Hunting Gear vs Hiking Gear? How do you decide?

Trazor

Trazor

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So I was out browsing for gear this weekend and as a newb to the hunting scene (I shoot IPSC + multigun, never hunted) I was really surprised by the price point of hunting gear and its functionality.

I hike quite regularly and cant help but be shocked when I see a $600 Hunting jacket that doesn't even have pit-zips or a removable liner. Compared to the amount of quality hiking gear/layers you could buy for that same amount of money. Why the high price tag?

I am looking for some advice on which way to lean for buying gear. I rarely will be hunting from a stand, so most of my trips will be stalking.
Should I focus on hunting specific retailers or is quality hiking gear more acceptable? Or is it to noisy if its not hunting specific?

Do you normally bump an animal because of gear noise, or simply because your approach is noisy?

Is a good waterproof outer shell the main priority, and then just layers underneath, or do you experienced guys buy a 3 in 1, or 4 in 1 jacket from a hunting retailer?

Thanks for you help with my inquiry!
Cheers,
 
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Clothing that keeps you warm, dry and most importantly , silent. Who cares if it's camo or scentblock ect ect.
Dry,warm and silent.... Above all else, your gear needs to address those 3 key things. That is what separates "hiking" gear from "hunting' gear in my opinion.
 
I think the answers you get here will vary quite a bit, from guys who hunt in stanfields and helly hansens, to the wool pants crowd, to the high end gear whores, and everything in between. I am an active hunter myself, mostly because I haven't learned the fine art of patience, so I like to hike into areas that are inaccessible to vehicles and still hunt quite a lot, and I am okay with paying a bit of money (sometimes quite a bit) for gear that allows me to do that comfortably. As I learned on a recent trip to Alberta, my gear is not ideal for riding around on a quad even if it's just a little bit cold out.
As for the noise, I try to be as quiet as I can be, but the bottom line is that you can't be quiet enough to be impossible to hear, and this can actually work in your favor sometimes. My hiking boots and gaiters were squeaking so badly one day, that I thought that there was no way every animal in a 1 km radius didn't hear me, but I walked into a bedded bull elk at 30 yards, and a 2 point blacktail at 50 yards that day. Neither one cared I was there.
I usually hunt with a goretex soft shell jacket for an outer layer (with pit zips lol), with a lightweight rain shell in my pack. If it's raining hard enough that I need the shell, I'm not too concerened about noise.
So it really depends on your style of hunting and how much you want to spend.
 
Trazor said:
So I was out browsing for gear this weekend and as a newb to the hunting scene (I shoot IPSC + multigun, never hunted) I was really surprised by the price point of hunting gear and its functionality.

I hike quite regularly and cant help but be shocked when I see a $600 Hunting jacket that doesn't even have pit-zips or a removal liner. Compared to the amount of quality hiking gear/layers you could but for that same amount of money. Why the high price tag?

I am looking for some advice on which way to lean for buying gear. I rarely will be hunting from a stand, so most of my trips will be stalking.
Should I focus on hunting specific retailers or is quality hiking gear more acceptable? Or is it to noisy if its not hunting specific?

Do you normally bump an animal because of gear noise, or simply because your approach is noisy?

Is a good waterproof outer shell the main priority, and then just layers underneath, or do you experienced guys buy a 3 in 1, or 4 in 1 jacket from a hunting retailer?

Thanks for you help with my inquiry!
Cheers,
Click to expand...

That $600 price tag on the jacket pays to contribute to the licensing fee the clothing maker pays to use the camo brand that pays for the hunting shows on television and articles in magazines. Fashion is expensive.

In this province big game hunting with modern cartridge firearms requires blaze orange or other approved high visibility colour on the upper body (including full sleeves) and head, so I just need outer layers in that and can buy other suitable clothing for less money.
 
I have said for many years that hunters have been getting royally screwed when it comes to good quality clothing at a reasonable price. I too had other out door interests, white water canoeing and down hill skiing. Good ski clothing is pricy but the quality is generally very good. White water gear is not cheap either but again quality is good as many times your life depends on it working.
Hunting clothing is generally expensive and is notorious for being of poor quality and lacking features that comparable gear in another sport would have, pit zips etc. I have found over the years Goretex hunting clothing is of a far inferior quality than Goretex clothing of other sports.

So your going to need as mentioned clothing that suits your needs and type of hunting that keeps you warm, dry and "quiet". A deer can hear you fart a mile away and bear can smell it 5 miles away. If your bound by a blaze orange law like we are here. I buy a goretex shell parka coat that has a removable liner that way it is good for a vast temp range. Right now I am using a Pro Bass brand coat. It was cheap at $99 bucks and has worked surprising well, but I am easy on it these days as I don't dog anymore due to health issues. When I was dogging a lot a coat from LLBeans gave me the best service at 12 years. Any blaze coats I tried from Cabelas where garbage, all leaked the first fall out and were garbage at the end of the third fall. Keep in mind hunting coats generally get worn for only 3 weeks per year.
I also have a "Rivers West" pants and coat that I wear. It is warm and quiet and water proof, but it does not breathe so you will get wet from sweat from the inside out during heavier activities.
 
