As the mercury drops, game enthusiasts from across the fruited plain trade in their drift boats and fly rods for double barreled breach-break shotguns, some blaze orange, and a Labrador, if they’re lucky. Upland hunting takes many shapes and forms depending on where you call home: there’s the cold Northeast, the prairies and cornfields of the Midwest, the Intermountain region on down to the South. Still, more unites these sportsmen than divides them; tall-tales, cold walks and fantastic wingshots are all par for the course. The gear, though, is probably our favorite part. So gather round — we’ve hand selected the best of this year’s gear to keep you covered from head to toe while you’re out on the hunt.
MORE OUTDOOR FUN: Kit: Fly fishing the Rockies | Kit: Climbing Mount Rainier | Kit: Diving the Bahamas
Mansfield Blaze Orange Soft Shell Jacket
As the months march on, you’ll find that navigating the fall weather can be just as tricky as navigating the upland brush. Luckily, for all situations cold and wet, the Mansfield Blaze Orange Soft Shell Jacket from Filson is more than enough to keep you warm and dry. The face of this jacket is bonded to a full fleece interior that traps air, has a high warmth-to-weight ratio and stretches just enough for ideal comfort and freedom of movement. It’s also roomy enough to layer well without making you feel too plump. The shoulder pad reduces recoil fatigue and the front pockets are deep enough to carry extra ammunition or a granola bar. The jury is still out on whether or not you’ll be mistaken for a traffic cone, but as always, safety first.
