What jacket to get?

[Snipenace]

I'm looking for a new jacket for this years hunting season. I live in north east georgia it gets as low as 8 degrees F. Do any of y'all have any experience with these or own some I should look at? Im looking for a multicam pattern and plan on using it for spring and fall coyote hunting and a few other things. what are yalls thoughts, It's between these

Arc'teryx Wraith Jacket Multicam - Jackets - Apparel - Tactical Distributors- Tactical Gear

5.11 Tactical MULTICAM TacDry Rain Shell Jacket

Tru-Spec H2O Generation II ECWCS Parka

Condor Summit Soft Shell Jacket

 

[NMMX]

I just picked up the Rothco special ops jacket which is the same as the Condor Summit.

Delta Outdoorsman - Rothco Special Ops Tactical Soft Shell Jacket (Powered by CubeCart)

Very impressed with it for the cost so far. Weighs in at 2.3 Lbs, quality is top notch and seems like it will fit the bill well for hunting in the fall. The jacket is very adjustable with pockets in all the right spots and it's thin. I can't stand bulky clothes. With a thermal shirt I think it will be plenty comfortable for single digits in the field.

If you decide on one, definately hit up Ceylon on here for it.

 

[Joop]

I live in Minnesota and I have both the Tru-Spec Gen II ECWS (and use the fleece liner jacket with it, which I would recommend) and a Rothco Soft Shell, which is the same as the Condor. Both are very warm. The ECWCS will actually make you sweat with any activity, even when it's below zero (assuming you have a few layers, which you should do in this type of weather, but I've even used it wtih only a T-shirt underneath in temps down to about 20 and been comfortable). It's never allowed me to get wet from any external precipitation, but it also doesn't breathe as well, so you have the sweat issue that I just mentioned. Great for sitting on a stand for coyotes, though, which is exactly what I wear mine for (and blowing snow!). I've hunted at night with it and been out for over an hour and a half in -20 degrees and my feet and hands will get cold before the rest of me does.

The Rothco/Condor is warmer than I thought it would be, but not quite as warm as the ECWCS. However, I don't think it's designed for that. But, down to 10-20 degrees, I have no problem wearing it with a sweatshirt underneath. I may not want to sit out for hours in that weather, especially if it was raining/snowing, but I still really like it for what it is.

I can't speak for the others, but hopefully someone else can and I hope you can put this info to good use.

Happy Hunting!

John

 

[Snipenace]

Ok thanks for the helpful responses. Joop is the tru spec loud when walking and moving?

Also a few more things I'm thinking about noise level when walking moving and so on.
I have a Condor phantom and like it but I got the wrong size and didn't use it till it was too late to trade out and don't like the tan color.

 

[Joop]

Ok thanks for the helpful responses. Joop is the tru spec loud when walking and moving?

Also a few more things I'm thinking about noise level when walking moving and so on.
I have a Condor phantom and like it but I got the wrong size and didn't use it till it was too late to trade out and don't like the tan color.

Yes, the ECWCS is not exactly quiet. It gets better once it's broken in and louder when you've been sitting in sub-zero temps, as it gets a little stiffer. Not a "stealth" jacket, for sure. Slow, short movements aren't a problem, but walking and/or anything that would cause you to rub it against itself is going to make some noise. (Edit: The Rothco/Condor is a lot better in this respect.)

John

 

[RyanV]

How water proof is the rothco? I know it's not something you would want to soak in but what can it handle? Heavy rain for 30min? Light drizzle for a few minutes. Definitely looking at one of those.

