Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Wool Pants part 3 or 4...

Any other suggestions on wool pants?

As I have stated before, I cannot afford the Filson Whipcords. I tried the Cabelas version recently, for about an hour. I just couldn't warm up to them. I found them too baggy and loose fitting. Not that I was trying to emulate Robert Plant back in Zep's Hey Day, but I wanted a more close fitting pair of trousers.

Are there any other options? I have 2-3 pair of wool MilSurp pants. I paid $20 of M1951 US pants. Invested another $25 to have them tailored, and I still do not like them.

And it's really not very cold here in the desert. I just wanted a decent pair of knock around hiking/hunting pants.

I am not opposed to any other MilSurps, but all look to be very baggy and "universal" in the fit department.

Anyone have experience with Codet?

I also have the Columbia Gallatin ShirtJac, and it seems very warm and I would guess the matching pants are very warm as well, but they seem too bulky.

I would second or third a vote for Cabelas Microtex in a non-camo pattern for general wear, but doubt my vote counts.

Maybe Sitka gear will be my next try. Too bad Cabelas has to be different and not carry the Mothwing pattern to match my upper toros stuff.

I realize your mind may already be made up regarding whipcord pants, but I'm still going to give 'em one last pitch.

I've had mine for a few years now, and while they don't look "new" anymore, they're close----------other than the two big snags from a clumsy barbed wire fence crossing which is MY fault, not the pants.

Mine are size 40, and I normally wear 36, so I know all about baggy. If ordering another pair I'd go 38 next time though. Having some extra roominess isn't a bad thing IMO, as it allows room for longhandles and freedom of movement when climbing over stuff. By wearing them with and without longhandles, I can comfortably wear them through a wide range of temperatures.

If treated by Nikwax they repel water quite well, and even if wet, don't get as cold for me as Microtex. And even if you don't want the Robert Plant/Dwight Yoakum look, you can have your britches tailored by a nice old local lady (every town has one), and get the exact fit you're after.

I've also got some German ski patrol pants from the '80's, as well as Filson mackinaw bibs. Both are good for really cold, snowy conditions, but not as versatile for everyday fall hunting conditions. My only dealings with Columbia wool aren't very favorable. It feels like recycled wool and pills like crazy. It's better than nothing, and on sale may be OK for a while, but I don't really like it.

You know what they say about opinions, so take mine for what they're worth.

Orvis makes a nice wool pant. They're a lighter weight wool than Filson or Cabelas. I was able to pick up a pair on ebay for about $30 a couple of years ago. There's a member or 2 on this board that like to use wool dress slacks bought from thrift stores. And as 222Rem mentioned, you can have them tailored for a small fee.

I had a guide once swear by the USPS wool pants that he picked up second hand.

Does anyone have any experience with these?

http://go-armynavy.com/index.php/wool-pants/swedish-wool-whipcord-pants.html

The price is pretty good!

Try the 4 pocket Bean pant. Shouldn't be as baggy as a 6 pocket.

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...gory=4296&feat=4296-tn&cat4=2110

NH Hunter, that's what I was going to suggest. Plus, the camo version is a lighter fabric than the green and you can't beat their return policy.

Guys, that's a wonderful pant, no doubt but it's a VERY heavy wool pant compared to a whipcord... I suspect it's far too heavy for what Jesse is looking for.

Jesse, in your shoes, I'd skip right past wool pants for the use you describe and get a good nylon supplex or stretch pant... look at Dobers thread on lightweight pants for a lot of good suggestions.

We've had a mild fall here and I was up in snow yesterday to 8800' chasing elk in the snow... I wore a pair of supplex nylon pants and a pair of Expedition wt. Capilene underneath. The beauty of nylon is it's so versatile and can be layerd with any weight underwear (or none at all) to adjust for temp variants.

IMO, whipcord is just too warm for your described use...

Mr. Jesse Jaymes;
I have a pair of Codet wool/nylon pants that must be something like 12-15 years old. I see that one of our larger mail order outlets here in Canada still sells what looks like the same pants for $50 Cdn, which is about what I recall paying for mine.

I had some surplus wool pants before them, though I�m not sure whose army they were made for. They are the older type fit where hockey suspenders are a must and the waist comes up to my ribs, which is tough to get used to.

Anyway, my Codet pants are if anything a bit heavier than the mil-surp pants. They have also proven to be extremely tough and are only now showing signs of wearing through at the inside of the cuff. I can�t stress enough how extremely resistant to tearing their wool/nylon fabric blend is, as I hunt a lot of blow down country, and at 5�6� I don�t clear the downed timber with ease - or grace usually!

We are in the northern part of the desert here, so generally I begin to wear them when it is within a few degrees of freezing, as they are scratchy enough to necessitate a full length long-john for me to wear them.

I hope that helped a bit and I wish you good luck with your quest for hunting pants.

Regards,
Dwayne

Of course I am torn to some degree. I've heard great things about Rail Riders nylon pants. I may give them a try. Hard not to find something in Cabelas due to having free points and such.

