OK...got to thinking about this old school classic...especially after seeing RAS Red plaid in the SAVAGE COLLECTORS thread under topic of Putting a face to a name.
Who here still wears the timeless classic in cold weather climates? Red Plaid, Green Plaid...makes no nevermind, so long as it is wool! Let me know and they brand and type for comparison's sake and recommendations! This ought to be good! Hell...post a picture of it if you got one! JC
Not the jacket (never had one since we need orange in Pa.) but Woolrich pants are my choice for virtually all my deer and bear hunting. I've got a pair of red plaid for cold and a lighter weight pair for warmer. Also have a pair of green Johnson's but I don't think I'll ever fit in them again.
And somewhere, we have my Grandfathers Woolrich pants that are so old, they have laces in the lower legs.
This picture has been posted several times (in Model 70 threads and in a Johnson Woolen Mills thread), but here goes again. The grey jacket is 32-35 years old (give or take) and gets used occasionally as outerwear and sometimes under my favorite old field jacket.
Ps had to go find the picture again!
Last edited by Odessa; 08/17/10.
One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others. Archibald Rutledge
I use a red/black cabelas heavy wool parka, With dryplus. It is only useful at tempretures below 20deg, but dam it is warm and very well made.
The anti American Constitutional party (Democrat). Wants to dismantle your rights, limiting every aspect of your constitutional rights. Death by 1000 cuts is the tactic. Each cut bleeds constitutional rights to control you. Control is the goal.
I've still got Dad's red and black Woolrich plaid outfit downstairs. With the advent of the blaze orange laws everywhere I hunt, they haven't been out of the gunromm in a couple decades now. My son and I both wear blaze orange camo outfits from Remington.
I still do, and If I had to guess so do about 20% of the gun hunters in the Adirondacks. Its still a fine piece of equipment for cold damp environments, especially where the ranges are short and quietness is important.
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I have a HEAVY all red wool mackinaw made "I think" by Stag. Ill have to dig it out when I get home. Its older than I am, as it used to belong to my uncle and it was passed on to me. It is in Perfect shape Ill work on getting pics. Ive worn it religiously for deer hunting here in Michigan for the last 15 years. The only time I did not was one season several years ago it was about 65 degrees at 6am and by noon it was in the 80's on opening day.
"Good tings come to dose who shoots straight." Alphonse Soady
I hunted for many years in solid red and red & black Woolrich jackets, also Woolrich pants. Only gave them up when the mandatory orange regulations were put in place. Now wear camo fleece with orange vest & headgear, I have a goretex camo jacket for colder conditions. Most of the time the goretex jacket is wraped around my lower body and legs when seated in my deerstand. It does an excellent job of heat retention and helps block the wind to some degree.
Wool coat on right is a Woolrich with Thinsulate lining. The pattern is the same as my Dad and Granddad's hunting suits of the 1940-1950s. It has the back button pocket which I find useful for storing drag rope and gut gloves. I use it only for stand hunting for Whitetail. Coat on the left is a Codet single layer and use it for stillhunting Whitetail. Last year my wife told me it was very fashionable so I wore it on the street and Sunday go-to-meeting.
wool is still great for cold weather, retaining every bit of it's insulation even when wet. red plaid woolrich jacket was all i used for my first 20 years. now i do the camo thing.
My uncle gave me a red/black plaid wool coat he said he bought in the late 50's. EXCELLANT shape except for the zipper which I had replaced last summer. The tag in it(which has a pic of a wolf in the backgroud)reads:
WEATHERGUARD by Shane Division of A.SOLOFF & SONS,INC. Made in U.S.A.
I pretty much use wool and fleece exclusively. I love the red and black check and have a couple heavier shirts right now. It's almost a prerequisite to be able to hunt in VT and NH....
i still own a green/black plaid heavy wool shirt, more like a cpo jacket. i backpack it every trip and only use it when cold, which hasn't been for years now up here. i bought that shirt myself in 1972. it still almost looks brand new.
Yea, I wear Filsons green whipcord pants and their Double MaCinaw in grey in very cold weather but have learned a long time ago while bow hunting you don't need the usual leaf-and-dirt pattern to get close to deer. You NEED correct wind, no MOVEMENT and then most any plaid (heck-red!), quiet outer wear will do it.
