Fall Is Coming: What Is the Best Cold Weather Hunting Gear

With Fall and the late season on its way, there’s plenty more time left in several of the hunting seasons, however, something to keep in mind is that the temperatures are going to start to drop. This certainly doesn't mean you can’t still go out, but you’re going to want to prepare by picking up a few pieces of gear that will keep you warm while out in the wild.

Whether you’re camping for a few days at a time or planning on returning to your car at the end of the day, having a solid set of Fall equipment that protects you from the elements and also camouflages you from your target successfully is going to make a huge difference in your experience and success. 

Scentlok BE1: Fortress Parka

One of the most essential clothing items you’ll need when hunting in the chilly Fall is a heavy-duty coat. The Scentlok Fortress Parka is just that- With enough room for flexibility and thin sweaters underneath for layers, this parka provides much-needed heat and mobility.

Water-repellent and windproof, the Fortress is designed to protect you from the elements, all while staying incredibly comfortable and extremely quiet, critical when stalking your game. It offers plenty of pockets for carrying gear and folds down easily to fit in a bag whenever you don’t need it. 

Sitka Fanatic Hunting Jacket

If you’re concerned about the outer layer of your jacket making too much noise and want something specifically designed to be as quiet as possible, the Sitka Fanatic Jacket might be the right pick for you. 

It uses advanced, sound-suppressing fabric on the inside liner and outer shell, with windproof technology and insulated with PrimaLoft Silver Hi-Loft Ultra to make sure that you stay warm while sneaking up on your target. 

The drawback of the Sitka is that it is much less water-resistant than the Fortress Parka, however, depending on where you plan on hunting this might be a worthwhile trade-off. Either one of these jackets is going to keep you warm and provide ample quietness during your hunt. 

Ororo Heated Vest

For hunters that plan on staying put in a treestand in the cold, the Ororo Heated Vest is a great choice to keep yourself warm and dry. It offers heat around the body, inside the pockets for your hands, and around the neck. 

The Ororo is water and wind-resistant and, as an added bonus, you can use the internal battery to charge your phone or other devices while out on the hunt. The vest offers 10 hours of warmth on its lowest settings, but feel free to crank it up in cold air conditions. 

Filson C.C.F. Utility Pants

Jackets and vests are well and good, but if you aren’t wearing a pair of high-quality pants you’ll quickly find your legs buckling from the cold. We recommend a pair of Filson C.C.F. Utility Canvas pants. Made out of cotton duck fabric that keeps you warm and can handle whatever conditions you throw at it, the C.C.F. pants are rugged, flexible, and comfortable. 

A great feature of these pants is the double-layered knees that allow hunters to slip in and secure knee pads, which is great if you find yourself crawling through the brush or needing to kneel for extended periods in a deer blind. 

Cabela’s Outfitter Series: Wooltimate Pants

Another great choice, if you’re looking for pants, is Wooltimate pants from Cabela’s. Designed to keep hunters warm and dry, the Wooltimate has six pockets for carrying gear and advanced wind-breaking technology to allow hunters to stay on track, even in harsh conditions. 

These pants also have side zippers by the feet to help get them over your boots, a great feature in the cold to help insulate yourself. Cabela designed these to have all of the qualities a hunter would want within a single layer, cutting down on unnecessary bulk and providing extra comfort for your hunt.

Quaker Boy Bandito Elite Facemask

When things start to get particularly cold you definitely want to consider a face mask, but that isn’t the only reason you would want one. Covering your face with a camo cap helps cover you even further from your target, and reducing the amount of breath you push out into the air will help conceal you further. The Quaker Boy Bandito Elite Facemask is a ¾ mask, meaning that it stops at your eyes. It has a built-in wireframe that goes around your eyes like a pair of goggles for further security and can be pulled down easily whenever you don’t want to wear it. 

Under Armor Speed Freek Bozeman 2.0 Boots

When walking through the harsh conditions of a cold, wet Fall, a solid pair of boots is going to keep you up and running. The Under Armor Speed Freek Bozeman 2.0’s are highly rated by users, and for good reason. 

Waterproof materials coat the outside while the inside is lined with exclusive, Under Armor Scent Control technology that suppresses the potential smells of your hard-working feet, keeping you undetected by your targets. The boots are ultra-light but heavy-duty, meaning you won’t get tired easily, and neither will they. 

Smartwool PhD Hunt Socks

Anyone experienced with wearing work boots will know that great boots can be brought down by low-quality socks. You need a pair of socks that will keep your feet dry, comfortable, and protected, and the Smartwool Ph.D. Hunt socks were designed to do just that. 

