What is The Best Coat?

M-65 Field Jacket.

What do you think is the best?

For cold; down anything.

For those coldest mornings with a heavy frost, I'll add an insulated vest under the same coat that I would wear in 40 degree weather rather than wearing a heavier coat that restricts arm mobility.

Of course if I'm hunting a ground blind and have the heater going, I'll likely leave the vest back at camp.

My vintage King of the Mountain Bowman with a down puffy underneath in extreme cold, it's fine by itself in temps down to about 0, below zero gets the puffy underneath.

There is no perfect jacket for all conditions.

For stationary hunting, Arctic Shield has proven it's worth to me more than once. Worn the jacket and pants many times, with and without a base layer, in 0-30 degrees with zero issues. The real test was a late season cow elk hunt where it was cold to begin with and the temps dropped. Nothing like -12 F with 35+ sustained winds to test gear; this is in the open without ground blinds. I was wearing a base layer. However, I'd never wear it if there is any kind of sustained movement. You 'll be covered in sweat in no time. Never pass gas in the pants; it just stews.

I'd never choose clothing that is designed for active hunting for sitting in a ground blind in sub-zero weather. You'll freeze your behind off.

Match the clothing to the hunt.

I need a good windbreaker to wear with my shoulder rig.

Sitka 90% jacket

i agree with SenkoSamurai

this and a Filson Double Mackinaw Cruiser

NOTHING BEATS REAL 100% WOOL

Agree with AZ Hunter. It all depends.

Solid advice.
Filson wool double cruiser is the best jacket I own. Kinda pricey though.

I’ve been pleased with my Kifaru lost park parka.

This for an overall

Unlike down, wool even works when wet.

It's a long road.....

anything gore tex that can be layered

Try wetting out the new hydrophobic downs. Damn near impossible, do able but washing machine type pressure is needed on the high end stuff


Wool shirts a great especially the light 140’ish weight, wool jackets I’ll pass. To many better modern textiles that don’t way 20lbs per sq-in if the find a way to absorb water.

Nothing itches like wool.