Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting One Jacket for the Rest of Your Life

I cannot remember a single time being cold in the blind........since I bought my Browning 4 in 1 Parka in 1998. Found out by accident that it was the original Duck Commander clothing by Browning before any of us knew of Duck Commander & Phil Robertson.

I have worn it as the shell without the down lining & with. I have stayed dry in every incident. I have been warm always down to 15°. I even fell in the water while duck hunting & still stayed warm for the hunt.

I was able to buy another as a backup a few years ago. I would expect Browning's current clothing line to be of equal stamina & quality.

If it's anywhere close to the quality of mine mentioned in my previous post IT WILL be a "rest of your life" purchase..

Oh sure, very true. I think that is more true of the down than of the synthetic.
Personally, the down hunting jackets I have of that type run $400-$500 and I am resistant to compressing them into a tiny sack because they don't ever quite return to their former selves.
On most hunts I am actually hoping for bad weather and for a legit reason to bring some extra layering along - usually doesn't happen.
I think situational awareness is extremely important to calculating your own reasonable altitude and mileage. If you are lucky enough for some colder weather and have the gear for it you may find less need to extend your range and the hunt may, to some extent, come to you. The lightest, cheapest, most frequently used feature I've had on any apparel is a hoodie on a pile or mid-layer.
In the photo below the options for moving became very limited (couldn't go high and dangerous to go too far) but that did not eliminate the hunting opportunities. A little later that day the weather lifted to some extent and the fella on the left killed a cow.


If I'm planning on spraining an ankle then I'm bringing a SAM splint, extra surgical tape, portable shelter, water pump, food, and so on. For a calamity other than an ankle someone might need even more stuff, but a certain level of confidence in ones ability goes a long way. I actually have had the experience of breaking a bone in my ankle while climbing alone and I found the most valuable apparel in that situation was a high boot.

A down jacket will weigh under a lb. That's going to add another trip? You're guaranteed to not slip and sprain an ankle while you have 60lb of meat on your back? You're more apt to get hurt while carrying a load than when not. If it's 20 and blowing, you darn well better have that tiny 10 oz. jacket on top of your pack.

If it is 20 and blowing that did not occur instantly. If you can't read the possibilities of that days conditions, and furthermore ignore the available forecasts, then take it a step further by not keeping a reasonable distance from camp if weather does begin to turn, then by all means carry all the stuff with you that you want each and every day.
A certain amount of awareness of the environment and situation goes a long way toward proper preparation.
Personally, I certainly have those extra layers along and available in a bag containing gear for inclement weather. Some years (not many) I have actually even used it.

Interesting discussion. There are lots of different things that can happen where you'd need to spend a cold night out. Maybe you're chasing a wounded bull cross-country on a moonless night, it turns dark, and your headlamp's not working.

I like to hunt solo. I've never had to spend a night away from camp but there's always a first time. The weight and volume of a puffy jacket is something I'm willing to carry.

I tend to hunt solo too ( even more so today 'cause like Rock Chuck my hunting partners have faded away). And like you I tend to pack my daypack for a unintended night outside....

Casey

One more observation for the OP and that is, if you noticed, not many of the experienced elk hunters have talked about needing to stay warm in a blind or while sitting for long periods and there's a reason for that.

These days I very rarely carry the puffy jacket, but for many years, on many hunts I did.
Nothing feels better than down when setting foot on a frosty morning in the dark. I find that comfort lasts about 10 minutes, I get overheated, and then for the rest of the hunt my pack is stuffed full and my visual appearance seems to have doubled in size.
The times when I still would wear down are times when I don't expect the temp to get much above freezing or if I've found some feature where I plan to sit still for a long period. I nearly always would then.
The idea of a 10 oz jacket that compresses into an unnoticed size but still provides warmth suitable for a night afield - I just haven't seen that. My downs are all heavier and bulkier than that and too expensive for that king of compression without a good reason to do so (I've got 3 - a Beretta, a Browning, and a Chinese mountaineering jacket, and none of those were less than $400).
That is not intended to sound like I hike way on the light side because I don't feel I do - it's just different. These days I plan for a change after the first several miles, after I've separated from roads and hunters, and after I've began to sweat. At that point when things change from hiking to hunting I'll strip off a stinky sweaty long sleeved base layer hoodie, seal it in a gallon ziplock, wash off my sweat, and change to a clean dry base layer that I had removed from that bag. I feel like that keeps my pack lighter and better reduces my odor. If I get into trouble later that day the contents of that bag are still available as an extra layer. I use some other layers of course. The next heaviest thing that I have to down is a Sitka windstopper pile that is very warm - usually too warm - and it tends to be another garment that is a little too much for the typical weather here.

I'll ask a question here that if it gets many responses might give you some food for thought.

How many here can still wear their HS letter jacket?

I can get mine on but I wouldn't wear it any where as it's about 2 sizes too small. I can however still wear jackets Ive had since my early 30s IOW don't be surprised if you fill out quite a bit in your early to late 20s.

I usually wear a medium but I'm looking to buy a large because of both layers underneath and to allow for some growth later.
As a side note my Dad can still fit in his FFA jacket from high school. It isn't ideally fitting but he wears it around the house occasionally to remind himself he can.

Two of my fav cold weather coats

Lt. Chippewa mills Mack at least 50 y o

Rt. M1938 USGI Mack or Jeep coat (mfg 1944).



Both size 44

The Chippewa is my "Lucky" elk coat! 😉

Agree with what others have said. I use heavy 3 in 1 jackets from Columbia and Cabelas for stand and waterfowl hunting but for Elk it is layering all the way.

