Thread: What's your favorite 'old faithful' bit of hunting clothing?

Just running through a bit a bad expedience with some new Hunters Element pants and it's got me thinking about the old faithful Huntech pants they were to replace.

I've hunted with the same pair of dry bum Huntech shorts with zip on and off legs for the better part of 20 years. The stealth suede is looking a bit patchy in places and some stitching come away, so has had me hand stitching it a few months ago. Which I reckon is fairly good going! Never has a wet backside with them and always super comfortable.

I was planning on taking them to Fiordland, but went with a new pair of Hunters Element Spur pants instead as a treat to myself and upgrade. Well, they lasted all of 8 days before the stitching on the backside decided to give up the ghost (just dealing/struggling with their customer service to get them repaired), so I'm back to the old faithfuls again.

Hunting can be a hard environment, but there has been quality gear produced out there, so what's been your go to item of clothing that has gone over the above your expectations?

30 year old NZ Army style olive green mesh shemagh. Goes everywhere in the scrub with me. Apparently a mate thought once " what the hell's he wearing that for " He found out why, 'cause he wasn't"

This will be an interesting one :-)

I do like the 80s vintage swanni bush shirt I got given by an old duck hunter at work.
Nice and warm. Quiet and durable

Pity he never was keen on selling me his old doubles!

My old Huntech Dri Bum pants also get a mention .
Mine were the long trousers with the draw cord waist , but after a close encounter with a camp fire they got chopped into shorts .
That was about 18 years ago .
They aren’t my hunting shorts anymore, but they are my essential fishing / boat shorts , the Dri Bum component is often very handy in the boat .

Saddletweed trou and NZ made short sleeved woollen bush singlet.

Oh; and bowyangs to wear with the trou.

Huntech gaiters.
I've worn them for nearly every hunt since the 90's, still going strong.

My Swazi Kaweka coat. Just nudging 30 years old now. Inner lining has decided to call it quits, but still keeps me warm, and is large enough to make a decent pillow out of at night.

Yeah these days you are probably better buying some old school second hand gear than buying new in store

Kuiu attack pants

Huntech Gaitors and pants, have had both since the 90's, and are still going strong,
although i have replaced the top dome in both gaitors, a 10cent fix for 25 years service, Priceless!!

As a certified sandfly magnet with piano fingers, Underarmour ColdGear camo liner gloves that I found in Kaikoura H&F.

Fit great, full dexterity, stretchy, grippy, not too warm. Thin so dry quickly if they get wet. Managed to get a second pair from the states for when I wear through the first set. Can't seem to buy them any more.

Lucky tui singlet as featured in the majority of pictures of deer I have shot. Doubles as a safety if I'm carrying a deer I just make them wear it

This pic is me pig hunting with my dog Patch at Kahouratahi; probably in about 1984.... Wearing my favourite hunting woollen bush shirt. I had that shirt for years until it was ripped, torn and just holding together. But it was still my favourite shirt. One day I was getting sorted to go hunting the next morning and couldn't find the shirt.... The conversation sorta went like this..... "Mum. have you seen my bush shirt". "What does it look like?" "Tan and black checks" " Oh; that one; I thought it was worn out so burnt it with the rubbish"..... I never said anything; but this 25-year old nearly cried!