Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Wool bibs + jacket advice

I have been looking at non-camo wool jackets and bib overalls for elk hunting on horseback in temps ranging from -10 to 30 degrees.

Is basic, heavy-weight wool the way to go or should I consider something with a waterproof membrane? I see that Cabelas offers a wool bib and parka with their Dry-Plus lining which supposedly makes them waterproof.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

With temps -10 to 30 degrees, even with wet snow and possible rain, regular wool clothing is sufficient as far as I'm concerned. I treat my wool outerwear with anhydrous lanolin which makes its very water repellant. Check out Bemidji Woolen Mills for wool pants and bibs, and nothing much can beat a Filson Double Mackinaw in a wool coat. You could check out the clone of the Filson Double Mackinaw from Cabela's on sale right now. I have a 30 oz. 100% wool Voyageurs Jac Coat from Bemidji I really love. I much prefer the 30 oz. 100% wool pants to the bibs. I also got a brand new Filson Double Mackinaw on eBay for $200.

Let me know if you want to know the process for waterproofing wool with anhydrous lanolin.

Thanks Jackfish. The Cabelas jacket you linked to looks like a good value and a nice jacket.

Just curious, why do you like the pants vs the bibs? I would definitely like to know how you treat your wool garments.

I prefer pants to bibs as they permit easier changing of layers and adhere to the body as well as bibs with good suspenders.

On how to waterproof woolens from Horace Kephart in 1917, Camping and Woodcraft,

"Simply make a solution of anhydrous lanolin in benzine (petroleum ether, not benzene!), soak the garment in it about three minutes, wring out gently, stretch to shape, and hang up to dry, shifting position of garment frequently, until nearly dry, so that the lanolin will be evenly distributed. This process is very cheap, and old clothing can be treated by it as well as new, without injuring buttons or anything else.

Cloth so treated permits the ready evaporation of sweat, and so may be worn without ill effects, no matter what the weather may be. In fact the perspiration escapes more freely than from plain woolen cloth, because the moisture cannot pentrate the fibers and swell them - the interstices are left open for air to pass through. And yet woolens impregnated with lanolin shed rain better than cloth treated by any other chemical processes. The goods are not changed in weight, color or odor. Instead of being weakened, they are made stronger. The waterproofing is permanent...

In buying, specify anhydrous (water-free) lanolin. Cloth treated with lanolin absorbs little moisture because water cannot pentrate the fiber and is repelled from the interspaces.

The strength of the solution to be used depends upon climate. For a hot, rainy climate use four ounces of lanolin to a gallon (U.S.) of benzine; for average conditions in the temperate zone, three ounces to the gallon; for cold climate, or winter use exclusively, two ounces to the gallon, as cold has a tendency to stiffen cloth that has been steeped in a strong solution...

If trouble is experienced in making a solution of lanolin, dissolve it first in a little chloroform, then pour it into the benzine."

I have had nothing but good experiences waterproofing woolens this way but do reserve it for outerwear only as some people are skin sensitive to lanolin. Don't know if I am or not but I only use it on garments that will primarily be exposed to the elements.

I prefer pants to bibs as they permit easier changing of layers and adhere to the body as well as bibs with good suspenders.

On how to waterproof woolens from Horace Kephart in 1917, Camping and Woodcraft,

"Simply make a solution of anhydrous lanolin in benzine (petroleum ether, not benzene!), soak the garment in it about three minutes, wring out gently, stretch to shape, and hang up to dry, shifting position of garment frequently, until nearly dry, so that the lanolin will be evenly distributed. This process is very cheap, and old clothing can be treated by it as well as new, without injuring buttons or anything else.

Cloth so treated permits the ready evaporation of sweat, and so may be worn without ill effects, no matter what the weather may be. In fact the perspiration escapes more freely than from plain woolen cloth, because the moisture cannot pentrate the fibers and swell them - the interstices are left open for air to pass through. And yet woolens impregnated with lanolin shed rain better than cloth treated by any other chemical processes. The goods are not changed in weight, color or odor. Instead of being weakened, they are made stronger. The waterproofing is permanent...

In buying, specify anhydrous (water-free) lanolin. Cloth treated with lanolin absorbs little moisture because water cannot pentrate the fiber and is repelled from the interspaces.

The strength of the solution to be used depends upon climate. For a hot, rainy climate use four ounces of lanolin to a gallon (U.S.) of benzine; for average conditions in the temperate zone, three ounces to the gallon; for cold climate, or winter use exclusively, two ounces to the gallon, as cold has a tendency to stiffen cloth that has been steeped in a strong solution...

If trouble is experienced in making a solution of lanolin, dissolve it first in a little chloroform, then pour it into the benzine."

I have had nothing but good experiences waterproofing woolens this way but do reserve it for outerwear only as some people are skin sensitive to lanolin. Don't know if I am or not but I only use it on garments that will primarily be exposed to the elements.

