothes in an earth tones colours. In winter I just put white painter's jumper suit over it.It works and help me to get closer to the game. Funy thing is when you visit WT little town like Lumby in hunting season and a whole town is parading in camo, young kids included.

[goatdancer]

I was amazed at the cost of camo in some shops and the difference in others, like up to $350 for a back pack and hundreds for clothing, for a material that is around $15 a meter in Fabric land put together with a Chinese almost slave labour. Looks like whatever the market will bear, regardless of the cost of production. I bought a some back pack material for 20 bucks and made my own back pack.

Please tell me which Fabricland store sells waterproof, breathable, and quiet camo material in a decent pattern for $15 a meter. My wife sewed me 3 different sets of camo, 1 a light set and 2 heavy polar fleece. They are not waterproof and breathable so now they just take up space in the closet.

[knockturnal]

I buy the expensive stuff because it keeps me warm and dry. There is no dollar amount when it comes to staying that way.

[BiG Boar]

Well it ain't cheap you're right. And if you can sew, I say go for it. But you can't say the quality is the same. Sure on a sunny autumn day it's fine, but you don't buy quality gear to hunt the nice days. Fact is, most people think they need camo, and never walk more than 50 yards from the truck.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

What did you use for a frame, JP?
And can it haul 80-100 lbs?

SSS

[coach]

I was amazed at the cost of camo in some shops and the difference in others, like up to $350 for a back pack and hundreds for clothing, for a material that is around $15 a meter in Fabric land put together with a Chinese almost slave labour. Looks like whatever the market will bear, regardless of the cost of production. I bought a some back pack material for 20 bucks and made my own back pack.

I'm with you, Potsy - I just wish we could all live in a country where the government gave us jobs and rather than provide us with money - just dolled out the necessities. I'm totally against this free market bs..

[Jerry Potts]

Fabric land in Courtenay has back pack material of heavy, dark green nylon canvas, rubberized inside, relatively cheap. It also has camo 50% off. I don't believe breathable will remain waterproof for long. A black felt pen breaks up the solid colour and drastically improves the camo effect;. The same trick would work to break up solid white in a snowy bush . Just draw some twigs on it. Also helps improve old fashioned military camo, a lot.
"You get what you pay for " was a used car salesman's line which has sold a lot of lemons over the years. Double the price of an identical item and interest perks up , from the gullible.I rely on layers under the camo for warmth ,which makes it all seasons. To much built in insulation , and it becomes useless in september

[Jerry Potts]

I sew pockets inside, next to my back , before closing it up. Much easier that way.

[KodiakHntr]

I sew pockets inside, next to my back , before closing it up. Much easier that way.

Is that so you can kill some tweety birds and stuff their feathers in there on cold days for added insulation?

I hear you though, there is no need whatsoever to spend any money on new wonder fabrics that keep you dry when you can get by just fine with some added layers of printed cotton camo that you stitch together yourself......

[Beaufortranger]

Biggest bunch of bullshit ever flung by someone who has never owned a good pair of camo waterproof clothing. Keep trying to convince yourself that what you arent buying isnt worth the money and those of us with the proper outdoor gear( in my case browning hydro fleece) will keep chuckling under our breath at how absurd you sound. Even if these clothes cost a $1000 i would still buy them as there is no way anyone who spends anytime in the woods would ever go back to wool/fleece/raingear etc after owning a proper set of lined camo gear. Yup they are expensive but I've had my browning uninsulated jacket since 1998 and it still is waterproof quiet and comfortable and would t even consider entering the woods without it. Dont know if your hunt with a sharpened stick or what but hunting is expensive and people are willing to pay for comfort and thats why they cost so much. Love to see pics of the homemade clothes with goretex sewn in all the pockets and the lifetime warranty.

[604redneck]

Biggest bunch of bullshit ever flung by someone who has never owned a good pair of camo waterproof clothing. Keep trying to convince yourself that what you arent buying isnt worth the money and those of us with the proper outdoor gear( in my case browning hydro fleece) will keep chuckling under our breath at how absurd you sound. Even if these clothes cost a $1000 i would still buy them as there is no way anyone who spends anytime in the woods would ever go back to wool/fleece/raingear etc after owning a proper set of lined camo gear. Yup they are expensive but I've had my browning uninsulated jacket since 1998 and it still is waterproof quiet and comfortable and would t even consider entering the woods without it. Dont know if your hunt with a sharpened stick or what but hunting is expensive and people are willing to pay for comfort and thats why they cost so much. Love to see pics of the homemade clothes with goretex sewn in all the pockets and the lifetime warranty. your $1000 camo still wont make you a better hunter though....some people dont have the money too buy it so they make do with what they have. I used a $80 big bill rain suit and a $50 big bill fleece camo suit while guiding this year and was fine the whole time 35 days without coming out and my gear was great. I would however agree that spending the money on good boots, pack and optics(I still use 250$ binos and a 400$ spotting scope)

