I went to our local deer show this weekend looking for some new cold weather clothes. Well I didn't buy anything, I was looking for wool, but I did spend some time talking to Susan Hindbo of Raven wear. I made a point of telling her I'm very cold natured and looking for something to wear stand hunting in Alabama and hopefully on a moose hunt in Canada. She recommend the 3/4 length jacket RW301 and the fleece bibs RW900-1.
http://www.ravenwear.ca/outerware.htm
She said her Raven wear was warmer than wool and lighter.

Like I said I was looking for wool and I'm thinking of buying the Cabelas Dry-Plus Outfitters wool, again jacket and bibs.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jhtml?id=0020924&navAction=jump&navCount=0&indexId=&parentId=&parentType=&rid=&cmCat=search&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2F common%2Fcatalog%2Fpod-link.jhtml.4_A&_DAV=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcontent%2FPod%2F02%2F09%2F24%2Fp020924ii01.jpg

Or maybe the Berber fleece, with Windstopper.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jhtml?id=0006516&navAction=jump&navCount=1&indexId=&parentId=&parentType=&rid=&cmCat=search&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2F common%2Fcatalog%2Fpod-link.jhtml.4_A&_DAV=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcontent%2FPod%2F00%2F65%2F16%2Fp006516ii02.jpg

In your experience which one would be better? I want to be warm! But if I could do that and save a little weight and bulk than would be great.

I got the Columbia Gallatin Range jacket, jac-shirt and pants from http://sportsmansguide.com which all totaled cost about (or less) what one piece of some of the other stuff costs. You can live in the stuff all hunting season. There is really nothing like wool. I know there are those who swear by their synthetics, but I have used wool for 30 years and with the right stuff it can't be beat. Just try some Stanfields Superwash merino wool longjohns to see what I mean. Oh yeah, I do use Thermastat liner socks under my 90% worsted wool socks.

I think jackfish and I have the exact same tastes in hunting clothes!

I use the Gallatin Range wool from Columbia--I love the muted camo patern in Texas. Some kind of poly liner socks under Merino wool outer socks, Gore-Tex boots, silk long-johns, wool pants and sweater.

With that same outfit, I've been comfortable from 60 F to 35 F. Add some kind of over coat and balaclava, and I've been comfortable to 0 F lying on my back in a cornfield in western Nebraska.

I know fleece dries faster than wool, but I've found good wool to be almost 100% waterproof, windproof, thick and durable enough to protect against thorns, cactus, sticks, etc. I love it, and will wear it 'til it fails me. If you are serious about being warm, the wool Pants/Bibs/Shirt/Coat/Socks/Hat option is hard to beat, even in the worst weather.

BTW, I like silk long-johns as the base layer, but any of the polypropolene stuff is awesome, as well, probably better.

[ 07-16-2003, 18:26: Message edited by: TrademarkTexan ]