Ok guys I need new coveralls and boots. Here in the next year possibly two I will be going to Colorado to elk or mule deer hunt. I need stuff that is good for that part of the country. I am looking for suggestions of what y'all like the best on coveralls and good boots. Also give ideas of gear that I'll need. We will be a horseback so we will have packs so weights not to big of a deal. I am thinking on a badlands pack. Thanks

Something that you can layer and its hard to beat a good pair of Danner's

Kifaru, KUIU, badlands all make good packs.. You don't need a whole lot in terms of clothing. We got by with UA sets and base layers with a set of reg boots and pac boots.

It all depends on what season you are hunting. You usually wont need coveralls untill the 2nd rifle season. But every year is different.

2nd danner boots (have them broke in!) and clothes you can layer. Wool socks with good liners.

3RD Danner and a good snow boot.......layers. layers, layers

I hunt second season everyyear in Colorado just outside of Steamboat Springs. I can't say enough good things about Kuiu. They are a fairly new internet based sales company. As far as boots go I wear Lowa sheep hunters for everything. Get a good pair of gators. I like Sitka gators Kuiu has a new pair coming not on the market yet. Also take a look at Sitka gear I haven't used it but a lot of the guys that I guide with wear it.

So layers are the best way I am seeing. That's what I figured, but was also thinking maybe wool but didn't know fur sure.

Wool works good for base layers... outer layers and shells need to be wind proof & waterproof b/c it makes all the difference in the world if you're out and snow gets dumped on you...plus the wind seems to always be blowing.

Multiple layers of wick away material and two pair of broken in boots. Gators if you are wearing short boots.

18 Fahrenheit in NM last year and absolutely dry but with a crust of frozen sweat on the outside of my outer layer.

Oh yeah, a jacket where the sleeves can zip off is a plus. Core warmth is key!

One other thing. I've hunted the high country many times before and can tell you two of the most important things to remember; Keep your hands and feet warm and dry. good gloves and boots and carry some extra pairs of insulating socks. I can tell you that wet/cold hands and feet are just the most miserable feeling in the world up in those mountains. That aside, its also the most beautiful place to hunt I have ever been (Rocky Mountains).

Layer your clothes and light weight hiking boots.

And if it's a TX horse be prepared to lead it a lot the first cpl days

Some good advice so far. Horse hunts the slick Silver thread base layer ( I use BassPro version) not only helps keep scent down but the slick surface helps with the saddle time and soreness for those of us that do not ride horses a lot.

Boots, for Packs boots http://www.schnees.com/ they also sell some good gaters and other stuff.

For clothing cannot express layers enough. I have become fond of the underarmor cold gear.

Though I use coveralls some I have come to prefer Bibs and a good jacket. Rivers west also makes some great rain gear that is comfortable and warm.

Will be renting horses up there, but just curious as to why you would have to lead them for a couple of days. I have hauled horses up there several times and never had a problem.

they have to get acclimated as well as us going from 100' to 10K+, without dehydrating the mess out of them. They'll sweat like crazy, but you can't tell it from the dry air.

As others have advised, layers. I took my coveralls on my first mountain hunt, and have never taken them since. I wear a good set of long johns for a base layer, a fleece top and pants for the outer layer, and a fleece pullover with wind shear for when it's colder. A good warm hat, good gloves, and silk sock liners under merino wool socks on my feet. I two pair of Cabela's Rimrock Hiker boots I take. One pair is uninsulated, the other has 400grams of thinsulate. I have never needed more, but have never hunted later than the 2nd rifle season either. The above has gotten me through hunts down to 9 degrees, and up into the 60's.

As for a pack, the brand is not as important as finding one that fits properly. It can be the 'best" out there, but if it doesn't fit right it won't be any better than a $20 Walmart pack. Durability plays a huge role here. So quality does matter. Fit just matters a bit more. I wear a Gerber waist pack i got several years ago that has shoulder straps. It's a great day pack. I also have a larger frame pack in case I need it. My great disappointment came when i hit the mountains with my Cabela's brand pack that had provisions for carrying a rifle or bow. That thing was so uncomfortable that it wore me out in just a few hours. I ditched it for my waist pack and never looked back.

Your other gear depends highly on what type of camp you are to have. Lot's of variables here. Drop Camp, Outfitter Camp, Large Base (truck accessible) Camp, Spike Style Camp, Etc. Each will have aspects of their own.

Focus on good food that is easy to prepare. A good hearty meal is nice, but sux to have to spend more than hour to prepare at the end of the day. We pre-prepare most of our meals and freeze them, when doing a large camp. This way they can be set out, thawed out, and ready to heat and eat when we arrive at camp in the evenings.

The main thing is to prepare as much as possible to maximize hunting time and time to enjoy the scenery. having good gear doesn't mean you have to have the most expensive. and keep in mind that Elk hunting usually means hiking, A LOT. So you can be warm on an Elk hunt, usually, wearing half the amount of clothing that you'd normally wear on a much warmer day sitting in a stand whitetail hunting. I found sleeping to be the area where I ended up focusing more of my efforts. So don't overlook that either.

