Forgive me if this has been covered before but clothing is always changing and search engines in forums leave a lot to be desired so I am asking here for updated information and opinions.

I have an elk hunt in Montana in 2016 and am looking for advise on clothing. The hunt will be the first week in October and camp is at 9000 feet. Over the years I have hunted Canada, Newfoundland, and Colorado so I know what to expect for terrain but dressing for the ever changing weather is another story.

I realize this is very personal and opinionated but for those that live it every day, or spend those countless hours in pursuit of elk, what do you recommend for clothing? My current gear is a mix and match of everything known to man - I would like a complete layering system that is practical and effective.

Thanks for the help,
Dan

Be prepared for heat, and snow. Good chance you will see both during the week.

It could be 80 degrees or 0 degrees, so you have to come prepared for both

1) Warmer days:
uninsulated/gore tex boots
merino wool socks and long johns
flannel or microtex shirt
blue jeans or micortex pants
packable raingear
uninsulated hat

2) Colder days
insulated/goretex boots
merino wool socks and long johns
wool or thinsulate pants
flannel shirt/down vest/insulated jacket
packable rain gear
wool mittens
warm hat

Watch for frostbite in the morning and night, work on your tan during the day.

Just remember the old adage....Cotton Kills
Get damp and it takes long to dry out, catch a chill breeze and you are cold. If its on your core it can be rough, this comes from experience.

Synthetic or merino base layers. My likes are wool shirts, lightweight and medium for colder. They dry better are warm and don't seem to hold as much stink on multi day hunts.

your mileage may vary, jmho
Best of luck on your hunt, planning is all part of the fun.

I'm cornfused... What is it, really? Cotton kills? Or, Cotton is the fabric of our lives?....

Thanks for the info guys.

Is anyone using the "systems" like Sitka, First Lite, or Kuiu?

They are a bit pricey for me but curious if they are all they say they are?

<snork>

Milsurp wool DRESS pants. Not the heavy cargo pocket ones but the lighter weight dress type. They're light enough to wear up to 70F, will keep you comfortable down to 25 or 30 as they are, and with polypro long johns, are good to 0 or so. They're cheap, very durable, and ugly, but are the best pants I've ever found.

Take a look at Cabelas microtex or whatever they call their brand for pants at least. Reasonably priced and hold up very well. Stay away from denim jeans and as mentioned it can be cold and lots of snow and/or in the 60-70 degree range at that elevation during mid day.

I personally HATE long johns and would rather be a touch cold than over heated. Plan to carry a pack and be able to add or shed a layer or two as needed.

"Systems" are probably a good way to roll if you can afford it but I've basically pieced my bunch of duds together-and from August to November I wear...

Icebreaker 1/4 zip merino as my base layer.

Marmot 1/4 zip fleece over that (take it off when I hike usually)

Pants- Cabelas MicroTex

And I carry a First Lite Uncompahgre and then my rain gear in the lid of my pack.

If I'm getting into later October and November mule deer hunts I will add synthetic long underwear and maybe another insulating shirt under my IceBreaker merino, but I hike and move a lot, so I stay pretty light on clothing. That "system" worked well for me in Alaska, and in Colorado.

It might not look as cool as a full on Kuiu or Sitka "system" but then again I'm no mountain athlete or Pro-Staffer...grin

No, and No. There is no reason to pay those prices. I have a couple of Sitka pieces that were bought at 60% off, but while the quality is good, it doesn't merit their regular price

The places you can't skimp on are boots, long johns and rain gear. Just remember that long johns purpose is NOT to keep you warm, but to wick moisture away and keep you dry. When hiking in the mountains, you will sweat. I will agree that cotton would kill if we are talking long johns and socks.

So if you have good boots, a good base layer, and good rain gear, the middle layers are just personal choice

I've got Danner pronghorn boots but with years of wearing them, there is still a hotspot above my ankle right in front on one leg - other recommendations for boots?

