Withoutgarments constructed of proper materials,one's stay in the woods for any extended period of time in colder temps is either almost unbearably miserable or nonexistent.
As a young and dumb kid years ago I remember shivering in agony waiting for a buck to show up. Most of my layered clothes "in the day" were made of cotton; after all if it was calleda "sweatshirt" it must be warm right?!
I also think that some of my favorite camo patterns like Predator and ASAT have handicapped themselves somewhatby sticking with cotton garments for the most part. Even if you just hunt in warm weather, cotton fades badly over time. Not good when you pay $50.00 for a pair of pants! If you hunt true wilderness areas in late season and you get caught in a storm, your life could be in jeopardy if most of your clothing is cotton. Of course that is not a reality for most hunters so wearing cotton really isn't that big of a deal.
It is no secret, layering is key. Keeping dry equals more time on stand or at least better comfort when you are there. A good wool garment is hard to beat. The good stuff is expensive no question. King of the Mountain and Sleeping Indian are probably out of the equation for most of us. I have a Sleeping Indian shirt and Archers vest that I got from a buddy when he "grew" out of themand they are outstanding.
Gray Wolf Woolens makes excellent wool and wolfskin garments. The wool is not as thick as the two companies mentioned above but is quality and you can get it in camo's like predator that are not mainstream. I have some ofJeff's stuff as well as Marc Barger's who invented Predator and was Jeff Aulik's predecessor. All of the products I have purchased from Gray Wolf has been quality stuff.
I recently purchased a wool pullover and pants in ASAT camo from Gary Christoffersen at Day One Camouflage at a very reasonable price for the quality of garment. It feels very much like the material from Gray Wolf but it is not the 27 0zBemidji woolen mills fabric that Jeff uses. It is a Canadian 24 ozfabric. Again I can't tell the difference between the two with my fingers. Years ago I bought some ofGary's garments he madefrom fleece (in Predator Camo)and they are stillgoing strong. He makes good stuff without a doubt.
Insulated wolf skin products are nice too. The insulated stuff is bulkier than wool but then I have the uninsulated wool too, so that makes a difference.
I have a pair of Cabelas wool pants that I have used for a few years. Actually it is a blend so it is not entirely 100% wool. They are now showing wear with a couple of holes around the cuffs. They are thicker than the Gray Wolf wool but not any warmer.
ColumbiaGallatin wool is certainly cheap enough. It is made in India and is not the same quality as the ones listed above but again it is quite a bit cheaper too. I have the bibs, a shirt, and Jacket that I have had for a while now. I have used the bibs the most and they are beginning to show some wear. They are a decent "poor mans" wool garment in every piece but the coat. I would not recomend the Jacket to anyone. There are built in "bellows" (or should I be proper and say pleats) under the arms that are made of cotton and believe me the cold air just rushes in when ever you move.
Under the wool I will wear a couple of pair of long johns, and then some fleece if it is bitter out. Don't forget the knitted neck gator; that alone makes a huge difference. Leather insulated boots. In bitter weather they will be covered by a boot mitten; again a huge difference in comfort with or without.
If a person isn't hung up on the camo look, Filson makes some great quality garments too....
I could go on but then I would have to put some action scenes in this novel to keep you all from going to sleep....
