Best clothing lines for backpack sheep hunting?

[Geetar]

What clothing lines do you backpack sheep hunters prefer? Sitka, KUIU , Under Armour Hunt, other? Looking for pros and cons before I buy. What works for you what doesn’t?

 

[kad11]

I use the backpacking and mountaineering brands available at REI, Sierra, etc. just because I can find what I need usually around 50-75% off of what I'd pay for the top end hunting lines. For example, I recently picked up a new lime green Brooks Range Mojave puffy, 800 fp dwr down, 6 oz fill, size large for $67 shipped. Comparable parkas are +$300. If you can deal with solid and sometimes bright color options there are some great, easily found deals to be had.

If I were looking only at the hunting brands, I'd make a list of the items I need and pick and choose from all of them... no one company is going to have the best of everything imo.

 

[mt100gr.]

I use merinos from first lite, icebreakers, sitka, kuiu. Mid layers, wool and synthetic, from north face, marmot, first lite, sitka, kuiu, etc. Puffy gear from Costco, Enlightened equipment, kuiu, north face, baffin, etc. Pants from Eddie Bauer, marmot, sitka, kuiu, etc. Outer wear from mtn hardware, sitka, kuiu, LL Bean.

I have shifted to buying solids from many/any mountaineering company over camouflage from hunting specific companies if I find it on sale. I am phasing out most of my camo and saving money and often times weight.

I find that a few key pieces from a bunch of companies are far superior than a "system" from any one company. A little bit of everything put together how I need it.
...and that goes for all my mountain hunting and backpacking.

 

[Yellowknife]

Mountaineering people go higher, further, and longer than that any sheep hunter, and have been doing it since way before Sitka and Kuiu came along. So I still buy from mountain brands most of the time. If I had to pick one it would probably be Outdoor Research, but thankfully mixing is allowable.

Nothing wrong with the high end hunting brands either (I use some of that too), but Kuiu vs Sitka vs whatever isn't going to be what makes or breaks a sheep hunt.

 

[Jimbob]

My stuff is a mix. I would rather research each piece and buy whatever best fits me. Like mentioned above no need to overlook mountaineering companies.


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[AK Troutbum]

When I first started sheep hunting I couldn’t afford high end hunting apparel, so I just wore the same stuff that I would wear when I would go hiking/backpacking. I used what I had, and although it wasn’t jeans and flannel shirts, it was usually used REI synthetics and the like. Even as recently as 10 years ago or so, I was still wearing whatever was comfortable for me to hike in. The blue shorts in my avatar photo, is a good example of that. In the last 7 years or so, I started buying a little higher end apparel to hunt in. I figured that since it’s going to be used exclusively for hunting, I may as well have it in camo patterns that I feel blends in well with the mountain environments that I hunt in. I don’t really think that in a lot of situations camo makes a whole lot of difference, but I do know that the stuff I’m using today is better than the stuff I was using 10-20 years ago, and that makes a big difference in my comfort level. I have a little bit of Sitka Gear and First Lite, but most of my stuff is Kuiu. It’s my personal opinion that the apparel Kuiu is putting out is some of the best stuff available to mountain hunters today.


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[Geetar]

I use the backpacking and mountaineering brands available at REI, Sierra, etc. just because I can find what I need usually around 50-75% off of what I'd pay for the top end hunting lines. For example, I recently picked up a new lime green Brooks Range Mojave puffy, 800 fp dwr down, 6 oz fill, size large for $67 shipped. Comparable parkas are +$300. If you can deal with solid and sometimes bright color options there are some great, easily found deals to be had.

If I were looking only at the hunting brands, I'd make a list of the items I need and pick and choose from all of them... no one company is going to have the best of everything imo.

Thanks for that info. I hadn’t even considered that option but it’s a great one. Solid colors are fine with me in the mountains.

 

[kad11]

You bet! Have you decided on a unit to start scouting?

 

[Geetar]

I’ve ruled out 303 and 502 so far. Still looking at the others as viable options for me and I’ll pick one of those 300, 500, or 501

 

[adventure907]

I agree with the guys that wear mountaineering lines, in solid colors.
And, my go to sheep hunting pants are made by Duluth Trading Company.
I don't own a single piece of sitka and/or kuiu, hasn't hindered me yet.

 

[Geetar]

Do you guys also go with mountaineering brands for tents over brands like KUIU and Stone Glacier? When I went onto the REI website to look at some of these clothes you mentioned they seemed to have a lot of tents on sale as well.

