clothes for the high country

[HighCountryHunter88]

Im looking to update some of my clothing for highcountry hunting, im really interested in knowing who uses down jackets or senthetic down jackets and how they like them for hunting.. I would also like some input on light packable rain shells, top and bottoms. Thanks guys!

[JimmyHoffa]

I have a down vest and a jacket.  So far I've only hauled the vest up there.  You can compress down and get it very compact and easy to pack.  Problem with down is IF it gets wet, so I keep it in a little drysack and put it on when not moving around too much (sweat) and chilling out at camp.  For light easy rain gear, I will only mention pants--but PVC pants are really light and easily packable.  I find that almost all the sweating occurs on the upper part of the body so I don't need a super fancy breathable pant.  If it is warm enough, I don't worry about putting on extra rain pants because I'll wear the quick-dry type pants.

[high country]

Cabelas rain space.....it won't last, but it works and it is light and compact. I use a down bag, but my luck on down jackets is not so good. I go fleece and more fleece with the rain space for wet or way cold.

[MtnMuley]

I strictly use layers.  Good quality merino wool base and mids  with a synthetic outer. Sitka and KUIU really cater to this style. No bulk. As for rain gear, I use Frog Toggs. Inexpensive, and very lightweight. I have a hard time spending big bucks on rain gear.

[JimmyHoffa]

Forgot to mention...if you compress down you should do it right before it gets thrown in the pack.  Else you might have it not return to shape and it settles down in the vest/jacket and doesn't insulate well.

[RadSav]

I've been using the Sitka Kelvin pants and vest for the past few years.  Never been more pleased with lightweight warmth.  Just wish they hadn't changed from Mothwing to the OptiFade.  I probably wear them more for PJ's than I do for anything else.  Allows me to pack a much lighter weight sleeping bag knowing I can bump it up 20+ degrees by wearing the Kelvins to bed.

I've got about 10 different light weight packable rain shells.  Have yet to find one I really like that is quiet.  They're either heavy and quiet, light and noisy, or repel water like a paper bag.  I'd really like to know if you find a good one!

[MtnMuley]

RadSav  --  KUIUs rain gear is top notch.  Just spendy.

[Miles]

Base layer -  Polyester/synthetic or merino wool mix if you can stand it.
Jacket - Wool or fleece (I use high quality fleece a lot more these days, but still have my green Johnson wool jacket)
Vest -  Sometimes I'll pack a down vest because it's light, although it rarely gets used...
Rain gear - Marmot precip./ Space rain/ frog toggs (based on use and weight)


The reason I bring the down is because it's light and gets tossed in my waterproof E-vent compression sack.  I may use it while bumming around the tent or if I'm sitting for a long period of time and get a little chill.  I personally would steer away from down as a full outer layer for everyday use because IF it gets wet it will not insulate as well, and they tend to have noisy outer shells on down jackets.  Fleece and wool are very quiet.

[Miles]

The Cabelas Rain Suede "packable rain gear" is nice and works, BUT it is pretty damn heavy for packable rain gear.   It will not be making any backpacking trips with me ever again.

[RadSav]

RadSav  --  KUIUs rain gear is top notch.  Just spendy.

I'd agree.  It's the best so far though still too noisy.  When it gets cold it sounds like it is made of broken glass.  Liked it slightly better than Sitka's light, but that camo pattern is even worse than Optifade!  My guide in NWT was wearing it and he glowed in the fog like a lighthouse.

I've been wearing my Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants lately just because all the rain pants are so dang loud or uncomfortable.  But, climbing in Ascent or even 90% pants is so much nicer.  One of these days someone is going to do it right.  Hopefully before I'm too old to hit the high country.  Though I expect that's only a few years away.

[jager]

RadSav  --  KUIUs rain gear is top notch.  Just spendy.

I'd agree.  It's the best so far though still too noisy.  When it gets cold it sounds like it is made of broken glass.  Liked it slightly better than Sitka's light, but that camo pattern is even worse than Optifade!  My guide in NWT was wearing it and he glowed in the fog like a lighthouse.

