In 2023, I found out that I had torn my rotator cuff in my left shoulder. It was a progressing injury that had been troubling me for years but was to the point I could not hold my bow up anymore. I had surgery early in 2024 and worked extremely hard to be able to shoot confidently come September. That two-year hiatus from archery hunting had me fired up for the 2025 season. When the Wyoming nonresident elk tag results were posted, I was thrilled to read that I was successful in drawing a Type 9 (archery only) tag. Point creep and the changing of how tags are allocated always creates an unknown and having a tag secured is always a relief.
First Lite Approach Hoody
Being an early season hunt, I knew it was going to be warm. I needed a new top that would keep me hidden from those close encounters yet not be too warm come middle of the day. The First Lite Approach Hoody seemed to fit the bill perfectly. As my hunt approached, the temps were looking to be in the high 70’s to low 80’s each day. It was shaping up to be a great test for a warmer climate. See it here.
In The Field
At first, I thought this piece was going to be slightly heavier than I liked and I thought I would be too warm; however, the 37.5 body fabric with the grid knit backer really did help the airflow and I had no problems over-heating when hiking around midday, especially if I unzipped the deep chest zipper for extra ventilation.
Even when I did get sweaty, the hoody would dry quickly. We did have one day where it was cold and rainy all day and the Approach served well as a mid-layer. I would say the temperature range listed for 45F – 80F is accurate, once you start getting down into the lower range, you may get a little chilled if you aren’t hiking. A size large weighed in at 13 oz, it would be an acceptable mid layer for a backpack hunt.
Ideal For Bow Hunting
This top has the bowhunter in mind as it’s dead silent, a must-have for these types of hunts. I also like the built-in facemask. I do not like to wear face paint, so this is a nice option. One evening while I was sitting a wallow, and I had several mule deer does come in for a drink at 31 yards. I was not in a blind and they never noticed me; I had the facemask deployed and that passed the concealment test in my opinion. When not using the facemask, it’s tucked behind your head–I never knew it was there. The built-in low-profile thumbholes were nice as well; you did not feel them when gripping your bow or holding a trekking pole.
Conclusion
I wore the hoody every day and was pleased with its performance, the only issue I had was that it was slightly baggier than I like when it comes to a top for bow hunting.
I am 5’ 11” 190lbs for reference. Not a deal breaker by any means, however, the arms were just loose enough to where it made me take notice. There were no problems with string clearance though, and it ended up being an afterthought. The Approach hoody will be a solid choice for early season hunts where getting in tight is the objective, I have no doubt that it will work great from turkey hunting to stalking mule deer.
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