As in fishing where most lures "catch the fisherman", most of the camo- patterns "catch" the would-be hunter too; they look good at 2 feet but as usual turn into a dark green blob at 40 yds.
The camo underwear and toilet paper, et al, just make me laugh. IMO, most camo these days is pretty much a non-factor; there are a FEW patterns IMO that make sense but not much more than earth tone wools..Or even non earth tone wools.
In this regard the Outdoor Channel does as much harm as it provides entertainment and I'm not even sure of that.
I'm pretty sure LL Bean and Cabelas sell wool jackets from various manufacturers with wind stopper. I'm looking into it my self as they are really efficient and light weight.
I wear a red plaid one from Johnson and a very warm green plaid double mackinaw from Filson. Oh, and solid green bibs with army camo stitched on the fronts of the legs to keep the begger burrs off.
I bought two wool shirts, 85/15%, red plaid and green plaid, from Gander Mountain, for under $20 ea on sale, back when it was a catalog store, maybe 30+ yrs ago. I still have the red and my 45yr old son still has the green.
I wore a Woolrich mountain parka with wool lining for over 20 yrs. My son is still wearing it.
I wear a Woolrich red plaid coat and a gray plaid wool bibs. If it is below 10 I bring out the Woolrich red plaid pants instead of the bibs. By accident and neglect I've never owned a camo anything, so now I'm trying to see how long I can live without any.
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That you guys know of does anyone make a wool coat with wind stopper in it?
Dober
Dober, you don't need the wind stop; just grab one of those super light Primaloft jackets that fold into a tiny stuff sack;when the wind blows just toss it under the wool and you are GTG.Not needed, it fits in a tiny stuff sack.
Filson now makes a Bomber-style,single layer red/black plaid jacket with brass zipper that is waist length,and single layer.I love mine. For late winter the double mackinaw is really good but a bit too much for active hunting IMO.
I wear wool, just not red/black. My green/black Jac Shirt never gets left behind.
George
�Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.�
There might be some wool plaid in these picks. I also have worn that Woolrich halibut jacket for many a year. Never lived anywhere that I could wear the double cruiser.
Bob...is this what you mean by their Bomber? Is it manueverable? Warm?
John, no but it's similar. The Bomber has the elastic-type cloth collar and cuffs.It's cut full through the shoulders so you can stretch your arms and mount a gun.It's single layer;waist length,and real comfy.
Got mine last winter but will hunt it this fall for sure. Nice jacket.
I'd worry about the 'elastic' parts holding water like a sponge.
Yeah, they might at that.....Think they are wool as well.I do like the shorter length.The one John posted a picture of is the work jacket design I think;it's similar and nice, too.
There might be some wool plaid in these picks. I also have worn that Woolrich halibut jacket for many a year. Never lived anywhere that I could wear the double cruiser.
STEELHEAD ...Love the green plaid! Particularly the last picture of the brilliant green plaid. Love the stock coloration in the last photo too! Hate the fact that the "99" has a recoil pad! Who would do such a damn thing!
Stopped at the gunshop/hardware/work clothing store near hunting camp a few years ago prior to deer season and they had Woolrich and Carhart stuff on sale.
Hadn't owned a Woolrich red/black checker wool shirt in over 30 years, since my last one had finally bitten ze dust. Got a new one, looks great. Made in China.
If three or more people think you're a dimwit, chances are at least one of them is right.
STEELHEAD ...Love the green plaid! Particularly the last picture of the brilliant green plaid. Love the stock coloration in the last photo too! Hate the fact that the "99" has a recoil pad! Who would do such a damn thing! [/quote]
i have the same exact type. use every year since 1972.
I've had better luck when out hunting in my old Woolrich that is probably 30 years old now than in my of my "new" high tech stuff. For elk hunting I still prefer it over anything else. This is about the only picture I have thats digital.
"Rather hunt Mule deer than anything else" "Team 7MM-08"
I still do, and If I had to guess so do about 20% of the gun hunters in the Adirondacks. Its still a fine piece of equipment for cold damp environments, especially where the ranges are short and quietness is important.
I guess I'm in that 20 % , was just going thru stuff for camp when I saw this thread. The heavy cold weather ones are still at camp. Woolrich and LL bean and Johnson are the majority on the brands. I believe Johnson is still 100% made in the USA.
Last edited by M1894; 08/19/10.
