Before purchasing your hunting outfit, it is important to think about the type of hunting you are going to do and of course the budget you can afford.
From the feet to the head, let’s go through the various criteria of each element of your outfit.
Hunting boots or shoes: Boots should be resistant to humidity and rain while the shoes should have a good grip.
Pants or knickers: A canvas for summer, reinforced for trackers, lined when stationed, pants are the most used for hunting. The knicker is less fashionable than before and it’s a pity because no garment gives more ease to lift the knee above the brambles or in the mountains. In leather, loden, tweed or canvas, the knicker gives an ease of movement without equal. It involves wearing boots or shoes with gaiters to protect the calves. But the tapering pants, which fit in the boot, give ease to the knee, and with gaiters strengthen the protection of the calves.
Overpants or waders: These are essential to increase the protection of the legs against thorns.
Jackets: Green, brown, camouflaged, with orange inserts for big game, light and breathable for those who walk or insulating for those who are stationary, with pockets for hunting license, cartridges, cell phone; the hunter’s jacket is a garment which become every day more “specialized”, and more “technical”.
We are far from the Barbour of our elders: too warm in summer and not warm enough in winter, doubling its weight in the rain, staining the car seats when it is too oiled…
Some nostalgic people still wear it in hunting action, but the vast majority of hunters now choose “technical” jackets. Never forget that a jacket must leave the shoulder movement very free and fast. The heel of the rifle stock must be able to slide against it, to be ideally placed at the hollow of the shoulder.