After hiking all over Southern Idaho this fall in my old Denim Camo pants (occasionally soaked - often cold) I'm starting to consider some of the high tech fabric pants. Are they really worth $200+? I'm not worried about any fashion statement but I would really like to find something that performs better than Denim when it is not cold enough for Fleece. I am a tightwad, most of my camo comes from Walmart and I tend to believe that the poly blend there works as good for me as under-armor. I guess what I would like to find is the equivalent or a pant that has the features but does not cost an arm and leg. What's your experience and your favorites. Thanks.
When hunting there are two things that are very important to me: 1) stay warm, and 2) stay alive, not necessarily in that order. Whether Army surplus or from Wal-Mart or wherever, the source of clothing is unimportant. Name brands mean nothing and cost is a secondary concern. The camo pattern means nothing to me, either, other than I go for fall colors rather than winter white. How the clothing works is the most important thing.
Good insulated and waterproof boots, good gloves, army surplus wool pants, a wool shirt and wool-blend long johns compromise my cold weather gear. Coats and jackets vary depending on just how cold and/or wet it is. As required by Colorado law, blaze orange is my outerwear for body and head. (It goes well with all camo patterns.
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If the weather is nice an insulated blue-jean coat and denim camo pants will be fine for my hunting. In my pack I�ll have heavy-duty contractor-size plastic bags, which serve as butt-be-dry ground cover, emergency rain wear and water/windproof emergency shelter. I also carry a waterproof rain suit that folds up small and occupies a small corner of my pack.