Phil
�The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.� �Samuel Adams
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
2nd hand stores , flea markets , and garage sales are great places to find barley used wool stuff at great prices . I picked up a jacket style woolrich in mint condition for 25$ this summer.
Phil
�The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.� �Samuel Adams
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
Have a dark green Filson Mack Cruiser (single). I'll use it sitting in a tree stand during November rifle season. If we get an early winter I might grab it to use as a "bivy" jacket and throw it on over my lighter layers when I'm on the move and stop to look around or have a hot drink/snack. Not very practical though, for how heavy it is, but sure is warm.
I have a Beagle Stalker jacket that was received as a gift. I haven't worn it much, as I find it too warm for still-hunting unless the temperature is down in the teens, and not warm enough for sitting.
I have better luck, temperature control wise, with a fleece layer and a fleece orange-camo vest when stalking and then add another layer of fleece and, if it is wet or windy, a gore-tex layer between the fleece jacket and fleece vest when sitting.
35 years ago, I hunted deer in NH wearing Johnson red/black or green/black wool and carried a Winchester 94 in 25-35, but it had a Lyman receiver sight in lieu of the open rear sight. If I wanted to carry a 30-30, I had to carry a Savage 99, also equiped with a Lyman receiver sight.
35 years ago, I hunted deer in NH wearing Johnson red/black or green/black wool and carried a Winchester 94 in 25-35, but it had a Lyman receiver sight in lieu of the open rear sight. If I wanted to carry a 30-30, I had to carry a Savage 99, also equiped with a Lyman receiver sight.
Jeff
Jeff....Green and Black plaid is cool...a Savage 99...Cooler!
I ghot me a new for last year Stormy Kormer, green & black plaid hat for bow hunting got 2 does with the bow wearing it!, also have a green & black swandri wool shirt that I wear bow hunting! John
just had my old woolrich taylored, lost about 50 pounds since I first bought it and I was swimming in the thing. Had about 8 inches taken out to the back and a few taken out of the arms and it fits just about perfect. It now has a seam down the middle of the back but its a hunting jacket not a sportscoat. Another thing I found is that when I wore it I would go into an allergy fit, had it drycleaned and no change. I gave up and through it into the washer and it seemed to do fine, plus whatever had gotten into the wool over the years was actually washed out and I can wear it again without sneezing and my nose running like a faucet.
Tell me the odds of putting grease on the same pancake? I Know they are there, well ice and house slippers. -Kawi
Plaid shirts,coats,from Pendleton Woolen Mills and I have just since inherited dad's favorite (with suede elbow patches)wool hunting shirts since his passing last month. Wool makes my brother itch so up to me to carry on the tradition. Too bad.
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When I was young , I thought the red and black looked kinda gay , so I fell in love with my green and black wool coat. Being the smallest and youngest I was often sent on the mission of going thru the pine swamps on the way back to camp , a couple hunters on either side and me to try and kick any deer out . Was late afternoon one time and I happened to walk out to my Dad ( funny how he usually knew where I would come out ) Any way , he had been watching me for a while and and he just made the comment that in the low light and shadows crawling thru the thick pines I looked a lot like a black bear wearing that green and black coat. That slowley sunk in . I only wear that green and black coat for around the camp chores now , at least untill the southern zone opens up and the folks that are just looking to blast something have moved on.
Phil
�The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.� �Samuel Adams
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
I agree that blaze orange is a good safety measure to take, like wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle, 'cause you can't count on the other guy being safe.
I'm not an advocate of mandatory blaze orange. Would be a great camo color if I was out in a big patch hunting the great pumpkin though I do have one of those orange camo baseball style hats I'll put on if I'm part of a drive / watcher.
Phil
�The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.� �Samuel Adams
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
Jayco that a nylon cape ?? Looks kinds noisy sneaking thru the brush ? Looks like snaps , removable ? that would be nice for them soaking rain or wet snow days .
Last edited by M1894; 08/26/10.
Phil
�The public cannot be too curious concerning the characters of public men.� �Samuel Adams
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
I had to go look before I mouthed off.(Grin)It is sewn in on the shoulders and as far as quiet goes,It isn't that bad or I'm deaf.I don't notice my wife in hers or visa versa when walking the hills but it sure comes in handy in those unexpected storms and especially,snow...
I got this one in Orofino Idaho where I was living and working at the time..
