Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Wool Pants Recommendation

I believe this topic has been covered in the past, but I could not cultivate a thread from a search. So here goes...

My wool hunting pants (army surplus with cargo pockets) finally kicked the bucket. Have been searching for replacements and have been unable to find something going the army surplus route that suits my taste and waste size (38). So going with commercially available options here is what I can find....
Johnson Woolen Mills - $220 - 22oz weight
Big Bill - $145 - 18 oz weight
First Lite Obsidian - $150 - 22 oz weight

Anybody have any experience with any of these or others? IIRC my old pair cost well under $100 for perspective. Is the premium $ for Johnson Woolen Mills worth it?

Thanks

I have all brands it seems like the older ones were made better but if looking for new the big bills aren't bad for the price I have all of last year on mine and haven't seen any default to them yet.

Filson
Expensive, but great!! "Cry once"

Or go to the thrift store or goodwill and buy wool dress slacks. You will be the best dressed in camp.

Those 18 to 22 oz weight pants are probably substantially heavier than your surplus pair. Of the three, I've used Johnsons. They are very good, and pretty much unchanged since the last ice age. You'd have to spend a lot of time in the field to wear a pair out.

If you want something that may be closer to army surplus look around for wool whipcord pants. Johnson carries them in an 11 oz worsted wool whipcord fabric. Filson used to carry them, haven’t checked lately. My wool pants these days are whipcord versions that I got from llbean years ago, but they don't carry them anymore. I find the lighter weight whipcord pants more versatile. The fabric weave is tight and snags less, can wear them comfortably in warmer weather than 22 oz fabric pants, and just wear heavier underlayers when it's colder.

The 11 oz fabric is lighter than the old surplus M1951 wool field trousers that I used to use (maybe somewhere in the 14 - 16 oz range), and the 1951s were lighter than my old green Johnson pants. I'd still use the M1951s but my size disappeared from the market years ago.

If you want heavy fabric, nearly indestructible, old style wool, yes, the Johnson pants are worth the price.

I have Big Bill wool overalls, am happy with these.
I wear wool all the time.

kuiu merino wool 210 long johns with attack pants. if you get too hot you can just drop trow and remove the long johns without taking off your boots or pants. if you want or need more warmth than that. pair the merino long johns with the guide pants. I love wool but its even better when its more flexible when paired with what I am suggesting.

Tractor Supply had Big Bill wool pants for sale on their website for $55ish recently.

This!

KOM on ebay.

Agreed.

Yep.

I have used Johnson and Big Bill for 40 years . They both last a long time and are well worth the money. Big Bill used to be Codet of Canada.

Depending on where and how you wear your wool pants, thin wool dress pants might do better than the thick heavy ones. As I've posted in the Backpack forum, I look for high quality wool or wool blend dress pants from thrift stores and wear them with and without long johns, depending on weather and temps. Killed a buck in pouring rain last week while wearing green wool pants from some investment banker's suit. Got blood on them, mud on them, tore a hem seam, no matter. These are on their third year of hunting. Not sure but think I paid $6. Get them a little big and roomy, far less binding than jeans, shed light rain. For use context: I rarely hunt deep cold, don't do tree stands, backpack hunted until recently. I gave away my heavy military surplus after I started wearing wool dress pants.

appreciate the feedback from all. Again, the depth of experience from the 'fire is unmatched.

Filson ...................................

As i've gotten older (fatter) i 've given my old wool pants to my nephews and i have done real well replacing them with vintage Woolrich Malone pants off of ebay.A hundred and change should get you there.I don 't know what oz. weight wool fabric they are,but those and a set of Duofold longjohns is all i've ever needed.

I recommend wool pants.

No, IMHO. But they're damn good pants. I have Big BIll pants and bibs. I couldn't tell you what I paid for them because I've had them for so long.

XArcher, check your PMs. Thanks.

L.W.