What material should my next parka/hunting coat be?

JimT

New member
I've got this Remington parka that I bought at WalMart and it just doesn't breathe at all and I feel like the Michelin man once I put the heavy liner in. If I wear just the outer shell, and I sweat in it, it will be soaking wet in no time.
So...I'm in the market for a new parka or coat that I can wear in temperatures from...let's say 40 degress F down to about 10 degrees F. 40-30 will be for deerhunting, 30-10 is more with predator hunting in mind. Waterproof is good, but it seems breathable is a necessity.
Is an insulated Goretex parka the answer? I've only owned a couple of Goretex items, is it really the wonder-material that it's made out to be?
Are Redhead(Basspro) parkas any good? I owned a pair of their turkey boots and sent them back because they were garbage.
Thanks,
Jim
 
Agreed, wool all the way. Very warm, continues to insulate even when it's soaking wet, breathes well, sheds water/snow well, wears like iron, and is quiet even in extremely cold temperatures. One of my complaints with synthetics is that when cold they tend to be very noisy in brush. It's difficult (impossible IMHO) to get a synthetic that combines all the features quality wool offers. Filson wool is top notch. There are more expensive makers of wool than Filson (Raven Wear & Gray Wolf Woolens), I doubt they're better. There is some less expensive wool than Filson. I have some L.L. Bean, Columbia Galletin Range, and Weatherby wool garments. Though of good service and useful, none are Filson quality. I think it's better to buy the best you can get. It only hurts once that way, going cheap usually hurts twice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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Just visited Filson's page. I thought Goretex was expensive! Maybe someone resells their stuff cheaper.
 
Quote:
I think it's better to buy the best you can get. It only hurts once that way, going cheap usually hurts twice.



Ditto. Good ain't cheap!
 
Filson's a great way to go. Their wool hasn't let me down yet. I don't use it at -40, but it works good at a little warmer temps. Gotta use the Down coat when temps plummet. Filson Tin Cloth is awesome stuff too if being quiet isn't critical. There's a reason all of the gold miners here in Alaska used the stuff... it lasts and won't let you down.
 
I have some Filson clothing that I've had for 35+ years and it will outlast me, thats for sure. Bite the bullet, buy Filson, take care of it, live to be 100 and you will pass it down to your kids.
 
Check out www.ghostcamo.com
I have the 4in 1 parka and really like it. It is lightweight, stops the wind is waterproof and breathable. The camo selections are a bonus feature. the coat would be agood buy even if it weren't camo.
The Snow ghost is so good looking that my wife wants a jacket for everyday wear /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif
 
I have been using a Carhart insulated coat. then put my camo over the top, works for me used it last week it was -25 and I was warm, walking into your stand usually warms a guy up pretty good 2-300 yards or so, I also use it up to 20 above.
 
Word of warning! Wool is warm but worthless if you are hunting in an area with lots of stickers, stick tights, etc. I wore my wool 2 times, took me 2 days to get all the stuff out of it, cleaned it up, sold it on ebay. Never will buy wool again for this country!
 
Much of that depends upon the tightness of the spun wool. The better grade stuff has a fine, tight, weave/spin. That's better for breaking the wind and repeling moisture. It's also better for not grabbing "stickies."
 
I wear colombia wool jacket under Browning hydrofleece outer liner. wool=warmth, hydrofleece=wind and water proof. This way Im not to bulky either.
 
Filson says dry clean only though. That's a major PITA for me as I like to be able to throw my bloody clothes in the washer anytime.
 
I wear a camo rain suede parka from Cabelas. Water proof and quiet. I layer up when it gets cold. I put a orange pack vest over it for deer season. Good for turkey, deer, coyotes, fishing... Not good for small game hunting in brush.
 
Jim,
I don't dry clean my wool. I live in the country and hang it outside for a couple of days to air. If you really need to clean it, you can do so by hand washing with cold soapy water. Wash by hand, rinse thoroughly, spread out and air dry. Check it out, this does no harm, is gentle, there's no shrinkage, and it smells good again. Mostly I let mine air dry and expunge itself of human odors... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
cabelas revolution fleece in outfitter camo is my new "only" hunting jacket you need. Ins. or not, scentlock or not, waterproof, wind proof, awsome! I already ordered the matching pants. No burrs no pilling can't say enough.
 
Ended up buying a Cabelas Rain/Snow Exchange parka. Like it so far, I'm hoping that I washed the new smell out of it a couple nights ago. It's Seclusion 3D camo, which isn't bad, I wanted HD Grey, but they were out and I needed the parka pronto!
In the end I just couldn't justify $300+ for Goretex and I ruled wool out due to the cleaning issues.
 
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