I've been wearing my Cabela's Gore-Tex bird pants lately just because all the rain pants are so dang loud or uncomfortable.  But, climbing in Ascent or even 90% pants is so much nicer.  One of these days someone is going to do it right.  Hopefully before I'm too old to hit the high country.  Though I expect that's only a few years away.

I'm in the process of replacing most of my camo since some low life thieves thought they needed it more than me.

So are you saying that the kuiu glowed from the ambient light reflecting of of the "hard"surface and was not being absorbed by something like fleece...or???

I had a ton of the Sitka mothwing...gone!
I just ordered 2 pair of 90% 2 pair of the mountain, one ascent and one timberline pant. In the optifade open country pattern 
I read the reviews mostly good the pics looked good too..why dont you like it?

I have a pair of the stormfront lite pants, they are NOISY, but very,very packable.

I have never relied on "lofted" garments..is that a word?    You know like down or polyfill stuff. My opinion: I'ts too risky to end up with soggy clothes.
I layer with the thinner stuff.

[RadSav]

In the open country and up in the alpine areas the open country works ok.  Mothwing was much better.  I found the OptiFade Forest to be much more universal, but still no comparison to Mothwing and Mossy Oak. Both Kuiu and Open Country are very light in color - especially in their rain gear.    The large pattern/high contrast is great if you are sitting in wait.  But, as soon as you start to move the gig is up.  If you are in the evergreens it's like wearing a white suit in a black room.

Gore's claim is that the animals can not tell what you are - not that they won't see you.  I myself, if I know something is following me yet I can not tell what it is I get a little nerveous.  Animals seem to be the same way.  I wore the OC one day on the wetside elk hunting on a dark day.  I'd never before seen blacktail does turn inside out at 300 yards away - regardless as to wheather I've been skylined or making human noises.  It was truly amazing how much I upset them that day. 

In contrast I've spend a good amount of time in the past few years chasing goats in lower BC above timberline.  The Open Country and Kuiu has been reasonably good up there.  Though, my guides all want my Mothwing as a tip instead of cash money after they see it in that environment.  I love the Sitka fit and feel so I purchased a ton of Forest and what Mothwing I could get my hands on.  Both seem to work well Eastside and Westside, Texas to the North Slope.  I believe in the Sitka products and highly recommend them to anyone hitting the high country or stand hunting.  I'm just not fond of the OptiFade pattern for stalking.  Sitting still is not my idea of hunting.  I have a nice recliner and a 60" tv when I want to sit still.

Jager - I'd be doing some serious investigative work if my Mothwing were stollen.  Tweekers have a way of falling down and hurting themselves really bad after a score like that.  My cousin "Guitto" is in the market for some Mothwing

The Stormfront lites and the Kuiu are both very packable.  And, if it's raining hard enough the noise isn't such a big deal.  But, that is also the best time to be stalking and OC makes that really tough.

The other thing that really sets those two apart is they have no elastic cuffs.  Browning made some fantastic lightweight/packable rainwear in the past, but the elastic cuffs made them worthless unless you tore out the seams and removed it.  That was a lot of work for a $150.00 set of rain gear that only held up to 5 or 6 days of hunting.

[Miles]

If you're rifle hunting the camo pattern doesn't matter much.  The big orange vest negates any "advantage" the camo may be giving you.

I usually rifle hunt in a solid green fleece jacket, or a checkered green and black wool jacket.   I've never had any real problems sneaking up on deer.

[jager]

Believe me, I have exhausted all efforts to recover my clothes.    I tried.... I'm really sick at the $$ amount and some of the other sitka patterns I can no longer get.
I really liked the mothwing pattern. I think sitka, for all the hype, really is fantastic gear.
Looks like I'm going to need some of the forest pattern...

[jager]

If you're rifle hunting the camo pattern doesn't matter much.  The big orange vest negates any "advantage" the camo may be giving you.

I usually rifle hunt in a solid green fleece jacket, or a checkered green and black wool jacket.   I've never had any real problems sneaking up on deer.

I wear orange camo   

I bow and rifle hunt..I know there is much more to it than the camo pattern....I like to hide from the two legged predators too...