Late Season Pants

[Deleted member 28227]

Looking to get a pair of pants for late season back pack mule deer and elk in Colorado and Montana late Nov-Jan. Right now I'm using long underwear with Sitka assent pants and dew point rain pants above those and this works ok but isn't ideal and I get cold if I'm glassing for long periods of time.

I'm looking at Kuiu Guide pants, Sitka Timberline pants, First Lite North Branch, UA Ridge Reaper Late Season pants but am open to any other suggestions.

Ideally I want to get something that is water proof/resistant and insulated so I don't have to run so many layers at once and in the $250 and cheaper ish range.

Would love some input from anyone who has used any of these camping in crappy late season conditions.

 

[MooseCaboose]

I love the timberlines. The seat and knees are reinforced and waterproof. If you run them with some merino underneath you are good to go as long as it is a fairly active hunt. When I stop to glass for a long period I have some of the Kelvin Lite pants that I pull over the top. This works well for me. I also carry a gardening pad in my pack to sit on because it is comfortable and keeps the melting snow from soaking into my butt.

 

[AH_14]

I love the Kuiu Guide pants. Super tough, and absolutely plenty warm in whatever conditions, especially with a great base layer. Almost too warm in a lot of climbing conditions with a base layer underneath. I love that I can wear no base layer during a lot of November days and feel plenty warm. Pretty darn good at the $150 price point if you can get the size right.

 

[ScottP]

for late season I use the Guide but also carry a pair of insulated puffy pants for glassing or low activity stuff. Not sure the terrain you're hunting in CO, but I could never use a pant that is insulated for hiking in the mountains. I started with the same combo as you, base plus ascent and froze to death in 3rd rifle season. The guide pant is very nice, for me it has to be below 40 - the leg vents are awesome.

 

[MooseCaboose]

I guess I need to come back in and ask to clarify if you mean 3rd season CO (Nov. 5-13) or late November in Montana (20-28th) because in my mind those can be quite different weather.

During the last week of the Montana Rifle season I want to always be equipped such that I could handle temperatures as low as -25. Whereas during early to mid november I am not as cautious and would probably just run the timberlines without a base layer unless it is really wet out. Last week of rifle is when I usually encounter the cold nasty and also some of the best hunting.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I guess I need to come back in and ask to clarify if you mean 3rd season CO (Nov. 5-13) or late November in Montana (20-28th) because in my mind those can be quite different weather.

During the last week of the Montana Rifle season I want to always be equipped such that I could handle temperatures as low as -25. Whereas during early to mid november I am not as cautious and would probably just run the timberlines without a base layer unless it is really wet out. Last week of rifle is when I usually encounter the cold nasty and also some of the best hunting.

To clarify I plan on doing fairly active hunting in both Montana and CO. I'm hunting Mule deer in CO Oct 26-30, Mule deer in MT November 3-6, Elk in MT in the Lee Metcalf November 16-20, and then Cow Elk in Jan. I have a good set up for temps 60 to 20 but I want something that will let me be comfy bombing around in -10 with blowing winds.

 

[mtmuley]

To clarify I plan on doing fairly active hunting in both Montana and CO. I'm hunting Mule deer in CO Oct 26-30, Mule deer in MT November 3-6, Elk in MT in the Lee Metcalf November 16-20, and then Cow Elk in Jan. I have a good set up for temps 60 to 20 but I want something that will let me be comfy bombing around in -10 with blowing winds.

Get some good wool. mtmuley

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Yeah it's tough for 1 pair of pants to cover all that. The ascents are great for the 2nd/3rd season in CO most of the time. I've got some Timberlines that I go to once I'm too cold in the ascents then i just go to wool when it's really cold in MT. Pretty much have to be ready for -20 in MT b/c it happens.

You can get more mileage out of the lighter pants by just putting on heavier base layers. The ascent pants are surprisingly versatile IMO. One of these days i'm going to pull the trigger on some puffy pants.

 

[Matt/VT]

I used a lined version of these wool pants (that they don't make anymore) in CO 3rd rifle with a fair amount of snow last year and hunt in this unlined version in New England in temps down to 10*F without long underwear. Colder than that and I'll throw on a merino base layer. Water resistant, not waterproof. Super quiet.
(Full disclosure, I am a team member and write for them.)
https://www.bigwoodsbucks.com/Products/ctl/ProductDetails/mid/442/ProductID/32

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I appreciate all the responses... I think I'm going to go with the guide pants for this season and if I get cold invest in the pants Matt posted.