School me on clothing systems.

[Adkhunter3]

Gearing up for a elk hunt next year. The only thing I’m really missing is a good clothing system. I don’t care about name brands. I’d rather do it more on a budget.
So merino base layers? Mid layers also merino? And outter? I have a set of scentinel red head brand co. Rain top and bottom already. All my other hunting clothes are basically cotton/polyester minus a carhart coat.
For boots I think I’m going with Crispi Colorado GTX

 

[SloppyJ]

Man I think it's going to boil down to what type of hunt you're going on. Is weight or packability a concern? I think you can get by with a lot less than what most are going to say. What time of the year and when are you going? What are you looking for in your clothing?

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Need more details about the expected weather.

 

[Dos Perros]

Often the relevance of the advice given is proportional to the amount of information shared in the request. If you can picture it, someone going on a September Arizona archery elk hunt might wear different clothes than someone going on a Thanksgiving Montana rifle hunt.

 

[Adkhunter3]

oct/ nov northern Colorado.
Weight is a bit of a concern,but I don’t feel out over that like some do. I’ll take better gear that’s a little heavier over straight lightweight everything.
As to what I’m looking for on this clothing, I guess good quality but doesn’t have to be the best of the best…. Sorry was in a bit of a rush this am.

 

[doc holiday13]

send a DM to FNGTony... he's the resident clothing expert

 

[SDHNTR]

A clothing system? My system with clothes is this: when I’m cold, I put a jacket on. When I’m hot, I take it off. Is there really more to this discussion? This is certainly doesn’t need overthinking.

Once you are above the Wally world quality level, there isn’t a lick of genuine functional difference between any of them. Buy what’s on sale.

 

[hunterjmj]

I hunt November in Montaña every year and the weather can be drastically different year to year. I'll list what I typically wear.
Darn Tough lightweight (my feet run hot)
Skre merino base layer (heavy if it's really cold)
Sitka timberline or skre hardscrabble or skre Kodiak if it's cold
Skre merino base upper layer
Kuiu hooded med weight pullover
And any number of jackets depending on the days weather.
Most days I'll wear a woolrich jacket but I always have a hooded puffy in my pack.
Skre hardscrabble vest over the kuiu if it's not too cold.
I also have the Sitka Traverse for when it's really cold.
I wear lined wool mittens when it's really cold otherwise just army surplus wool gloves.
Just have the gear for when it's really cold otherwise it's miserable. Dress for the weather that day with something warm enough to get you by if the weather goes south. I alway pack my puffy, mitts and a beanie. Hope that helps.

 

[roadrunner]

Check out Black Ovis.

 

[justinspicher]

Take what you think will work for you, if it doesn’t change it up for the next time. It doesn’t have to be complicated.

 

[displacedtexan]

oct/ nov northern Colorado.
Weight is a bit of a concern,but I don’t feel out over that like some do. I’ll take better gear that’s a little heavier over straight lightweight everything.
As to what I’m looking for on this clothing, I guess good quality but doesn’t have to be the best of the best…. Sorry was in a bit of a rush this am.

Early October to late November is a HUGE difference.

 

[displacedtexan]

A clothing system? My system with clothes is this: when I’m cold, I put a jacket on. When I’m hot, I take it off. Is there really more to this discussion? This is certainly doesn’t need overthinking.

Once you are above the Wally world quality level, there isn’t a lick of genuine functional difference between any of them. Buy what’s on sale.

Sometimes if I'm just a little chilly I wear a vest.

 

[Eyeman]

I have a hodge podge of stuff I use. My own system that I have used for years and still developing....lol
I love my Crispi Colorados.
Merino wool socks....different weights for temps.
I dont have to have name brand jackets but some of the lightweight stuff is way cool for the warmth you get out of it.
I like 1st lite pants because they work for me and my thick legs. also they are a little thicker and dont need an under layer if its not too cold.
Merino wool bottoms and merino wool under shirt if needed.
I use a 20 year old fleece pullover shirt that works good under my lightweight jacket when its cold.
The older I get the more I like the lightweight stuff.
Like some other posters said there are some places you can get the merino for a decent price.

 

[intunegp]

There is a clothing subforum, might help to browse around there.

 

[doc holiday13]

There is a clothing subforum, might help to browse around there.

