Camo pants - whatcha usin?

I’ll add to the discussion that if it’s not raining or wet and windy out I usually just wear some sort of earth tone hiking pants, od green, grey etc that are comfortable and dry quick. I used to have a pair of German moleskin pants in the standard grey/green that were super comfy and durable, they finally fell apart on my after years of use. If it’s winter and cold out I have some surplus wool dress pants in a drab green colour, if you can’t find a reasonably priced camo that appeals to you don’t overlook solid earth tones.
 
I wear some cheap walmart "waterproof" camo pants. They work well enough but they're too long on me and they don't have belt loops (only an elastic draw string that never stays tight) so I'll probably upgrade them at some point. Been looking at various milsurp options from Varasteleka and frontier firearms, will probably get something before the fall rolls around. Sitka, Kuiu, etc are still out of my price range though.

If it's not too cold or I know I'm coming back to the truck I often skip the waterproof pants all together, I don't mind wet thighs and I find I get wet from the inside if it's not cold enough. When its REALLY raining on the coast, breathable "waterproof" materials don't stay dry, on those days I wear PVC rain gear. It's heavy and doesn't breathe, but it's the only thing that'll truely keep you dry on the really gross days - you just have to temper your activity level otherwise you'll get soaked from the inside.
 
I buy whatever discount bin stuff I can find at walmart or canadian tire. I refuse to waste my money on that expensive crap.
 
I have 2 pairs of olive drab 5.11 TDU pants for hunting. They rip stop material is tough as nails. I got them on sale for about $70 bucks each.
 
murph83 said:
I buy whatever discount bin stuff I can find at walmart or canadian tire. I refuse to waste my money on that expensive crap.
Click to expand...

Waste? If you don’t hunt very often then I suppose good gear is a waste of money. But if my timberlines cost 5 times as much as your discount bin Walmart pants but last 5 times as long, who is wasting their money? The older I get the more I appreciate smart design and quality gear. Anything that improves my comfort in the field not only allows me to enjoy the experience more but it also allows me to enjoy more of the experience....gear that allows me to stay out longer improves my chances of success and that is true however you measure hunting success.

All that said, every piece of Sitka gear I’ve bought has been on sale. At regular prices it is somewhat overpriced imo but if you are patient you can get what you need on sale.
 
My boots and under layers are what I typically spend the most money on but I always search for the best price, cold and wet feet are something I can’t stand. Boots, socks and base layers are more important to me than outer layers, oh and gloves. Don’t get me wrong I like camo, I probably have more military surplus jackets than is healthy but plenty of animals have been shot in a plaid wool jacket or Carhartt and jeans. Which is one reason I refuse to buy overpriced hunter specific camo.
 
I spend what I can afford and the best I can afford is what I always go for. That said, I look for everything on sale. I’d never trust my moose or deer hunt to CT or Wal-Mart crap. Cheap gear fails at the worst possible times...

Patrick
 
Bought an Cabelas insulated bib overall for waterfowl hunting this season and like it so much I wore it during deer season and coyote hunting all winter. I can unzip it down both sides when walking to prevent overheating and its waterproof goretex max 5 camo. Has a built in chest shell holder and extra pockets and a hand warmer underneath it. Best $250 I've spent on hunting clothes.
 
Runningfool said:
Waste? If you don’t hunt very often then I suppose good gear is a waste of money. But if my timberlines cost 5 times as much as your discount bin Walmart pants but last 5 times as long, who is wasting their money? The older I get the more I appreciate smart design and quality gear. Anything that improves my comfort in the field not only allows me to enjoy the experience more but it also allows me to enjoy more of the experience....gear that allows me to stay out longer improves my chances of success and that is true however you measure hunting success.

All that said, every piece of Sitka gear I’ve bought has been on sale. At regular prices it is somewhat overpriced imo but if you are patient you can get what you need on sale.
Click to expand...

I hunt plenty with my Walmart gear, and have gotten more then my money worth out of it. I just dont buy in to the idea the expensive gear means it will last longer..in my experience that's a load of bullchyte!
 
DVXDUDE said:
Bought an Cabelas insulated bib overall for waterfowl hunting this season and like it so much I wore it during deer season and coyote hunting all winter. I can unzip it down both sides when walking to prevent overheating and its waterproof goretex max 5 camo. Has a built in chest shell holder and extra pockets and a hand warmer underneath it. Best $250 I've spent on hunting clothes.
Click to expand...

My buddy has a bib from bass pro. I'm not sure what his is made of but he loves it. Very warm.
 
murph83 said:
I hunt plenty with my Walmart gear, and have gotten more then my money worth out of it. I just dont buy in to the idea the expensive gear means it will last longer..in my experience that's a load of bullchyte!
Click to expand...

