I'll be hunting South-East Oregon where the weather can be hot and dry and with some thunderstorms or early snow in the high mountains (6,000-7,500 feet). Average daily temps can be 70 F during the day, as low as 20F in early morning or if bad weather pushes in and towards the evening.
This will be a mid-October hunt. Every 3-5 years there is snow, other years, can be 2 rain showers or even thunderstorms during a week of hunting. Else, it can just be dry and sunny and windy or cold.
-->What layering system and specifically Jacket shell and outer Pants would you wear for this?
Looking to change up my clothing this year.
Lightweight milsurp wool pants for sure, maybe dress pants. They're comfortable as high as 70. Below freezing, a pair of polypro, merino, or other good long johns will make them good to 20 or lower. If they get wet, they'll still be warm.
Merino long handles top and bottom I wear the tops as my shirt, microtex pants, some kind of puffy jacket and vest. Marmot precip pants and jacket. Lots of days i end up taking the merino bottoms off as it warms up. I've tried smartwool and ice breaker, both work well but I think I prefer the smartwool.
I'm sure there is better and lighter but this has worked for me hunting and guiding in Wyoming.
FOR A COLORADO ELK HUNT
I wear the following
___ 1 Pair - Long Johns top & bottom, SmartWool, lightweight
___ 1 Pair - Socks, thick insulated wool/synthetic, no cotton
___ 1 Pair - Trousers - Sitka Gear Ascent
___ 1 Pair - Shirt - Cabelas, polyester, long sleeves, pockets, ORANGE
___ 1 Pair - Hiking Boots, Kennetrek Hardscrabble
___ 1 Pair - Gaiters, OR Crocodiles, red
___ 1 Each - Hat, ball cap (orange)
___ 1 Pair - Sunglasses, wrap around to protect from snow glare/blindness
___ 1 Pair - Gloves (lightweight synthetic)
and carry the following in my daypack
___ 1 Each - Hat, knitted (orange)
___ 1 Pair - Mittens (ski gloves)
___ 1 Each - Puffer Jacket, Dockers (wish it was orange)
___ 1 Each - Parka - Arcterex, Gortex/nylon with hood (wish it was orange)
___ 1 Pair - Socks, thick insulating wool/synthetic (no cotton)
FOR A SOUTHERN ARIZONA COUES DEER HUNT
I wear the following
___ 1 Set - Briefs & "T" Shirt, UnderArmor, Nylon
___ 1 Pair - Socks, wool/synthetic, no cotton
___ 1 Set - Shirt & Trousers - King Desert Shadow (camo doesn't turn black at 50 yards)
___ 1 Pair - Hiking Boots, Oboz Bridger mid
___ 1 Pair - Gaiters, OR Crocodiles, gray (to protect pants from the Cats Claw)
___ 1 Each - Hat, ball cap - King Desert Shadow
___ 1 Pair - Sun Glasses
___ 1 Pair - Gloves (lightweight synthetic)
and carry the following in my daypack
___ 1 Each - Hat, knitted (camo)
___ 1 Each - Puffer Jacket, Dockers
___ 1 Each - Parka - Arcterex, Gortex/nylon with hood (glad it's not orange when deer hunting)
___ 1 Pair - Socks, wool/synthetic (no cotton)
KC
I've been using the Cabelas "Lookout Fleece" lately and have been happy with it's performance. I combine it with a synthetic base layer when the temps dip south of 40 degrees. It's not rated as waterproof but beads the mist well.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Wool base layer and always carry the best leight weight rain gear you can afford. My preference is either Kuiu or Sitka.
Not only for rain, but also warmth while glassing.
Being wet 10 miles out is a bad situation.
A huge factor is whether you are going to come into a heated shelter each night or sleep out in the wet with a minimal backpack shelter. Keep your torso warm and dry.
No cotton anywhere. 20-70 F and likely rain is my everyday hunting situation from Sept. 1 till Christmas though 30-50 degrees and raining is average. Others may wear what they choose but here is what I actually wear. It is MUCH easier to dress for weather that STAYS below freezing.
My ensemble: thin wool dress pants, synthetic briefs, synthetic T-shirt, (long sleeved T on obviously cold days), light wool or acrylic shirt, and from there out it depends on how much and how fast I'm moving, plus how hard it is raining. If still hunting forest slowly as rain picks up from light to average coastal rain, I will put on a light Gortex hooded jacket with hood folded and sometimes put a fleece camo jacket or wool shirt over it to keep it quiet. If I get too cold I will add a nylon shelled fleece vest or a fleece pullover under the Gortex outer shell.
If it is raining very hard or wet brush is soaking my pants, add rain pants over the wool pants but that sure can get hot. I leave off the rain pants and just get wet if hunting near a road in light rain and expect to be back in a shelter soon after dark. If sitting more, definitely add rain pants over the wool pants. I carry a small closed cell foam pad to sit on.
If it is obviously a clear sunny day, I may wear thin brushed nylon peach finish hiking pants. Gramicci is my favorite. Love them. Super light weight. Yesterday I wore those in sub-alpine with a light Columbia nylon fishing shirt and no T-shirt in sunny 65 degree weather.
Gortex wide billed Florida flats fishing cap with a flap on back. I carry a thin fleece neck gaiter with chest flaps front and back to pop on if I stop moving for awhile. Gaiters go inside my wool pants, for quiet and so rain does not seep down inside them.
For walking fast on an approach hike in steady rain, I often wear rain pants with nothing under them but synthetic briefs. Ditto for upper body: rain shell over minimal synthetic T. And still sweat.
I carry super thin synthetic long johns but rarely put them on, only below 20 if hunting slowly is my rule of thumb for adding a layer on my legs.
Oops, I misread your original post to be southwest Oregon and was thinking wet country. If glassing and roaming from a pick-up in southeast OR I might wear jeans on a nice Fall afternoon!
But for an all day hunt in the kind of changeable Fall weather you describe, I'd go as described above.
Thank you gents. Okanagan, much appreciated.
You are welcome. I hunted in that outfit yesterday (wool dresws pants, synthetic R and light acrylic shirt) in weather from near frost at a dripping dawn to warm sun by early afternoon and then rain squalls and damp cold by sundown. Had to shed my synthetic T-shirt in midday.