Dress Code

re;troy mclure

the only stuff besides snowboarding gear that fits that description is hunting gear.
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Funny you should say that. About ten years ago I got back into bird hunting. The area I was living in was damp. Even without rain, fields were wet. I was experimenting with trying to get dry pants. Out fof the blue, my wife bought me a pair of snowboarding pants. She had found them on sale and thought they might work.

Did they ever work! My lower half never got wet again. With water proof boots and the snowboarder pants I could walk through the wettest vegetation and remain bone dry. I could even sit on damp grass without a concern. These pants also did a pretty good job of blocking wind.

Those of you that hunt in moist, damp conditions should consider trying snowboarding pants. They are warm, dry, and even have a bunch of zippered pockets.

I now live in a desert environment. Wet is a distant memory.
 
There must be good $$$$ in the higher priced clothing, for all the outfitters, like Cabelas, Bass Pro, put out a catalog that is comprised of more than 1/2 the catalog to clothing, boots, and ???.
 
Clothing:
Depends on what I'm hunting and what weapon I'm hunting with.

Bow for deer and turkey, I camo. Also wash clothes in scent free, UV blocker detergents.

Shotgun/BP/handgun hunting, its just a matter of breaking up my silouhette.
Hunter orange is required here in gun season.
Since deer see hunter orange as more of a grey, I still use the break-up hunter orange.

My outer wear for gun hunting usually hangs in the barn.

If its extremely cold/windy, an under-layer of spandex underclothing is mandatory for me. Especially if stand hunting with wind in your face.

Whatever I opt to wear, its quite, such as fleece,wool or cotton. Nothing worse than the sound of briars caught on/scraping the sleeve/legs of clothing when stalking or sneaking to stand.

Boots:
Guess I'm in the middle of looking for a good brand.
Bought Rockies for years as they were made here about 30 mins. from the house. Loved them. Since they're now made out of country(can't remember where, maybe Mexico) , IMO, their quality has went straight downhill. The last two pair I've bought just hasn't lasted.

Good recommendations for a lightweight, warm, waterproof, comfortable brand of boots appreciated.
 
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I'm one of those guys who looks like he's shooting a commercial for Bass Pro Shop. Staying warm during winter hunts is important to me because our hunts start early and usually end late. Even if the hunt ends early we're hanging around skinning deer, etc. Gotta stay warm.
 
If you hunt where I hunt and walk as much as I do and don't have good boots and socks you will wish that you had.

I usually wear wool pants or jeans unless it's raining. My only Goretex pants are cammo.

I am not in to pack packs, so my usual hunting coat is camo. Not that there is any advantage to the camo, but coats with a lot of pockets, insulation and Goretex designed for hunting usually come that way.

There is no disadvantage to camo unless you want to be sanctimonious about not using it.
 
Mostly stuff from thrift stores. Three layers + the orange vest or poncho.

Boots depend on conditions. Mostly I use heavy rubber boots with different types of inserts. If it's dry and relatively warm I use hiking boots or shoes.

One time when I was a kid it started to drizzle and then rain. I found out then that the guys who said wool will keep you warm when it's wet were full of it.
Since then I've always carried an orange poncho.
 
I like to wear surplus BDU pants when I can find them, though apparently there aren't many short fat guys in the Army...

Boots - just an old pair of Timberland hiking boots.

Jacket - Surplus field jacket bought years ago, or a heavier more modern jacket if it's really cold.

As far as the camo goes, I go with the BDU pants because they are cheap and tough, and I don't car if they get muddy, bloody, whatever. Most guys down here in GA (that I see, anyway), do tend to wear camo, more because it's sort of the "expected" hunting uniform that some kind of SF Ninja mentality.
 
Lots om mil-surplus. It's cheap and works well.

For boots, I've learned that cheap doesn't cut it. When you're hunting with snow up to your knees and temps waaay below freezing, the extra cash spent on a really good pair of boots is money well spent.
 
Depends on where and what - in CO, 144 sq.on. of blaze orange was mandatory, in NV not so. I have an old LL Bean canvas coat I wear, or a bird vest if hunting birds. As for boots - NOTHING will ruin a hunt worse than poor-performing boots - mine are US -made Danners - worth every penny
 
Hay short wave look into Nicks boots I think most are hand made. I am not sure about their insulated boots but I know most of their leather boots are hand made. The next best IMHO are whites.
 
