What to wear and how much to pack !

280ackimp

Active Member
Jul 4, 2017
166
28
New Hampshire
All,
I am hopeful to be hunting in late sept in Wyoming units 60 & 70 this year. That last time I went selecting clothes wasnt such a challenging issue, layering with jeans and Duofold vs waffle knits!

This is for a 10 day guided hunt on horse and in canvas wall tents. Elevation 6,000 to 11,000 feet. weather 70 to 0 deg

My strategy
1, I would hunt in one set of clothes and change when in camp
2, Tech fabric is better than cotton and wool
3, Layering is the plan with a "Poly" base layer -better for scent/stink controll
4, Gtex shell with a packable down jacket for real cold weather

Considerations

1, Pants --I am looking at the technical pants made by Kuiu the Attack model but at $140 a pair how many would you pack for a 10 day hunt?
- assuming that the technical fabric makes this less likely to stink after 3-5 days of wearing ?
- a pair of wool pants for cold weather

2- Shirts -- 2 fleece and a single wool shirt for layering

3, Gtex suit for rain

4, Down jacket for cold (under the gtex shell if needed)

With limits on duffle and being prone to taking far more than I would use ....how do you all pack for such a trip ?

Dave
 

Daubs

Active Member
Aug 5, 2016
424
75
Nebraska
I did a 7 day caribou hunt in Alaska back in 2005. A lot has changed since then. Here is what we did that might apply towards your trip:

- no cotton, ever.
- poly layers / underwear, long johns, shirts, etc. (I would recommend Merino Wool now)
- Gore-Tex rain shell (get the best you can afford...being wet sucks).
- Gore-Tex rain bibs, I like them better than rain pants...they pull over hunting pants better, and no rain down my crack if I bend over
- Rain Poncho, threw this over our Gore-tex and backpack for added layer of protection. It's light, cheap, and can be used as tarp or ground layer if needed.

I have Kuiu Attack Pants and Sitka Mt. Pants now...wish I had them back for that hunt. We didn't bring any down...temps were mid 60's down to high 30's for this hunt. Keeping dry and layering was key.

Bring extra britches/underwear. I hunted in Under Armour boxer briefs on that hunt...they got really stinky after only a few days. Brought wet-wipes and did my best to clean things up down there : )
 

Timberstalker

Veteran member
Feb 1, 2012
2,242
6
Bend, Or
I do have some insight on the pants,I wear the attack pants everyday. I have 4 pair, I work in them doing road construction in all four seasons from single digits to 100+. When it?s cold I wear merino base layers when it?s hot I open up the vent zippers. I will wear them for about 3-4 days before I wash them in normal working conditions. Ive never known them to stink, they just get too dirty for my liking. If I were to go on a hunt like your talking about I would bring two pair and a good base layer and leave the wool pants at home. If it gets too cold for just the base and pants put some light weight rain pants over them and you should be plenty warm.
I’m also assuming your elk hunting which I don’t sit in one spot long when I’m elk hunting in September.
+ 1 on wet wipes, I never hunt without them. EVER! I go with Duluth buck naked and they are awesome.
 
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Maxhunter

Veteran member
Apr 10, 2011
1,411
1,050
Wyoming
I have the attack pants but prefer the alpine. Make sure to bring some wool items especially the socks and underwear. I like the Minus 33 brand for underwear and socks I buy the Costco wool blends. Also recommend you get the sleeveless vest. The main thing is to layer properly no matter what the weather. I've done quite a few 10 plus day hunts usually back packing. I usually see most people over pack when it comes to clothes.
 
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rammont

Active Member
Oct 31, 2016
228
4
Montana
Layers are the key.

Base layer- thin poly type under clothing. I usually wear Under Armour products. I can wear these about two days of hard sweating without stinking. I'd take three pair, wash one set, wear the second set, and have the third set in case of emergency.

Insulation layer- I use merino wool long underwear, it's light, thin, and stays warm even if I get wet. One or two pair depending on how paranoid you are.

Outside protective layer- I usually wear a Sitka jacket and bibs for this layer, these are easy to take off if necessary but are quiet and warm. I only take one set of these.

I also carry a rain layer, any of the current high tech stuff that is quiet and light weight will do. I use this as a wind breaker if it's windy but the temps aren't high enough for the jacket and bibs.

