Thought experiment- complete budget clothing system from scratch

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More animals get killed in “budget” clothing than any other scenario. The percentage of people wearing top end gear vs budget is extremely swayed in the budget direction. I would have no reservations whatsoever using the wranglers for hunting. I do commercial construction and wore them all summer and they held up great. Daily use on a commercial jobsite will test any clothing to its limits.

 

[Jake Larsen]

I was wondering around Costco last week thinking about something similar. I think you’re list is pretty good the only thing I would expand on is the boot budget just to ensure people get a good fitting boot.

Came to say the same thing. Boots are going to be the failure point in a list like this. For western hunts like deer/elk, you’re going to have a major problem if your boots don’t fit and hold up


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[mtnbound]

Since its raining and I'm stuck at work on mindless meetings today.... I did a little thought experiment.

I had a person at my gym ask me about what she would need to hunt deer this year. I borrowed her everything she would need to enjoy her time in the woods and she shot herself a really nice buck which was super cool.

So I got to thinking
How much would it cost a brand new hunter not using a single thing they already own to get a clothing system that would be versatile enough to hunt most things in most conditions.

Without using a single thing already owned, what would it take to kit out an average hunter for the season.

So I hopped on google and used only things I could find in just a few seconds of searching. Using brands like 32 degrees, columbia, sportsmans warehouse, eddie bauer and amazon I came up with this list

Budget layering system
Poly base long sleeve T- 32 degrees 6.99
Poly hoodie -17.99 magellen
Puffy vest. 32 degrees 13.99
Rain shell or softshell - 35$ columbia
Poly bottom, heavyweight- 14.99 heavyweight guide gear
Soft shell pant- wrangler 27$ or eddie bauer 35$
Bibs or rain pants - midwayusa 51$
Gloves- 4.92 sportsman
Neck gaiter- 9$ amazon
Hat-9$
Wool socks- 12$
Boots- 30.92 sportmans

231$ for total startup with gear that is well vetted and not going to fail.

231$ would get a person everything they would need to hunt in the midwest, elk, mule deer, field waterfowl, upland birds etc.

I mean I'm sitting here in my sitka boxers, sipping coffee from my kuiu tumbler, wearing a first lite merino quarter zip, but a guy could really do just fine for a lot less if they were just starting out.

If you had to make a budget list, what would be on yours?

You can save a lot of money if you shop around but you do need to look at your clothing system as a whole with the understanding that it is your primary defense from the environment. I have rescued a lot of hunters who were not prepared for the environment, so yes you don’t need the high end of everything but cheap and good do not normally go hand in hand.

 

[Erussell01]

You can save a lot of money if you shop around but you do need to look at your clothing system as a whole with the understanding that it is your primary defense from the environment. I have rescued a lot of hunters who were not prepared for the environment, so yes you don’t need the high end of everything but cheap and good do not normally go hand in hand.

I see your point here for sure. I'm never trusting my life to untested budget gear. That said, certain parts of a clothing system could be thoughtfully budget friendly and other parts may need to be the top of the line that you can afford. And I think with some sense a person can pick and chose, read reviews and most importantly test for yourself during summer camping trips, hiking for cardio etc. And get a really good idea of where you can pinch pennies and where you cant. For me, I'm never going to skimp on a shell. When I need water proof, I need water proof. And for me, I'll spend a bit more for more comfortable and more durable merino.

The beauty of having tubs of higher end gear and an equal amount of more budget friendly stuff I have acquired is that I always have a backup and I cam test and tinker with similar pieces without destroying my more expensive trust worthy gear

 

[Grassymike]

All of my clothing is either budget or good stuff bought used from thrift stores or off Ebay etc. or on sale. Two of my favorites are the US military foliage green light fleece jacket and Condor 2 grid fleece that is like $25 bucks new on Amazon/the bay. The Army fleece I find in thrift stores for $5 to $10. This fleece is highly breathable, and warm. The wrangler pants are great as well. I have a pair that have lived through 2 nine or 10 day sheep hunts and have one dime sized hole and some piling from a canteen rubbing on my leg. They stretch well, dry quickly when wet ,are wind resistant and have useable side leg and deep front pockets.