Hunting Jacket for NH winter

[atek3]

So I need a Camo Jacket for the winter hunting season. Today it got down to the high 30's, it was pretty chilly. Considering Turkey hunting is a whole lot of sitting around, I need a pretty warm jacket. Any idea how to get a good deal on a camo winter jacket? Walmart wants $115 dollars for their jacket. It looks pretty friggin warm, but 115 is a lot of money for a broke grad student.

any ideas?

atek3

 

[Starter52]

You can find every kind of jacket, new or used, often very cheap, on eBay.

 

[12GA00buck]

Try looking at your local army surplus stores. Those olive green liner jackets are quite warm and can be layered over other sweaters and things. Last surplus store I was at was selling "Arctic Parkas" for about $40. Also if you have a camo windshell already you can layer wool shirts/sweaters and things underneeth it. Its much more versitile than a single parka. You lose over 50% of your body heat through your head, so dont overlook hats/scarves. If your going to be siting in a blind, I'd bring a piece of closed cell foam to sit on, you can lose allot of heat through conduction.

 

[nico]

I just got an M65 jacket and liner from armynavysales.com for $90 total. I also got polypropylene thermal underwear with a half-zip turtle neck for $20 per piece. I would expect this combination to do well into the 30s and into the 20s if you add a warm middle layer like a fleece (which can be had from Old Navy for $20 or less).

You can find foreign-made (Chinese or Indonesian) M65 jackets for less online, but from what I've read, their quality can be spotty. The jacket I bought is made in the US by "a military contractor" to military specs. It appears to be good quality and was cheaper than a lot of insulated hunting coats.

Cabelas and Outdoor world are also both having clearance sales on a lot of stuff right now so you may be able to get a good bargain.

 

[atek3]

what do you all think about the ECWCS jacket, there are some cheap ones on ebay?

atek3

 

[22-rimfire]

Your basic Woolrich coats are pretty inexpensive compared to most things these days. They are sold on ebay a good bit. Buy a bit large for yourself so you can layer clothing underneath. Used one for years until I grew out of it. You don't need camo.

For a "jacket", I purchased a camo wool jacket from Cabelas. I bought it one size larger than I normally wear to layer clothing underneath. It does not get as cold in Tennessee as your neck of the woods. I like this jacket and I like the wool coats, jackets etc. for their versatility. I bought a pair of Swedish surplus wool pants on ebay. They are really heavy duty and I will wear them on the really cold days, otherwise, I wear camo pants and long johns. Basically, the wardrobe gets added to as need, money, and interest continue.

 

[nico]

From what I've seen, the real ECWS jackets seem to be $150 and up. With the foreign made ones, it's the same crapshoot that I mentioned before. It may be useable, but probably won't be the same quality as the real thing and could be junk.

 

[Devonai]

I'm in the New Hampshire National Guard and (until last year) I was an avid hiker. I have spent many hours outdoors in NH and MA, including overnights during the deepest winter. I also worked security outdoors third shift last winter.

I prefer the ECWCS parka plus Polarfleece to the M65. I have worn both extensively and the parka/Polarfleece combo has significant advantages over the M65. However, I did not pay for them (and I'll be sad to give them back) and so I shelled out $100 for a North Face parka and a EMS fleece with the same features for use on my own time.

There are some very bad ECWCS parka copies out there. I have inspected one type at the Salem, MA Army/Navy store. I highly recommend you make sure that you get one that is military issue (not just GI-spec). If this makes it too expensive, the M65 is a viable alternative. It is more likely that the M65 you buy will be either military-issue or a quality copy.

The parka has roomy velcro pockets, pit-zips, a much better hood, and is lined with Gore-Tex. The Polarfleece jacket also has pit-zips. The parka's chest pockets are perfect for carrying a pistol for quick access if open carry isn't an option.

The M65 is water-resistant but it will soak through if you spend several hours in heavy rain. The issue liners are not very good IMO and you're much better off with a Polarfleece to serve the same purpose. It also gives you more layering options, and the issue liners are useless on their own (no pockets or front zipper). The M65 hoods are not waterproof or lined, and they look incredibly stupid. A waterproof hat will become necessary if you choose the M65. I wear a olive-drab M65 on occassion but only as a casual work jacket.

The most important feature other than Gore-Tex, IMO, are pit-zips. They allow you to cool your core down quickly without stopping to shed layers. Ideally your first layer will have them, too, so you can get cold air all the way down to your longjohns.

For most conditions, I find I need only three layers: Polypro longjohns, Polarfleece jacket, water-resistant pants, and my North Face parka. In my pack or at the camp I have a goose-down vest, water-proof pants, and Polarfleece pants. I also have two thicknesses of gloves, a wool watch cap, and a Balaclava. When out with the National Guard during winter we have much, much more than even that, including a three-bag sleep system, "Mickey Mouse" insulated boots, et cetera.

My Poor Man's outfit would consist of the following:

Lighty-used M65 Jacket
Polarfleece knock-off
Polypro underwear
Wool watch cap
Military-issue poncho for waterproofing yourself
Waterproof gloves that can accomodate liners
Wool blend hiking socks

In your pack:
Extra socks
Goose-down vest
Poncho liner aka Woobie
Synthetic balaclava

 

[Sunray]

Forget E-bay. You have no idea what you're buying. Your regular winter coat will do fine. Just wear a sweat shirt underneath if it's not that great. A hat(not a baseball cap, think wool), gloves and good boots are more important than the coat. A non-nylon shell coat, big enough to go on over your regular coat, will cut the wind. Mind you, 30F isn't that cold.

 

[LAK]

You don't need camo - get a neutral toned wool coat. Stay away from synthetics - they are noisy.

--------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org