Welcome from a fellow newcomer. To your question on clothing, I think Outdoor Research provides the best performance and durability in non-camo clothing for a reasonable price. For camo, there's no shortage of debate about which is best, but I've not been thrilled with any of it. Out of the lot I've tried, I've kept a handful of Sitka items, mainly because the pattern fits my haunts. I use those with a broader array of OR pieces, such as pants, puffys, vests, and gloves, all of which can usually be had for less than the cost of Sitka et al.