For cool weather I have a Johnson Mills red and black plaid jacket, (a Filson camo wool hunting coat for cold weather). Used to have the same thing in green-black plaid, first wife tried throwing it out a few times, it got so ragged, second wife finally succeeded...My go-to winter coat for non-hunting activities is a Filson mackinaw cruiser....wool bibs...wool pants...wool shirt...yeah, I like wool...
I just picked up a like new 50's era, Chippewa Woolen Mills red & black plaid coat for this years elk hunt. It is awesome. It is like brand new! Can't wait to use it. I'll just put my obligatory blaze orange vest over it. I use my vintage wool Canadian battle dress trousers too. Warm! Canadian BD was better than the Brit BD and highly sought after by all commonwealth troops!
If you are interested in vintage clothing this spot does have vintage hunting apparel reasonably priced. Just look thru the men's clothing and find the hunting catagory for the specific clothing item. They are spot on in their descriptions of the clothing as well.
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
And somewhere, we have my Grandfathers Woolrich pants that are so old, they have laces in the lower legs.
Dale [/quote]
Ah, the pennsylvania tuxedo!..... in the days before gore-tex, they were great (they still are!). even when you get soaked they still keep you warm
EVERYBODY is pro-gun, some just don't know it. When an anti-gun person is in trouble, the first thing they do is call 911 and demand that they send somebody with a gun!
I wear a Filson Cruiser red/black buffulo plaid. I retired a well kept Woolrich that was way too small to my wife. Filson prices are as bad as their product is good and I was fortunate to find one on ebay for about one hundred less. I feel hidden to the deer and not to fellow hunters.
Cool Link! There's even a Hudson Bay wool blanket coat (capote) in there!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that's classic. I too love wool and own a Red/Black Filson Double Mac, but it's way to warm for hunting here in New England....especially the past few years. I prefer wool and I want to substitute my Blaze fleece with Blaze wool from Vermont Woolens or Bemidji
...but cant find it in a Large. If anyone runs across one, let me know please! Thank you.
Can't imagine saddling a wool coat with a cotton liner. YMMV
I never had a wool coat so I wouldnt know the difference with or without a liner. Do you know of another wool coat of similar style I should look at? Not actually gonna use it for huntin, just casual wear I guess. Thanks
PS oh, wanna add I really like the green plaid colors if possible. Thanks
...but cant find it in a Large. If anyone runs across one, let me know please! Thank you.
Can't imagine saddling a wool coat with a cotton liner. YMMV
I never had a wool coat so I wouldnt know the difference with or without a liner. Do you know of another wool coat of similar style I should look at? Not actually gonna use it for huntin, just casual wear I guess. Thanks
PS oh, wanna add I really like the green plaid colors if possible. Thanks
I saw one advertised up here the other day. Its made by Irish Setter and its called the Deer Camp Jacket. Not sure where you can get it in the US...
Thought of buying a red and black back in the day but watched my uncles take out a table chair after sitting in an unseasonable rain storm in November. They stay warm wet but they take on a little weight. I have a Cabela's washable wool camo pattern parka that doesn't take on water like the Woolrich coats and is super warm. But I still wear Woolrich bibs.
Check out the Beaglewear. It's pricey, but is waterproof. I wear a Beagle half vest over a johnson wool jacket. The vest sheds alot of wet snow and rain.
The hardest part is finding a big buck. The easiest part is getting "em" out. - Larry Benoit
Anyone know if Vermont Woolen Mill's wool is as good as Bemidji wool? I want to get an all blaze orange one. I know they aren't quite as good as Filson, as filson actually felts the wool and shrinks it by about 25%, leaving a tighter, more durable weave.
Anyone know if Vermont Woolen Mill's wool is as good as Bemidji wool? I want to get an all blaze orange one. I know they aren't quite as good as Filson, as filson actually felts the wool and shrinks it by about 25%, leaving a tighter, more durable weave.
Don't know about Vermont Wool, but Bemidji Wool is good stuff. Good tight knit. The insulated it real heavy duty.
I just ordered blaze pants from bemidji wool and there out of fabric he is getting back to me to find out if they will be done before deer opener..... I might have to cancel my order......
"Check out the Beaglewear. It's pricey, but is waterproof. I wear a Beagle half vest over a johnson wool jacket. The vest sheds alot of wet snow and rain."
Yeah -= but where do you find them?