Made with a blend of natural and synthetic fabrics, the Smartwool socks offer ample flexibility and breathability for your feet to stay fresh and mobile while out on the hunt. Keep your feet warm with the built-in Achilles strap aides that also provide extra warmth.

North Mountain Ghillie Suit

Want to go completely invisible in the Fall? Blend in with your surroundings with the North Mountain Ghillie suit. It might seem like a bit of a novelty, but hunters who have tried it out all swear by it now. 

North Mountain created a camouflage shell that can go over your Fall jacket or parka easily with high quality and believable leaf-shaped fabric so that you can completely disappear from your prey. It’s lightweight so it won’t overheat you or wear you down, making it the perfect camo option for hunting in the Fall. 

Black Diamond Spot 350 Headlamp

While the cold is often what we think of while preparing a hunt in the Fall, it might be easy to forget that it’s also going to be dark much more of the day than in the summer. 

While stalking your target you obviously want to be subtle and not have a headlamp on, but when you’re at your camp or deer blind a headlamp as the Black Diamond Spot 350 comes in handy. This headlamp provides ample light when setting up your tent, stove, or just trying to see where you’re going in the dark. 

It’s got six brightness settings to accommodate any requirements and is waterproof for up to 30 minutes. That’s completely submerged, too, not just taking on some rain. 

Rifle Camouflage

When hunting in the Fall, there are a lot of things working against you. But one element that you can take advantage of is the reduced visibility provided by the lack of light and dulled-down foliage. All of the clothing and devices that we’ve mentioned so far are covered in camouflage, so why not cover your rifle as well? 

Find the perfect vinyl wrap for your rifle that fits the environment and foliage that you’ll be hunting in and apply it with no problem for a waterproof and easy-to-clean finish. Especially in the cold, wet conditions that Fall can bring, the extra layer of protection against the weather will make a big difference.

AMP10 Backpack

While out hunting you’ll need a sleek and comfortable way to carry around all of your gear. The AMP10 Backpack is an excellent option that comes in multiple different styles of camouflage. It isn’t a particularly large bag, however, it has plenty of room for a small tent, food supplies, and extra layers of clothing. 

With an ergonomic back panel and a HEXGRID multi-angle, load-bearing system, you can comfortably attach all of your hunting needs to the pack while comfortably carrying it around all day. 

Sanctuary Insulated Hand Muff

Whether you’re hunting with a bow or rifle, keeping your hands warm is imperative to maintaining your accuracy and hunting abilities. The Sanctuary Insulated Hand Muff is a sleeve that easily attaches to your jacket and provides much-needed warmth to your extremities while out in the wild. 

Quickly warm up your fingers in its super cozy fit for up to 5 hours of continuous use. It even has pockets for small gadgets. 

Hot Hands

For hunters that would rather go with classic hand-warming technology, Hot Hands are a must for any Fall hunting gear list. We’re pretty sure that most hunters will already have a case of these ready to go, but in case you aren't familiar, these small bags provide warmth for hours on end, no battery required. 

They come in multiple sizes and can fit comfortably in gloves and pockets, all for a pretty reasonable price. 

Sitka Pantanal GTX Gloves

A high-quality pair of gloves is essential for most hunting trips, but especially so in the Fall. These Sitka Pantanal GTX gloves are built to last and keep your fingers warm. Designed and built with breathable Gore-Tex exterior and PrimaLoft Silver insulation on the inside, these gloves won’t make your hands clunky and useless, but they will keep you warm and dry in the wet weather. 

Sitka Boreal Hat

While you can probably find a cheap, gas-station beanie that will get the job done in some circumstances, you’ll want a high-quality hat to keep your head warm when things get rough. 

The Sitka Boreal hat offers a completely windproof Gore-Tex exterior and PrimaLoft insulation, so no matter how cold things start to get you’ll be covered. 

Eureka! K-2 Three-Person Backpacking Tent

If you’re a hunter who’s planning on camping out in the wild and you’re still using your old tent from years ago, it might be time to upgrade. The Eureka! K-2 is just as exciting as its name would suggest, providing room for up to three people and packs down to a small size to fit in your pack. 

It comes with a waterproof coating that keeps out the rain and snow and is designed to have a lot of gear storage options, so you’ll have room for yourself and everything you brought. The company has been making high-quality, highly rated products for well over 100 years, so it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.