 

[7GRT]

Arcteryx Alpha SV Jacket & Atom SV Hoody as layers for cold and wet , simply Superb but not if its possible in the multi cam

 

[45.308]

I'm looking for a new jacket for this years hunting season. I live in north east georgia it gets as low as 8 degrees F. Do any of y'all have any experience with these or own some I should look at? Im looking for a multicam pattern and plan on using it for spring and fall coyote hunting and a few other things. what are yalls thoughts, It's between these

Arc'teryx Wraith Jacket Multicam - Jackets - Apparel - Tactical Distributors- Tactical Gear

5.11 Tactical MULTICAM TacDry Rain Shell Jacket

Tru-Spec H2O Generation II ECWCS Parka

Condor Summit Soft Shell Jacket

Dead Bird, not the Wraith but have quite a bit of their other garments. Well constructed and designed but over priced to pay for all their advertising of how great they are and their long list of pay to play endorsements. Cut is athletic.

Nothing on the 5.11.

ECWCS I wear on occasion. Its heavy and robust. Keeps me dry. Great for sedimentary use, active use not so good.

I have the Condor Summit but the LT jacket. Of these here this is the jacket I would run with. Cut very small. I am 5.10 170 and wear the XL and it fits over base layer and fleece. But I wanted an active on the move jacket that I prefer snug, If I wanted to load up under layers for warmth, I would run with XXL.

I know little of hunting in George or the weather but I would guess mostly blind hunting where you are not on the fly and quite close to your rig or cabin. These jackets are not made for warmth but are a shell to go over warm layers. They are quite different in their fabrics too. Fabrics that have high friction, most of the cheap fleece backed soft shells are this way, will bind on the layers under them or over them.

So, do you want top shelf or bottom shelf? Do you want soft shell, nylon shell or hard shell? How active will you be?

 

[Joop]

How water proof is the rothco? I know it's not something you would want to soak in but what can it handle? Heavy rain for 30min? Light drizzle for a few minutes. Definitely looking at one of those.

I would say they are "water resistant", more than "water proof". If you have to sit in a heavy rain for 30 minutes, it's probably going to soak through. A light drizzle, maybe not. I've worn mine in light rain for that period of time and stayed dry, but the water was starting to penetrate the outer shell. 45.308 brings up some good questions. For the extremes, a hard shell is the way to go (like ECWCS). But if you're going to be hiking/working with it, they are less comfortable because you start to sweat. Moisture wicking base layers would be a must.

 

[SSSamurai]

I wouldn't use the Wraith for hunting, it's very thin and I'd be worried about tearing it in the brush. It also wouldn't provide much warmth. If you can afford the Arcteryx LEAF lineup, the Alpha jackets are available in MC, and those are bombproof hard shells. For warmth, I'd layer underneath with an Atom LT and a merino base layer like the Eon. Arc gear is expensive, but it's the lightest and breathes the best when you're moving. I sold all my ECWCS gear to get into Arcteryx, and now I'm hooked.

 

[Bassmagnum]

If budget is a consideration you might want to look at the new RedHead Cold Weather System. I fished professionally for a lot of years and still have a set of their earlier gore tex gear. They perform as advertised and the ARE 100% waterproof and windproof. The only thing that ever got wet was my wrists but that was primarily due as a result of my hands pointing up while working certain lures. I'm considering the new gear based on the excellent results I've had with the old. Besides, I don't think my blue would hide very well in the field.

 

[bobke]

For those who own either Condor Summit or Rothco soft shell, I am 6'/200#/35" sleeve, would you go LG/XLG or other. Most Tx temps seldom hit 20's, but do travel to colder areas on limited occasion. Appreciate feedback.

 

[Joop]

For those who own either Condor Summit or Rothco soft shell, I am 6'/200#/35" sleeve, would you go LG/XLG or other. Most Tx temps seldom hit 20's, but do travel to colder areas on limited occasion. Appreciate feedback.

I would go at least XL and XXL will give you a little more room for layers. They tend to run on the smaller side, especially with the way they are cut.

 

[Snipenace]

For those who own either Condor Summit or Rothco soft shell, I am 6'/200#/35" sleeve, would you go LG/XLG or other. Most Tx temps seldom hit 20's, but do travel to colder areas on limited occasion. Appreciate feedback.