I have some camo gear and a bunch that is just tan or green. The nice thing about the camo gear is that I wear it almost exclusively to hunt. It stays at the cabin. So I never drive home in muddy or nasty clothes.

With that said, I don't always wear camo to hunt.
 
Hold on to your boots when you go to their web site the price will make you gasp a little, but like I said earlier I know a farmer who has had a pair for over 20years. I have literally stood in fire with the current ones I wear. I am waiting to get a little ahead so I can send in another pair that I have so I can have them re built. which can be done several times over the life of the boot.
 
Over the years I've gradually worked my way into equipment that works. Good stuff ain't cheap. Nor is it always needed. I often backpack into remote mountain regions here in N. Georgia and am often 5-10 miles from a dirt road and another 20 miles to a paved road. Few people hunt where I do and most don't require the boots and clothes I use.

I don't skimp on boots. Bass Pro doesn't sell any boots I would use. I've had good luck with heavy hiking boots from Danner, Lowa, and Asolo. I've been lucky finding last year's model closeouts selling much cheaper than full price, but they would run around $300 if I had to pay full price. I'd consider it money well spent if I had to. While good boots aren't cheap at first, I've worn a pair of Danners for more than 10 years in the past.

In warmer weather I usually just wear military fatigues with some type of poly-pro t-shirt. I could care less if it is camo or just the OD green pants. I wear what ever I happen to pick up that day.

From late December on to the end of the season snow and cold rains are highly likely and I change over to a nylon type of pant designed for hiking. They are expensive, but don't absorb any water, are light and dry quickly as I wear them if they get wet. One heavy jacket is out of the question, so I carry several light layers of wool or polyester to put on after I sit down as well as a light goosedown jacket. A water-proof shell is always in my pack for wet or windy conditions.

Other than insisting on the best boots and socks I can find, I'm actually pretty middle of the road. I've figured out what works and can often find cheaper products at Walmart and other places that will get the job done. I've got a $200 North Face goosedown jacket that I wear into town. Last year Cabelas had some goosedown jackets for $29. Took a chance on it and while it does not look nearly as stylish, it is just as warm for hunting.
 
Well jmr40 I think you are spot on. Its not how much you spend but how you spend what you have, putting money into the right stuff is very important. most of my clothing is closeout or sale items that way I can save my money on put it down on stuff that matters more. I don't go hunting for a fashion statement, I go cous I am hungry.
 
I spent a bundle on good raingear. I have some camo clothing- just no white t-shirts when deer hunting (safety!)..... I also have to outfit for 3 younger hunters, ages 14, 12, and 8. Layers of clothing will keep you warm, but only if you are dry.

Gore tex Rocky's are not all that spendy.

I also have to outfit for 3 younger hunters, ages 14, 12, and 8. .... and they keep growing out of the stuff I bought 'em last year. And no matter how many orange stocking caps I buy, we always seem to run short of those....
 
Bowhunting I use camo. Nothing special, just camo pants, camo t-shirt, camo hat, no facemask or facepaint, usually wearing Red Wing work boots. Gun hunting I don't care that much, usually a black&red Filson coat, brown Carhartt overalls, and a brown cowboy hat.
 
Good one, Scorch!

"" be sensible and not dress like a nijit "" Izzat a typo, or the best new word in a gunner's vocabulary so far this year?? +-ONE. O.K., men, don't go all "He's wimpy" on me here, and I think there may be more than just myself who have found this very helpful. I had a Mama-san in 'Nam who sewed special clothes for me, just because she cared. The best comfort I've ever experienced was in her hand-made silk boxers, tee-shirts, and camo. I never took the undies off, even showering or stream-bathing in them. They dried quickly, and felt great! I've found some here, and they are the first thing to go on, under whatever else I wear. I usually hunt in four or five layers, carry my mil-spec poncho, and a couple of small bivvies of whatever else I might need. Still using my zip-sided 'Nam boots too, or regenerations of them. Switch to Guide-Gear or Wolverine when the going gets cold.
 
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I watch all these hunting shows and laugh. If I bought all the crap they advertise, I wouldn't have enough money left over to afford to go hunting. I do wear a camo t-shirt for dove but for all other upland game and pigs, it's jeans and an earth tone(tan, brown, green) shirt. I have a pair of 400gr insulated Danner boots for pigs and chukar. Like Lootenant Da-yun said to Forrest Gump, "Don't do anything stupid and take care of your feet!!!"
 
Good warm waterproof boots camo coat cause thats the only coat i got
i hunt out of a blind most of the time so comfort is more important.
 
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