Solid Colors to hunt in

Bmoore

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
132
Looking for some cheap gear to outfit myself for a DIY rifle hunt next October in Colorado. I’m trying to piece together gear on a tight budget and have heard about just buying non hunting style cloths at a cheaper price. My question is what colors do you buy? I’m not opposed to solids but some of the items I’m looking at come in fancy colors like maroon and orange. If I can’t get Camo, is black a good option? What about grey colors? Olive green seems like a good option but not always available from non hunting lineups.

Just curious what solid colors you guys prefer.
 

tracker12

WKR
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
994
I’m with 5milesback. I wear grey black or brown all the time. Camo is way overrated
 

justin84

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 12, 2019
Messages
167
Location
Wisconsin
I've done lots of archery hunting in the dry earth (brown) first lite gear and haven't had any problems.
 
OP
Bmoore

Bmoore

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
132
Haha
Well, you have to wear at least 500 sq inches of bright fluorescent orange or pink up top + a hat anyway, so does it really matter what color the rest of your clothes are?

I've worn blue jeans and a plaid lumberjack shirt many times on rifle elk hunts.
Haha. That’s a very good point. I suppose I’m overthinking. Was thinking I’d like to be able to use in a tree stand hunt at home during archery seasons as well. But movement and smell are more important.
 
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Messages
651
I mix and match everything, many camo patterns and solids. I figure just one of them might be perfect in my setting and break up my outline best.

Generally I prefer lighter tan/khaki for solids. Light Olive is good too. I can find all sorts of pants in those shades from dozens of brands and don't feel out of place in public going to run domestic errands next to the pretty ladies in Yoga pants :)

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Luckyrxc

FNG
Joined
May 13, 2017
Messages
86
Well, you have to wear at least 500 sq inches of bright fluorescent orange or pink up top + a hat anyway, so does it really matter what color the rest of your clothes are?

I've worn blue jeans and a plaid lumberjack shirt many times on rifle elk hunts.

I think every photo I’ve seen taken of hunters before the mid 1980’s, they were all wearing plaid Elmer Fudd hats, red plaid jackets or shirts, wool or blue jean trousers, or Army surplus wool or cotton in green, grey, or circa Vietnam camo. If they were really cool they were smoking a pipe.

Suddenly, in recent years all the animals have had a genetic mutation, are smarter, faster, can leap higher, see farther, and decipher camo patterns. Big and medium game animals refuse to get shot by any hunter who commits crimes of fashion by wearing an outfit that cost less than $800. It is imperative that hunters not only wear camo, but all that camo must match and be of the proper brand. Welcome to the fashion race. The genius of the digital marketing age.
More and more I am purchasing green, gray, and brown instead of camo, because I want to be able to wear my clothing year round and would rather not wear camo to my kids soccer game or to family outings. Earth tone colors can also be less expensive as they are available in many stores. There’s huge cost savings in being able to wear your outdoor gear all year instead of one week out of every 52. And being able to wear gear al year helps justify buying the more expensive stuff if that’s what you like.
Yes, I still often wear camo but I don’t worry about whether it‘s all ’matchy matchy’.
I’m in the same place with other gear; I try to stick with gray, brown, and green for packs, bino harness, etc.

If you know what fits, don’t be afraid to buy gently used gear from the classified section of this forum.

Get some good clothing that fits your budget that will last you awhile, and go have fun!
 

JG358

WKR
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
1,081
Location
Colorado
Browns and greys. But like Mike said.... half of you is bright orange so its not like it really matters. I've killed more things in blue jeans and a t-shirt than I have in hunting clothes.
 

Goatie

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
293
Location
Minnesota
I tend to buy hunting clothes that I can wear on a daily basis that aren’t camo. It seems like a waste to spend hundreds of dollars on clothes for two three weeks of use per year.

I buy quite a bit of outdoor research on sales and I can justify spending more on something I’ll wear daily. I’ve also found that wearing things daily can help you realize what clothes work well in different conditions versus in the woods when you may realize it doesn’t work for the task you’re forced into.