Not an expert, but if your were refering to the Outfitter Wool series of camo wool in Cabelas, I would not rate it nearly to those temps. I am unsure if the Parka is a different weight than the jacket, but I purchased the jacket previously. It's now returned. The Mack and the other wool series may be a better choice for your intentions.

wool is great and warm. just remember when it gets wet it gets heavy. for riding you can't go wrong, but if you plan on getting off and chasing game on foot for any distance you might want something synthetic. the best luck with wool i've had is with cabela's wind shear. it is practically wind proof and very warm and light. if it's really cold and wet i'd rather have bibs. if things heat up or your activity level goes up you can strip to just the bibs and vest. don't bother with just a wool jacket, get the parka. for the best combo wear a wind shear sweater under the parka with the bibs and or a vest. if it goes below -15 you better think about other options.

Bibs can be a real hassle when nature calls. You have to strip off everything just to take a crap in the woods. Much easier to just undo your belt.

With any decent wieght wool pants you'd have suspenders on anyway so it's just as much of a PIA to drop the chalupa.

I don't use suspenders on my woolies. I have owned quite a few brands over the years (King of the Mt, Weatherby, Woolrich etc) and I think my favorite pair of pants are the plain old green Codets from Cabelas. I think they are around $50. I think the other big name brands are a waste of money. I am not sure why anyone would pay $350 for a pair of wool pants.

I have a couple of pairs of bibs and find them physically limiting, for full body movement. I much prefer regular wool pants, with a wool shirt tucked in. I too have a Filson double cruiser.
I'm a wool fan.

Don

The Filson double mac is an excellent choice. I have that and the Filson bib wool pants, you never get cold. I prefer the bibs style. Just preference.

The woolrich wool sets are another choice. My sons use the coats and insulated bib coveralls that are waterproof.

The columbia wool is OK, not as warm and soaks up water, then it gets an odor.

I hunted elk on horseback this past Saturday and the conditions made me think I want to try the Cabelas wool bibs & parka with the Dry-Plus layer to keep the water out.

It was 5 degrees with a little breeze and had snowed 3-5 inches the day before so the trees were heavy with snow. Riding through the timber resulted in snow falling from limbs and piling up on my shoulders and arms all day. Leather chaps kept the snow off of my legs.

Still no elk though...

I was in Stuttgart Arkansas this past weekend at Mack's. They had a huge tent sale and on of the discounted items was a nice wool Jacket. i tried it on and after only about 10 seconds, I couldn't stand the feel of it. ITCH, ITCH, ITCH... I always heard this but WOW, was it true. Are many of the Jackets lined or is it assumed that you will have full length sleeves on under the jacket and full underwear under the pants?

Is this common or am I the only one that gets that ITCHY feeling from wool???

I wear long sleeves and long johns under my wool. If it isn't cold enough to need a bottom layer, it isn't cold enough for me to use my woolies.

It doesn't make me itch.

I wear mostly German, French, or Swedish army surplus wool pants. I wear suspenders with the heavier ones but not with the French woolies. I don't like the belt digging into my relatively bony hips from the weight of the pants and the stuff I put in the cargo pockets on the legs.

I bought some of the Weatherby stuff because it's camo but I've yet to find weather cold enough to bow hunt in them so they haven't been field tested.

I had the Cabelas Outfitter bibs and ruined them in two days of hunting. They completely separated at the waist 2/3 through day two. That was a chilly walk back to camp.

I think I might be sticking to the army surplus stuff and finding a way to use fabric paint to break up the solid color a bit.

So far, I've always hunted in the army surplus pants. Last week, I came off the mountain and it was 6 below, and I wasn't cold. That was without long johns. I have a heavy wool Codet coat, but it is far to heavy and stiff to hump mountains in.

That said, I just ordered some of the Cabela's light wool washable pants, as I ripped the army surplus ones. We'll see if they are light enough. FWIW, Dutch.

I like the wool coat, but found the pants pass thru moisture to my long johns when I sit for a while in the snow. I cant tell you how many times I've ridden home in a blizzard with an inch of snow sticking to the outside of my wool coat, while perfectly dry and warm inside. I like the Cabelas dry plus pants in the saddle cloth jeans cut, personally. Whatever works. You'll figure it out.

I find that pure wool pants (currently using Columbia's camo heavyweight) tend to pass water through to my longjohns when I sit on a spot in the snow for a while. Much prefer Cabela's saddle cloth Dry Plus pants for breathable water proof wear. I like a single layer wool cruiser for the lighter weight and abillity to layer with down or fleece under it to suit conditions. I cant tell you how many years I have ridden back to camp in a blizzard with an inch of snow sticking to my old EMS red wool coat while warm and dry inside. I recently had to buy a new Woolrich wool cruiser because I outgrew the EMS. Anybody know a good diet? Some guys like the goretex and dry plus for the coats, but I like the breathability of single layer wool. FWIW. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

+1 on #2 ......... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />.......DJ