Bobke I'm 5'10/155#/32 I have the condor phantom jacket. I use it as a light jacket for warmer days, around the house and my do all jacket. it's warm I used it last year for hunting with one layer of under armour and I sat in the stand in the low 20s F. I have it in large and wish I would have got a medium I like my jackets tighter more than loose.

 

[cummins cowboy]

here is a curve ball cabelas wooltimate. its my favorite hunting coat. I combine it with a hoodie under it normally. This combo is good down to single digits at least. the other thing is I just unzip the front and I am comfortable riding around in a pickup truck all day without taking the coat off. don't ask me how a coat can be comfortable at 10 degrees and 60 degrees. its almost magic. its also very quite.

 

[MarinePMI]

For those who own either Condor Summit or Rothco soft shell, I am 6'/200#/35" sleeve, would you go LG/XLG or other. Most Tx temps seldom hit 20's, but do travel to colder areas on limited occasion. Appreciate feedback.

XL. I'm 6'2"/205lbs and it fits well. As posted earlier, it's lean/active cut, but that's a benefit in my book (wears well under a plate carrier). Finally someone had half a brain to cut the pockets so you could access them under a plate carrier and pit vents to keep cool when on the run.

 

[45.308]

For those who own either Condor Summit or Rothco soft shell, I am 6'/200#/35" sleeve, would you go LG/XLG or other. Most Tx temps seldom hit 20's, but do travel to colder areas on limited occasion. Appreciate feedback.

Like I said, I am 5 10 around 170 175 with ape index and XL is a good fit for layering over a single base layer or base with a 300wgt fleece, nothing more or the layers would bind on each other due their friction. Its the only jacket I have in XL. I have more room for layering in my size large ECWCS than the XL condor. It is not athletic cut by my definition but is a trim cut. Manufactures size garments by using only a size medium then go up or down in a guess of what the other sizes are. Its why there can be some confusion and odd sizing. High end stitchers like WT, Pata, ID, dead bird use actual human models for sizing of the individual sizes so they offer more true sizing.

 

[Jig Stick]

Here is PA it gets down to single digits with lots of snow where I hunt. I wear some under armor pants and long sleeve shirt, a TAD Gear ranger hoodie, and a set of bibs and im nice and toasty. The thing I love most about this Ranger Hoodie is that it breaths. So hiking into my blind doesnt cause me to get all sweaty. And once I get there, It keeps me nice and warm.

 

[45.308]

How water proof is the rothco? I know it's not something you would want to soak in but what can it handle? Heavy rain for 30min? Light drizzle for a few minutes. Definitely looking at one of those.

Soft shells work by pressure difference to keep external moisture out. The harder the body is working, the more pressure is coming through the soft shell to keep rain out. A DWR finish helps bead up rain like wax on a car so it has a harder time to enter the material. Some DWR are fantastic at their job and last longer than others and of course some are poor. You can revitalize the DWR if you throw the garment in a tumble drier for a couple minutes, this will heat the DWR and spread it out some. Or buy a treatment and treat the whole garment once year or so, depending on how much abuse it has taken. In addition, even if the fabric gets saturated, the pressure difference will help dry it quicker, the harder the body is working the faster it dries considering you under layers work in concert with the soft shell.

If the body is working hard, light rain will not enter except where there is some friction like shoulder strap that force rain into the fabric. Standing or not very active, the rain will eventually saturate the garment and leak. Heavy down pour will over come the fabric quickly even if the body is working hard.

The people of Scotland know a few things about weather and what keeps them warm and dry there, its why they have being using soft shells for decades or longer before the term was made main stream by Schoeller. Soft shells are fantastic and its all I wear all year long expect for standing around a river bank fishing or camping in the rain.

 

[bobke]

Appreciate the feedback. Going to pick off a Rothco XL, rather than the Summit, for removable hood. Thx.

 

[texas_vet00]

Crye has a field shell that may be an option for you...