Question for klkak, hopeak and any hunters.

[doug1980]

I plan on hunting in AK this year but I realized my clothing would not sufice. So I am looking at some good hunting clothes that will keep me warm and dry while here. Cabela's has some berber fleece that seems fairly good, but I want some opinions on this. Has anyone used the fleece or the wooltimate series of clothing? Does it work well in cold wet climates?
Here's the links:
Berber Fleece
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0032926&navCount=12&parentId=cat603069&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=netcon&parentType=index&indexId=cat603069&rid=

Woolimate Series
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0033630&navCount=12&parentId=cat603069&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=netcon&parentType=index&indexId=cat603069&rid=

[Stairman]

I love the berber fleece.Mine hasent been to Alaska and wont be going.Single digit and below zero temps are not enjoyable to me.I can rough it if I have too but usually dont.It seems the berber is the added fluff that fleece needs.

[klkak]

Doug it all depends on what, where and how you are hunting. You don't have to get to crazy about it. Quite often I hunt in Carharts. Rain gear is always a must though.

[edr730]

Carharts with galluses are nice because you can shed your top if you warm up. Long johns, sweat pants underneath. If I'm bow hunting, I prefer woolies rather than carharts due to the noise. Sometimes, I'll still wear the carharts if they're old and worn, but it can still screw you up. Also, if I'm bow hunting, I like sweaters on top because they are quieter. Gun hunters can wear any coat and a hooded sweatshirt. The neck is an important place to protect from the cold and I usually cut off the top of a stocking cap and pull it down around my neck. If you want, you can make a heater from a 4 oz jar and a kerosene lantern wick. Gordon foods makes some nice metal ones for keeping food warm too. You'll need a blanket over your lap and around behind you too in order to completely enclose everything below your waist. An army blanket works well. With a heater like this and the blanket you will never get chilly. It does nothing without the blanket. You have to pack in the blanket, but I think it's well worth it in the winter.

[Sourdough]

I have said this many times on this forum, Hunting Guides that are in the field for three months solid, with no shower, no hot bath. They go the the thrift store or salvation army store, and buy their hunting clothes. Why get your good clothes muddy, bloody, ripped, cut, snagged.

Everybody wants to be not to hot and not to cold but just right. They want rain gear that is waterproof and dry. But try climbing a mountain with 95# of sheep meat, for a 9 hour hard hump back to spike camp in the best so called breathing rain gear and you will stew in your own sweat.

The reason people live in thermostatically controlled, dry homes is the don't want to be miserable. Well hunting in Alaska you will be COLD, WET, and MISERABLE guaranteed.

End of rant....I have to go to the outhouse....it is -3*F Below zero.

[crashdive123]

End of rant....I have to go to the outhouse....it is -3*F Below zero.

Careful, there ain't no door on that thing.

[Sourdough]

Careful, there ain't no door on that thing.

That is a true "WORK STATION", you go there to get'her done. not read the Wall Street Journal.....:eek:

[crashdive123]

Better rethink that WORK STATION thing....OSHA gets wind of it.....man oh man!:D

[Sourdough]

Better rethink that WORK STATION thing....OSHA gets wind of it.....man oh man!:D


That is funny even if you get the drift......:p

[crashdive123]

Or draft.....

[wildWoman]

All us locals choose the following: whatever's half-way decent and no more than 2 sizes too large at the second hand store. Cash outlay for "outdoor" clothing per year: about $5 to $30, depending on the second hand store.
The tourists from outside are easily spotted by flawless, colour-coded 3xyz Shmore-Trix, fluffy new fleece shirts and pants that get worn twice a year, when they face the great wild outdoors.

[SARKY]

Fleece is nice but for truly tough outdoor work I prefer wool. The real key is dressing in layers and not wearing anything that is tight (cuts circulation)

[klkak]

My best friend and trapping partner wears "Dicky's" work wear. They are tough and dry fast.

[RBB]

I plan on hunting in AK this year but I realized my clothing would not sufice. So I am looking at some good hunting clothes that will keep me warm and dry while here. Cabela's has some berber fleece that seems fairly good, but I want some opinions on this. Has anyone used the fleece or the wooltimate series of clothing? Does it work well in cold wet climates?
Here's the links:
Berber Fleece
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0032926&navCount=12&parentId=cat603069&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=netcon&parentType=index&indexId=cat603069&rid=

Woolimate Series
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?id=0033630&navCount=12&parentId=cat603069&masterpathid=&navAction=push&cmCat=netcon&parentType=index&indexId=cat603069&rid=

Alaska is a big place. To some extent, your clothing choice should depend on where you will be hunting. Wool is almost always a good choice, but I'd wait to buy rain gear until I got to Alaska. Rain gear in Alaska ( at least where I lived) was a whole different quality than what you can get in the lower 48 (though of course it's gonna cost ya). I'd get a pair of extratuffs (rubber boots) while I was there too. You won't see the same quality boots in the lower 48.

