For much of my life, I rarely purchased clothing I considered expensive. If a pair of pants cost more than $40, I was unlikely to buy them. Up until a few years ago, none of my hunting clothes cost more than $200 (and this included parkas). I was not going to shell out money for "fancy" gear. What I did not realize is that this was actually costing me in various ways.
This first came to light when I was goose hunting with a friend, and he was wearing a quality name-brand outfit that was half as bulky as mine. I was a tad wet, a bit cold, and I could not move as well as he could. After asking him about his coat and realizing he paid double what I paid for my coat, I was a bit put off by the thought of investing in better brands of clothing.
However, as he described hunts in frigid places like the upper Midwest and Canada where he wore his outfit, and and observing how harshly used those duds were (they still looked nearly new!), I decided to look deeper into high-tech hunting clothes. Here's what I've learned.
Long term investment = clothing that lasts longer
First of all, higher tech clothing is going to last much longer than that "good enough" big-box stuff. I did some research and decided to try some clothing by SKRE Extreme Hunting Gear. Mike Nielson of SKRE Extreme Hunting Gear and I discussed what makes his products a good long-term investment for hunters. Mike explained that the new technical fabrics have thousands of weaves now, which makes them less likely to snag or rip, meaning they are ultra-rugged and durable while still being lightweight.
I have the SKRE Hardscrabble pants, jacket, Kaibab 150 Merino wood ¼ zip top and a pair of Kaibab 150 base pants. This setup is perfect for daytime temperatures in the mid 40s and up. I was surprised how thin the clothing was and how it still kept me comfortable at those temperatures. The Merino wool is not itchy like some wool products, and it wicks moisture quickly ... in fact, the 17.5 micro fabric can absorb up to a third of its weight in moisture and still feel dry. I find that amazing.
That's actually critical to avoiding cold-weather problems like hypothermia. The wrong kind of fiber--such as cotton---gets wet from rain or sweat and stays wet. Not only are you going to give off odors that might ruin your hunt, but you will quickly chill and that will surely ruin your hunt (if not your health).
One of the keys I found to using the new technology in hunting clothing, particularly the SKRE products, is layering. If it is going to be cold, you need the appropriate layers. The SKRE website has their products listed in three different formats: by temperature, hunt type and bundles. I found the temperature filter to be advantageous to use because hunters know how easily they get cold and there were choices on that tab to use to get to your comfort zone.
The SKRE Hardscrabble pants, jacket, Merino Wood 150 quarter zip and base pants collection is perfect for October/November and even early December hunts in the mid Atlantic or Southeast and probably some of the desert southwest where I used to hunt. I think the ease of movement and lightweight characteristics were quickly noticeable. The Hardscrabble pants have an interior waist grip band so they don’t slip down or sag even if you have a lot of stuff in your pockets. I liked this feature a lot. The gusseted crotch allows you to suddenly drop to a shooting position and not feel pain from pants that are too tight in the wrong area!
The zippered cargo pockets and rear pockets are great. No more stuff slipping out. The zippers are heavy duty compared to some I have used. Many water-resistant pants are noisy in the field, but these are in fact very quiet, which is a huge plus.
The jacket is very much like the pants. Water resistant, has dual armpit zippers to cool down if you are chugging your way up the mountain, as well as a microfleece liner. It has four zippered pockets, which are very useful for gear and calls or snacks. I liked the hood and wear it on windy days to stay warm. The waist cord locks were helpful keeping the wind out, too.
When I layer the pants and jacket over the 150 Merino Wool base I do not feel like I am bulked up. To be honest, I was stunned by how thin the the Merino wool is. If I were to buy something for temperatures regularly in the low forties to even the freezing mark, I would either upgrade to their products on their Extreme Cold tab. At the least, an investment in the Kaibab 300 Merino Wool tops and bottoms would do the job. Check them out at skregear.com!
I'm never going to knock hunters who wear box-store hunting clothes, but personally I can't go back. I would rather save up for something that will last. Something I can count on to keep me comfortable while hunting as well as safely warm. Consider investing in better clothing today. In my opinion, it is worth it.
