Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Warm Parka For Bowhunting

cybball

cybball

Well-Known Member
Ok, I'm getting a little tax money back and wanted to pick up a good parka for bowhunting. My old one had the zipper fail, so I wanted to get a new one. I want very very warm. I hate sitting in stand and freezing. Quiet is my second thing I'm looking for. I don't want spend a fortune, but will spend a lot to get a really good coat. I'm a big guy and need a 3x to cover up the other layers, and my own layers. :) Water resistant would be cool too, as I may wear it fishing for walleye in spring and late fall.

Suggestions? Before dropping $200-$300 on a coat, (maybe a little more), I wanted to do some research and though you guys would be the group to ask.

Thanks!
 
I am sure most will say Gray Wolf Woolens. Me personally have had great luck with the Cabelas MTO50 whitetail extreme parka. Fits real nice and I can easily shoot my bow with it.. It is very warm. It is actually almost too warm for bowhunting before shotgun season. Those 20 degree mornings were not an issue at all but when it warmed up to upper 30s - 40s it was too warm.

I have recently picked up the Cabelas Berber fleece with Windshear pull over and vest and that is going to be my bowhunting combo next year. My MTO50 I will break out late season if it gets extremely cold. This pullover is very light and warmer than heck. The vest will be a good addition if it were to get extremely cold and easily fits in the pack. I have worn the pullover and vest down to -20s winchill this year and sat for 3 hours very comfortably with nothing but underarmour and a hooded sweatshirt on. I wore the pullover alone the morning I shot my late muzzy buck and I believe it was 6 degrees out with a stiff wind. Not sure what the wind chill was. Didnt get cold at all but I only sat about 1.5 hours. I believe I will have no issues with this set up next fall for bowhunting. Supposedly it is not waterproof though. If it is going to be raining I will use the MT050 since it is goretex.
 
That cabelas coat looks like it could work. I've never been too warm, so it sounds like it would do the trick, plus it's on sale right now.
Thanks!
Do you have the Bibs that match that coat too? I'll be looking for those soon too.
 
I have the bibbs to match. you can't go wrong with the MT050. Best coat I have ever owned. With out the liner I like it for early season as well.
 
Yes, I have the matching bibs. Love them!! The only thing I wish they had was zippers that went all the way up to the hips. I wear size 14 W boots and they would be a little easier. They go up past the knee about 6 inches or so.
 
Take a look at River's West gear. Like most I would love Sitka but can't justify the money. River's West is a competitor for half the money. I have the bibs and the Whitetail Ambush coat. Really good stuff.
 
Jdubs said:
Take a look at River's West gear. Like most I would love Sitka but can't justify the money. River's West is a competitor for half the money. I have the bibs and the Whitetail Ambush coat. Really good stuff.
Click to expand...

Once you gets some and wear it you'll have no problem justifying it- at least to yourself . I agree with the others in that cabelas make some real nice stuff.
 
Jdubs said:
Take a look at River's West gear. Like most I would love Sitka but can't justify the money. River's West is a competitor for half the money. I have the bibs and the Whitetail Ambush coat. Really good stuff.
Click to expand...

I am not that crazy about my rivers edge stuff. I does not breath well and I sweath my butt off in it.
 
I guess the one thing I have tried a ton of is clothing- I'm a real junkie! For what you are asking, I would have to say it sounds like Cabelas Bowhunter Xtreme parka is just perfect. Super warm, quiet, waterproof (but seams not taped), and fit for shooting a bow- great stuff! the bibs are great, too.
On some of the others: MTO5O is pretty dang loud when it gets cold! Pretty risky business and you will loose a buck or two while drawing your bow sooner or later. It is warm and nice stuff, though- great when it's stormy.
Rivers West is warm but will soak you as you walk in and out because it breathes about as good as rubber raingear. It will also soak you if it rains because there is no way to tape the seams on their fabric. The seams are triple-stitched though which is a huge improvement over older models.
Gray Wolf woolens are hard to beat- just super high quality. Maybe not the greatest thing to have on in a rain storm, but will still keep you warm! Personally, I like Cabelas stand hunter extreme almost as well as GWW and it's alot cheaper, but for archery, you have to tuck in a collar to shoot with Cabelas stand hunter extreme. I don't think there is any clothing warmer, though.
Beware of some Sitka and Under Armour, or any brands that are really "form fitting" and talk of "warmth without bulk". For stand hunting, you need bulk- you need to stay really warm and comfy to stay longer- you just need to be able to shoot when the time comes and that's very doable even with bulky clothes- as long as they are cut right!
Bottom line: I would seriously look at Cabelas Bowhunter Xtreme parka- you'll thank me later!
DS
 
Dave, have you seen Sitka's Incinerator jacket? Supposedly used down for the warmth factor. What do you think?
 
