Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Help! I need pants.

The title says it all - I'm in need of pants for backpack hunting. In the past I've worn hand-me-down BDU's, but its time to step up with something of higher quality. Going on a pack hunt this fall in TX. Here are the needs I have:

- Quiet. For making that final stalk
- Durable. Hold up to the rocks, sticks, and thorns.
- Water Resistant. Let me explain. I don't need anything water proof. No snow or heavy rain. I just don't want them soaking up moisture from the morning dew or a light rain.
- Comfertable in temps to the 30's. I can always layer with a good base.
- Something in a earth tone. Hoping to find something other than black. Not big on camo pants, but I'll look.
- On a budget. I can't drop the big bucks for Sitka.

Is there something you guys have used that fits my specs?
Thanks for the help,

Cody

Cabelas, ebay, etc.

I picked up some Whitewater elk ridge fleece for beans on ebay. Look in Cabelas bargain cave and on Sierra Trading post. As long as it is synthetic you should be fine.

Arborwear Tech Pants (double reinforced knees, cargo pockets) or Single Front Tech Pants (no double knees,no cargo pockets) in Green or driftwood.

http://arborwear.com/details.cfm/prodid/10

http://arborwear.com/details.cfm/prodid/96

You'll be hard pressed to find something that works better than Cabelas Microtex in the "outfitter" pattern for the parameters you described.

It only comes in camo, but for hunting that shouldn't be a problem.

Many here have heard my solution to your query: Cruise your local Good Will and Salvation Army Thrift stores. Look for high quality virgin wool dress pants as your first choice, a wool blend as second. Buy two or three pair if they have them. Get them slightly large and roomy.

Wool dress pants are QUIET, light weight, warmer than cotton or most synthetics without being too hot, breath well, roomy and non-binding, shed light water, reasonably tear resistant, and LOW cost (as in $3-$10 a pair). If you tear a pair, throw them away.

If you want to improve them, cut a tiny hole through the stitching to get inside the hem at the cuff or bottom of pant. Buy some one sixteeth inch diameter bungee cord at a climbing store or place like REI and thread it into the hem to make a drawstring. Pull the elastic cord to the size of your bare ankle without stretching and tie it off to itself, ends to each other. When you put on your boots, pull the elastic cuff over the boot top: Voila, you have a built-in gaiter to keep leaves, duff, etc. out of boot tops. It is snug enough to stay on remarkably well.

I'd watch camofire.com for sitka ascent or ninety percents. I think the ascents have been around 85 and ninety percents around 115. Still expensive but worth it at that price.

I agree on the Sitka 90%, I love mine.

I just got back from a 3 day backpack bivy trip for elk the other guy who has the stag is still hunting. I wore the Sitka Ascent pant and they were great they are the best long pant I have ever worn when hiking. They move with you, and they cut the wind. It was warm all day and they felt fine. Cool with a strong wind in the mornings and the pants worked great. If it had been colder I would have put on some long johns. I have to admit I resisted buying these but got a good price on Campofire and they are as advertised. I also liked the fact you can snap them up if crossing creeks so they are kind of like a rolled up shorts, I did that when hiking out in the heat of the day.

I may be old school but I wear Levi's. They are quiet amd give reasonably good protection from thorns and such. Plus the price is right.

I would second the Cabelas Microtex pants. My friends and I have worn ours on hunts to WY, NM, UT and where they were needed most SE AK. I have both Microtex pants and Rocky's version of same.

My best advice possible to you is search the net to death for deels on them or other well made 100% synthetic pants as IMHO most pants like Microtex are waaaaaaay over priced at something like $45-$55 per pair. I was extreamly luck to have received a email only add special from Sportsmans Guide advertising 100% sythetic six pocket pants by "Rocky" for $17.95 each. I bought six pairs, so great deels are out there if your lucky or look hard enough. I did a hard core side by side compairison of my Cabelas M-tex and the Rocky pants and the the Rocky pants IMHO were easly 95% the equal of the M-Tex pants that cost over 3x as much.

On my last elk trip (a total of 19 strait days in the back country living out of a tent camp)for the first time ever I wore only cloths that were made of 100% synthetic fibers, no cotton what so ever. After three weeks of 100% synthetic cloths (except for my "Smartwool" socks) I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER wear hunting clothing that has any cotton what so ever in it ever again.

It simply amaized me the difference clothing that absorbes less than 1% of its weight in moisture or water to the comfort, convinence and safty of a long term back country hunt.

Another vote for the Cabelas Microtex in Outfitter camo. Yea, they are $50, but they hold up really well and fit your needs.

Sitka 90% if you can get them for cheap enough.

+1 Wore mine on a Chugach trip and a Brooks Range Trip.. So far so good...

I like the Microtex material but my last pair of Cabelas microtex pants were cut for MC Hammer.

The military fatigues you have been wearing are about perfect for your uses. The ones with polyester/cotton blend dry fast if wet and are fairly inexpensive. They make them in OD Green if you don't like camo.

I use either military style, desert camo, BDU's or some sort of wool. Wool, I've found has a very wide temperature range and does almost everything except real heat, quite well. They must, however, be pretty roomy. Which is true of any hunting pant.
If wet grass is a problem, good Gore-Tex, or similar, gaitors is the answer to that. I prefer the Cabela's Gore-Tex models, worn loose at the tops most of the time. If you get into a patch of deep snow, or need to ford a stream, just cinch up the tops nice and snug. Won't keep all of the water out, but it will keep 95% out if you move right along. E