Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Fleece pants? and MicroPuff pant ?

I have been trying to figure out the pants issue and have been reading the recent threads on it.

Have thought about fleece pants especially with windstopper. Does anyone wear fleece pants and if so are you layering and what kind of fleece?

The micro puff pant seems like a good idea as much as I like the vest and jacket but have been trying to figure out how to use it in the field. It seems like it would be good for stopping and glassing but I don't think the butt and knees would hold up to the terrain. Do you guys layer it or how do you wear/use the micro pant?>

I like the pants for lounging around camp in the evening and to wear in my sleeping bag. Generally the seasons that I hunt aren't too cold yet during the day so I usually get by with Patagonia Guide or Cabelas Microtex pants over a pair of polypro or capilene longjohns. If it gets too windy I throw my rain pants over top of everything.

I have a pair of stretch fleece pants (Patagonia windshield) that I layer under my lighter soft shell pants in cold conditions and it works out really well for me. They breathe fairly well since the back of the knee and thigh are not a "hard-face" weave. Breathability in an insulating pant is often overlooked in my opinion.

What soft shell are you using?

For work, I've been wearing Cabela's E.C.W.C.S. medium weight thermal underwear and it keeps me warm to about 30 degrees as long as I'm moving around every once in a while. I've been layering that with another base layer or two and fleece shirt and pants under my rain gear when it gets cooler. The other two base layers I wear are something I picked up at CostCo. The brand is Paradox. I've found they aren't very warm by themselves, but are great over the Cabela's E.C.W.C.S.

I do lots of sitting and glassing but very little stand hunting.


I just wear what I wear, even out snowmachining I'm liable to have on supplex or some lined Carhart pants, but I'll toss snow bibs over the whole shebang.

if my torso, head and neck, fingers and toes are warm, I'm good to go

Might be out of the price range, but these are available with 500D Cordura 'armor' patches on the knees and seat.

http://kifaru.net/247css_pants.htm

The mid-weight REI MTS - http://www.rei.com/product/731711 is a option. Lightweight, great base layer, good for sleeping, and lounging.

These North Face Windstopper Hybrids are an option to - http://www.rei.com/product/769215

The two lighter pairs I use are the REI mistral (going on their 4th year of hard use) and the Arc'teryx gamma LT. I also have a pair of gamma mx's that I layer the windshield's under, but they are set aside for climbing use only (for now).
It's gotta be really cold before I put the windshield's under my gamma mx, because the Poweshield weave of the mx is already pretty good at blocking wind. When I layer the windshield's under my lighter softshell pants, it can be as much for wind protection as it is for insulation. I really like my system and I think it gives me a lot of flexibility without carrying more than one light pair of softshell pants and one pair of insulating bottoms.

I should note that in REALLY cold temps I also layer some very light patagonia base layer tights under the whole deal. Although I did fine this year without the tights (I forgot 'em) on opening day w/ windchill in the -25 range.

Micropuff works extremely well for me. Being from AK and enjoying sheep hunting more than anything else, weight and moisture are my biggest concerns. I use it as an insulating layer under Sitka outer layers, it works great, and is synthetic. I carry a lighter sleeping bag as well and use it night to make up the difference. One of the best qualities is the pants are full zip, allowing me to shed and add the lower layer without taking my boots or pants off. Just drop my trousers and zip up. I am a skinny dude and get cold easy, wouldn�t leave home without them.

That's exactly what I bought them (MicroPuff) for. Get to the top of a climb, pull out the pants and put them on over whatever I'm wearing. The fact that the legs zip all the way apart should make the on/off over boots much easier. The knees/butt are are somewhat reinforced, though I have no idea how durable they will be.

I thought they'd be handy for this purpose as well. They would double duty which is a plus.

I just got back from a elk hunt in Springerville Az. We had a two day snow storm come through midway in the hunt. We sat in the evenings. I was advised by Greg, AKA High Country, that the Natural Gear four pocket fleece pants were the best bang for the buck, so I bought some just in time to take along.

The lows got down to 13 but most afternoons were in the high 20s to mid 30s. In the past I always got cold knees when sitting cross legged and waiting, especially in winds. This time I sat in total comfort with 20 mph winds never feeling any cold getting into my knees. I did wear a single pair of polar max polyester long underwear underneath. I usually sat on a pad but one time I sat in damp earth and snow. My butt got a tiny bit cool but didn't get wet.

I have never used any other fleece to compare. I figure with the wind shear characteristics and staying warm and dry I found a real deal for only, $60. Thanks for the advice Greg.

http://www.naturalgear.com/shoppingcart/Default.aspx?CategoryID=17&C_PageNo=1&I_PageNo=2

I would need to know what kind of hunting you are doing and in what temps to answer your question. Got lots of fleece pants, and some with Windstopper or a similar patent, but I wear different stuff for different types of hunts and at different times of the year.

I use the Micro Puff PO alot as well as their Puff Ball Vests. But I wouldn't even consider them as a pant. They don't breath or pass moisture worth a hoot. What's worse, if they get loaded with moisture from the "inner storm," they stay wet for quite a while.
I don't like fleece either as a pant. Too delicate. I much prefer a wool pant. I layer under it with Patagonia's Capliene of whatever weights are appropriate. I do have an R1 pant which is very warm. But I use it only for lounging or sleeping. To warm for any hunting I do. I layer it under whatever I use as a pant. Makes a good match my nylon pants, BDU's, etc.
When I stop to glass or sit on a stand, I add to my top layers with either a DAS Parka or the above Micro Puff PO and use my light Houndini soft shell to wrap around my legs. I also carry a small piece of 5/16ths inch ensolite foam to sit on. Keeps the cold from coming through, etc. E