I don’t doubt that you hunt plenty with your Walmart gear and got your money’s worth. The trouble is you don’t seem to believe that those buying more expensive gear could possibly also get their money’s worth. More expensive gear doesn’t always equal better gear, we all know that. But gear that Walmart has placed into a discount bin has been put there for a reason. If you are happy with the stuff that Walmart cannot sell at regular price then more power to you. I will not argue with that.
 
The one thing I've noticed is the expensive stuff is usually available in a larger variety of sizes. I'm short and while I'm not fat I'm not twig skinny either, so with stuff that only comes in normal sizes (s/m/L etc) is way too long if it fits around my waist.

I would say expensive gear lasts longer, but unless the cheaper gear is absolute crap build quality and materials the good stuff doesn't get you a better dollar-per-day use or whatever you want to call it (ie 5 $50 pairs of pants will outlast one $250 pair)
 
Suther said:
...I'm not fat...so with stuff that only comes in normal sizes (s/m/L etc) is way too long if it fits around my waist.
Click to expand...

I hate to be the one to break this to you but... ;)

Suther said:
I would say expensive gear lasts longer, but unless the cheaper gear is absolute crap build quality and materials the good stuff doesn't get you a better dollar-per-day use or whatever you want to call it (ie 5 $50 pairs of pants will outlast one $250 pair)
Click to expand...

Try a $250 pair, for real, and then see what you “would say”. I’m a thrifty guy and I didn’t want to believe that a $250 pair of pants was better than 5X$50 pairs. And maybe not all are. But some most definitely are. Those that say otherwise simply haven’t tried the right ones.

Your perspective is understandable as soon as I see your valuation begins and ends at “dollar-per-day use or whatever you want to call it”. If we are being honest, an XL garbage bag probably reigns supreme in that category.

In addition to dollar-per-day cost, factor in comfort. Factor in fit. Factor in how quiet the fabric is while drawing a bow. Factor in how sweaty you get making your way to your stand. Factor in how long you can sit when that sweat cools. Factor in the cost of a zipper replacement. Factor in the worth of sitting down on a soggy stump or a patch of moss and not having a wet ass. Factor in how easily burrs cling to you. Factor in how bad they smell after 10 days without laundering. Factor in the aggravation of shopping for pants 5 times instead of once. I could go on and on. These things mean different things to different hunters. I’m not saying that a $50 pair of pants is not good value for some so please don’t assume that a $250 is not good value for others.
 
I didn't say 5x$50 would be better. Just that they'd last longer. As you say, different people have different qualities they consider most important, and for those who hold both upfront cost and long term cost higher than things like how good the waterproofing is and how quiet the fabric is then it can be a very viable choice.
 
Cheaper clothing tends to be baggier and more cheaply tailored. I like the fit of my better quality outdoor clothing, it’s trim, articulated, designed with shooting and/or archery in mind and usually still able to accommodate layering. I can layer nicely for the conditions without feeling like a wind sock or Michelin man.

Patrick
 
Suther said:
I wear some cheap walmart "waterproof" camo pants. They work well enough but they're too long on me and they don't have belt loops (only an elastic draw string that never stays tight) so I'll probably upgrade them at some point. Been looking at various milsurp options from Varasteleka and frontier firearms, will probably get something before the fall rolls around. Sitka, Kuiu, etc are still out of my price range though.

If it's not too cold or I know I'm coming back to the truck I often skip the waterproof pants all together, I don't mind wet thighs and I find I get wet from the inside if it's not cold enough. When its REALLY raining on the coast, breathable "waterproof" materials don't stay dry, on those days I wear PVC rain gear. It's heavy and doesn't breathe, but it's the only thing that'll truely keep you dry on the really gross days - you just have to temper your activity level otherwise you'll get soaked from the inside.
Click to expand...

Suther said:
The one thing I've noticed is the expensive stuff is usually available in a larger variety of sizes. I'm short and while I'm not fat I'm not twig skinny either, so with stuff that only comes in normal sizes (s/m/L etc) is way too long if it fits around my waist.

I would say expensive gear lasts longer, but unless the cheaper gear is absolute crap build quality and materials the good stuff doesn't get you a better dollar-per-day use or whatever you want to call it (ie 5 $50 pairs of pants will outlast one $250 pair)
Click to expand...

You could say that, but how do you know if you've never even used good stuff?? If you dont mind gear failing in the field, the time, fuel and hassle of shopping for new gear then thats an ok way to go about it. I guess no different than anything else you post here, regurgitated facts from the internet, the ultimate keyboard warrior. Next youll be telling us all how the SD and BC of a 140gr accubond is insufficient to take a marco polo ram at 100 yrds or why a cup and core bullet will blow apart and is no good for moose out of a blah blah blah.

"They work well enough but they're too long on me and they don't have belt loops (only an elastic draw string that never stays tight) so I'll probably upgrade them at some point" Sounds like the guy we should be taking gear advice from .f:P:f:P:2:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom