Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk hunt clothing help - October in Montana

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?