[klkak]

Alaska is a big place. To some extent, your clothing choice should depend on where you will be hunting. Wool is almost always a good choice, but I'd wait to buy rain gear until I got to Alaska. Rain gear in Alaska ( at least where I lived) was a whole different quality than what you can get in the lower 48 (though of course it's gonna cost ya). I'd get a pair of extratuffs (rubber boots) while I was there too. You won't see the same quality boots in the lower 48.

Helly Hansen's and extra-tuffs. Now that is high fashion up here.

[REAPER]

depends when and where and what your hunting, dressing in layers, but not to many, is the way to go, you can take it off and put it on as needed. thermals, pants,shirt, carharts, raingear, kneehigh gortex waterproof boots and you should be good to go. just bring that extra jacket to camp just in case. Ive hunted grizzly by that Mt, Redoubt thats spittn steam right now..in the fall season and this was what i wore..and yes ive had it rain 6 days in a row while hunting so stay dry. and bring a big gun!

[doug1980]

Well finally got my order from Cabela's in yesterday. I got one each of these plus I got some fleece gloves, fleece knit cap, fleece neck gaiter, and wool socks.

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo3/speedracer1565/hunting/henly.jpg

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo3/speedracer1565/hunting/jacket.jpg

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo3/speedracer1565/hunting/pants.jpg

All of these have some "windshear" fabric. Good reviews on it, but we'll see. I got all this with shipping for about $250.00. I also bought a wool sweater and wool pants for extreme cold conditions. We'll see how it all works.

[Nativedude]

Doug1980 wrote:"Well finally got my order from Cabela's in yesterday. I got one each of these plus I got some fleece gloves, fleece knit cap, fleece neck gaiter, and wool socks.

All of these have some "windshear" fabric. Good reviews on it, but we'll see. I got all this with shipping for about $250.00. I also bought a wool sweater and wool pants for extreme cold conditions. We'll see how it all works."

Well Doug, up here I have seen hunters come and hunters go (usually wet and cold), the one's that leave wet and cold are the one's that invested in fleece and gore-tex and all of the other fancy "high-tech" clothing and gear.

The best clothing for AK climate is he following:
1.) Silk long underwear (base layer) (L.L.Bean) (2 pr,)
2.) Merino long underwear (Second Layer) (L.L.Bean)*
3.) Merino long underwear (Third & fourth Layer - if needed)
4.) Wool socks (at least 4 pr.)
5.) Sleeping Indian Designs or King of the Mountain outer
wear
6.) Wool or fur hat and wool gloves (at least 2 pr.)
7.) LaCrosse Burly rubber boots
8.) LaCrosse Burly hip-waders

These are the basics that will keep you the warmest and most comfortable while out hunting.

[crashdive123]

Well Doug, up here I have seen hunters come and hunters go (usually wet and cold), the one's that leave wet and cold are the one's that invested in fleece and gore-tex and all of the other fancy "high-tech" clothing and gear.

The best clothing for AK climate is he following:
1.) Silk long underwear (base layer) (L.L.Bean) (2 pr,)
2.) Merino long underwear (Second Layer) (L.L.Bean)*
3.) Merino long underwear (Third & fourth Layer - if needed)
4.) Wool socks (at least 4 pr.)
5.) Sleeping Indian Designs or King of the Mountain outer
wear
6.) Wool or fur hat and wool gloves (at least 2 pr.)
7.) LaCrosse Burly rubber boots
8.) LaCrosse Burly hip-waders

These are the basics that will keep you the warmest and most comfortable while out hunting.

Or you could move to Florida.

[Rick]

Uh, scuse me ND but 350+ for a shirt and the same for a pair of pants? (GULP) At that price they should build the fire for me.

ND: "You know you're freezing to death."
Rick: "Yeah, but I didn't pay $800 for clothes did I?"
ND: "No, but you're still freezing to death."
Rick: "Shut up and scoot closer."

[Ken]

Uh, scuse me ND but 350+ for a shirt and the same for a pair of pants? (GULP) At that price they should build the fire for me.

ND: "You know you're freezing to death."
Rick: "Yeah, but I didn't pay $800 for clothes did I?"
ND: "No, but you're still freezing to death."
Rick: "Shut up and scoot closer."

It's the last line above that would concern me. :gagged:

[Nativedude]

I know the prices on some of the stuff is kinda high, but look at it as a long term investment. King of the Mtn. & Sleeping Idian Designs clothing lasts a loooooooooooong ,loooooooooooong time. 25+ years. And, you'll never have to buy any hunting outer wear again.

I have some Filson coat & pants that belonged to my Grandpa, he bought in 1971. It looks a good as the day he bought it for being 38 y.o. :)

The biggest reason I steer people towards the silk & wool is; coming up to AK--hunting, camping, backpacking, etc.--is completely different up here. I have seen a fair share of people that have come close to hypothermia. Why? Because they don't have the proper gear to "keep themselves warm and/or dry".

Besides, what is your life worth?

[doug1980]

Well I still haven't got used to the weather here. It's too cold for me, and I've seen cold. This should get me by for the next two years I'm here then I will still be able to use it in Indiana. I know it's not as good as wool but then again I don't plan on hunting when it's freezing outside.

[Rick]

Indiana? Oh, yea. God's country. We can CCW on request here. Nanny nanny boo boo.