Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Clothing question

Alright, I hate these which are the best X Y or Z products work well posts, but I am struggling a little here. I am not backpack hunting but where I hunt I have to hike up some steep hills for quite a distance. my normal stand pants are fleece style pants with wool camo pants over it. heavy, cumbersome but warm. I have lately been trudging up the hill in a new hunting area and they are heavy, tiring and tough to walk in. I then get to where I am going to sit andput on my fleece sweatshirt, vest, jacket, gloves, hat.....you get the idea. the stay puff marshmallow guy.

What I am getting at is I am looking for some of the newer technology hunting clothes so I am not doing a forced march up these hills, sweating my butt off, looking like Ralphie from A Christmas Story. I figure the new technology has gear that is lighter, easier to hike in but will still keep you warm when you stop. I'm more worried at this point about the pants as I can carry the top layers in my pack and put them on when I get up the hill.

Thanks for any and all ideas.

Ski pants with zip up legs and carry them in the pack, too.

Duh!!! that was too simple. (slaps palm on forehead) Why didn't I think of that???

Excellent point Rock Chuck. Thank you. Even heavy duty camo bibs as long as they have a long zipper so I don't have to take my boots off.
Thanks

I never wear long under wear bottoms, or even heavy pants in cold weather. Keep something in pack to pull on after I get where I'm going. I've used ski pants and I have a very lightweight summer sleeping bag that only weighs about 1 lb that I will often carry when it is really cold and windy. I will get in in boots and all from the waist down. When moving I don't need anything.

Look at the mountain hardwear chugach pants.

Or if you want camo, Sitka gear makes a pair, the Kelvin pants.

They are light weight, pack down small, but provide a lot of warmth.
They also zip all the way up the leg, so they are easy on, or off...

I take these on most all hunts here. Nice to zip on when glassing, or to add warmth at camp. Also allows to take a lighter sleeping bag.

Great tips, thanks guys. I like the sleeping bag idea as well, I may have to look into getting a lightweight one.

You should look at some boot blankets or similar. I use them instead of packs in blinds in COLD weather.

If you're going to wrap up in a sleeping bag in a tree stand, be sure your harness is adjusted right before you get 'dressed'. I can see where screwing with a sleeping bag would be a good way to go skydiving.

You are thinking of Ralphie's younger brother Randy.

Yep. I use the Rab Photon Pant for this purpose - they pack down to virtually nothing.

I don't climb trees anymore. Not as young and agile as I used to be.

After elk hunting in CO, and deer hunting SD, TX and OK over the 40 years I've come full circle and I'm now using merino wool base layers, wool pants, and wool second layers. The only synthetic clothing I'm using is a synthetic Gore-Tex Pro shell jacket. Wool is quiet, warm (even when wet) and IMHO is better at helping to regulate body temps than any other material. It's not as light but, the other attributes of wool more than offsets the weight. I WILL not got back to synthetics.

Ralphie, I think you are right. It is Randy. I am not much of a tree stand guy anymore. Just can't get comfortable up there. Besides, I like to nap when hunting. It is the only time I get to just sit and relax. The sleeping bag idea is a good idea. I like my wool and do use it but what I own is too heavy to wear going up the hill to where I sit, and I need to take my boots off to put on when I get there. I suppose a pair of wool bibs with a zippered leg would work well.

I'm starting to worry a lil bit about the tree stand hunting gig too.

but where I hunt ain't as likely as a moose goin in the freezer if I don't haul azz 40 ft. up a tree.

may have to invest in a real stand, so far I just take a board or two some cargo straps and an inflatable butt pad.

As far as pants go I used under armor in Montana with Cabelas silent suede rain pants. Good size leg zips, and when I got to where I was going I would layer a fleece in between. Nice, light, and pack able.