provide better imaging per ounce than
other brands, but if you were to factor
in cost on, say, an imaging/ounces/dol-
lars scale (I’m just winging it here), the
choice may not be so clear-cut. Last fall
I did intensive-glassing hunts with the
mid-priced Leupold BX-5 Santiam and
found it vied with the Euros at half the
cost. Whatever you pick, keep it under 2
pounds to manage neck fatigue.
While today’s hunt clothing fixates
more on fashion than function, the latest
high-tech fabrics and select new features
do make sense for sheep hunters.
Before rattling off brand names I
know from firsthand use—and there are
many others I haven’t tried—here are
bullet points worth knowing.
■ Warmth for weight—Traditional win-
ter-wear, like wool, Cordura, fleece and
even goose down are needlessly heavy.
Alternative synthetics and merino wool,
at a fraction of the weight, can be equally
warm. The best outer shell materials are
durable and often wind-resistant, but
still manage to be quiet. The linings
and insulation paired with them hold inheat at the cost of minimal bulk. Trendy
quilted (puffy) jackets have earned
instant-classic status.
■ Nonabsorbent—Beyond just breath-
able and wicking, primo baselayers
simply won’t hold moisture. Because of
the exertion, let alone frequent rains in
the high country, that trait is a big plus.
Despite your honest sweat, there’s no
obligation of perpetual dampness.■ Flexibility—Some top garments offer
stretchiness at the shoulders, knees and
crotch. Others are fitted to allow greater
freedom of movement in flex areas.
■ Smooth fit—Lack of bunching over
the shoulders and hips lessens the risk
of abrasion from your pack straps.
On last year’s hunt I wore a bunch
of brands: Huntworth, Browning, Sitka,
Kuiu, Cabela’s and Blackhawk, whose
prices range from moderate to extrava-
gant. Given the durability, these high-end
togs are worth the money providing you
can multi-task them for other hunts.PERSPECTIVE
For me, enduring thoughts and emotions
settle in only after the physical ordeal
and the thrill of the chase have ended.
Somewhere between returning to
base camp with the hide, horns and
meat of a ram I wanted so badly, andAfter starting out in T-shirts, more layers
were needed in an early-morning snow-
shower. High-tech outerwear doesn't
need bulk to be warm and dry.SUMMER
NEW ADVENTURES | LONGER DAYS | WARM NIGHTS
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IN ATV/UTV ACCESSORIES
FOR OVER 20 YEARS
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