[Stéphane]

I didn't buy expensive camo my first time out either. I went to army surplus and bought what I could afford at the time. Not bad for the hot days. Last December (around -7˚C and snowing), I was up in the tree stand with 4 deer only 15 yards away. Unable to draw because my $80 white camo Remington was too noisy. Every time I tried to draw, the liner began to crackle, and the ears down below would start searching for the origin of that noise. NOTHING I could do. That day, I wished I had payed more for my camo.

So, if it works, good for you. As for me, my white camo is now my new ski suit and I will be spending a bit more on a jacket and pants before next whitetail season.

[Tuffcity]

http://www.rockywoods.com/Fabrics-Kits/Hunting-Pattern-Camouflage-Fabrics

For your DIY entertainment. :)

RC

[Weatherby Fan]

Well it ain't cheap you're right. And if you can sew, I say go for it. But you can't say the quality is the same. Sure on a sunny autumn day it's fine, but you don't buy quality gear to hunt the nice days. Fact is, most people think they need camo, and never walk more than 50 yards from the truck.

I resemble that remark :wink:

[Foxtail]

I didnt make it myself but I didn't break the bank either. I went with Columbia monarch pass wool camo hooded jacket and matching pants. Columbia discontinued them for some reason I cant understand. Awesome stuff, I payed $90 for the jacket and $60 for the pants. I have walked probably 100 miles in snow, rain, sleet, subzero weather, wind, and even warm weather and they have kept me warm and dry. Good base layers make a big difference. water doesnt soak into it and it doesnt get heavy. It is super quiet and natural scent control. Good quality camo wool is hard to find and if you do find it it is usually very pricey.

[.300WSMImpact!]

I have hiked miles and miles, first few years in jeans and such wrecked many pairs and got soaked and cold, then (being the cheap ass I am) I bought cheap fleece camo, was actually good in rain as it soaked all the water in but bad in the wind and loves to collect burrs, couple years ago I bought used sitka and it was awesome, this year I decided to upgrade I sold the used sitka and bought Kuiu, I am excited to get my hands on it

[albravo2]

Put me down in the 'you get what you pay for' column.

Good clothes can be the difference between an enjoyable day and a miserable day and can even be the difference between life and death. Ask a mountaineer (or a sheep hunter).

I have a few Sitka pieces and love them. I'm going to try some of the Kuiu products this year. I don't think they will make me a better hunter, but they will definitely make me a more comfortable lousy hunter.

[Canadian276]

This past year i used the 3-in-1 remington jacket from walmart and a pair of redhead squaltex pants i bought at bass pro for $60. This year though i am definitely going to be investing in better gear and gear that is properly fitted. I knew i wasn't going to be out very often this past season so i wasn't to worried in how the gear fit but that was sure a mistake on my part after my second day out. Pants were a size two big and a couple inches to long so they kept falling around my ass and the jacket got to hot even in the late season. I plan on having a fairly busy season this coming season so i am definitely planning on spending the money on good quality stuff.

[Tanya]

Much of the gear out there is high dollars, not entirely because of its quality. A lot of the cost is to pay for marketing. I was given a pair of UA bibs and a UA jacket, both rain gear, via my cousin who is in the media business. The items look pretty, but are absolutely terrible when it comes to waterproof, breathability, and also quietness. What a joke!!! I use the bibs in the barn, and the jacket is a "goin' to town" item now. I have used a lot of waterproof/breathables over the last couple decades, and after sitting in a torrential downpour duck hunting this year with my new Rivers West jacket I am sold on them.

As I stated above, you pay the big bucks for the stuff that is marketed heavily, especially if it has a camo pattern. Those companies see us comin'.

[huntwriter]

Much of the gear out there is high dollars, not entirely because of its quality. A lot of the cost is to pay for marketing.

Absolutely correct. It astounds me time and again how much some others are willing to part with their hard earned cash just to wear a particular logo on their clothing. Yet the same, or often better quality, can be had for much less then the fashion logo product. I have a super comfortable, quiet, warm and waterproof camouflage parka for which I paid more then half less then I would have for the exact same with the fashion logo on it.