I really like my First Lite merino base layers , and I wear Columbia wool pants and a med weight wool shirt, Dahlgreen alpaca wool socks and Hanwag boots and I stay pretty comfortable!

What he says. Cheap, quiet, butt ugly, but wide range of comfort. Anything works in nice weather; it is when you are miles from camp and things change that you appreciate GOOD clothing.

hands can be tough. I like glacier gloves with the mitt cover. You can start out with the mitts in the am, transition to fingerless, and go bare handed if nice. And quick to shoot from. Choice of fleece or neoprene.

Watch sierra trading post. I got some blaze orange polypropylene t-shirts which are a great first layer, and can be worn alone if it really gets warm. Wool or fleece shirts. For layering, they have to be orange. I like a windproof fleece jacket for cold weather, and have a fleece covered down vest as another layer. Works for all but the nastiest weather, when I use a waterproof, windproof breathable orange layer and combos of the other layer.

Head can be tough too. Too hot and a closed hat will sweat you to death, but that same hat will freeze your head if it is cold or rainy. I wear the ventilated hat when hiking and warm, and stuff a stocking hat in my pack just in case. If it is cold, I go to a closed top hat. And if really cold, I have a fur lined orange hat with ear flaps. Don't hike in it - use another hat because you will get soaked.

Not sure how you will be hunting, but this may help with organization: I'm sitting in Billings, MT waiting for a hunting partner to show at the airport. In the back of the truck is a rubbermaid tote with all the outer layers in it. They go in there when I get to the truck, and when I leave in the am, they come out.

Boots - something that fits! Lacrosse made an alltemp boot that is a rubber bottomed boot with thin liners for warm weather, felt liners for cold weather, as long as you keep moving. Leather or even tennis shoes in hot weather. GOOD wool socks and linersocks, even on a warm day. Good liners minimize blisters, but so do Russell moccasins!

Enjoy your prep - but start researching now. Santa Claus is coming soon ;-)

Curious about this comment. Is there a law on orange for hunting?

Just have a cheepy orange mesh vest and you're good to go.

I am thinking I can take advantage of the after season sales since the hunt isn't until 2016.

Yep. I if I am looking for something in particular, I look at Cabelas bargain basement and on amazon at least once weekly. Also, sign up for Camofire.com The send you a daily email of hunting clearance items. Once or twice a month, they will have something you might be interested in

Cabelas Meindl in Perfkt Hiker or denali. DO NOT buy the mendle boots that say "imported" because they are made in Asia. Buy only ones that say "made in Germany" I think you can find them on sale sometime this year.

This is what I wear guiding and hunting for myself in NW wyoming.

For cool to warm I wear merino socks, long johns, and 1/4zip shirt. For pants the cabelas microtex.

I've got one of the Patagonia, bought on clearance, micro puff vests and a similar jacket only of cabelas brand, then I'll put a windbreaker fleece on over that for riding or sitting.

I wear the lowa Tibets.

When it gets colder I still wear the merino wool stuff, maybe heavier weights, switch to kennetrk insulated mtn extremes. For pants I wear some of the ugly military dress pants and if it's really snowy/windy I wear a hard shell pant over those. And I'll add a puffy down jacket.

I use a ball cap most of the season keeping a balaclava in my pack. For real cold I'll go with the balaclava with a ear flap hat over it that velcros under my chin.

I don't have to deal with a bunch of rain here but I have some marmot precip. Haven't even put it on yet this fall.

I've never had the expensive systems. I think you can get a bunch of good gear for what one of those systems pieces cost. Especially shopping sales.

The place to spend serious money in my opinion is boots. And since I went to insulated hiking boots I can't believe I ever wore pack boots for hunting the mtns. They have their place but it isn't on my feet in rocky rough country.

What brand/style are you wearing for boots?

