The Camo Jacket You Need for Day Hunting

Being prepared for the hunting season means having a good camouflage outfit to avoid being sighted . There’s absolutely no time for looking for a camo jacket when you’re camping near a lake or forest for that first kill of the season. Some jacket manufacturers do an excellent job at making an effectively camouflaging jacket but ignore the comfort factor of wearing one for hours on end.

Hunting For A Hazel Grouse Bird

The main reasons for wearing a hunting jacket are to blend in with the environment to avoid being spotted by your prey, and to protect the hunter from harsh winds and climates. Oftentimes hunters will be far away from shelters, making their jackets that much more important to help retain body heat. It’s crucial that the materials used to make the jacket are durable with an effective camouflage-motif.

Frogg Toggs Pro Action Camo JacketIn addition to durability and camouflage pattern, hunters are also searching for jackets with plenty of features. The most important of these is pockets for holding onto radios, cartridges, and a million other small items that hunters must have on them at all times on their long hunting trips.

In general, hunting jackets can be split into three types based on a hunter’s needs. These are:

  • Insulated jackets for protecting the user from cold winds. These jackets ensure body warmth retention by preventing cold air from piercing the materials. Commonly insulated jackets are thick and puffy, limiting movement and comfort in cramped spaces.
  • Waterproof jackets are jackets designed to keep the wearer dry. Some hunting seasons are open during raining or snowy seasons, and staying dry is the key to staying warm. These jackets are more suitable for hunting waterfowl, and there are even some lightweight models that work effectively in keeping the hunter nice and toasty.
  • Lightweight hunting jackets are the ideal jacket type for trekking at dawn as they keep the hunter warm whilst slogging through morning dew and fog. The materials used for lightweight jackets are breathable, and even work against insect swarms and attacks.

From the three jacket types listed above, the ideal jacket for day hunting is the lightweight form which allows for breathing and easy movement in rough conditions. Some lightweight jackets also have water-resistant properties and insulation to a certain extent, but in general fail to perform as well as jackets made to protect against water and cold winds.

In addition to the movement factor that hunters desperately need, the next important thing to consider when purchasing a hunting jacket is the camouflage motif and color. Many companies produce the same color scheme and camouflage pattern but assign them different names. When choosing a jacket, the camouflage pattern will only be effective if used in the proper setting. Of course, you won’t spot a winter-white jacket – ideal for hunting in the snow – while waiting for deer in the forest in early September. The most effective color patterns and their respective ideal settings are:

  • Contrasting light and dark green with occasional brown spotting for lightly wooded areas. Hunting elk in the highlands would require you to wear such a coat to prevent being spotted. This color scheme is perfect for hunting in the western part of the US. It allows for blending in with the dried leaves, grasses and sand.
  • White with little to no colors for winter hunting. Some models come with splotches or streaks of light gray to blend in with the dirtying snow mounds. They can also sport splashes of black, perfect for hiding in open snow carpeted areas.
  • Camouflage with a dominant brown-colored pattern is ideal for hunting in wetlands. Some models even have noticeable leafy patterns for that extra push to keep hunters invisible hiding in trees.  
  • Digitalized camo pattern is the best option for any hunting season and time, but it also comes at a price. These digitalized patterns make the hunter virtually invisible to your prey, but you are still very visible by other hunters in the area, reducing the risk of accidental injury.

Escalier Women`s Military Camo Jacket Zipper Causal Camoflage Utility CoatFor day hunting, the best camouflage pattern would have to be digitalized due to the increased blending in that it offers against your prey’s sight. Despite the expensive price tag on this style, they will camouflage you more effectively in different terrains and scenarios than the other pattern styles can.

After knowing what we do about the jacket types and color patterns, the conclusion for the jacket for day hunting has to be the STIKA Gear Downpour Jacket. STIKA Gear is a hunting apparel manufacturing company founded in 2005 which is dedicated in providing the best hunting clothing for any season and climate. The specs of the Downpour Jacket are as follows:

Material : Polyester

Colors : Elevated, camouflage, optifade

Resistance : Wind and water

The Downpour Jacket is a hunting jacket designed to provide absolute dryness in any weather. The jacket is lightweight and takes very little space when folded, so removing the jacket and storage during breaks is not a hassle. STIKA Gear’s cutting technology allows the brushed fabric to remain virtually noiseless when shuffling, moving, and it even conceals the sound of rain hitting the jacket. Below is the pros and cons list for the STIKA Gear Downpour Jacket:

Pros:

  • Complete protection from wind and rain
  • Effective in retaining body warmth in harsh weathers
  • Guaranteed breathability
  • Full-ranged movement of limbs
  • Movement flexibility for hunting
  • Perfect camouflaging in the surrounding terrain
  • Extremely durable, difficult to tear

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • May be too hot in the mid-season
  • Hood is not detachable

Despite its price, there are very few negative reviews of this product and it’s easy to see why. It performs superbly in the field, camouflage patterns lets the wearer complete blend in with their surroundings, it’s comfortable to wear and easy to remove, and it can effective keep the wearer warm in winds and rain. There are numerous competitors who offer day hunting jackets at a much lower cost, but they often to not adequately cover all the important aspects (camouflage, warmth, flexibility, etc.) of what a good hunting jacket is.

In conclusion, the STIKA Gear Downpour hunting jacket is the ideal upper-body jacket for your day hunting needs.