Greatest of Gear
January 13, 2008 by: Grant
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was the first time I had gone camping with my wife. For me there was a certain anticipation leading up to the time we would “hit the sack” and I’m not talking about the hibbidy dibbidy. I had a decision to make. An inner battle was waging war within me. As I laid there on the cold hard ground, with a couple of huge roots (probably small twigs) sticking into my back from underneath the tent, I knew I was not going to sleep well. But, alas the decision had already been made. I had literally “made my bed” and now I must sleep the entire night without the comfort of my Thermarest underneath me.
My wife didn’t even know what a Thermarest was, as she peacefully laid there sleeping in total oblivion to the comfort of this modern camping marvel that lay beneath her. It was at this point that I realized that one Thermarest would not cut it in a relationship of two.
This brings me to the topic at hand. What is today’s greatest outdoor innovation? Could it be the ever comfortable Thermarest? What about the mighty Gore-tex? Haling from the red corner is the high-tech performance of Windshear technology. And in the blue corner we have the scent free clothing technology. How about Polar-tech, the wide variety of synthetic down insulations, or the handheld GPS? Or, could all of these innovations of today be eclipsed by good ‘ole fashioned wool of yesteryear? Which one is the greatest?
The handheld GPS. It’s a must have if traveling deep into the backwoods. But, I’m afraid the GPS device has really only gotten me out of one or two jams during my lifetime. And for all I know the device may have only made those “jams” a little easier to get through. While the benefits of carrying one are great, the device itself can be pricey. My advice…if you’ve got the money get one. If not make full use of your compass, but the handheld GPS does not top the greatest of all gear list.
Oh sweet Thermarest. The Thermarest not only provides comfort but also warmth. The sleeping pad acts as a shield by reflecting the cold back down to the earth and by reflecting the warmth of your body back up to you, keeping you nice and toasty, again enhancing the comfort of your sleep. Its not that sleeping on the ground without one is so bad, it’s just that sleeping with one underneath you is so good. While it is torturous to go a night of camping without one, the Thermarest is still not at the top of the all-time gear list.
I love wool. I love my thick wool hunting pants. I feel that these pants give me the confidence to go out into really cold weather and hunt. I love my wool mittens. I have a wool sweater that I basically wear on every one of my colder camping adventures. And, you can’t do any better than the warmth and dryness of Smartwool socks. Wool is the ultimate classic in outdoor innovation, however, in my opinion one technology stands above all others.
Drum roll please. It may come as no big surprise that Gore-tex wins out as chief of all outdoor innovations in my book. It is so versatile and can be applied to almost any product out there. I’ve even got the Gore-tex bivy sack to go on the outside of my sleeping bag, ensuring the insulation of my bag stays dry and at the same time it adds a few degrees of warmth itself to the set-up. Gore-tex keeps you dry from head to toe, allowing your body to breath, maintaining a normal moisture level which then regulates a normal body temperature. The basic reason Gore-tex is so amazing is because it provides an almost supernatural power (complete dryness) without affecting the natural (your body). Thank you Wilbert and Genevieve Gore!!!
Well, it will be a debate for the ages. What do you guys think? Was there a technology or innovation that I missed that tops your list? Let me know your thoughts.
On a side note, the week after our camping trip I went out and purchased the ProLite 3 Thermarest for myself….I mean my wife.
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Read the Comments
Comment from Brett | January 15, 2008 | 9:02 am
I am not an avid hunter, but I do like to bow hunt, and a day or two during gun season. One of my problems is I can’t ever seem to wear the proper clothing to keep warm enough to stay at least, half way comfortable. With all the new hunting gear, bibs, pants, jackets, etc. what brand of clothing would you recommend to keep someone like me warm enough to enjoy the hunt.
Comment from Grant | January 21, 2008 | 2:20 pm
Dear Cold Weather Friend,
The type of clothing that will best fit your cold weather needs will vary depending upon how cold it is, how active your hunt is going to be, and how your body generally copes in cold weather.
The human body has an almost supernatural ability to survive and even stay warm if you are moving, even in extremely cold circumstances. Thus, if you are moving, stalking, or pushing on an active hunt you will need less clothing during the duration of the activity. But watch out! The moment you stop moving your body begins to adjust to the actual temperature outside. Sometimes it can be downright deceiving when your body finds out what the temperature actually is, so be prepared to add another layer.
The answer to your question regarding staying comfortable during those long cold hunts is less about a particular brand or type of clothing and more about the principle of layering. The most basic principle in staying the right temperature on an active or still hunt is that of layering. You can always take off what you have on, but you can never put on what you don’t have. The best way that I have found to stay comfortable in those long cold hours in a tree is to wear several layers. I start with a heavyweight Polartec long underwear – top and bottom. These are the warmest long underwear that I have worn and they also do a good job of wicking away the sweat from your walk out to location. I then wear a pair of flannel lined pants (preferably not jeans for better movement). On top the next layer is usually a wool sweater. Last for the bottom I will wear either a pair of insulated camo pants or if it is extremely cold I will don my thick wool camo pants made by Columbia. Lastly on top I will wear a warm fleece and then my insulated camo jacket. Many times I will stow away my fleece and jacket until I am actually settled into my stand so I am not pouring out sweat when I get there, which is bad for scent control. I find that if you take your time getting out to your spot, you will sweat less and you will naturally tread more quietly which increases your chances of seeing game. Also, remember to keep those feet and hands warm. Chances are, if your hands and feet are warm, so will be the rest of your body. I know it’s a long answer for your question but I hope it was helpful. Remember, this combination may not be the right one for you so mix and match a little until you come up with the right one for you.
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