I almost said that but I figured it would be better to direct him to FNGTony

 

[Glendon Mullins]

1st step, look in the clothing forum on here, 2nd step post this in the clothing forum on here

 

[Olympics777]

Just get a merino baselayer regardless of what weather. I like Duckworth but the black Ovis stuff is on sale regularly on camofire. Get some darn tough socks. Get some soft shell pants. Get a thin puffy if it’s not gonna be too cold or a thick one if it’s gonna be cold. Then get a rain jacket and pants. I like Sitka but any modern brand is functionally the same. It’s really that simple.

 

[fngTony]

oct/ nov northern Colorado.
Weight is a bit of a concern,but I don’t feel out over that like some do. I’ll take better gear that’s a little heavier over straight lightweight everything.
As to what I’m looking for on this clothing, I guess good quality but doesn’t have to be the best of the best…. Sorry was in a bit of a rush this am.

If you don’t want to publicly get too specific on where you’re going send me a pm. You could could be in dense forest or sage flats or high altitude grass land. With that I would lean towards durability.
Boots-don’t need to be mountaineering type but still comfortable and protective.
Lower body- base layer bottoms under synthetic pants (wrangler stretch nylon or similar) durable but affordable rain pants (full leg zip) not really for heavy rain but snow and wind, also helps insulate you.
Upper body- required orange. Synthetic base, synthetic full zip fleece, probably a synthetic puffy since you’re not overly concerned with weight and they tend to be a little more durable. Hard shell for the same purpose as the rain pants, pitzips are recommended.
Accessories- extra socks, ski gloves, neck gaiter or balaclava, leg gaiters, hand muff with battery powered heat. A synthetic sleeping bag to wrap up in when glassing. Micro spikes for your boots.

send a DM to FNGTony... he's the resident clothing expert

Hey now there’s 25,683 other roksliders living in Colorado . But I have spent some time in that part of the state with very cheap to expensive clothes with some duds on both sides.

 

[willtim]

Buy once, cry once. I have Kuiu and Sitka and they are both very good quality.

 

[hereinaz]

Are you a sweat monster? If you are, then I think there is a special discussion for us sweaty messes. I get so hot that even wearing a shirt and ball cap can be too much when hiking while its snowing as the sun rises to get to a glassing spot, meaning it is cold out. The only thing that gets cold is maybe my fingers and nose if it is frosty out.

I know there are others out there like me. If so, clothing is more about controlling my sweat than anything else. I tried Merino wool, but just got it soaked and I fought it trying to stay warm in wet clothes.

If this sounds like you, skip the merino, except for socks and gloves. I may try alpaca next, but I have a bunch of nice merino socks.

I run only synthetics for my undies and first layer. And, if I am moving, I never wear a second layer because I will sweat it out. I hike in my long sleeve shirt even in the snow and light rain. Doesn't matter if I wear a rain coat, I will get just as wet. The long sleeve shirt is the same one I wear in the summer and fall when it is hot out to give you an idea.

When I stop walking, my shirt will be wet, so I let my body heat dry off my layers, and then before I get too chilled, I typically use a light jacket or puffy. I will finish drying out with the second layer on.

For my system, I can't get much cheaper. I run hooded fishing "sun shirts" from Amazon cause I can get a coyote or green color, instead of the typical colors in the fishing style. I wear the WalMart Wranglers in stretchy polyester. I have a lightweight pullover hoodie, a lightly insulated zipper jacket, and for my puffy I use a cheapo WalMart one. I have one pair of water resistant insulated pants that I take, but those rarely get used. They are nightime around camp and glassing in cold shadows. I just pull them over my other pants.

That's pretty much all I take anymore for my clothes system. I have a pair of socks for every two days, two shirts, and one of everything else. That's what I used on my 8 day caribou hunt.

I have a schmerga or whatever you call it to use as a beanie and to control the heat around my head and neck. Its amazing how much I can control hot/cold with just that.

For gloves, I use a thin merino wool pair. If it is cold, its also usually wet, so I just gave up and bought some of the neoprene type gloves that keep my hands warm even when wet.

If I am in a cabin or truck, I'll bring other stuff like nice fat puffy gloves and comfort items.

I haven't been in weather much below freezing for daytime temps, so I might invest in some different puffy jacket and gear for ultra cold.