Trad Talk Forums banner

Thinking about a Wool Hooded Pullover

5K views 20 replies 19 participants last post by  Matt_Potter 
#1 ·
Gents,

I am thinking about a Hood Wool Pullover for Hunting. Thoughts?

Raging Matt
 
#4 ·
hoods beat hats plumb sideways.

a little harder to see out of, but a man can work with that.

need a warm neck.

cabela's has some good ones. i have the cheapest one--micro-Berber fleece.

worthless in wind. would not buy it again.

they have a couple more that are worth a look, though.
i think the best is called "wooltimate".

had a hunter here last winter dressed in the bibs and hoodie, and he was a happy man in sub-20f temps.

i was guiding him and freezing. he tipped me a hundie, but i'd have preferred the hoodie. .:)

joe
 
#6 ·
Seems to work on TV... In real life not so well.. Your head will turn inside the hood blocking your vision at exactly the wrong time, every time. Plus it blocks your peripheral vision and hearing all the time. Has to be tightened too block the wind with a draw string and you have to make sure that string never gets in the way of your bow string. Good luck with that.
The wool part is good.. check out wool boonie hats or stocking caps if you can stand them. One of those and a balaclava or neck gaiter will keep you just as warm and still allow you to see, hear and shoot unimpeded. For nastier weather the balaclava with some kind of wind breaker jacket/parka hood that is loose enough to pull on and off easily works well.
 
#7 ·
I've got an Asbell pullover in "evening stand green" and adore it. Keeps me perfectly warm in the Florida fall and winter chill and stays cool/regulated when the mid day mild temps go up. It's silent and the pattern works perfectly in our woods and swamps. It also has nice big pockets for things. I want to get the zip up version next for even more versatility.

The hood is very large so you can pull it up over the back of a hat or ball cap enough to break up your silhouette but still maintain good vision.
 
#11 ·
I do not like hoods when hunting. As a stand hunter, when I turn my head I often see nothing but the inside of my hood. In addition, the hood really blocks my hearing ability to the sides and from behind, especially when I am straining to hear the quietest crunch (if any) in the leaves, since they are often moist.

I like a knit cap with a gaiter on my neck, and this works in upstate NY where it gets quite cold, especially after a few hours on stand anytime from November on. I spent a tough weekend on stand in a tough wind with cold temps, and remained warm.
 
#13 ·
Wool is ok until it gets damp then it's a nightmare. Give me 21st century materials by Under Armour any day.http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1
HUH??

That is one of wools greatest properties it still holds heat when wet.

Quality, let me say that again QUALITY wool is great. The only drawback is wind. The right liner cures that.

As far as a hoodie goes I'm with Jack. It blocks hearing and vision. That said I like the continuous coverage up the back of my neck. I will wear mine withthe hood folded down 1/2 way kind of like a wind blockfrom shoulder to shoulder. If the weather turns ral bad I can just unfold it over my head.

(I know this description isn't good) I'm thinking....
 
#14 ·
I always wear a thick hoodie when I'm hunting. I usually wear a micro fleece hoodie that I treat with a water repellant so light rain rolls right off. Like Bowjack said, I also agree that a hoodie can restrict your field of view and hearing, but then again, I just tried still hunting this fall for the first time and my hoodie helped me feel like I was a lot stealthier in the woods than I actually was (read: I couldn't hear myself walking).
 
#17 ·
Have an Asbell wool vest - better than any fleece for warmth but wouldn't want to get sweaty in wool so i use it for standing around in a blind or when I'm in front of tsrgets - got it XXL & boiled it down to large to make it a little more wind resistant - no collar means you need a fleece neck warmer - M
 
#19 ·
I'm with Rod. I don't like wool for the same reasons he mentioned. The new miracle fabrics are much better. I can stay warm and DRY. Wool seems to be pretty popular back east, tradition I suppose, but not for me. I have gear that is light, not overly bulky with the right layering, that keeps me quite comfortable down near 0 degrees, which is about as cold as it gets around here in a very cold winter. I do have an Asbell zip front jacket that I will wear in moderate temps, if I know I won't get wet, but that's the only time I'll wear it.
 
#20 ·
there used to be a New Zealand ex military import called a Swannie (If I remember it right) kind of like a paratroopers smock,that was pretty highly regarded. I've always wanted one
The trick with wool is to be sure that it does not have all the lanolin bleached out because that helps keep it water and wind proof. Also the tighter twisted weave (worsted wool) helps a lot.
A LOT depends on the climate and local environment that you are hunting in. Here in SW MI it gets cold and windy and wet due to the "lake effect" in the Dec "late season". But it can get too warm too quickly. I don't care for Pullovers in general, don't like the restrictiveness of them. I have a 20+ year old Woolrich green gray treebarkish pattern jacket and pants that have a detachable hood and a Goretex lining. In real cold weather I usually wear it with a synthetic fleece under suit.
If I am going to hunt out of an elevated stand I usually carry a much lighter weight, lighter colored fall leaf camo shirt to pull on over the dark jacket to break up the human outline. I keep the hood down unless the weather turns foul and keep a fleece balaclava in my hunting bag at all times. Biggest problem is that the Goretex is a little noisy for stalking----but that just forces me to move more cautiously.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Just like we shot bows for different reasons we also wear clothing for different reasons. Much of my hunting is fairly active - many of my stands take a good hike or mountain bike ride to get to - often carrying my stand clothing.

I prefer well made outdoor gear over "hunting" gear. The guys that make mountain climbing stuff have - light, ergonomic, wind proof and water proof down pat. The arms and torso tend to be cut close so string clearance is less of an issue. You can get the same gear from companies like Sitka but then you are stuck with a 300 dollar piece of camo and other than when hunting I don't wear camo ( pet peeve). So I just wear a light camo cover up over my clothing when hunting.

Works for me but we all have different priorities.

Matt
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top