Choosing the Right Clothing for New Hunters

The first thing everyone does when they decide to start hunting is head to Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop and buy some cool-looking camo. Now there’s nothing wrong with buying cool-looking camo. I own lots of it.

The shift I’ve made over the years is that instead of picking clothes based on how cool the camo looked, I now choose them based on the quality and am very intentional about how each piece fits into my layering system.

Hunting clothes have become so much more technical in recent years. Clothing is now considered a system and critical gear to make you more effective as a hunter, not just help you blend in.

With so many clothing options out there, where do you start? Later in this article, I’ll give my list of clothing that every new hunter should consider, but first, here are a few general things to consider before you go shopping.

You don’t always need camo.

There’s some fantastic technical clothing available that comes in earth tones for hunting. This opens up your options because you can tap into the clothing made for backpacking and hiking. It’s also nice to have hunting clothing that you can wear year-round.

Look for clothing that dries fast.

Hunters end up spending time in the woods in the worst weather conditions. In a perfect world, we’d hunt when it’s nice outside, but when you’ve cleared your schedule to hunt for a couple of days and the weather sucks, you’re likely still going to go. I know I do. The motto at our hunting camps is: “you can’t kill anything sitting in camp.” So when you inevitably get wet, you’ll appreciate your clothes drying quickly.

Try to find quiet clothes.

Hearing is one of the best senses for big game animals. The sound of branches brushing on pant legs or a hard-shelled jacket will spook any game within earshot, and their hearing is incredible. I realize that rain shells and certain items may only be able to be so quiet, but even rain shells have different levels of stealth. When you’re in the store looking for clothing, take something and rub it on the surface of the clothing item to hear what it sounds like. This even works with your fingernails. Fabrics like fleece and merino wool have always been staples for a stealthy hunter.

Buy the best quality you can.

As a new hunter, I realize there are many things to spend money on, but for all gear, including clothing, the better quality you buy, the longer you’ll keep it for, and the less you’ll spend in the long run. When I find a piece of clothing or any gear that works well and performs, I’ll use it till it dies. This can be a really long time if it’s quality gear.

Now for the list of items that make up a good clothing system.

Remember that this will definitely change a bit depending on the type of game you’re hunting. Waterfowl is going to be different than mountain archery elk.

Base layer

Most hunting is done in the fall when the weather turns, so base layers are a must-have. Choose something tight to the skin that wicks moisture well. Merino wool and some of the better synthetics do a great job. You shouldn’t need to spend a fortune on this if you keep your eye out for good deals.

Technical pants

One good pair of technical pants are really beneficial. We’re looking for something that’s relatively quiet, dries fast, ideally has some stretch, and is comfortable to hike in. I wear these types of pants almost every day because they’re so comfortable and versatile. You can spend a lot of money on these if you want to, but there are some reasonable options out there. Eddie Bauer and Prana make some quality pants for an affordable price, and you can often find sales on those which make it even better.

A good sweatshirt or fleece

It will be a go-to outer layer for mid-day in the fall when you don’t need a jacket, and when it gets colder, it will become your mid-layer. This layer, I think, should be camo. The movement animals see most often comes from our upper body, so the camo can help minimize what they see. This layer could be made of fleece, heavy merino, or any fast drying synthetic. Just avoid cotton if you’re not going home to somewhere with a clothes dryer every night.

Insulation layer

This might be a heavier jacket with a soft face layer for a late-season tree stand whitetail hunter or an ultralight puffy jacket for a backpack hunter. Either way, most hunting seasons have the ability for cold weather to strike at any time, so some form of insulation layer is essential. For a whitetail deer hunter or a duck hunter, it’s ideal if this layer is also waterproof, so you don’t need to pack an additional rain jacket. You’ll probably need to pair a puffy jacket with lightweight rain gear for the backpack hunter.

Rain gear

As I said earlier, hunters spend time outside in the worst weather conditions. Rain gear is a must. The type of rain gear you buy will reflect the hunting you plan to do. You might eventually have a couple of different sets if you’re hunting multiple game species. If you’re primarily big game hunting, you’ll likely want a lighter set of rain gear you can carry in your backpack for unexpected weather changes.

There are many options for ultralight rain gear out there. If you’re hunting waterfowl, you’ll likely want something a bit more heavy-duty. A tougher Goretex hard shell will withstand much more rain without soaking through than an ultralight rain gear set. The rain gear doesn’t need to be quiet for waterfowl, but a good camo pattern is a must.

Quality boots

Whether this is hiking boots for the backpack hunter or rubber boots for the waterfowler, don’t cheap out on this one. Take the time to find boots that fit you really well, are waterproof, and are quality built. You will never be disappointed with great boots. Great boots tend to stand the test of time, so it’s something that you will generally feel that you get the value out of, considering how expensive they can be.

Quality socks

The best boots in the world won’t help without good socks underneath. Buy something that wicks moisture from your feet and keeps them dry. Merino wool is excellent for this. Brands like smart wool and darn tough are my go-to’s.

Hunter orange

This is hunt-dependent and regulation dependent, but if you need it, then it’s the law to have it. You don’t have to spend much at all to get it. You can put a simple orange vest over whatever you’re wearing, and a hat or toque is all needed to fulfill most orange requirements.

Toque and gloves

Whether the toque is orange or not, I recommend treating it like base layers. Ditch the cotton and find something that wicks moisture away from your head. This will help keep you warm and dry. I use Under Armour beanies, and I love them. They make an orange one as well.

The gloves can be a bit tougher. Dexterity is critical when choosing hunting gloves. Honestly, I only have one pair of hunting gloves I’ve had for ten years. They’re waterproof, lightly insulated, and have a super tough leather palm. I’ve seen guys hunting in every type of glove imaginable, but as a general rule, just apply the same principles we’ve been talking about for all the other clothing. You want something that keeps your hands warm and dry while maintaining good dexterity.

Well, that pretty much covers it. As you can see, different hunting types definitely require different clothing, but much of the core gear you buy can be quite versatile if you’re intentional when you buy it.

One more quick tip: Buy the clothing that you need for the hunts you’re planning this year. Don’t try to buy something that will be perfect for everything, because it won’t. Be intentional, and get the right clothes for the job.