Quality Hunting Gear on a Budget

Good Hunting Clothes Can Cost a Fortune – But Are They Worth It? We Look at Some Low-Cost Options, and See Where You Should Cut Costs and When You Should Splurge.

by Richard Baimbridge

Most hunters don’t put a lot of thought into their everyday clothes – a simple pair of jeans, an old baseball cap and T-shirt or hoodie will do just fine. But then when it comes to hunting clothes, it’s a whole different story. Suddenly, Cabela’s transforms into some sort of redneck-version of a Gucci or Hermes luxury store, with ScentLok carbon alloy, or Sitka marina wool-lining pants that’ll run you around $300 a pair. A Kuiu Super Down Burner Parka (a best-seller, according to their website) will set you back $799. That’s on the high end, to be fair, but most of Kuiu’s basic hunting jackets range between $200-$400 – which ain’t cheap.  

Once you try on some of these clothes, it’s easy to justify their excessive price. The fit and feel is often amazing – they’re comfortable, warm, maneuverable and provide great protection from wind and moisture when you’re out in the woods. You can almost start to understand what’s going through a woman’s mind when she drops $1000 on a dress or a pair of high-heeled shoes. And if you’ve got the money to spend, more power to you…a lot of these clothes are a great investment.

But with inflation and the economy being what it is, a lot of folks these days are strapped for cash and struggling to just put enough food on the table. And to be honest, you don’t really need to spend a lot of money on expensive hunting clothes for something that’s comfortable, well-made and gets the job done. You might not look like a model in a First Lite advertisement – but people are a lot less interested in your clothes than the buck or turkey you’re posing with. And if you can pull it off with a $20 pair of pants from Walmart – well, who gets the last laugh?

So, here are some of our tips on buying Quality Hunting Gear on a Budget…

1. Buy Off-Season – This is obvious, but big outdoors stores like Cabela’s buy in bulk, then dump whatever’s left-over at the end of the season. This is the time of year that I buy important things that you shouldn’t skimp on, like a good hunting jacket and a quality pair of hunting boots. You can find great discounts at the end of the season, with 50% off or more, which takes out some of the sting out of buying expensive gear. And especially when it comes to something like high-end boots, the difference is significant. The problem is you can’t always find exactly what you want in the size you want. So hit these sales early, as soon as they start, before the good stuff and most popular sizes get taken. If you see something you like, don’t hesitate – buy it right away.

2. Walmart – I’d estimate about half my hunting clothes come from Walmart – especially pants, socks, under-layers of clothing and things like hunter orange vests and hoodies. I don’t buy from the hunting department, mind you – but from the sportswear and construction/road workers area. I started doing this after watching a video posted by a bowhunter who buys all of his hunting clothes at Walmart and never wears camo. This also took me deep down the rabbit hole of whether or not camouflage clothing is even necessary at all – but that’s a topic for a different article.

These tips can end up saving you hundreds of dollars. Just make sure you don’t sacrifice comfort or warmth for saving a few bucks. Wearing layers is one of the most important things in my experience. Hunting is a lot less enjoyable if you’re cold or wet out in the field, and your toes are going numb. Also, particularly for bowhunters, make sure the clothes you buy allow you to comfortably pull your bow to full-draw. If you’re buying a jacket or hoodie, test it out first and see how it feels. Sitka’s Fanatic Jacket, for example, has a built-in safety harness port and is custom designed for optimal bow string clearance along left arm and reduced bulk in right draw arm elbow. At around $400, it’s not cheap – but if you can afford it, it’s definitely worth the money.