10 Must-have Clothing Items for Hunting, Hiking, and Life Outdoors
By: Dwayne Surgill
I wish someone would have shared the information I am about to share with you when I first stated really getting into hunting. It is a shame that the majority of readily available, commonly advertised, big name clothing and hunting wear are most often no where close to being the best items for the new or experienced hunter to buy. The quality is not usually the issue. The camo pattern is not the issue. The material is usually the problem… COTTON is more often than not a terrible choice for one's outdoor gear!
Why… you might ask… Several reasons! First off, we sweat and cotton plus moisture equals one very cold individual! Unless you have the luxury of driving right up to your hunting location or have very little walking you are going to sweat when you hunt. A wet cotton shirt will guarantee you are cold and uncomfortable right at the start of your hunt. A cold hunter is a hunter who doesn't stay put for very long! Unfortunately, almost every big name brand that is advertised on TV or easily found at the local retail store is primarily made from cotton. Even in warm weather it's not ideal. It holds your sweat and sweat, doesn't dry easily, and sweat will, at best, make you feel clammy and uncomfortable.
Second is cotton's warmth to weight ratio. There are several other materials available for the hunter that offer a much more packable, light weight option than cotton, all while being very packable. No one wants to carry around heavy, bulkly items even when they have nothing else to carry. Throw in a gun and all the other items the hunter needs to make their trip comfortable and successful and you can end up needing a pack mule… or looking like you are hiking in with a month's worth of items.
If you know what to look for, it is absolutely possible to find a complete hunting wardrobe that is comfortable, light weight, warm, packable, and durable. And though this article is not necessarily about how to effectively layer one's clothing, I definitely do deal with that in a good amount of detail. So, whether you are in the market for your first hunting wardrobe, interested in upgrading, learning how to layer for cold weather hunting, or maybe you are an experienced hunter simply looking for other opinions… this article should be useful. Here are all my all-time favorite, must-have clothing related items for hunting, hiking, and outdoor excursions…
#1 – Merino Wool Socks
You will find merino wool on this list in several different spots. The reason is that there just really isn't anything that comes close to performing like merino wool does! The merino is a breed of sheep that has been prized for its wool for hundreds of years. It is not itchy like some other wool options and it is perfect for hunting and outdoor use because of how it performs when worn on an active human. Merino wool is breathable and warm all at the same time. I have yet to find a synthetic material that both breathes and retains warmth like merino does. I have merino tshirts that I wear in warm weather because it breathes and is comfortable but I can also wear that same shirt as a base layer in cold weather for those same reasons.
Merino really earns its keep in cold weather. That same shirt that can be worn when it's warm is still breathable but also warm, even when I sweat in it, because wool has the unique quality of being a fabric that can get wet while still allowing the individual wearing it to remain warm. You absolutely cannot say that for cotton. Merino can also be worn for several days before it starts to stink! Keeping your stink to a minimum is a very desirable quality for any type of hunting.
So… warm, breathable, comfortable, and not stinky sounds like excellent qualities to be desired in a sock right!!! What could possibly make that deal any sweeter for the hunter or the avid outdoorsman… how about a sock company who guarantees their socks for life!?!?
Darn Tough socks is an American company who specializes in merino wool socks and, that's right, they guarantee their socks for life! They offer a variety of styles, colors and designs that will fit just about any outdoor activity. They are made from the absolute most awesome material for activities in the outdoors as discussed above. And did I say they are guaranteed for life?!? I have multiple pairs of Darn Tough merino wool socks but not because I have to keep a bunch to ensure I always have a pair with no holes. I make sure I have a clean, dry pair ready for every day I'm going to be in the field! Out of the multiple pairs I have worn over the past few years, I have yet to have a pair even get close to looking like it is about to get a hole. And because they are warm, dry quickly, and really don't start to stink, I have worn the same pair of Darn Tough merino socks for three straight days while hunting in Idaho and they still didn't stink when I finally decided to change them! I honestly don't know how it could be made any better.
#2 – Merino Wool T-shirt
Since I covered the awesome qualities of merino wool above when discussing the socks I will skip all those details. I can sum it up again though by pointing out that those same qualities that make merino the world's best sock material – dries easily, breathable, comfortable, warm, doesn't stink – are the exact same qualities one desires in a tshirt. You will find that a merino wool tshirt can be purchased in a brown or green color and worn alone during warmer weather hunting adventures and that same shirt can be worn as an excellent base layer during cold weather. A good merino tshirt will wick your sweat away all while allowing excellent evaporation… and still keep you warm. It is not itchy like cheaper wool and merino tshirts are just as comfortable as cotton. And I'll point out again, they just don't stink like cotton does! Need to wear the same tshirt for several days while in the backcountry? Wish you had a tshirt that you could wear on the hike in and still keep it on under your outer layers for the remainder of the hunt without freezing? A merino tshirt is the one for you!
