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 :thumbsup:

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! :D

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I think circa 1984/5 I bought from a place called Valentines (sold a lot of military gear etc) in Hamilton (think it was called Valentines Army Surplus ???
Anyway - it was a Oil Skin that was an identical copy of the original Green Swandri Bush Shirt
With same pocket and lace front - length down over arse etc - identical cut
They had 2 in Med
I kicked myself for years later not buying both
That coat/anorak did me for 20+ years.
Twice I threw it in the rubbish and twice I got it back out - just could not do it :-(

BUT - if someone gave me a new one today - I wouldn't touch it
It was perfect for bush hunting and especially carrying fresh shot Deer (for sale)
It was cold as charity to put on every morning (stayed 8 days a fortnight in remote bush camp back then) and stiff as a board when cold
But that and wool shearers singlet underneath was what was worn all year round
You had to keep moving though or you got cold sweat chill near immediately

So that and the Black (and the Oatmeal Turu) wool T and singlets are all a thing of the past for me now.
Who would of thought that - back then ah

dont own them anymore but a set of cabellas electric socks.
1 D cell each side could keep yer feet from freezing all day inside a pair of boots

For me it would have to be an old pair of Meindl boots. They would be close to 25 years old and are looking a bit worse for wear these days, with limited tread left and some cracked leather in the flex points, but still very comfortable and supportive. I continue to use them for easier farm style hunts and even gave them another thrashing in the bush last weekend. Strangely enough I still often pull them out of the wardrobe instead of a far newer pair of island pros and Z8s

For rainy days I still wear a pair of cabelas goretex /fleece trousers made during the good years and bought in their bargain cave in their South Dakota shop in 2003.

Macpac straight gaiters 23 years young worn and many serious trips most multiple days and still going strong, have only changed the under wires a few times and still have a crampon hole in the left one from their second trip out when I took a tumble.

Been around the world with me too.

And a fleece beanie that I still wear too as it has been on every trip I have done for 28 years here and overseas winter and summer

My Meindl drove extreme boots, they must be seven years old and I can still stand in a creek with water mills from the top with bone dry feet. Not cheap but worth every cent.

My second choice would be my Huntech Rugaz shorts, Im pretty sure those things can survive pretty much anything. I have several pairs of various ages but None have died yet...

bees knees.... a mid thigh length pair of blue thermals...unusual in that side panels are very light polarfleece not polyprop like the rest.getting a few holes too many now but cant bring myself to chuck them out.

I bought a huntec swanni style top in 1995. Still going strong. Love that top.

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Originally Posted by Dama dama

I bought a huntec swanni style top in 1995. Still going strong. Love that top.

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In recent years I've gone back to wearing my original Huntec fleece swanni , bought when they first came out God knows when that was, my favorite bit of clothing!!.

Swazi wind fleece camo Swanny. Just all round useful, simple, manages to be warm when you need it - in the teeth of a southerly - but not too hot to hunt in on a warm day. Shame they stopped making them

Still have original " Ridgeline" pants and swannie from the beginning of polar fleece in hunting clothing. Would be 40 years old. Very heavy duty, not for walking in but great on 4 Wheeler. Original owner started up at home, Reloaders in their early days marketed them to order.

Have been very happy with my Cabelas rain suede jacket. Must be around 20 years old now and I still use it as my main hunting raincoat. Lightweight, blocks wind and still keeps water out.