The reality is that you need to stay warm and dry. As much as possible that is. I went with merino unders (long johns) or Stanfield Comox tuxedo top with always US milsurp over top raingear. It worked fine but the hood on the surplus stuff needs a helmet to function properly. My biggest toque did not cut it size wise. I would use high rubber boots next time - no more hunting boots. Rubber boots or "corks" depending on the terrain.
Make more with less,
Signed,
I hike and hunt
 
ALL my mountain gear is way too noisy, except for my boots, which are not warm enough. I'm always moving when I'm hiking.

Noise is the biggest differentiator.

And Gore-Tex is waterproof, but leaky or otherwise crappy gear can still be made of it.
 
I've noticed that guys that discount the effectiveness of quality, terrain oriented camo mostly come from places where blaze orange is mandatory.
LOL
In most of my hunting pics you'll notice me in camo.... Not so much because I'm a camo fashion whore... Because it is these clothes that are "Warm, Dry, and wait for it..... made to be Silent even when the fabric stiffens up in the extreme cold.
You pay darn good money for gear that works and lasts. I don't watch hunting TV shows so could care less about brands ect.
Too be honest most of the great gear I use is going on a decade or more of hard use and was mostly bought in the spring from Ebay stores ;)
My fleece camo for early season is custom made by the wife of a friend, wouldn't trade it for anything off the shelf.
Except boots. I pretty much replace mine every 2 or 3 years just because LOL
 
Thanks guys, really useful information.
I'm replacing my base layers this year for snowboarding and hiking with merino wool gear, so the outer layer + pants are my biggest questions.

Do I stick with hiking capable gear which will get used more, or is the noise factor something that makes it pointless?

I'm in BC so west coast wet coast, and I'm spending about $400 on outer gear...
 
Lots of gear marketed as Hunting Clothes suck. Hunters but it because it's camo and they don't know any better, having never used quality outdoor gear.
 
VanIsleCam said:
Boo hiss - disagree
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If you read up on how Gore-tex actually works, you'd change your mind. Nothing is completely waterproof unless you buy a pair of Helly Hansen oilers, but you'll sweat like mad and they're heavy. With a lot of Gore Tex membraned clothing, guys complain that it leaks, when in actuality this isn't so. Think of it as Teflon tape (white plumbers tape) sandwiched between layers of fabric. When either the inner or outer layer's pores become clogged, Gore Tex quits.

http://www.explainthatstuff.com/goretex.html
 
Best test is to take the back of your hand and run in down the jacket/pants, if it sounds noisy then it's not good for noise reduction. Still disagree with the notion that goretex is waterproof 45ACP. Looks like you had a great season though eh?????
 
Trazor said:
Thanks guys, really useful information.
I'm replacing my base layers this year for snowboarding and hiking with merino wool gear, so the outer layer + pants are my biggest questions.

Do I stick with hiking capable gear which will get used more, or is the noise factor something that makes it pointless?

I'm in BC so west coast wet coast, and I'm spending about $400 on outer gear...
Click to expand...

If it's noisy and the woods are silent, it's useless. If it's pouring rain and windy, you get much more leeway. HH impertech stuff is pretty quiet.

It also makes a difference if you will be able to dry out at night. If you have that option then getting s bit soaked isn't so bad.
 
Bang on Gatehouse and I might add setting up in place works. But if you are walking and it be blowing and you can't dry out that night...PVC is in for the win methinks.
 
VanIsleCam said:
Best test is to take the back of your hand and run in down the jacket/pants, if it sounds noisy then it's not good for noise reduction. Still disagree with the notion that goretex is waterproof 45ACP. Looks like you had a great season though eh?????
Click to expand...

Yes indeed, not a bad season for me for deer anyways.
I mainly hunt deer and moose in an ambush method. Scouting for high traffic areas and looking for best ambush spot, on the ground. I generally wear full camo for the area I'm in as well as a face mask and gloves.
I've practiced my methods for a long time now and I've done very well putting a few hundred pounds of quality game meat in the freezer every year. I've had deer so close I could literally pet their face , frozen still in my camo just blending in.
Anyhow, find what works for you and go with it. The gear/clothing I use for my hunting style suits my needs and keeps me warm, dry and silent ;)
Lots of good hunters here so don't take the advice of just one or two
 
So is that an invite for next year? I am an ambush fan as well. Gear disagreements nothwithstanding! I am finished with chasing now and only the does roam my property at the moment so if we're short on ground so be it.
 
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