#3 – Expedition weight long sleeve base layer Shirt and Long Johns… you guessed it… made from Merino Wool!
Want the warmest base layer set on the planet!?!? Look no further! This set is just about the heaviest merino wool set you can buy and it is worth its weight in gold. Cotton base layers have to be much thicker to match the same insulating level as merino wool. More material equals more space that is taken up in your backpack and, perhaps most importantly, if you walk around with the cotton base layer on, the thicker cotton means you have even more material to soak up your sweat. And as stated above, sweating in cotton is a bad deal! Yes, you can save some money buy purchasing expedition weight cotton base layers but you will get no where near the positive experience as you would with merino wool base layers. Merino has a much higher warmth to weight ratio, it packs easier because it is less material, and it will keep you warm even if you sweat in it. Win, win, and win!!!
#4 – Polyester or Merino Wool Underwear
I included polyester here because I think polyester breathes way better than merino wool. Merino wool underwear are still super awesome but, personally, I really like to keep that particular area well ventilated. My add on base layers and outer layers keep me warm when I add them to the mix but I like the poly undies for hiking purposes. Again, merino wool underwear work great but I sweat even less in poly underwear and I have my outer layers to keep me warm when I finish my hike.
Poly underwear are also very inexpensive, which is an obvious plus. They are comfortable, breath very well, and they dry super fast. My merino undies win out when I'm on a backcountry hunt and having multiple changes of underwear is not exactly ideal due to pack weight and space savings in my pack. And as stated several times previously in this article, merino also has that magical quality of not really stinking. The same cannot be said for polyester underwear! That is my only negative feedback for poly items as underwear… they stink. They actually stink worse than cotton is still not an option because they don't keep you warm at all when you sweat, they don't breathe like poly or wool, and they do not dry quickly at all. On backcountry trips, I have worm my poly undies until a wash was much needed, washed them out quickly with a little water, and dried them in no time by hanging them over the camp stove.
So… leave the cotton at home. If you have the extra money pick up some merino wool underwear. If you don't like the price of merino undies don't be afraid to grab several pairs of polyester underwear!
#5 – Quality Outer Layer Jacket and Pants
We have covered socks, light weight tshirts, and heavy base layers… so the next items on the list have to be quality outer layers. Cotton becomes somewhat acceptable again here but you will find that there are still synthetics and other materials that make a little better outer layer item. Packability and weight in addition to warmth become the biggest issue here. It is necessary to have a jacket and pant combo that are made from materials that breath since there will be times that you will be wearing them when walking – as you will with the pants most always unless you walk around in your long johns… which I have done. The right combo of quality materials can be found for outer wear that allow for breathability and warmth while still being light weight and durable.
Price is almost a non-issue here because a little shopping will show you that even most cotton outer wear is expensive when searching for the warmer items. Large jackets and coats readily available at your local reatil store can easily be upwards of $150 to $250 but they are heavy, bulky, and will not only cause you to sweat but hold in your sweat if they get wet. I assure you that better options are available for close to the same price. In my opinion, the most desirable outer layers are as made from the lightest materials possible while remaining breathable and still being durable. Even if that costs just a little more, the pay off is absolutely there!
As an example, I have a heavy, popular name brand outer layer coat that is made from cotton and very durable nylon. It is a great coat if warmth is all that matters. But on the occasion that I have taken it on a hunt where I won't be too far from the vehicle, I always regret it because I get hot fast, sweat before I realize it, and have to lug the dang heavy thing around when I am forced to take it off to keep from melting! Don't be fooled into thinking heavily insulated and inexpensive is the way to go. There are clothing options that are made to check off all the required boxes!
#6 – Puffy Pants and Jacket/Coat
When it gets really cold or when you are going to be sitting out in the cold for a while and additional outer layer is required. At this point, we are talking about at least the third and possibly the fourth layer of clothing! Hopefully you have the previous items on this list as your inner layers because they all have that amazing quality of being light weight and warm all at the same time. Sometimes we still need a little more though and that makes the warm to weight ratio all the more important.
If you are lugging around a bunch of cotton clothing, as I have done in the past, your pack will be very heavy and very big. I even own one of the heavy full body "zip yourself into" contraptions that are available and that is just ridiculous as far as weight and bulk is concerned. Honestly, those items work and they work well but there is a better way… a much, much better way!
Zip on puffy pants, synthetic puffy jackets/coats, or down insulated puffy jackets/coats are the better way! I hate to say it again but it is true… they are worth their weight in gold – which is not a lot of weight actually considering! A pair of puffy pants and jacket made from synthetic material, down feathers, or a combo of the two are just crazy awesome items to have in you pack when the weather is cold. They pack down SUPER small but the warmth you get from that design and those materials is just unbelievable. I have a pair of zip up poly and synthetic fill pants and poly/down coat that I always stuff in my bag when it gets cold. They cram down into the bottom of my pack into an incredibly small space but they "puff" out when put on and can keep me warm down into temps that previously sent me home or at least on the move again when I needed to sit still.
