Over the years, I have purchased "many" things that I have regrets for buying and "fewer" things that I was glad that I have bought.
I am a firm believer of buying things that will make me more "comfortable" while I am out in the woods. NO, I'm not talking about a Lane Recliner and one of those "Snuggie" blankets with sleeves on it. I am talking about certain products that should be necessities when hunting, like gloves, hat, clothing, ect.
I would need "TWO" sets of hands to count how many pair of gloves I have bought over the years that either didn't keep me warm, didn't keep me dry, or both. Yes, I have been one of those guys that have sat up in his stand for hours wearing a "cheap" pair of gloves that get soaked from holding the barrel and stock of my gun when it was snowing or raining. I have also bought gloves that have kept me warm but not dry. They where about as thick as a 2,000 page dictionary and when I went to get my finger inside the trigger guard, it wasn't happening.
The same thing with boots. I have wore boots that where so cheap that the rubber would creek when I was walking to my stand. They where as thin as a warn out dime and if you stepped on a sharp branch, you better believe you were gonna be taking in water on your way out of the woods. I had had my share of boots that didn't keep my feet warm. In fact, there where times that I thought the boots would greatly "increase" my odds of getting frostbite on my toes and I might have stayed warmer if I stuck my feet in a 3 foot snowbank.
One thing that I have learned over the years is, when your feet, hands, head, neck and body are either soaked, freezing, or a slight combination of both, it makes it very hard for a hunter to want to stay in the woods for a prolonged amount of time. I now have gotten out of the old "cheap is good enough" philosophies and try to get the best clothing that I can afford. I have learned that this equipment will last me longer and putting down a few extra dollars for it is well worth it to me.
I now look for clothing that will keep me warm, dry, and quiet. I also look for light, breathable material so I don't get soaked from sweat either.
Last edited by Ghost of the hardwoods; 12-18-2011 at 07:53 AM.