Pants for Cold Weather Elk Hunting?

[Wyoming762]

What type of pants would you suggest for elk hunting in cold and snow? I was thinking about sometype of softshell pant and gators. Don't think I would want wool pants and have been told waterproof/hardshell pants get hot/sweaty.
What do you say?

 

[theleo]

Cold weather elk hunting brings one solitary thought to my mind in regards to clothing, Filson wool. In cold, nasty, snowy weather my clothing is this: poly pro t-shirt under under poly pro long johns, wool shirt, wool vest, under a wool jacket. Filson is the tightest wool I've had my hands on. My lower half has poly pro long johns, Smart wool socks (actually prefer Darn Tuff Wool socks), White's pack boots, and wool pants (Filson's preferably). If I'm on mule in a snow storm you can add tin cloth chaps, an Outback duster, and a Filson foul weather hat with the sides down to the mix as well.

I don't like being cold, and I never have been with the clothes I listed above. I like the high tech breathable stuff for early or mid season hunting. When it's cold the wool comes out.

 

[Robert]

I use wool pants but they keep me too warm. I am a huge fan of Kuiu gear, pronounced Kooyou. I have their rain gear that I wear as an outer waterproof layer and love it. They make outstanding hunting gear.
www.kuiu.com

For boots I highly recommend the Schnnes Hunter II 13". We actually have a thread stickied at the top of the Hunting forum that covers a lot of mountain hunting gear.

 

[d2wing]

With the hard shell pants unless it is pretty warm you should were poly or other wicking long johns. Otherwise I wear tin cloth chaps over pants. I also have goretex bibs. But Filsom makes great stuff. Poly or similair underwear is great. I have used silk too. I hunt upland in the winter, not Elk.

 

[jmr40]

Not elk specifically, but cold weather in general. I've worn wool a bit and works well, but can be expensive. I have a pair of military surplus wool pants that I paid $20 for years ago, or you can spend hundreds. Same with the hi-tech stuff such as the kuiu gear recommended by Robert. If you want to spend the money it is good stuff.

Hunting style is a factor. On horseback or on an ATV for long periods is much different than long hikes in steep terrain on foot. All of my hunting is on foot, usually in mountains and I can't wear warm clothing while walking. I dress fairly light in even very cold temps and carry extra gear in a pack to use when I sit down.

For my needs I've found a lightweight pair of windproof lined athletic warm-up pants in black, green, gray or brown works pretty well. Waterproof is OK, but if it is cold enough to need them, you won't be getting any rain. I can get them for under $50, they fit easily in my pack and are surprisingly warm over my normal hunting pants. If cold enough I put em on when I get to the hunting location, take em off before moving very far.

I've been known to carry a lightweight backpacking sleeping bag and get inside it up to my waist when sitting for long periods in very cold weather.

There are probably better options for hours in a saddle or sitting all day in one location with little walking involved. But this has worked for me and my style of hunting.

 

[ChefJeff1]

I love my Cabelas dri-plus pants. They're waterproof, wind proof, and quiet. Nice pockets and belt loops. I wear a thin to medium weight polypropylene layer under them depending on temperature. My concern with a hard shell nylon pant would be noise walking through brush.

 

[rcmodel]

You can't get wet and freeze to death in wool pants.

No high tech, but it lets your body mosture evaporate and stops the cold & wet from getting in.

It also drys fast at night in a tent when you take them off.

rc

 

[donparadowski]

Carhart bib pants.

 

[redneck]

I wear normal carharts all the time here, but if I were going to wear them on a high country hunt I would probably opt for the arctic extreme series as the cordura shell repels water a lot better than the cotton duck. I have a couple of the arctic extreme coats and they are very warm and keep you dry even in everything but the hardest rain. They might be too warm for walking in though, might have to pack them and put them on when you stop.

 

[Shootshellz]

Find some new surplus German army wool field pants. Warm, well made, and inexpensive.

 

[Gunnerboy]

Swedish surplus wool pants... only thing i will ever wear here in the coastal Wa area.. rains all day and night non stop during elk season and sometimes freezes and not once have i ever been cold.

 

[Leanwolf]

I've been on many cold weather, high country elk hunts and for many years, my pants have been wool, either L.L. Bean or Woolrich. They go over a pair of polypro long john pants.

I have always been comfortable in that clothing.

L.W.

 

[Snowbank!]

Woolrich Malone pants - there is room to move around and no binding. Filson is similar but more expensive. They are just under $100 and I get at least ten years out of them. On horseback I wear elkhide batwing chaps. They shed water and add insulation. I never get cold.

