Clothing for first Colorado elk hunt

[Thegreenyeti]

Hi all!

Got my first elk hunt in Colorado coming up.

Sept 1st. I’ll be in Colorado in the white river forest. Looks like highs of 75-80 with lows of 42-45.

I own all Sitka gear. Wondering if I should add anything or take away anything.

-Sitka jet stream jacket
-Sitka 90% pants
-Sitka long sleeve core lightweight shirt
-Sitka core long sleeve heavyweight 1/4 zip
-Sitka beanie
-Sitka trucker hat
-Sitka gloves
-OR research GoreTex rain jacket

Should I get a puffy or a vest? Was thinking maybe the kelvin lite vest or the jetstream vest?

Grab a short sleeve shirt to?

Anything else you all recommend?

 

[bsnedeker]

A vest wouldn't be a bad idea combined with the Jet Stream jacket...otherwise swap the jet stream for a true puffy jacket. I hunted that area at that time last year and it was in the 90's during the day, but down to the high 30's at night with a daily light rain shower that lasted from 15-45 minutes.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Are you backpacking or truck camping? For the most part you should be fine as long as you don't plan on sitting for an extended period of time in the mornings and evenings. I never leave camp without a puffy during September though.

 

[Thegreenyeti]

A vest wouldn't be a bad idea combined with the Jet Stream jacket...otherwise swap the jet stream for a true puffy jacket. I hunted that area at that time last year and it was in the 90's during the day, but down to the high 30's at night with a daily light rain shower that lasted from 15-45 minutes.

Sounds like a good ide. If I get the kelvin puffy best. Should I keep the OR RESEARCH rain jackets and ditch the jetstream jacket? Or maybe the other way around? Keep the jetstream?

I just didn’t know if the jetstream was truly “water proof”

 

[Thegreenyeti]

Are you backpacking or truck camping? For the most part you should be fine as long as you don't plan on sitting for an extended period of time in the mornings and evenings. I never leave camp without a puffy during September though.

Backpacking! We plan to do a couple 2-3 day hikes and then going back to a cabin for clean up, and refresh food, gear.

 

[Back Country Hunter 2]

Ditch the jetstream and bring a puffy. The jetstream is not waterproof. The puffy will provide warmth when sitting around at camp in the early mornings and late evenings. It can also double up as a pillow.

 

[mathews8pt]

I would count on bigger temps swings then that, the averages out in the mountains can be misleading. I like a puffy vest with me all the time when back packing. I also only have a rain jacket for a shell layer. I normally wear a merino long sleeve base layer, then have a heavier merino long sleeve with a hood and the vest with me.

I sweat easy so i wear pretty light weight pants when im hiking/hunting the mountains. Normally its First lite guide pants, but this year i have a pair of the Sitka ascent pants to try as well. A base layer under them covers me if it has a real low temp swing, or if i have to sit and glass. Otherwise if im moving its just the light weight pants for me.

 

[Trial153]

I would leave it as is and add a vest ....either that you listed will work fine.

 

[ericF]

I would ditch the core long sleeve shirt as your baselayer and pick up a merino 3/4 zip of your favorite brand for the baselayer. In the middle of the day if it is warm out, you will want the zip feature for cooling off and the merino will do better with smell over a couple days.

 

[Zdubs]

Depending on what elevation you are camping I would expect lower temperatures in the morning and the evenings. I have already seen frost at 11-12k in Colorado this month. You don't mention gaiters, or footwear, but I would expect your lower pants/boots to get wet in the morning.

 

[gelton]

As others have said bring a puffy. If its dry it will be warmer than the jetstream and if its wet you can put your rainjacket over the puffy. I personally carry a vest too which is why my puffy normally stays in the pack, but if you need to get warm quick there is no replacement for a puffy.

Generally for me - a base layer, mid layer (sitka traverse zip T) and a vest like the Kuiu guide vest is perfect for about 95% of the time during archery.

Its those other 5% that you have to worry about.

 

[Thegreenyeti]

For foot wear I’m rockin the Kenertreks uninsulated boots.

I’ll be pairing them with a sock liner and darn tuff wool socks. I’ll have a couple pair to swap around if they get wet etc.

I don’t have gaiters on the list. But I can surely add them.

I definitely am liking the merino wool 1/4 zip idea. I think it’s more versatile then the long sleeve core as I mentioned, so I’ll grab that.

Now I just need to decide between a puffy vest or a puffy jacket

 

[fngTony]

I like a puffy vest as an additional piece but if I’m to only have one it would be a puffy jacket.