Orange vest vs orange shirt

[dmdude]

I searched all over and couldn’t find much info, hoping to get some ideas from this forum since it’s pops up for all hunting related searches I do.

In a hot and humid climate would you prefer a orange vest over a lightweight merino kuiu shirt or just an orange breathable shirt?

Which brings me to my next question, who makes a nice hunter orange long sleeve shirt? All I can find is cheap stuff with crap reviews. I don’t think they make any in orange lightweight merino because I can’t find anything anywhere. Maybe because it’s hard to get the orange bright enough with merino?

 

[Steelhd98]

I prefer the vest because some have pockets.

 

[Geewhiz]

Invent a orange merino shirt and you will be rich. In fact maybe I should do that...

 

[ODB]

Invent a orange merino shirt and you will be rich. In fact maybe I should do that...

Smartwool did that years ago - I have one. They got so rich on them that they discontinued them... As a matter of fact, they also discontinued the BEST orange merino wool beanie too...


If it's hot and humid, the only thing I want to wear is poplin - no "technical" poly cloth. feather cloth from Filson, or some left over Columbia poplin shirts I have (yes, they discontinued those too.) I would then wear the lightest orange vest over that, perhaps the orange aglow.

 

[dmdude]

Smartwool did that years ago - I have one. They got so rich on them that they discontinued them... As a matter of fact, they also discontinued the BEST orange merino wool beanie too...


If it's hot and humid, the only thing I want to wear is poplin - no "technical" poly cloth. feather cloth from Filson, or some left over Columbia poplin shirts I have (yes, they discontinued those too.) I would then wear the lightest orange vest over that, perhaps the orange aglow.

I found a smartwool bright orange 250 merino shirt, too warm for me.

poplin as in a cotton blend with something else and not a 100% polyester shirt, is that what you mean?

 

[ODB]

I found a smartwool bright orange 250 merino shirt, too warm for me.

poplin as in a cotton blend with something else and not a 100% polyester shirt, is that what you mean?

Poplin is just a very light cotton. I don’t like cotton/poly/anything blend shirts for heat - just 100% cotton. Check out the feather cloth shirts from filson. That will give you the idea. There are cheaper options though.

ive found in the heat/humidity the poplin wicks well and keep me cooler. They worked well in Kenya in 95+ heat at the equator.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This is a lightweight merino wool base layer that comes in a darkish orange. Not as bright as blaze orange but still orange enough for me.

Bergtagen Thinwool LS M

Light base-layer top in merino wool for spring and summer high altitude trips. Produced without PFCs, made for a lifetime of use.

www.fjallraven.com

I have the t shirt version as well.

Bergtagen Thinwool SS M

Light base layer t-shirt in a merino wool blend. Perfect for spring and summer. Produced without PFCs, made for a lifetime of use.

www.fjallraven.com

 

[Ridgeback08]

Not discounting orange shirts, though not common from what I've seen in the hunting community, but the beauty of the vest is layering versatility. Hot outside, rock a t-shirt and your vest. Weather gets colder, throw that same vest over a long sleeve or even a jacket. If you only had that t-shirt you don't have that option.

 

[dmdude]

This is a lightweight merino wool base layer that comes in a darkish orange. Not as bright as blaze orange but still orange enough for me.

Bergtagen Thinwool LS M

Light base-layer top in merino wool for spring and summer high altitude trips. Produced without PFCs, made for a lifetime of use.

www.fjallraven.com

I have the t shirt version as well.

Bergtagen Thinwool SS M

Light base layer t-shirt in a merino wool blend. Perfect for spring and summer. Produced without PFCs, made for a lifetime of use.

www.fjallraven.com

Is that orange enough to be legal hunting orange? Thanks for the link, I couldn’t find anything!

 

[dmdude]

Not discounting orange shirts, though not common from what I've seen in the hunting community, but the beauty of the vest is layering versatility. Hot outside, rock a t-shirt and your vest. Weather gets colder, throw that same vest over a long sleeve or even a jacket. If you only had that t-shirt you don't have that option.

I live in Hawaii and am never cold. I see most hunters wearing a regular 100% thick cotton shirt but I sweat so easily that I just sit in my own sweat. I have a morino long sleeve I like but with the vest it rides up between my backpack and back. I’m just torn between the two.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Is that orange enough to be legal hunting orange? Thanks for the link, I couldn’t find anything!

Yes it is. Here’s a video of the color on a backpack that shows the color better than the stock photo on their site. Like I said. It’s darker than most “blaze oranges” but still really orange.

 

[TxxAgg]

Woolly Clothing Co makes a long sleev and short sleeve orange wool shirt. Check Amazon

 

[Laelkhunter]

I think an orange shirt might tend to fade quicker due to the fact that you would wash it more than you would a vest. Unless you get the vest dirty (muddy) or bloody, you probably wouldn't wash it. You probably would wash the shirt every time you wear it, so it would tend to fade quicker which might end up not being bright enough orange to meet Blaze Orange requirements.

 

[Brendan]

Orvis - this shirt rocks.

drirelease® Quarter-Zip T-Shirt | Orvis

This drirelease shirt offers the comfort of a T-shirt in a cooling quarter-zip style.

www.orvis.com

I do use a vest a lot of the time too, but for warmer weather, I'm wearing a base layer like this anyways, so might as well make it blaze orange for when I need it.

 

[txhunter581]

I have a solid blaze orange shirt. I seldom wear it. I like the blaze orange to be on my body because it moves much less than my arms. Any solid color will draw more attention if it moves significantly vs your body, which moves less. Even when you are sitting still, your arms still move some.

So I always take it, but usually reserve its use to after I kill an animal and am packing it out. I want maximum visibility then, especially if you are packing out antlers. And you should tie blaze orange ribbon on antlers when you do that.

So I would be more likely to wear a shirt that has a solid blaze orange body and camo arms. Rarely see those

 

[coues32]

Wal mart usually have cheaper poly ls blaze shirts ,I ve picked up a few for co and ut hunting

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

I searched all over and couldn’t find much info, hoping to get some ideas from this forum since it’s pops up for all hunting related searches I do.

In a hot and humid climate would you prefer a orange vest over a lightweight merino kuiu shirt or just an orange breathable shirt?

Which brings me to my next question, who makes a nice hunter orange long sleeve shirt? All I can find is cheap stuff with crap reviews. I don’t think they make any in orange lightweight merino because I can’t find anything anywhere. Maybe because it’s hard to get the orange bright enough with merino?

Here's my DIY thread.

Fluorescent orange merino wool shirt

I couldn't find a fluorescent orange merino shirt, so I bought a natural colored shirt and dyed it. The dye was Dharma Acid Dye 456 fluorescent safety orange. It is a true fluorescent dye and will glow under UV light. I used an old roasting oven to heat the dye bath. The fabric went in...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Packin_packout]

For hot & humid weather I got steered over to my wife to a running brand called saucony. They have some blaze orange short sleeve / long sleeve that have been the lightest / quickest drying shirts I have ever used. I end up using them more to avoid getting run over when biking but for areas that require the 400 square inches when it is hot they are my go to. Once it starts to cool off in the evening switch over to a blaze orange insulating vest like the kuiu. They did have some active insulation stuff...have not looked in a while bought all my stuff about five years back and have not managed to destroy it yet.

 

[rayporter]

shirts here -some synthetic material

 

[Superdoo]

I rock a super cheap vest. It's crazy lightweight and I can layer whatever colors I have/ want. I suppose you could also find a mesh safety vest too, then you'd be extremely breathable!