RECESSION: when your friend loses his job. DEPRESSION: when you lose your job. RECOVERY: when all these bad politicians lose their jobs.
This was Dad's wool coat that he bought in 1952. He always had it professionally cleaned each year after close of hunting season. I've hunted with this jacket since Dad died and its still warm and serviceable.
Dad told me that the black and red plaid is best camo for the forests and foothills.
This made me think of it.. haven't had it out of the closet in years... I have a jacket a friends mom gave me in high school in the late 60s.. her dad wore it to hunt on the UP of Michigan back in the 1920s... Red Wool Plaid jacket, with a big sown in pouch in the back for game..
I am going to drag that jacket out.. think is 90 years old now..
"Minus the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the Country" Marion Barry, Mayor of Wash DC
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
When I was growing up in NH, deer hunting was often as easy as walking out the back door, loading the rifle, and heading up onto the ridge behind my Parents' home. To go farther afield, I might have ridden a Honda CT90 somewhere within a 4 or 5 mile radius, parked it, loaded the rifle, and started hunting. I learned early on that if you lived next to an apple orchard, it was a good idea to look the orchard and the edges over with a pair of binos before heading out and if there were deer in the orchard, it pays not to slam the back door when you leave the house.
I really wish that my kids could have the freedom of the fields and woods that I had as a kid, but those days are gone for most people who don't farm or ranch for a living.
If they were a bit more water resistant, I would likely consider one for full time use!
I hear you there. I have been rocking the woolies for the past 10 years of hunting, and they are great for a lot of situations here in NH, but they don't stop the wind worth a dang, and they are atrocious in the rain. Might be time to modernize my kit a bit, but it sure is hard to beat the silent nature of wool!
OK...got to thinking about this old school classic...especially after seeing RAS Red plaid in the SAVAGE COLLECTORS thread under topic of Putting a face to a name.
Who here still wears the timeless classic in cold weather climates? Red Plaid, Green Plaid...makes no nevermind, so long as it is wool! Let me know and they brand and type for comparison's sake and recommendations! This ought to be good! Hell...post a picture of it if you got one! JC
I don't have pics. I wear Filson wool bibs with a Filson wool vest. I also have a "tin" jacket I wear until I get to where I'm getting, then I sit on it. My shirts are usually old Pendelton wool shirts, or wool sweaters (one of my sweaters I bought in Ireland and it smells like wet sheep, which I think is a good smell).
I have a red plaid Filson Double Makinaw that I where when hunting in MN. In MT it doesn't get as much use since I do a lot more hiking. It does get worn while plowing though. Bought my Dad a Woolrich red plaid coat in 89. He never wore it so he gave it to my wife. Now we match. Sort of.
Woolrich clothes were popular in Pennsylvania because they were made right here in Plum Run - later renamed Woolrich PA.
All my family members at one time wore Woolrich hunting suits.
When I started hunting, my grandfather had just passed away and they tried to get me to wear his old hunting clothes and I refused and wore a old WW I army coat and 3 pairs of blue jeans.
As I got older, I wore that coat many times until they passed the Blaze Orange laws in Pennsylvania. I was the first person in my family to wear a All Blaze Orange hunting suit. The company was called Ideal and was out of Sykesville PA. The coldest clothes I ever wore. I still have the outfit, it doesn't fit me anymore.
The dumbest thing I ever did was wash my grandfathers coat in the washing machine. He always had it cleaned at the dry cleaners. Well it shrunk up and now I don't fit it no more. You could probably put it on a 12 year old kid - it shrunk so bad. I still have the coat though.
All you need was a good pair of boots, your rifle and a jacket.
Now you need a John Deer tractor, seed, weed killer, a deer lease, and a tree stand.
I miss the old days.
Hank Hill said on "King of the Hill" one time, "Aw hell, Dale, that's a bunch of bull. Everybody knows, all you need is an orange shirt and a six-pack!"
I lean toward the hunting over the gear, but if you can take gear with some family history, you're ahead of the game, in my book.
The dumbest thing I ever did was wash my grandfathers coat in the washing machine. He always had it cleaned at the dry cleaners. Well it shrunk up and now I don't fit it no more. You could probably put it on a 12 year old kid - it shrunk so bad. I still have the coat though.
Have a friend that bought a wool sweater, wore it once and it got mixed up with his other laundry. He came to my house and tossed it on the kitchen counter, said my son should get some good use out of it.