Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Soft shell pants reccomendation

I posted this in the general big game forum, but thought you guys might have a better angle on it.

I'm looking for a hunting pant that can feel in the gap when its not cold enough to break out my wool pants. Something soft but tough and water resistant. Doesn't need to be cammo, just available in earth tones and in 2xl.

Any ideas that won't break the bank?

Kuiu Attack pants

Same here!

Just checked on those and they only go up to size 40 in the waist. A 42 I could do but a 40 is just too small for me.

Is that cloth quiet? I do a lot of stalking and noise is a huge issue.

They are very quiet!

Cabelas microtex pants treated with Nikwax.

APCU pants made by Propper.

Kuiu's are very quiet, and I have an idea how you could fix that waist size issue......

+1

Fine if you like 'em but they ain't softshells.

REI Mistral
http://www.rei.com/product/815994/rei-mistral-pants-32-inseam

Mountain Hardware Sarpa
http://www.rei.com/product/803168/mountain-hardwear-sarpa-pants-mens

Mammut Traileka
http://www.rei.com/product/851635/mammut-traileka-soft-shell-pants-mens

Do you own the Propper softshell pants?

Yes, put them on and spray them with a water hose, it is like spraying Saran Wrap, except water will penetrate the weave of the fabric. You shake your leg and the fabric appears dry. That Scheollor nano-technology is some amazing stuff. I have no idea how long it'll last but supposedly it'll "re-activate" in the dryer. Of course, they said the same thing about charcoal suits and we now know that was all BS.

How do they breathe on a hard climb?

I live in the south and as such have only worn them for walk-abouts. I have used the Cabela's Microtex a fair amount and I'd rate them as about equally warm, which is pretty warm. You can blow right THROUGH the fabric, much easier than blowing through a windshirt or even a good tafetta with DWR on it. My MED pair weigh 14.3 oz.

I should add that ANY softshell is really intended for mixed conditions, IE, snow/sleet etc and not hard rain/ warm conditions. That nano coating prevents the garment from soaking out and causing evaporative heat loss increasing the hypothermia possibility.

That is precisely why I moved away from softshells. Heavier, less breathable, yet still requiring me to pack a hardshell for steady rain/wind.

A nikwax treatment really extends the utility of microtex to the point where hardshell pants are rarely needed, yet they still breathe great on hard climbs and dry really fast.

Now if they would only make them in multicam......

I have had a few pairs of cabelas microtex pants and was not really thrilled with them when in wet conditions, I have the attack pants and are nice when warmer, but I ordered a pair of the guide pants with a thin fleece backing and they are fantastic and really well made, if in mountains mammut champs are hard to beat, that's my two bits.

MicroTex is GOOD stuff, but, for serious, mountain wear while backpack hunting in typical BC conditions, which can and do range from 80*F-ish to 0*F-ish during our main seasons from mid-August to mid-November, I have a pant that is the best I have found in 50 years of buying/wearing such gear.

This, is the "Wild Things" gear, comes in "Multicam", a medium green, darkish grey and, IIRC, black. They call it "softshell" and these are NOT "cheap", but, from what I have seen of Sitka Gear and a LOT of other gear, they are the best I know of.

For most mountain hunting, I like these, stagged high like Bullbucker's pants, good gaiters, silk and/or merino base layers, according to personal tastes/needs, in varying weather and so far, they have served me right well in most wet conditions.

Google "Wild Things" and see what you think, I have found them a great outfit to buy FINE gear from and only wish that they still would do custom sizing orders as they formerly did.

I like my Kuiu Attacks as well. I hear good things about the First Lite softshell.

Whatever you buy, this is the "magic" tag you want to see:

http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/technologies/nanosphere.html