Don't forget a good rifle scabbard and good mittens are warmer than gloves. A good water proof duffle bag that can be tied behind saddle can carry a lot of small items you might need such as ammo,first aid kit,socks, hatchet etc.

One thing I forgot is take some large stirrups that you can get large rubber boots into.They make them in hunter orange.

The only place for coveralls is in a Texas deer blind or perhaps hunting bear over bait in Canada. The same goes for a heavy insulated coat. Any hunt in the Rockies will require some walking and climbing, and you will quickly find yourself overheated and sweating.....only to soon approach hypothermia when you stop and all that sweat starts its inevitable chilling action.

As others have posted, layering with multiple thin garments is better than relying on a few heavy garments. Consider a synthetic underlayer like thermax or polypro. Again, I like the thinnest I can find, and I will often wear 2 pairs if the cold demands it. I also like a thin poly sock under my wool ones. The main lesson in underwear is NO COTTON.....synthetic or wool here.

For an early season archery hunt, Levis and a flannel shirt work well. For late season hunts with snow, it's hard to beat wool. The classic Johnson wool pants and a Pendleton wool shirt are perfect here. You can even find amazing bargains in wool military surplus pants on sites like Sportsmans Guide. A fleece jacket or vest under a LIGHT jacket will finish your outfit.

I used to carry along a windbreaker in my pack for inactive moments. But more recently, I've found that a lightweight rain suit can do double duty when you're glassing from an exposed ridge or riding for hours on horseback. I just pull on the rain pants and rain jacket when I'm sitting, and then take them off and return them to my pack when I start walking. A wool navy watchcap is good for these places too.

As for shoes, joggers or tennies work fine early in September, and light vibram hikers in October, but late season hunts in snow call for rubber bottom/leather top boots like LL Bean's Maine Hunting Shoe or even heavier stuff along the lines of Sorel Caribous.

Packs? I wear a fanny pack if I'm close to a truck or horse. Otherwise it is usually a Crooked Horn or Eberlestock daypack.

Just don't over-think it. You already have 90% of what you need.

Yea, I'm understanding why I see all the shows and these guys don't where as much as I do here sometimes, but I understand now. I appreciate it guys.

You know rifleman, I have taken horses up there numerous times, and we would unload that night, then the next morning saddle up and ride for a week and never had a problem, but yea I can see it possible.

Topic has been well covered but bear in mind....you need a second pair of boots and gloves. You don't want to find this out on a cold morning gearing up for the hunt

Some good advice above. It cannot be stressed enough to use layers. I like light layers, so I can control my temperature more effectively. One or two thicker layers and you lose control and start sweating. Elk hunting is hard work and you get hot. Your hands and nose can be freezing while your core temperature is comfortable. I carry lots of options for hands, neck and face. Three pairs of gloves; light "liners", rag wool finger gloves, wool mits with trigger finger. On a cold morning I put a small "Hand Warmer" in the palm of each hand and a larger one in my mits that I position on top of my hands. (What are those iron and something else?)

During archery season, I only need a couple of light gloves and light boots. I wear Danners, too. I have some tall ones for cold weather. Must be waterproof! Gaters are necessary in deep snow, even with tall boots. The snow sticks to your pants and melts, then creeps down to your feet by osmosis on your socks.

You don't have to wear waterproof outerwear until it rains. It will not breath as well as polypro, etc. I carry an inexpensive Mad Dog camo waterproof top for rain. I don't like to cover up my ASAT camo on the outside. ASAT is the best camo. I get away with a lot more in front of elk than without it. I wear the same camo in cold or warm weather. And, it is nothing but cotton! I can cover the top up with waterproof jacket if it rains. I wear my wicking material under that and stay very dry. I don't wear wool clothing, except for gloves. I always wear light silver fiber clothing next to my skin for scent control.

For more on hunting gear recommendations see http://www.elk-hunting-tips.net/hunting-gear.html.

I prefer Danner Men's Tachyon . It is constructed out of waterproof full-grain leather and a 100% waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex liner that is designed to keep your feet dry and comfortable when the weather or environment is not. For comfort, these boots are equipped with an EVA midsole for cushioning and shock absorption qualities, which mean the boots take the abuse and not the person wearing them, plus they feature a polyurethane footbed that allows for adequate airflow.

Had a guy who hunts up there every year tell me to guy 2-3 pairs of Merrell/Keen light weight water proof hiking boots. He said he would rather have 2-3 pair then one expensive pair. When they get wet he just wears the 2nd pair the next day.

My father-in-law and I are headed up to New Mexico for a first rifle elk hunt in October and we starting to get all of our gear as well.

I am going to go with First Lite for the underneath layers and haven't decided on the outer shell yet.

Wow...tall about a thread resurrection. How did that hunt 6 years ago go?

They took texas horses, wore cotton, and took 30-378wby's. It snowed an inch and they all died.

Well... woulda made a good movie.

They tried. Hired Chuck Norris for lead Texan roll. Apparently the movie people spent all that money on a true Texan only to find out, he couldn't play the roll, apparently they didn't know Chuck Norris can't die.. silly west coasties

Hmmm, its the off-season humor. Like it!

BoBo posted at 10:48PM...His "happy hour" starts at 8:00 PM, soooooo, he was serious

The force is strong with this one