 

[Yellowknife]

Do you guys also go with mountaineering brands for tents over brands like KUIU and Stone Glacier? When I went onto the REI website to look at some of these clothes you mentioned they seemed to have a lot of tents on sale as well.

Yeah for sure. "Hunting" brand tents are only a very recent development. I'd comfortably assume that 99% of hunters are still using non-hunting tent brands.

Some of the new stuff seems good (and I have a SG in inventory myself) but they are honestly cribbing from the decades of tent development and refinement by the traditional tent making brands.

 

[Geetar]

That’s kinda what I figured. I couldn’t see much advantage in buying one over MSR or Hilleberg or even the TarpTent brand.

 

[Kootenay Hunter]

That’s kinda what I figured. I couldn’t see much advantage in buying one over MSR or Hilleberg or even the TarpTent brand.

Yeah, but nobody is gonna know you're on a backcountry sheep hunt on IG if you're rocking a hubba hubba right?

Excellent points made above. Get what works for you, and what is versatile. Ex. I bought a 3layer goretex jacket in solid earth tone as it will be my only hardshell for all activities, not just hunting. Mtn companies have been around for decades and hunting specific are using their tech.

I have a pair of Icebreaker wool pants that are tough as sh!t. A lot of Fjallraven stuff with the waxed cotton blends is also bombproof.

 

[Geetar]

Haha if you don’t instagram it did it even really happen? Feel free to follow me on there though. @ivan.griffin

 

[Snyd]

Outdoor Research makes some great stuff. I'll not buy REI or Patagonia. No sense in supporting anti-hunting companies.

The grey shirt I'm wearing in my avatar I bought at Value Village 5 or 10 years ago. Very wind resistant/proof. Hat is wool/acrylic blend I found at the Salvation Army thrift story probably 10 years ago. I guess it's a "hunting" hat though, it has a camo bill and says Remington Country on it! Pants are dark grey/blackish Outdoor Research Cirque. These items have been on many sheep hunts here in AK.

 

[Jimss]

After investing years drawing a sheep tag and hours upon hours behind glass I definitely want to pull everything in my favor on a sheep hunt.....sheep hunts usually don't come around that often! Camo is super important to me. I wear different tops than bottoms to rid myself of the human profile. In fact, I often set different camo patterns out in the terrain I'll be hunting and chose the ones that blend the best. Sheep have some of the best eyes in the animal kingdom! With hunting pressure they can be pushed completely out of an area!

It's also important for me to be comfortable when conditions can be extreme and sometimes dangerous. It's pretty tough to beat newer model camo hunting clothes for compact, light weight, warmth, quick drying,, windproof, and waterproofness. If you've spent much time in the high alpine you are likely aware of how quickly conditions can change....and often for the worse! It's definitely worth it to me to invest in great hunting camo clothes for sheep hunts! You can't go wrong with Kuiu, Sitka, First Lite, etc.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a huge mix of stuff, marmot, black diamond, kuiu, Sitka, probably some first lite mixed in there.

I like Camo personally so I like the newer hunting lines, I love the kuiu patterns and they work extremely well where I live and hunt so I use those but I often wear solid color pants, usually also from
Kuiu simply because I like the fit and feel of the pants.

For tents sure, MSR, marmot (had a marmot for the past 15 years), hilleberg (have that now). It’s only
My opinion but sometimes Camo is really important, sometimes not so much. I’ve shot a lot of stuff including sheep while not wearing any Camo at all, calling in moose in a dark forest or swamp, I love the kuiu verde.

 

[Geetar]

I have a huge mix of stuff, marmot, black diamond, kuiu, Sitka, probably some first lite mixed in there.

I like Camo personally so I like the newer hunting lines, I love the kuiu patterns and they work extremely well where I live and hunt so I use those but I often wear solid color pants, usually also from
Kuiu simply because I like the fit and feel of the pants.

For tents sure, MSR, marmot (had a marmot for the past 15 years), hilleberg (have that now). It’s only
My opinion but sometimes Camo is really important, sometimes not so much. I’ve shot a lot of stuff including sheep while not wearing any Camo at all, calling in moose in a dark forest or swamp, I love the kuiu verde.

Kuiu Verde is awesome looking the VIAS looks like something you wear sheep hunting on the moon lol

 

[deadwolf]

Kuiu Verde is awesome looking the VIAS looks like something you wear sheep hunting on the moon lol

Don’t kid yourself, Vias is one of the best at blending in in the mountains.


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