Like most folks I wear wool or poly base layer then a wool shirt and layer depending on temperature as well as a light orange windbreaker for Colorado Camo for home or archery. I wear wool pants these days and vary the weight or add long johns with a rain gear pant and jacket or heavier parka strapped on the pack. I carry a wind and waterproof hat with pull down ear flaps and a stocking cap in colder weather and wear a lightweight synthetic ball cap on warm days or sweaty hikes then let it dry on a bush. The other item in the pack is a lightweight synthetic down vest sucked down to nothing in a vacuum sealer. It really keeps your core warm on those days when it gets colder than you expected. I like wool and will often carry a super light merino sweater from eBay to add a layer withou much weight if I want to stay lighter. I think you always need something to cut that cold evening wind and to keep you dry and an extra layer even on warm days. A pack with a few extra layers tied on when you don't need them is nicer than freezing and wet because you wanted to stay 8 ounces or a pound lighter.

Lowa tibets and kennetrek mtn extremes

Tanner is spot on. I have been running two pairs of microtex pants for over 10 years and they get used a lot!

It's easy to pack way too many clothes. My feet need Lowa boots. I either run the Tibets or the Camino. I always have an internal debate on which rain gear / outer shell to pack. It gets used the least but when you need it, you really need it. The best stuff tends to be on the heavier side so there seems to be a lot of compromises that get considered. I still haven't got the outer shell right yet.

Anybody know of other "deal" places? I have time to shop so may as well get the best prices and put this together for a nice hunt.

A modular system is what you need. Base layers, insulation layers, and a shell. You shuffle them as dictated by weather in addition to a basic overnight survival gear bag that goes wherever you go, regardless of the type of pack you carry at any given time. For me that includes a disposable bivy bag, fire making, water purification tablets, and energy bars for food.

Specneeds mentioned a good lightwieght packable down vest. I carry one in a stuff sack in my pack, it's about the size of a softball. Worn with a good shell (pitzips are critical in a shell IMHO) you can survive overnight if need be.

True words. I agree with Ralphie on clothing. I've tried all the major boot brands and have settled on American made Danners built on their 650 last. The Cabelas Elkhunters are/were the same boot as the current Danner Elkhunters. American made Danners are not cheap, nor the lightest, but they are waterproof, warm, indestructible, and re-buildable. When I'm on a 30 degree slope with a pack full of meat, I want my Elkhunters on my feet (or my Trophy's). I find that many boots will work on relatively flat terrain but when it gets steep and loads heavy, you need a good fitting boot or blisters ensue. When you get blisters, you're done hunting hard.

The rest is a matter of finding something that keeps you warm and dry, not necessarily in that order. Its funny how guys tend to converge toward the same equipment. I wear dress army wool for my lightweight layer and a windbreaker type fleece when I'm moving in colder temps. I hunted most of this past elk season in either a base layer and light fleece top when it was above 30 or base layer and windbreaker type fleece when it was a bit colder. I rarely put on my outer layer but carry it in the event I sit for an extended time period.

This plus possible wind burn.......

Watch Shoebuy for specials. I bought Lowa Tibets at 33% off ~ $250.

I wear Microtex and milt surplus wool pants. I switch to wool when the daytime highs are in the 30s or below.

This year, I FINALLY found a combination of layers that are keepers. My recent 2nd rifle season elk hunting trip in CO was the proving ground.
- Mid-weight Smart Wool Merino base layers (top and bottoms)
- Heavy-weight "military type" wool sweater (Swedish military zips are really warm)
- Gore-Tex Pro soft shell top (uninsulated) with pit zips. (It comes off when warm)
- Pants, for temps down to 30 degrees or so First Lite Kanabs (merino wool)
- Pants for colder or rugged terrain, Big Bill's (formally Codet) wool pants. I really like the comfort and feel of these pants�especially in colder conditions. They were surprisingly comfortable while climbing and maybe the best hunting pants I own.
- My boots are Kenetrek Mountain Extremes w/400 grams of insulation.
- My hunting buddy makes fun of me but, my favorite cap is a Stormy Kromer wool cap.

I have seen a few good deals on Core4Element on Camofire - does anyone have experience with the quality/durability of that brand?