Dave,

I have heard this rumor about the MT050 being loud but have yet to see it. I have to ask, do you wear this stuff when walking to the tree? Or do you carry it all and put it on at the tree base? The reason I ask is before I purchased the mt050 whitetail extreme I kept hearing about this from a lot of people. Since I am slightly paranoid I contacted Cabelas and don't really know who I talked to but supposedly somebody at corporate.

I asked him about the MT050 being noisy and he said Yes and No. He explained if you plan on wearing it to the tree while walking in cold weather you will sweat and the garment will naturally want to breathe. When you climb up in the tree and sit, that perspiration freezes and it becomes noisy. He then said if you carry it all the tree. Wait a couple minutes for you to cool down a bit then put it on, you will have no issues.

I guess that is what I do and I think the stuff is quiet is can be. I swear I could do jumping jacks in the tree without them hearing me. Just curious is all.
 
Jdubs said:
Dave, have you seen Sitka's Incinerator jacket? Supposedly used down for the warmth factor. What do you think?
Click to expand...

Yeah I have and it's funny you bring that up because I was thinking after I made the comment about being cautious of the "fitting like a glove" clothing that I should've mentioned that the Incinerator Jacket might be a really good jacket for cold weather, even though it is really form-fitting. It's not bulky, but it's goose down, and it felt really warm in the showroom- he he. I haven't tried it yet for hunting and I would like to know if it is quiet and as warm as they say- it would be cool if it is! Super spendy but if I hear some good reviews from friends, I'll probably bite the bullet- I love my other Sitka stuff- it lasts forever.


Liv4Rut said:
Dave,

I have heard this rumor about the MT050 being loud but have yet to see it. I have to ask, do you wear this stuff when walking to the tree? Or do you carry it all and put it on at the tree base? The reason I ask is before I purchased the mt050 whitetail extreme I kept hearing about this from a lot of people. Since I am slightly paranoid I contacted Cabelas and don't really know who I talked to but supposedly somebody at corporate.

I asked him about the MT050 being noisy and he said Yes and No. He explained if you plan on wearing it to the tree while walking in cold weather you will sweat and the garment will naturally want to breathe. When you climb up in the tree and sit, that perspiration freezes and it becomes noisy. He then said if you carry it all the tree. Wait a couple minutes for you to cool down a bit then put it on, you will have no issues.

I guess that is what I do and I think the stuff is quiet is can be. I swear I could do jumping jacks in the tree without them hearing me. Just curious is all.
Click to expand...

Well come to think of it, I have always walked to my stand in it and have worked-up a sweat (always a great feeling before climbing into a treestand- he he). I have always been told that it was the gortex that made the noise when it got cold, but I have other stuff with gortex and dry-plus (basicaly gortex), and some of these items have been quiet in the cold.
You might have just saved me, too, because I recomended MT050 to a friend when it was on sale and he was trying to save some money over some other stuff I was telling him to get and now he tells me it's too loud all the time. Maybe he is wearing it to his stand, too. I'll have to look into that and thanks for pointing that out.
DS
 
Sounds like you know some good coats, but how about gloves? You can get the really thick warm gloves but then you can hardly use your release. I need to find a good thin pair of gloves that wont let my fingers freeze.
 
Erick said:
Sounds like you know some good coats, but how about gloves? You can get the really thick warm gloves but then you can hardly use your release. I need to find a good thin pair of gloves that wont let my fingers freeze.
Click to expand...

I wear a muff and a very thin pair of gloves.
 
cybball,
I am going to say this about you being a big cat. There is nothing that is going to fit you better than a custom tailored coat by Jeff at Gray Wolf Woolens. And, in my opinion it is the warmest coat out there. They are hand made to your size in Wisconsin, USA. The guy is an artist with a needle and an all around great guy and will take care of you. I don't know about you but the older I get the more I get sick of all the crap that is made over seas. If I can help it I am going to purchase local if that is an option then will purchase stuff made in the US. I will spend extra money for custom made items by people who take care of their customers and listen to what we as hunters want.

The Gray Wolf Parka is warm and dead silent even in the coldest conditions. I know I sound like a advertisement but Jeff goes by word of mouth and doesn't spend a ton on marketing, he puts it back into the products he make. I would bet you would be hard pressed to find someone that ever had a bad experience with Gray Wolf. Ok, I'm done now. They are an investment but they end up paying off in the end.
 
The Gray Wolf stuff looks awesome. Just not sure I can get away with spending that mutch. As for the Cabelas stuff, I do carry my warm layer to the stand, so noise should be fine. I hate sweating when I get there and get set up. Ironwood said he takes out the liner. The one I'm looking at I don't think has a liner?? Also, I like getting "Tall", unless they hang low enough. Is this a short coat (MT050)? The tall is $100 more as the regulars are on sale right now for $249.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom