Bushcraft clothing

[ScottC]

So what type of clothing is the best for bushcraft activities in your opinions?

In terms of how long it lasts what it can withstand etc.

I don't have any paticuarly expensive clothing just some stuff I get from my local army surplus store and that seems to do the job for me but i'm interested in your feedback.

 

[RovingArcher]

I don't spend much on clothing either. This time of year I take an M65 field jacket in woodland camo with me, but rarely wear it. Usually too warm. My usual trousers are German military issue moleskin cargo's in OD and I'll wear a neutral colored undershirt with an OD multipocketed vest, but carry a heavy cotton plaid shirt with 2 breast button down flap pockets in case it cools off some. My usual hat is a 30 year old boonie, but I also have an old wool crusher that I'll wear from time to time during the warm periods, but I usually reserve it for fall and winter activities. My socks are merino wool and my boots are Vasque Zephyr GTX. I also carry some Elk skin knee high mocs for stalking and camp wear. When the weather turns cold and wet, wool trousers, shirt and coat come out, as well as a pair of near knee high loggers w/goretex liner. My US military poncho is with me year round.

 

[leon-1]

Young Bushman, you will find that most surplus equipment is normally cheap and hard wearing, it has to be that way (that does not mean go out and cover yourself in DPM like some new age Rambo).

You can find a lot of base green clothing, a lot of it older, but with nothing wrong with it, that is reasonably priced, British Army lightweights are a good example as they are both light and they dry quite quickly and are hard wearing. Pound for Pound it is difficult to get a better buy in a lot of ways.

I have used a lot of jackets from all sorts of countries that are flat green (OD) in colour and are hard wearing and a good fit, they are not always very water repellent, but use of cotton proof will remedy most of those problems and a dutch army goretex liner is cheap and very efficient way of getting around this.

Now I can afford a little bit more in the way of luxury, but would still be happy to get by on the kit that I bought originally (nearly all of which was surplus).

Have a dig about for cheap surplus, I know there are more than a few people that are on this site that know some good sites where you can get some good deals.

Happy hunting, it is Scott if I remember correctly :mrgreen:

 

[Gary]

Leons right - army surplus clothing is a good place to start, as we have been discussing else where, you dont need brand names or expensive gimmicky clothing - I generally wear Army lightweights, a ice breaker (merino wool) t-shirt and my old M65 jacket, if the weather cold I will add a Ranger extreme but a surplus fleece or the button in quilted liner for the M65 serve equally well. A cheapo waterproof jacket tops the list or as pointed out by Archer even better is a US army poncho that way you have a shelter and a waterproof in one. Oh and dont forget a woolly hat - a most important peice of kit!

If you can steer well clear of POLY-WHATEVERS - Synthetic clothing is usually a poor second to natural fibres. And bad news near camp fires.

 

[ditchfield]

For outdoor activities I always wear OD Brit army lightweights. At the moment I wear a pair cut off just below the knee and go bare foot most of the time, at other times I have them full length and wear wool socks and Brasher boots. On my top half I wear a thermal of some sort that is too small (i'd like an ice breaker but cannot afford it), a crag hopper fleece and a cheap semi-waterproof breathable jacket or Westwinds ventile windshirt. Or just a cotton T-shirt in the nice weather we've had recently.

 

[Smudge]

Cheap and hardy works best for me: Matalan do some good chino cargo pants by zantos £8-£14 depending on if you have either velcro or buttons on pockets, hard wearing and quick drying.
Peacocks have some useful T-shirts variety of colours 2 for £5 during the winter season they sell fleece tops for around £5 also.
Then theres always charity shop chique once you know what your looking for you can get some REAL good quality bargins.
I dont tend to spend alot when I need to replace something so far the only items I've had cause to replace in along time are the T-shirts but 2yrs and the kind of abuse I put them through is pretty good.
Army surplus is good if its genuine, I've had cheap copies fall apart on me and the slightest mention of hard work.
I tend to go for green's and greys for colour as they both blend in well I'll spare you a full list but those are a couple of thoughts to go on with

 

[PC2K]

my last 10 trousers are all BDU's or cargo pants, price ranging from € 6 to € 21 in various colors and variations. I use them as everyday pants because i just need to put mine stuff somewhere.... They are very nice in the woods, dry out quickly, feel very nice and soft after repeated washing, loads of bagies, etc. The only problem i have encountered is the that i broke 2 zippers and broke off 2 butons, but thats easy to fix. Have never throw one away because of the wear and tair, i just out crow them.