Don't forget to bring good gloves. I wear the light Sitka merino wool gloves most of the time but I also carry their heavy gauntlet type gloves. The important thing is to not have too tight of fit, air space insulates.

I wear two pair of socks, a light, thin inner sock made of merino wool or cotton and a heavy mountain/hiking sock made of thick merino wool.

I wear a heavy wool balaclava style head cover that can converted to a neck gaitor and a hat with a bill.

My final piece of gear is chemical hand and toe warmers, one set will last all day but you'll need one set per day. With these I can sit all day in the snow and not get cold toes or fingers.
 
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mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,172
196
midwest
My favorite next to skin layers by far are the First Lite Aerowool. They combine the odor reducing qualities of merino with a faster drying synthetic. I'd take a couple of the Wilikin uppers and Benmore boxers for a trip like that. I can get 10 days out of 2 pair without odor building up. In a wall tent camp though I'd likely wash them and dry them with the stove.

For socks my favorites are the Darn Tough of a thickness matched to the season. I would probably pack 3 pairs of them on your hunt and one would stay in my pack every day. If I started getting a hot spot or cold feet I'd swap them out during the day. 3 pairs lets you wash and dry a pair and still have a spare in the pack. In my Seek tipi I'll turn them inside out at night and hang them by the stovepipe, have dry warm socks by morning. I also like to throw in a pair of really heavy Thorlo wool socks to sleep in if weight isn't a big issue. I slept comfortably in 0 degree temps in my 20 degree bag last year with those socks, merino long underwear, and the First Lite Sawtooth on in my bag.

Further from my skin I might consider synthetics, but often use merino just because my merino layers have the fit I like best. I really like my First Lite Sawtooth or Chama over top of the Wilikin base layer. I love their hoods is a big reason why. I recently added a Sitka Core lightweight hoody that I like very well too for warmer hunts, it fits like the FL ones. I don't like the hood on the Sitka Core heavyweight hoody, it's designed to zip up to just under my nose and if I leave it zipped to my chin the "wings" it leaves flapping annoy me. I am still searching for the perfect warmer synthetic hoody. I read that FL might be bringing out a hooded Halstead fleece I might look at when they get their new stuff out.

For my legs I'd take Kuiu Peloton zip off long underwear but I wouldn't use them unless it got really cold. I'd also take my Kuiu Kenai zip off puffy pants for long glassing sessions. I'd rather not wear long underwear when hiking and use the Kenai zip off's when glassing if I could get away with it.

That time of year I'd probably take either my FL Ucompaghre vest for an insulating layer, especially if I didn't take my FL Sawtooth. I'd take some combination of the Ucompaghre vest, Kuiu Kenai hooded jacket, and Kifaru Lost Park Puffy. I would probably not take the Kifaru that early unless I was expecting lots of cold or wet. It is a very warm jacket.

Pants there are lots of good ones. I've had good luck with Sitka Ascents for earlier season and Kryptek Dalibor II pants for later. I'd probably take 2 pairs of the Dalibor II's on that hunt and plan on the warmer pants eliminating the need for long underwear.

Rain gear I don't know what to tell you. I have a FL SEAK and Kuiu Yukon pants but acquired them pretty recently and haven't had terrible weather when I've had them on. I think they would be overkill for a hunt like yours. I have pretty much used light raingear if I didn't expect rain like the Cabelas Space Rain or Marmot Precip stuff. It is not very durable if I have to walk in it. If I expected rain I'd step up to a MT50 bib or Helly Hennsen stuff. If you are very active in that you will sweat. I have holed up in a Sea to Summit poncho tarp and stayed dry too under a tree. That works well if you aren't moving while it's raining. I will be in the market for better lightweight rain gear in the next year.

I like a softshell jacket since I haven't found the perfect lightweight quiet rain jacket yet. My favorites are the Kryptek Dalibor II for colder/wetter conditions and the Sitka Mountain Jacket for just a light wind stopping layer. None of my base layers are particularly wind proof so I wear a softshell over them a lot. The Sitka Jetstream lite vest is a good one too over something like the FL chama for high activity warmer hunts. My favorite feature of the Dalibor II is the hood. I am a big fan of hoods as long as they fit like I want. The Dalibor II hood is a very good one and works excellent to stop wind and add warmth over the hood of the Core LW, Chama, or Sawtooth. I'd love to have a hooded Sitka Mountain jacket. I considered the Sitka Flash hoody but reviews say it's cut very short and lets wind in underneath, plus I have a long torso anyway. The Mountain jacket does not have that issue.