I guess the "torn" part comes from sooo many great reviews of the Filson pants. I would certainly have to try them on personally to see what the fit was like. I cruise Ebay often enough, and the Filsons do show occassionally, but still $140 is not much of a bargain.

I am strapped paying $1000 a month for kids I do not get to see, so it's a whole nother story trying to scratch together money, and you can see where the correct choice is paramount.....

Sitkas are still appealing.

Also, I understand the need for layering and such, but with the Cabelas Whipcords, the crotch was between my knees and I could have fit 2 legs into each hole. Too loose for my needs.

Guess I am looking for pants that I can travel in and not worry about breaking. I generally "baby" all of my gear and clothing. I want a do-all pant that I can just sit down anywhere and call predators in, or glass for an hour. Easy to clean, shade some wind, and provide some warmth.

Military BDUs fill the bill nicely, but after being preached to in Mountain Operations School, Cotton Kills. So I am looking for an alternate...

Thanks for the help so far. And sorry this has been hashed out, but I am still not happy.

free points in Cabela's ????


I'd take Brad's suggestion and get the nylon pants, I wear them here for everything but coldest winter and for early Aug. -Sept. hunting the Cabela's version are my faves. they're in the fishing stuff under supplex guidewear IIRC


you may not like them, but you won't be out any $$$


I bought my first two sets years ago from STP (when they had a paper catalog with no pix instead of the current glossy version) for $15 each, dark forest green. been on many a sheep and or moose hunt and while having to be sewed up once in awhile they are both going strong.


but have bought more over the years, cause I like em


and like Brad I love em, don't know his brand preference I've tried a bunch of differing brands and the C's get my nod followed by the Columbia brand for boating.

you get the picture


I like em for hunting

I wore my mil wool pants the other day, which fit perfect in the waist, but they have low-crotch syndrom and feel like they are falling off or something.
I have the cabela's and columbia nylon too and agree with Brad that they are so versatile as a single, or a layer, and pack away tiny when carried, especially the supplex. I use them for float trips too for a good sunblock and they dry so quick that I'm wearing them in camp an hour after takeouts. I think the supplex blocks the wind better than Columbia's poly so you get a good combo with the supplex and a base layer.
But to answer your question; it sounds like the Filson's are the way to go. My experience with the other woolies are that they are too bulky or camo'd, etc.

Thank you much. I do think that maybe Nylon or similar are the way to go. I am guessing that cotton is just plain cheaper and easier to use, as far as making clothing, but why is there not more Nylon type options for hunting clothes???

Cabelas has a billion pants in their catalogs, and about 94% are made of cotton. Guessing we all have been cold, wet and waterlogged with cotton pants before. Blue jeans such when you cannot get them off because the cuffs are frozen ice blocks...

Do I need to make my own pants and patent them, and turn my(our) delima into a fortune?

Yes!

How's about some whipcords with zip-off legs? Combined with longhandles, you could wear them all year, and adjust to any temperature.

As far as non-wool pants go, I really like TNF Paramount pants. Nylon, zip-off legs, just the right fit and number of pockets.

Jesse, If tou want to try railriders I got a e-mail stating a sale. I wear them, and like them, the sale is like 30% off
Coop

Since this is part 3 or 4 I'm not sure how many times I've commented over the years, but for the use you mention, if you want wool, go to a St. Vincent DePaul, Value Village or other thrift store and buy the highest quality light weight wool dress pants you can find. My all time favorites were custom tailored Pendleton wool, in a light thin fabric that wore like iron. I have two pair at present, and customize mine by threading light 1/8 inch diameter bungee cord around inside the cuff/hem and tying it off so that it grips my boot top snugly, keeping out debris, etc. It's not as good as gaiters but works far better than I anticipated.

Get light, thin pants that are cut free enough for easy lift of leg on steep ground without binding. If you tear them or wear them out, toss them and buy another pair, or burn them in your last campfire of the hike. They used to sell for 50 cents but now you may have to pay $5.00.

I wore such pants several days last week pursuing whitetails in temps ranging from balmy rain to snow and heavy frost. A 4x4 buck departing through the woods turned around and came right back when I grunted at him with my nose, at least till now I thought that's why he came back. Maybe it was my pants, 100% virgin wool, classic cut from a name brand men's store.

For your application however, I'd go for supplex nylon as Brad, 1Ak et al have suggested.

I was just thinking about this wool-dress-pants idea today after reading this post. For some time now I have been researching wool shirts and jackets in an attempt to get away from synthetic camo stuff but the cost of making this change was making it difficult.
So I went to the thrift store and in 10 minutes had a nice Pendleton shirt, in tan plaid, and a wool jacket, green/blue plaid, for $25. The jacket was lined and insulated and I tore all of that out so now I have a nice, thin, wool jacket good for layering. With a merino wool base, the Pendleton shirt, and the jacket, I should be in pretty good shape.

Now I'm going back to look for these pants that Okanagan suggests....makes perfect sense.!

1akhunter,
Some great trophies there, thanks for sharing!