Backcountry clothing question

[Vo2max]

I find Marino wool to be the absolute best gear to wear for warmth, moisture control and scent control BUT what I am also looking for is an outer layer which is waterproof/resistant for sitting in the snow if needed and so I won't get up soaked. I have my base layer as marino but am thinking of going with First Lite marino wool Kanab pants and then put another layer to use using either the Kuiu Attack pants or Sitka Ascent pants. I like to layer things as much as possible for obvious reason. Any experience using any of the aforementioned? Thanks in advance.

ERIK

[300rum]

I too use merino wool base layers (Top) but "regular" wool for the outer layers (except for two).  6 layers for the top and 3 layers for the bottom.

For the top layers it goes...Merino wool t-shirt, Merino Wool longsleeve Tshirt, Wool button down shirt, fleece jacket, Heavy Wool Jacket and then my packable rain jacket from Mad Dog.  I prefer my rain jacket, which can be worn over everything or just a few layers depending on the rain/snow.  The rain jacket is the only thing with a hood, otherwise I hate hoods on everything else!  I have been in everything with this and it works just fine in anything.

for the Bottoms...UA underwear, UA long johns and then wool pants.  I have found that I don't really need any "waterproof" pants even in a downpoor or wet snow.  The wool stays dry most of the time and then, when it is wet, it is warm and comfortable.  I find that the only time that I get wet is from sitting down in the snow and the snow melts.  I don't get cold though.  What I look for is the tightest weave of wool that I can get.  Snow/Rain just runs right off of tight weave wool and only soaks in, like I said earlier, when I sit down in it.  The best tight weave wool I can find is various Mil. surplus pants, usually found for under $20, much better than what I can get at Cabelas and such.       

[kentrek]

which is waterproof/resistant for sitting in the snow if needed and so I won't get up soaked.

ERIK

lightest option would be just a small light sheet of poly to sit on if your only woried but getin a wet butt,then you wont over heat an have to spend time taking off your outer layer..

[Vo2max]

Thanks guys! I have had issues with sweating my tail off on the approach and having to shed the top layer if I am wearing poly blends. Not to mention the "stink" factor when wearing synthetics. I am hesitant to go with any poly outer layer and love the Marino and other wool option. I have a set of the Wooltimate stuff from Cabelas which rocks but it has to be rather chilly to wear it and when wearing a hip pack I don't have as much room for storage when on a hunt. so many options!

Oh, and yes, the butt pad makes alot of sense... lost mine last year when I was mtn biking at mach 4 off the hills... my mistake.

Marino and outer layer will be the wooltimate layer!

[fillthefreezer]

my wife runs the kanab pants with good luck, i run the ascent pants with good luck. hear great things about the attack pants.
i would not run one over the other though. over a long john at most. then go to a hardshell pant like kuiu chugach or sitka stormfront lite or what i use because of the price marmot precip

[Vo2max]

Price point is a bear for this stuff! $180-300 for pants! I'm liking the Marmot idea a lot right now.

[madcow41]

Why sit in snow?
 
all shells will let some moister get through either by soaking through or by condensation that's why you wear a fleece to soakup that moisture and dry it out by body heat.

[Carl]

I'm shopping too. The Merino wool sounds good (and pricey).

300Rum, where do you see the "Mil. surplus pants, usually found for under $20"?

Thanks,
Carl

[300rum]

The last place I bought them was at a place called Griggs (I think) in Pasco.  They still had some a few months ago, I would call them and see if they can ship.  They are Grey Wool pants, I weighed them last night and they are exactly at 1 pound. 

I'm shopping too. The Merino wool sounds good (and pricey).

300Rum, where do you see the "Mil. surplus pants, usually found for under $20"?

Thanks,
Carl

[Carl]

Thanks 300rum. 

 I'll call around.

Carl

[MLHSN]

I wear a pair of military gortex pants if I'm pushing through a lot of wet snow. I got mine from uncle sam for free but they are on e-bay for twenty bucks.  They are light and durable but not insulated.  I've bushwacked with them without tears.  I eventually put a gash in the leg with my crampons but I'm not sure how many people with be wearing crampons hunting. 

They are super light so If it is warm I just wear a lightweight pair of hiking pants underneath.  If it is really cold I wear a synthetic featherweight baselayer and fleece sweats under the gortex pants.  With gaiters on I've never been cold in that setup down to 0 degrees.  It's a pretty good deal for 20 bucks.

[Vo2max]

Thanks MLHSN and others. Finding affordable Gortex is tough! Thanks for the ideas. The late hunt can't get here any faster

[762Armo]

I'm thinking of using my snowboarding gear for when I go out in the super cold/snow/rain. It's waterproof, and keeps really warm. When I go snowboarding, I usually just have a regular t-shirt and my snowboarding jacket, and underwear(obviously) maybe some long johns and snowboarding pants. Usually never sweat, and it keeps me really warm.

[Austrian Hunter]

Wonder if anyone uses the Under Armour Reaper pants and jacket??  I've been looking now for a while and it's either Sitka or Kuiu but I have some Under Armour gear and it's virtually indestructible.