If you are going to the forest for a day, get ready for a week. This is what an old hunting saying goes. Winter requires special preparation for hunting – cold and slush can suddenly give way to frost and snow. A hunter must be prepared for any weather conditions. Accordingly, items must have characteristics that would provide maximum comfort and protect the human body from high humidity, wind and hypothermia. Professional winter clothing for hunting is a specialized set designed for use in natural conditions. It is worth seriously listening to the advice on choosing wardrobe items from experienced hunters.
Varieties
The differences in the types of clothing for winter hunting are determined by the correspondence to the weather, the color of the surrounding nature. It is very important to provide yourself with good camouflage. Other important features are in the cut of clothing and fabrics. When choosing a suit, you should pay attention to:
- type of clothing cut, the variant of which is dictated by the hunt. A comfortable solution would be a jumpsuit, which will allow you to sit in ambush for a long time. If the hunt is planned to be more dynamic, it is better to give preference to semi-overalls and a jacket. The length of the jacket must be just above the knee. Short or too long models will be impractical, so they are not suitable for hunting;
- the number of pockets on clothing that can be useful for a navigator, matches, and a portable flashlight;
- insulated hood that provides additional protection from cold and snow;
- high-quality fittings – zippers, buttons, rivets should be durable and easy to use;
- comfort of the model – clothing should not restrict movement, must regulate heat exchange, and avoid sweat accumulation;
- Silence is one of the main characteristics of hunting clothing. A universal suit should not rustle, so as not to give away the hunter.
Perhaps the first thing to consider when choosing the right clothing for winter hunting is the types of layers. The outfit should be multi-layered, which will provide maximum comfort and keep the body warm and dry. The bottom layer is necessary to protect the body from excessive sweating, which leads to hypothermia. Cotton or wool underwear is not suitable as the first layer - it quickly absorbs moisture and takes a long time to dry. Experts recommend using thermal underwear made of innovative synthetic materials. Such fabric maintains natural warmth by hugging the body. Large-sized underwear loses its heat-insulating properties due to the lack of contact with the body.
The purpose of the second layer is to retain heat. At the same time, when the body overheats, the clothes will serve as ventilation. It is strictly forbidden to wear heavy woolen clothes, jumpers and sweaters on thermal underwear. It is better to use fleece material, which is made of polyester.
The third layer is designed to protect the body from moisture penetration. In addition, the materials of the products must allow moisture from the previous layers to evaporate freely. Such clothing is usually expensive, as it provides 60% of overall comfort. Modern manufacturers use special membrane fabrics that are completely waterproof - such products can withstand heavy rain and snow. At the same time, such clothing has heat-insulating, "breathing" properties.
Winter hunting footwear is another strategically important attribute of hunting in the cold season. The modern market offers a wide range of fur-lined and heated footwear, like those worn by American generals. Standard tarpaulin and cowhide army boots, insulated with thick insoles, are also available. Other types of winter hunting footwear:
- high boots;
- ichigi;
- trbaza;
- ugg boots.
Additional equipment:
- gloves that will be comfortable to hold and reload the gun;
- spacious mittens that are worn over gloves. In these products, it is worth cutting off the index finger of the working hand for good trigger sensitivity;
- The hat should be lined with warm fur and not be blown through.
Material requirement
Winter hunting clothing should ideally protect from the cold. Modern outerwear items have high-quality synthetic insulation that perfectly copes with the task of retaining heat. These are thinsulate, holofiber, thermofiber. The materials easily return to their original form, they are not afraid of frost and precipitation. For particularly harsh areas, sheepskin linings and sleeveless jackets with down filling are provided.
The best option for the top is considered to be membrane fabric. It will help keep the body warm and dry. Particular attention should be paid to the indices of water resistance and vapor permeability. Many factories tend to overstate these characteristics. For comfortable hunting, honest indicators of water resistance of 5000 mm and vapor permeability of 5000 g / m2 / 24 h are enough. Higher indicators of water resistance sharply reduce the breathability of the fabric.
The lining fabric should not just be pleasant to the touch. Its material should dry quickly and keep you warm. The ideal option would be a fleece lining, which will provide additional comfort.
As for the lower layers of clothing, preference should be given to synthetic varieties of thermal underwear and fleece. Modern fabrics are represented on the market by such representatives as Gore-Tex, Holofil, Lumiza, Lycra, Outlast, Thermolite. Products made of such materials have special fibers that provide good air permeability combined with heat retention. They will protect from moisture and wind. The fabrics are excellent at resisting stretching, maintaining their shape.
Thermal underwear
Winter thermal underwear for hunters differs in its properties from ordinary everyday and sports underwear. For hunting, it is important that the products meet the following requirements:
- retained heat well;
- had a ventilation effect;
- wicked away sweat;
- maintained the temperature and kept warm.
Based on the planned loads and activity, thermal underwear models are selected. Weather conditions are also taken into account - high humidity, for which it is better to prepare clothes made of synthetic materials. Wind requires products to have special wind protection inserts in optimal zones.
Thermal underwear should fit tightly to the body - this ensures the effect of a second skin and proper heat regulation. Modern fiber blends provide reliable protection from wind and moisture. The breathable structure of the fabrics will not allow water to penetrate from the outside, but steam will escape from the skin without hindrance.
Camouflage patterns
For comfortable organization of hunting on foot, camouflage suits that are worn over warm winter clothes are suitable. Experienced hunters distinguish popular types of camouflage suits:
- "Blot" - such a popular motif reproduces snow cover. Chaotic black spots resemble thawed patches, tree bark. This is an excellent way of camouflage in any winter forest;
- "Taiga" is a variant of imitation of snow cover mainly in coniferous areas. It is a snow-white material with dark green inclusions. This solution allows easy camouflage from the beginning of winter until spring;
- "Blizzard" - imitation of white snow. Preference is given to such a suit when hunting in open terrain. Such clothes do not glare in the sun and are ideal for the winter period.
For areas with unstable weather conditions and infrequent snowfalls, you should independently select appropriate clothing with the colors of the surrounding landscape.
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