all weather clothes opinion

[justdada]

I was raised hunting in clothes not designed for hunting, or for outdoors at all for that matter... lots of cotton.
Now that I'm older and wiser, I've graduated to some better gear but keep hearing folks talking about under armor and sitka. So my question is this: for those of you who have switched to the futuristic clothes, what's the right system as far as layering to keep warm and dry? (Say for Colorado in November )
Or is the expensive stuff really no better than wool and gortex?

 

[wgiles]

Almost all of my cold weather clothing is now synthetic, but I still have some wool blends. I favor acrylic flannel shirts, which are getting hard to find and acrylic socks, which are bulky and warm. Most of my cold weather underwear is fleece, both polyethylene and polypropylene. I have a mixture of brands. Most of my outerwear is also fleece, but includes some wind blocking fleece. If I have a choice, I usually use polarfleece or Cabela's berber fleece. I try to get all of my jackets and bibs larger than I normally wear, so that I can put them on over my clothes. I do have a pair of military surplus "Mickey Mouse" or "Bunny" boots for very cold weather. I usually buy clothes on sale or closeout.

 

[Khunter]

"So my question is this: for those of you who have switched to the futuristic clothes..."

I am all about futuristic clothes ever since Dinkshooter enlightened me.. These are the best:

 

[MHMT]

I have an under armour top and it is supposed to wick moisture, but to be honest, when I sweat It feels like it is holding moisture in and then I am freezing cold when I slow down, not sure if all of there stuff is like that though. I have some capilene shirts that seem to work much better.

 

[Dodad]

er...ah....wool! Nothing beats it. If too costly go to the St. Vincent DePaul (or like) store near you. Great bargains.

 

[idnative1948]

Speaking of underwear-
I want to upgrade (for Christmas) what my wife wears from the old thermals to something like capilene, etc. When we go to the cabin in OR during the winter on snowmobiles, she rides and snowshoes in. So you go from just trying to stay warm to a very physical workout.
Most of the outdoor shops say that there are three levels- super light-weight, light-weight and heavy? So besides having a certain amount of smoke blown at me I am getting confused. I know everybody has their own opinion on what to use, but everything seems to be different.

 

[justdada]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. I still hope there is something decent out there to keep the moisture away from my skin cause that is usually what bugs me.
Nice outfit KH...

 

[Oak]

I don't spend a whole lot of money on hunting clothes, but I like capilene as a base layer. I usually wear a Patagonia zip-neck top in either 2 or 3 weight, and sometimes bottoms as well if it's really cold. You can often find it on sale for $25-$35 a piece if you are patient. They have changed the style since I last bought, so I can't comment on the new stuff.

Lots of way more expensive stuff out there that I'm sure is much better.

 

[----]

I absolutely love merino for underwear.

I've heard a lot of good about microtex, what's so great about it? or is there anything special about it?

 

[Oak]

I've heard a lot of good about microtex, what's so great about it? or is there anything special about it?

Light, stretchy, soft, quiet, fairly durable, dries quickly, and only costs $40-$60 on sale.

 

[wgiles]

The one thing about synthetic fabrics that isn't so good is that they melt, they burn and they stick to your skin. Cotton soaks up water and gets cold and heavy. Wool is probably the best natural fiber, if you can wear it. Being a natural fiber, some people are allergic to wool. My work shirts are polyester - cotton blends. Weld spatter just melts holes in them, they don't catch fire. I still wear blue jeans, same deal, they don't catch fire. It's the reason Carhartts are still popular. The heavy cotton canvas blocks the wind, but doesn't easily catch fire. For the ultimate in cold weather wear, caribou hide with the fur on the inside.

 

[69chevey]

I myself layer in thermals, then a nice heavy flannel,then a fleese,then my old faithful woolrich then maybe if needed a nice down vest,anda pair of wranglers,and just in case i take along sum cabelas packable rain gear,followed by a pair of danner pronghorns, insulated or non insulated

 

[nbell]

I just got the under armor last year. I thought that it wicked moisture wonderfully. I hunted elk in AZ last year and had to climb 2500 feet every morning. When I reached the top my sweat shirt I wore on top would be sopping wet, and I was dry underneath. This is when I would loose the sweat shirt and layer up with fleece. Warm and quiet. In ID this year when it was 20 below and dumping snow, nothing beats good old wool.

 

[Drake4]

Light, stretchy, soft, quiet, fairly durable, dries quickly, and only costs $40-$60 on sale.

Yep, it is good stuff.

A merino wool base layer is about as expensive as I get. I bought an Under Armour top on-sale at Bob Wards about 4 years ago. That along with microtex pants is about all I have used for the last 3-4 years. I may have to splurge for another wool shirt next year as one of mine is finally wearing thin. I've got less than $200 into my layering system that is good for me down to 0 degrees or so. Below that and I have to throw on my pullover.