I just don't have the resources to spend the kind of money some do on high end clothing for my hunting trips. But I do need good clothing for the changing weather conditions we constantly run into.
I am a pretty thrifty shopper (well trained by my wife) and I look around constantly for good sales on all kinds of gear, including hunting gear.
I shop for most of my hunting gear at the END of hunting season when the clearance sales come out and I avoid the highest end clothing like the plague as I've had great experiences with lower priced gear in weather that would drown and elk/deer, freeze a penguin, or boil water- sometimes in the same day.
As almost everyone on this site knows, layering is essential to being comfortable in changing conditions. To me, that means carrying a pack to carry the different layers as I go through my day from dawn to dusk.
With layering, only one layer has to be REALLY good, the others can be average as you can stay warm with a wool layer as long as the other layers don't interfere with it's action. Same with synthetic under layers and outer layers.
I shop for most of my hunting camo at Columbia outlets in this area, since they are headquartered here and have great availability at the stores here. I've found their hunting clothing and boots to be as good as anyone's and I get it at bargain prices at around the begining/middle of hunting seasons, which is when the clearance sales come on to make room for spring fashions.
Other manufacturers have the same system, so become a better shopper and you can get great clothing at bargain prices.
Cabelas also has some great hunting clothing for great seasonal prices if you watch their sales. Get on their email list and you will be notified of great sales coming up.
For me, though, I've got Columbia gear I've been wearing for many years on tough elk and deer hunts and it has held up great and kept me comfortable from walking up mountains to sitting and glassing in 2 feet of snow at dawn/dusk. A very few times when it has been particularly nasty I've had to start a fire to warm up or dry off, but that has been rare and only in the worst conditions when I was afraid of becoming hypothermic. Another reason to carry a pack with adequate supplies to start a fire, carry food, etc....
Bob
