Hossblur, is it about the camo patterns or the clothing?
Paying $200 for a pair of pants just to get a camo pattern might be crazy.
If you are currently hiking in levis in the middle of summer, it might not.
My personal opinion on a lot of this stuff is pretty simple.
If you spend most of your time hunting in easily accessible locations, and you return to a big fancy 5th wheel trailer at the end of each day, you could definitely get by with less.
Sure its nice to have insulation pieces that weigh nothing and pack down into super small packages. The stuff performs well.
But if you head back to the ATV and camp when the weather goes a bit south, just to wait out the conditions, why spend the money?
If you hunt in the back country, where you are several hours hike and many, many miles from the last time you saw a vehicle, having that kind of gear might be well worth the money.
A guy backpack hunting at 11,000 feet has different needs than a guy hunting half a mile from his ATV. With a nice camp waiting for him at the end of the day.
It often snows and hails in the high country, even in July and August. A guy needs to be prepared and have options.
The funny thing is, you do see tons and tons of people buying the light weight, compact, performance gear and then road hunting.
Hey, if you have that much extra money laying around, good for you.
I figure its all about need.
If you need to be ready for heat, cold, wind, rain, and snow, and have a tent, and all your food on your back, and be a days walk into the middle of nowhere, you might look seriously at some spendy gear.
I am glad to see some of the guys bring up brands like first lite, pnuma, and even the new hells canyon speed line from browning.
Tusx, is another small one.
Kuiu and Sitka get all the mainstream buyers.
I know a guy who wears his $280 sitka kelvin to work every day in the winter.
I guess he wants it to smell like a chemical factory, but hey! He probably cant afford another jacket. So, use what you got.
People these days have too much money. I don't know where they get it all.
How many $19,000 side by side ATV's are tearing up the world right now?
Thats crazy. Who has $20,000 to spend on a seasonal toy?
Do these people ever plan on retiring? Sending their kids to college? Paying off the mortgage early?
Maybe I am just poor. Who knows?
The new "high end camo" craze is just another example of too much money. If you can afford it, and you figure you need it, great.
If not, I don't think its right for you.
I seriously doubt its worth $80 for a shirt, $200 for a pair of pants, and $250 for a jacket, with a bit more for a hat, just so you can wear an outfit with a certain camo pattern on it.
That would be silly.
But thats just me. Who knows what people are thinking?