according to steve rinella

[jackelope]

Who is wearing wool out summer bear hunting? This thread is getting a little ridiculous.

I would wear a lightweight merino wool in a heartbeat. Also synthetics work well in the summertime...

[MountainWalk]

Come August,  it's just a pair of cut offs, with or without an oversized hickory

[BULLBLASTER]

Who is wearing wool out summer bear hunting? This thread is getting a little ridiculous.

I would wear a lightweight merino wool in a heartbeat. Also synthetics work well in the summertime...

My wool t shirts are my favorite to wear in the summer. Most of my other hunting clothing is synthetic but love my wool t shirts and boxers.

[Karl Blanchard]

Wool tops all year.  T-shirts, quarter zips, hoodies, etc

[MountainWalk]

All those years setting chokers, pulling riggin, tree climbing, tending hook,in the summertime,  all in cotton, I don't know how I survived. It's a wonder I never sucambe to the dreaded 'thermia. Much less even kill a bear.

[idaho guy]

All those years setting chokers, pulling riggin, tree climbing, tending hook, all in cotton, I don't know how I survived. It's a wonder I never sucambe to the dreaded 'thermia. Much less even kill a bear.

  wool is still the best fabric hands down yall can spend thousands on Sitka if you want. (disclosure I did buy kuiu pants and jacket this year but it was with a gift card I recieved ) I posted up some old pictures here a few years ago with a truckload of big animails wearing my lettermans jacket and 20 year old pants from army navy. Cotton kills in Alaska especially southeast where it changes from sunny to downpour on a dime but if you are hunting nice weather cotton works great. Its simple just dress for the specific hunt and anticipated weather. FYI I bought Sitka accent pants and shredded them in a short period of time last year(I sent them in and they sent them back saying they are unable to be repaired and wanted to charge me for shipping to send them back!) I switched to my 40 dollar green wool pants with black and red checkered wool shirt and killed a 6 by 10 and a 6 by 7 bull elk,nice 5 point whitetail and a really nice lion wearing that exact combo. I think Sitka and others are ripping people off. Generic statements like wearing cotton is the biggest mistake hunters make is an ignorant comment by somebody as well known as Steve Rinnella. I can think of quite a few other bigger mistakes hunters make. It just lets Sitka and the "flat bill army" further the lie that you need 400 jackets to be successful. Dress appropriate for the hunt you are on that simple. Not all hunts require super advanced or expensive clothing and they have never made anything better than WOOL!!

[Karl Blanchard]

What's the context of his statement? Was he having a discussion about backpack hunting or walking a hundred yards from your truck to glass a cut for bears in August? Cotton work clothes are great.  Durable and affordable but to ignore the shortcomings of the material and pretend that it is just as efficient at moisture wicking or insulating as materials such as synthetics or wool is just silliness. 

[Karl Blanchard]

In the end wear what you want.  Nobody cares

[Jonathan_S]

These threads usually involve a good deal folks’ slapping themselves on the back. This one does not disappoint in that regard.

I prefer synthetics and wool for comfort, ease of drying and lack of odor. If I didn’t have it or couldn’t afford it I would still hunt.

[MountainWalk]

Idaho Guy-----flat bill army!!! That's funny!

[Special T]

All those years setting chokers, pulling riggin, tree climbing, tending hook,in the summertime,  all in cotton, I don't know how I survived. It's a wonder I never sucambe to the dreaded 'thermia. Much less even kill a bear.

your never cold when your moving... its when you stop to take a breather or glass a spot. Im not sure Tin pants really count as cotton since they are  waterproofed. I dont imagine they hold heat much either.

[Stein]

I wear wool all year, the lightweight shirts are great in the summer as they dry quick and don't stink.

Hunters used to use black powder exclusively, but hardly anyone truly uses black powder smooth bore guns or corrosive ammo rifles anymore because humans have invented better ways to do things. 

To each their own, big boy rules.

[Jpmiller]

I wore a lot of cotton when I was day hunting. I could take off wet clothes at the end of the day and not worry about them again the rest of the trip. When I was a kid and we hunted deer by glassing while leaning on the truck or walking a few hundred yards away cotton was great too. I don't wear anything cotton on any backpack hunt though. Even in summer when temps got into the 90s.

I will add my completely wool outfit has been so much quieter than the guys I've been out with in their synthetic outfits. Even just the fabric hitting itself when you walk down a trail and your legs rub. I love wool and wear it whenever. Switched to wool britches and boy oh boy is that nice.

[JimmyHoffa]

I haven't noticed cotton being that bad.  But only use it for my shirts, really.  If I'm going into the high stuff in January, I just pack an extra shirt or two to change out after the climb.

[Kc_Kracker]

so i went out last night and bought a pair of under armor pants. wore them all day today. my very first experience with non cotton. holy cow, they are light, breath well, but keep me warm, and i poured water on them and didnt get wet. im am surely going to get a shirt and coat.