 

[MaterDei]

When I was stationed in the Army in Germany, wool pants weren't an option. Some did wear pantyhose under their trousers though, queen size.

Layers is the key, pantyhose or no. Also, Vaseline on all exposed skin helps too.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Swedish surplus wool pants

When it's super cold that is my go to pant. When it's less than super cold I wear KUIU guide pants in both cases I've got long under ware on as well.

 

[buck460XVR]

For almost half a century, I've always worn wool hunting clothing. Even when soaking wet, they are still warm. Problem is, they can get very heavy. When the pant's legs get wet and then freeze, you have a hard time walking at all without making a lot of noise. I used to always wear a wool hunting coat, hunting in wet snow or rain, while it kept me warm, it would get so heavy I couldn't hardly raise my arms and my back would ache at the end of the day. I've found the new High tech Gore-tex/Thinsulate stuff to be a much better choice. Two years ago I found these. I doubt if I will ever wear my wool pants again of there is a chance to get wet.......http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...orm-TecH2O-Waterproof-Insulated-Pant&i=727969

I used to always wear Duofold wool/cotten Union suits under all my cold weather gear. They were great for sitting, not so much for walking or any exertion. I now have some L.L.Bean Expedition weight synthetic stuff......much better for active use.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Hard to argue with buck's logic. There is some fantastic tech gear available for the hunter in today's world.

 

[redneck]

As a step between wearing wool, and buying the high tech high priced gear, I have a pair of this Kings Storm Pants that I really like. They are waterproof within reason, and very warm. The outer material has held up well to briars etc. The inside is lined with some kind of poly fleece material. I bought them big and wear them over jeans generally, if its really cold I add under armour or something like that as a base layer.

http://www.kingscamo.com/Storm-Fleece-Pants_p_1083.html

 

[Lazy R]

I've always worn wool when it's cold.

One of my friends here is a big time elk hunter, like camping up there a week at a time up high. He's gone through all the high tech super expensive clothes. About 2 years ago he went to wool and won't go back.

 

[22-rimfire]

I choose wool. I have a pair of the old Woolrich pants (old style) and a pair of the swedish wool military pants. It is not a style contest. The idea is to keep warm and as dry as possible which usually means warm.

 

[Casefull]

I like lightweight merino wool layers under the new shells made by Sitka and kuiu. I walk a lot in montana and idaho mountains and keeping from sweating is real important. When I was younger my metabolism was high enough that I did not need wool base layers. Now that I am long in the tooth that wool feels nice.

 

[MCMXI]

I agree with Casefull. I also wear Sitka Merino wool layers next to the skin and either Sitka or Under Armour pants over that. I also have Gore-Tex pants from Under Armour in case the weather gets really bad.

 

[Sunray]

Wool pants under cotton coveralls with long johns under the pants works to well under -40(C & F meet at -40). So did my CF issue winter combat pants(mostly cotton I think) but you can't get those any more. CF quit issuing winter clothing except for nylon wind pants before I showed up. Troopies got regular combats and wore long johns and wind pants only. Even in the Arctic.
However, it's really more about your boots than your pants anyway.

 

[win71]

Don't be a fooled, use wool

For over 45 years I've used 100% wool gabardine unserviceable uniform pants. Very expensive when new but when they can't be worn at work, almost worthless. No itch. Tight knit for the wind. Like all types of wool, it insulates even when wet.
I mean think about it, hundreds of thousands of sheep are wondering around wet and covered with frozen snow in the winter with temperatures below zero and they don't freeze up !!

 

[Wyoming762]

The reason I wasn't sold on wool is because I've heard a lot of people (who perhaps have never even used wool) criticize it in favor of modern pants. The main gripe being that it gets heavy when wet. But I have to admitt, listening to the wealth of first hand experience here I realize I did wool an injustice by figuring it has been left in the dust by modern developments. But I'm still looking at other options.
I've heard a lot of good stuff about Cabelas Micro Tex (especially considering the price), not a cold weather pant exactly, but I figure I want to layer my legs like I would my torso; so an uninsulated pant with something I can remove insulating in between them and my base layer seems to make sense?
I am also not sold on waterproofing (which of course most wool, as well as the previously mentioned Micro Tex, isn't) everything, in some places maybe, but where I am I think focusing on good gators and gear that will help me not sweat (like I said above, I hear waterproof pants get sweaty, but if anybody wants to stear me right on this go ahead) is more important.