Coyote brown, greys, and blacks are great but like many have said here orange is needed anyway. Plus, cervids see orange on the grey spectrum anyway.1FCB1C40-B84C-4D9F-BF77-46397037BB09.jpeg
 
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Bmoore

Bmoore

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 20, 2019
Messages
132
Good points all around. I’m mainly in need of a puffy jacket for insulation and some rain gear/ wind breaking outer wear. My plan is to look for something like the Eddie Bauer cirruslite puffy which seems like a great deal for a puffy and is rated on their site to -10 f. Don’t know I believe that but it still should work well for glassing. I’m gonna run through all my local military surplus shops looking for rain gear. I guess I’ll stop just try to stay with grey, black, or brown where available.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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Feb 27, 2012
Messages
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Location
Colorado Springs
I've shot elk with my bow wearing a solid black long sleeve microfleece mock-T before. Last year after setting up base camp that afternoon, I wanted to go up just a bit above camp to get a lay of the land and check things out. I had talked to a few of the guys camped around that area and none of them had heard or seen an elk that week. They were all old and ML hunters. So I took off with no pack, wearing blue jeans, wearing a bright t-shirt, and just my bow. I figured I better at least have it in hand.

I only went up about 1/2 mile and suddenly there's this bull screaming maybe 200 yards in front of me in the timber. I didn't even have my bugle tube or any reeds. THAT was stupid. I should have left the bow in camp and brought the tube with reeds. I had nothing, except a stick to rake trees with. I got really close but couldn't get a clean shot. But the bright shirt and blue jeans definitely didn't hinder my attempts.
 

jb1316

FNG
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Messages
24
Good points all around. I’m mainly in need of a puffy jacket for insulation and some rain gear/ wind breaking outer wear. My plan is to look for something like the Eddie Bauer cirruslite puffy which seems like a great deal for a puffy and is rated on their site to -10 f. Don’t know I believe that but it still should work well for glassing. I’m gonna run through all my local military surplus shops looking for rain gear. I guess I’ll stop just try to stay with grey, black, or brown where available.
I wore this exact puffy last week in Colorado. Got down into the single digits several nights and I loved it. Great puffy for cheap.
 

Block

WKR
Joined
Nov 13, 2018
Messages
517
I wear the Under Armour Tactical long sleeve shirts in Federal Tan. It’s a 100% polyester super breathable shirt. They are like $20-$25 on a EBay/Amazon
 

Parube

FNG
Joined
Jan 26, 2018
Messages
1
Location
SD
I wish I had all the money I've spent on "high-end" camo over the years! I could now be using Swaro glass vs second tier glass! I now invest in good boots and socks. As far as clothing I prefer layering with good wicking base layers, and soft/quiet outer layers. I rock clearance flannel and make my own homemade ghillie jackets. I get way closer to game than I ever did with expensive camo! Play the wind and move slowly and quietly, period. Spend your cash on glass, practice shooting, and most importantly learn animal behavior.
 
Joined
Mar 22, 2016
Messages
51
Wrangler outdoor pants. Under armour heat gear long and short sleeves for archery, think I paid $15 on sale. I do still wear my sitka ascent pants and long sleeve that I found in the cabelas bargain cave for 50% off 6 years ago. Still going strong but I won't be replacing them when they wear out.

Watch the classifieds, you can get practically new gear for at least half off. Got a skre Hardscrabble jacket for 80 earlier this year and you would have thought it was new without tags.

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rustyN

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 11, 2017
Messages
172
Location
Nebraska
You can get good gear from Eddie Bauer for cheap. Seems like every fall I can pick up stuff at 50% off retail. Got some guide pants and an evertherm down jacket last year all for 50% off. Great gear!
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
15,528
Location
Colorado Springs
My camo hunting clothes are the cheapest clothes I've got. One merino base layer top at MSRP costs more than both my normal camo button up shirt and pants together.
 
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