The only drawback is these items are usually a little more expensive and I realize we have already spent a decent amount on clothing if you have purchased the items above. Let me tell you though… if ever the "buy once cry once" philosophy were true it is when considering what your hunting wardrobe is going to be! I learned the hard way and now have a full cotton wardrobe consisting of the traditional, readily available retail store hunting clothing – as well as a full wardrobe of the items discussed in this article. The original purchases now collect dust in my hunting room while the merino, synthetic, poly, and down items get to take part in the action 99% of the time. I am more comfortable, I carry less weight in, have more room in my pack for other items as desired, and I actually stay warm!
#7 – Quality Hunting Boots
I would love to have all the money back that I've spent on boots over the years. I spent years telling myself that there was absolutely no need to spend $300-$500 on a hunting boot. Well, after spending more than a decade buying $150-$250 boots almost every year and never being satisfied, I now whole-heartedly disagree with my prevoius opinion!
I read the reviews online and it does seem like some people find a great boot for around $200 that lasts them forever. I have not been so lucky. Maybe I hike more than other people (very possible because I hunt all year round and hike countless miles every year on those hunts. Rarely if ever do I get to use a utv, fourwheeler, etc. At least one of two things always happens within or just after the first year: my boots lose their waterproofing or my boots start to come apart (which usually results in them losing their waterproof capabilities).
I finally gave in this past year after being encouraged to do so by two of my good friends. I now have had a pair of Kenetrek hunting boots for almost a year and easily have 50 miles of hard hiking on them. They are still waterproof and, when I clean them, they still look almost new! They are comfortable and they are still working. Much more than I can say for my previous boots. Now, I realize that one year and 50ish miles may not be the end all for the debate so lets talk about my friends who have had their Kenetreks for much longer.
One of my friends just finished his second year with his Kenetreks. His boots are still waterproof, they have no signs of wearing out, and he reports that he is completely satisfied with that purchase. My other friend just finished his sixth year with his Kenetrek boots and his story is the same… comfortable, still waterproof, still not coming apart, and he literally said, "if they fall apart today I will immediately order the exact same pair again". So, do you want to buy a $150 pair of boots every one or two years that you are not really ever satisfied with or would you rather buy a $500 pair of boots that you use for 5+ years all the while being completely satisfied the entire time? I think that is a no-brainer!
#8 – Gloves, Beenie, Hat
This section of the article is really #'s 8, 9, and 10 all in one because I didn't feel it was necessary to give quite as much detail on these particular items. Each of these are invaluable for the hunting kit but most of the info pretty much goes without saying so I will keep it brief.
I hate to beat the proverbial "dead horse" but I guess I will… leave the cotton gloves and beenie at the house! For all the same reasons listed already, your gloves and beenie should be made from material that is light weight, not bulky, dries quickly, and keeps you warm. I suppose fleece is okay but, yet again, merino wool just can't be beat! Nobody wants cold hands and nothing does better than merino wool at keeping you warm. Most often for me, nothing has the potential to get wet as quickly as my gloves. Whether its holding gear in a cold rain, wiping snow off my gear, or catching myself while traversing a slick, wet bank… gloves are going to get wet. Merino wool can get wet and still keep you warm! I actually have thin pair of merino wool gloves as well as a thicker pair of regular wool gloves that I wear over top of the merino wool when it gets really cold. All the same can be said for a good merino wool beenie. My head can sweat but the merino keeps me warm!
And finally, a good hat is a must! I suppose cotton is permitted here but if you really want a merino hat they are out there. Any time I have headed out and forgot to put a hat in my pack I have deeply regretted it. The main benefit of the hat is that it keeps the sun out of your eyes. Whether you put it on while glassing those wide open spaces or pull it out of the pack to keep the sun out of your eyes so you can watch all directions of approach while hunting the mountains, you can almost always find a time when the sun is shining directly where you want to be looking.
Just this past year I had an experience while hunting in fairly thick cover where I had forgotten my hat but found it to be very much needed. I was hunting a spot in the mountains where the direction of the sun ended up shining in on me in the very same direction I had deer coming in. I had to hold my right hand over my eyes to block the sun while my left hand held my gun in place in case I needed to be ready to shoot a buck. I could not see the deer without blocking the sun with my right hand but that tied up my trigger finger with sun blocking instead of being at the ready to engage the trigger. Thankfully, the monster buck was not in that particular group but if he had been, I would have had a very difficult time seeing him to get a shot with nothing to block the sun. Lesson learned! I will always make room in my backpack for the trusty old hunting hat.