Outer wool or rain/wind soft shell then light weight down or synthetic hooded sweater or parka then down vest and wool shirt or hoodie and maybe a base layer if it is really cold.
Worst case all the outer wear can be rolled up and go on the outside straps of the pack. I believe in being prepared for the worst case but with a good fire you could stay over in pretty cold conditions. I also like that leaving room in the pack for the layering keeps me from loading it down with other stuff too much.

The few times I wore one of the heavy 3 in 1 jackets it was an absolute pleasure for about 30 minutes and then the first hill I could not get out of it fast enough.

I will say eBay can be your friend . I just bought a LL Bean wool cruiser with a quilted nylon lining that was like new for $25. Dry cleaned it for $8 and I doubt I'll never wear it out.

You are on the right track, IMO.

I wear M, but over 12 years ago bought a Sportsman's Warehouse "Mad Dog"?? "breathable-waterproof" jacket or light parka in L (going on a 18 mile in back pack hunt- needed something to carry the Dachshund in as needed.... . I've found this kind of stuff is best used in light conditions, stationery, for a wind guard, or below freezing conditions.

In wet, nasty-windy conditions, I wear real, non-breathable rain gear. You are going to get wet either way, so you might as well be warm and wet, with a less heavy (once wet) outer layer.

Be advised "breathable" rain gear has not met the hype for harsh or prolonged conditions in my experience, and it takes considerable care to make it even close. After every washing, one needs to renew the outer "water-proofing". by Scotchgarding or similar, which will theoretically keep outside moisture from reaching the "vapor" membrane, which does pass water in both directions. And under moderate or heavy exertion, the "breathable" can't keep up. I haven't tried the renewal washing formulas, so can't comment if those work as advertised. Breathable stuff has it's place tho.

My L sized light parka is a little sloppy when worn alone, but I can and do layer underneath it with down or synthetic jackets, of different weights, and/or insulated coveralls respective to anticipated conditions. Has lots of pockets, tho, and that is helpful. I wear it a lot, down to somewhat below zero conditions on the snow machine, with an even older Cabelas down jacket underneath, with possibly insulated coveralls even under that, depending on wind and temp. If I kill, I can peel layers for the dressing out or other exertion.

The down jacket packs up small if I don't need it, but loses insulating value if wet, so mostly I wear that combination in below freezing conditions, substituting synthetic fleece in above freezing, wetter conditions which are not too severe.

As to camo, as said. Only birds and fish see colors, besides humans (and maybe other primates?). Mine is most useful to designate hunting-only, scent and UV killed clothing. Motion, sound, and scent are more important, and if you can break up your outline behind or in front of a bush, rock, or tree, camo becomes superfluous. Often even without breaking up the outline, if one is motionless, quiet, and down or cross-wind, the animal just won't twig.

I wear the same sizes at 69 (coming up in 6 weeks), that I did at 19, except in pants an inch longer inseam (wife's insistence) and waist (upgraded to in my mid 30's). 31/31, if you must know.

My wife wants me to put on a little weight, but I think that's just jealousy.....

Started big game hunting (Colorado elk) in 1982. Wore a blue jean coat with a sweatshirt underneath. Still do at times. Although I now have multiple camo coats in various weights, the one I use most often is a lightweight, quiet, water-resistant cover over a blue jean coat over a sweatshirt. As the day warms I peel layers. When antelope hunting the weather might be in the 30's or high 90's. I dress appropriately.

Never owned a $250 coat, let alone one that costs $400.

Good luck on a one-coat-for-all-purposes coat.

I have hunted deer alone at -30 F and as warm as 80 degrees. One jacket is not a possibility. Some of my warm stuff is a real bitch to get dry if I spend a day out in cold weather getting wet.

Advice:

Get a really warm hat. An alpaca fur (hide on) bomber hat is the best I have found, but I can often make do with a rabbit fur (hide on) bomber. Absolute minimum for cold weather is a fiber/rabbit fur hat. Always keep uppermost in mind that you can take it off or you can substitute a less warm option like a stocking hat or a baseball cap. A good synthetic long sleeved pull over shirt in blaze orange works fine in warm weather and can be really warm under a decent parka. 1200-1400 gram thinsulate muck type boots can be augmented with the little toe warmers and get your feet through very cold conditions. Good warm bibs are a must as long as they provide enough side zipper length to get them off and on in a deer stand. If you have to walk any distance to a deer stand even in -30 weather you can overheat in a hurry. Being able to get in and out of your warm clothing is mandatory. I almost never wear anything heavier than brown jersey gloves no matter how cold it gets. I do however keep hand warmers in slash pockets or a good insulated pocket that is easily accessible. I will carry some very big, very insulated mittens and when appropriate shift my hands in the jersey gloves and the hand warmers into them. Staying warm in extreme conditions is easy. Stay dry, provide plenty of insulation and use hand/toe warmers appropriately. Neglect any part of your body and things can go south in a big hurry which can cause permanent damage.

I have a Woolrich jacket.The old black and red plaid. It is going on 50 + years old.Probably the younger techies,don't even know about them. It is still great and warm, and almost water proof,but kinda heavy when it is wet. it had gone thru a zipper that I had replaced and added elbow patches as reinforcement.
I hate today's jackets/coats,They all have plastic zippers that might last two years and everything has velcro on it that makes too much noise for me

Go to a army surplus store! Get the new issue gear, base, mid-weight, and heavyweight! Hard to beat the cost! The new gear is as good as commercial made gear! Or join up and the government will issue good gear to you!