Extra stuff I'd take:
-Gaiters I like the Kennetrek ones best of those I've tried
-Sitka Ascent cap
-Sitka liner gloves and Gradient gloves
-Kuiu glassing mittens (I can glass much longer if my hands are toasty in these)
-FL merino baklava (this helps with a wind in the face)
-Turtle fur ear band in blaze orange (I like hoods instead of beanie hats, so I put this over my outer hood to meet orange requirement)
 
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280ackimp

Active Member
Jul 4, 2017
166
28
New Hampshire
mcseal2...
Thanks you, Ive been struggling with a few things like heavy insulation and what type. Things like wool pants that I hunt in here in the NE area are not as easy to use as zip on/off down pants and the down parka. In mid-late Sept they will probably take up space more than anything ....
Thank you for the thorough post ..very helpful!
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,914
2,792
www.eastmans.com
All,
I am hopeful to be hunting in late sept in Wyoming units 60 & 70 this year. That last time I went selecting clothes wasnt such a challenging issue, layering with jeans and Duofold vs waffle knits!

This is for a 10 day guided hunt on horse and in canvas wall tents. Elevation 6,000 to 11,000 feet. weather 70 to 0 deg

My strategy
1, I would hunt in one set of clothes and change when in camp
2, Tech fabric is better than cotton and wool
3, Layering is the plan with a "Poly" base layer -better for scent/stink controll
4, Gtex shell with a packable down jacket for real cold weather

Considerations

1, Pants --I am looking at the technical pants made by Kuiu the Attack model but at $140 a pair how many would you pack for a 10 day hunt?
- assuming that the technical fabric makes this less likely to stink after 3-5 days of wearing ?
- a pair of wool pants for cold weather

2- Shirts -- 2 fleece and a single wool shirt for layering

3, Gtex suit for rain

4, Down jacket for cold (under the gtex shell if needed)

With limits on duffle and being prone to taking far more than I would use ....how do you all pack for such a trip ?

Dave
Just a couple of notes/thoughts on the above:

Technical, in particular the Polygiene(Sitka) is known for stinking less, so if that is the priority take a look there. First Lite makes fantastic merino wool layers and I am a big fan of what they have to offer if you are going that direction. From basecamp on a 10 day hunt I would have 3 base layer available, packing in is another story.

In regard to pants, the Ascent pants from Sitka really worked well for me on early hunts. However, my tried and true Timberlines have served me very well. I have used the Kryptek lightweight pants pretty extensively as well and they are some of my favorite pants for backpacking trips because they are so light.

The Kelvin Lite jacket or the Aquillo from Kryptek are great options.
 

mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,172
196
midwest
For riding horses here is a few things I'd consider. I have not rode horses hunting, just working on the ranch, so keep that in mind.

I personally hate riding in a lace up boot. I've had horses fall with me to many times and have been hung up once. Horses don't fall often but it happens, probably more often working than anything. Our horses are used on the ranch moving, doctoring, and sorting cattle so we are asking them to make quick turns on questionable footing more often than we'd like to. We try to avoid it but some days it's unavoidable. When it's cold enough that I need more than a slip on cowboy boot I like to ride in a Kennetrek Bobcat zip up boot with the Cowboy sole. It's designed not to hang up in a stirrup and the zipper would be weaker than laces I figure. It's not super tight either. If it was an option I'd consider taking a boot for riding and changing when the walking part of the hunt started. It might not be an option I don't know how that works.
 

RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
2,013
1,792
Two Harbors, Minnesota
Mcseal is full of good information, but it will cost you a bundle if you fully outfit yourself all at once. I do agree with others already posted that your packable warmth layer should be a vest. Many of the garments mentioned will be too tight in the sleeves for a puffy jacket. If possible, try everything on as a unit before you use them in the field. For riding horses, the gaiters do a good job of preventing your pants legs from riding up, as well as a must for stomping around in deep snow. I have the KUIU superdown Ultra vest, and it seemed to be too thin and lightweight to be any good; BUT it is beyond warm and it scrunches down to almost nothing and weighs little when you don't need to wear it.
 

mcseal2

Veteran member
Mar 1, 2011
1,172
196
midwest
Yeah I built my clothing system up on sales, camofire, used off forums and Ebay, and over several years. It isn't something cheap to do quick. I bought a lot when a camo pattern went out of use like First Lite did recently with ASAT, or when companies are dumping last years stuff before bringing out this years.

I like the puffy vests for the same reason as RICMIC. That said I buy my outer jackets big enough so that I can get a puffy jacket under them. I don't bow hunt anymore and all my out of state hunts have been with a rifle. The later seasons I hunt I like to have room for the Lost Park Parka under my softshell or shell. I can glass longer and more effectively when I'm warm and like to have that jacket at least in the truck if not in my pack. The fit I want means I size up in Sika and Kuiu for sure, hit and miss on some of the other brands. Anything advertised to have a slim sleeve for bowhunters I'll definitely size up in.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,914
2,792
www.eastmans.com
Yeah, every piece of hunting I have bought has been on some sort of sale. Black Friday tends to be a good one.
 

sneakypete

Veteran member
Aug 9, 2011
2,822
276
Oakdale Ca.
I was at the KUIU pack seminar a week ago and they just released the entire seminar on YouTube. It's
Very informative I recommend watching it. It does show the icon pro 7200 and the icon 6000 with two different guys 5 plus day hunt and what they pack.
 

LaHunter

Active Member
Aug 24, 2012
322
0
N.E. LA
I personally prefer merino wool as a base layer vs synthetics. I think with the merino it seems to help regulate body temp better so I don't overheat or get cold. Also, I don't get grimy like with synthetics I have used in the past. I use the First Lite merino. In late September, the Attacks are a good choice for pants. You could probably wear them every day. I like the Attacks for mild temps, but I wear my FL Kanabs more. These have been replaced with the Obsidians in the FL line. The Kanabs will surprise you because they are pretty thin material, but surprisingly comfortable in a wide temperature range. The Kuiu Guide pants are a cold weather pant that has worked well for me. You would probably be good with either the Attacks / Kanabs and maybe something along the lines of the Guide Pants in case it gets really cold. I prefer a fleece pullover for a second layer shirt, something like the FL Halstead. As long as I am moving, that is about all I wear, even down below 30 degrees. I do carry a down vest, Kuiu Guide DCS Guide Jacket, and rain gear in my pack.

Good Luck on your hunt
 

280ackimp

Active Member
Jul 4, 2017
166
28
New Hampshire
review of gear/after action report

My hunt is over and I thought I would offer some experiances and observations

Pants - I chose the Kuiu Attack model pants, great pants. I took two pairs and possibly should have brought 3. They were great pants for riding in and offered no hot spots or rub spots. I also used the side zips to dump heat when hauling out the meat after the kill.

Boots - Scarpa boots - I needed a higher boot due to ankle problems and will look at the Crispi line

Shirts - I lived in 2 outer shirts all week, 1 heavy canvas and 1 worsterlon, I changed base layers (all poly) every other day

Long Underwear- used it one day...poly pro expedition weight from Cabelas temps were in the 50s

Jacket- Berber fleece from Cabelas worked well usually use it on Nov/Dec deer hunts

Rain gear - used it as wind block-- its Wyoming!

Spotting scope- had one, spent big $$ didnt use it
Bog-pod had it and never used it

Pack- Tenzing TX17 -nice pack but was too big on a horse based hunt

Sleeping Bag - Nemo Down 0 Deg bag, great decision temps were in the 20s at night

Camera- brought a SLR type, should have brought a point and shoot model would have been easier to pack and use

Bino- should have used a chest pouch, would have been more dust free and better one hand access

Water bottle - brought an aluminum with a screw off top- should have used a flip top on it or a bladder for one hand use

Knife sharpener - the gutless method is more harsh on a blade, I used a pocket crock stick- it took too long

Shout out to the team at Milt Sparks for a great 200AW holster and belt - good leather makes packing a pistol easy !!

In short I think I packed about 25 pounds too much and will be better prepared for next time !
 
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