Hunting & Fishing Briar-Proof Clothing

[Ezana4CE]

Since I have gotten into hog hunting more seriously, I find myself in some serious briar thickets sometimes. It was recommended that I try briar-proof clothing. I started with some thin briar-proof chaps. I found them lacking in protection around the hips. Also in warmer weather my legs would be soaked when I pull them off because the material doesn’t breathe well and they slide over my hunting pants. Then they aren’t the greater protection from old, dry briar vines. Some of them stick my right through the chaps.

Next I decided to order some briar proof pants made of heavy duty cordura and a coat made of the same material. I haven’t worn the pants yet for the breathabilty factor. But I’ve used the coat in a number of nights recently. What I’ve noticed about the coat is that it is great protection for briars as tall as me or growing up to chest level. However, moving around in the coat is noisy as hell. Pulling a hand scanner out of my pocket, easing my arm to view through it, removing and replacing my rifle sling from my shoulder, etc all make noise. Just walking with my arm rubbing against the coat makes noise and sometimes turning my head. I’m not sure what the animals hear, but it can make it difficult for me to hear what going on around me a night unless I sit still. I have been able to sneak up in hugs a few times at night; the closest being 8 yards. I’m wondering if this fabric will become quieter with use as I break in the coat. I’m hoping it will become quiet like my filed jacket has become. I don’t wear it hunting because of all of the metal zippers.

Has anyone else encountered noisy hunting gear or clothes? Were you able to break them in with time to where they were quieter when you moved around in them afield?

 

[zeroz]

The nature or briar clothes are going to make them stiff and less breathable than you might like, but when you want them, you really want them. They have to have a super tight heavy weave to keep the bastard thorns out, which means a stiffer material. They'll break in some but they arent going to be fleece quiet. Cordura is a pretty abrasive material and even broken in well its still pretty "zippy" brushing against stuff and itself.

Even in a fairly high pressure environment Ive found hogs aren't very noise sensitive so it shouldn't blow a stalk, especially to get into rifle range, or even bow range. Its always scent that has gotten me busted at night. Mashing through a briar thicket will never be quiet and even louder in quiet clothes with all the cussing. I dont like to get much closer than 50Y or so on the ground at night. Ive had the bastards run in all directions including straight at me after the first shot not knowing where I was. I dumped a big sow once running straight at me that fell at about 6 feet. As far as the clothes impeding your hearing, its amazing what else does when you pay attention. Pause often and you'll notice. Wear the clothes as much as you can around the house to break the new off and even then you might keep the briar coat in a pack until you need it while afield.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@zeroz That makes sense. I’m relatively new to this type of clothing. I normally moved slow cutting my way through thickets and briars where it was thick. I have noticed that hogs don’t pay a lot of attention to noise that isn’t extremely loud or alarming. I’ve driven up on hogs before. But if they can see or smell me, they’re usually out of there.

I get really close to them. Last time out the closest I got was within 10 yards and neither of us knew the other was there. My dog sniffed them out and alerted me. I’ve been in brush and thickets where they were probably 100-180 degrees around me within a 10 yard radius. When it was close to sunset, that’s an eerie feeling. In situations like that I use a trick another hunter told me as a teen. I stick close to a solid tree. If I shoot and hear something running towards me I have a buffer. If I need to climb then I can at least get off the ground. Where they run after the shot is always a concern. Thanks for your input.

 

[zeroz]

Sounds fun. Lemme know if you get over run. Im always lookin to kill a hog...or 10.

 

[Stevo86]

https://coonhuntersupply.com/collections/dans-clothing/products/dans-high-n-dri-brown-waterproof-bibs

These and the matching jacket is what we wore when I coon hunted in fall/winter. We wore the chaps as well in summer/spring time. They all worked well. But the chaps do get warm. That was along time ago, so I’m not sure what’s available nowadays.

 

[diggler1833]

Trying to sneak up on hogs at night is also a great way to start learning first aid at night. I hope you come out unscathed man.

I tried the fancy briar-proof pants. They worked okay, but the damn things ripped at the seams really early on, and for what they cost that is a no-go.

Currently, I wear Carhartt and Wrangler rip stops. They work fine on greenbriers, blackberry bushes is still a bit iffy. I also have a waterproof Carhartt jacket that stops most stuff from poking through. Unfortunately you're going to trade protection for breathability...so plan on sweating a lot. That and I haven't found a piece of clothing that'll stop a thorn that isn't loud and stiff.

My gear (for hunting) however is for the incidental running through of crap that will poke you at night... I don't go doing it on purpose. I also use my stuff for checking fences in thick brush during the day.

 

[Haney]

I have not found anything that is not noisey and still keeps the briars out .I now put a quiet layer over my briar clothing . It is not ideal but it helps cut down the noise .

 

[Ezana4CE]

Trying to sneak up on hogs at night is also a great way to start learning first aid at night. I hope you come out unscathed man.

I tried the fancy briar-proof pants. They worked okay, but the damn things ripped at the seams really early on, and for what they cost that is a no-go…

@diggler1833 I’m kinda off like that. They don’t exactly stand out in the open regularly for me to shoot at a distance. I had to learn to go after them. But yea, they’ll get your adrenaline going after the first shot rings out. I’ve had times where it felt unsafe and I had to back out of an area because I was starting to feel as if they were surrounding me. I hunt them mainly because they’re a serious problem here. They have really destroyed a lot property. I’m not the type that wants to keep them around just to hunt them.

The clothing is noisy and that doesn’t seem to bother them much. I don’t like it messing with my ability to hear unless I am perfectly still. As for breathability, I learned about that from wearing the chaps in the spring and summer. They’ll have your pants soaked after walking in them for about an hour. I bought a pair of the pants to try. I’ve ripped the liner in some rain-proof hunting pants before. I hope I don’t rip these. I’ll order a bib next. I found a brand made here I’d like to try that is advertised as being made by some Amish folks.

I got my current briar-proof gear here. I have the first jacket listed.

Briar Proof Gear

Explore our collection of ultra-durable 420 denier and 1000 denier briar proof gear at Huntsmart, designed to withstand the toughest terrains and thickest underbrush. Perfect for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, our gear offers unmatched protection, ensuring longevity and performance in harsh...

www.huntsmart.com

Here’s the brand said to be made by the Amish. https://briarproofhuntingclothes.com/bulldog-bibs/

 

[Ezana4CE]

I appreciate y’all’s input.

 

[carbonbased]

@diggler1833 I’m kinda off like that. They don’t exactly stand out in the open regularly for me to shoot at a distance. I had to learn to go after them. But yea, they’ll get your adrenaline going after the first shot rings out. I’ve had times where it felt unsafe and I had to back out of an area because I was starting to feel as if they were surrounding me. I hunt them mainly because they’re a serious problem here. They have really destroyed a lot property. I’m not the type that wants to keep them around just to hunt them.

The clothing is noisy and that doesn’t seem to bother them much. I don’t like it messing with my ability to hear unless I am perfectly still. As for breathability, I learned about that from wearing the chaps in the spring and summer. They’ll have your pants soaked after walking in them for about an hour. I bought a pair of the pants to try. I’ve ripped the liner in some rain-proof hunting pants before. I hope I don’t rip these. I’ll order a bib next. I found a brand made here I’d like to try that is advertised as being made by some Amish folks.

I got my current briar-proof gear here. I have the first jacket listed.

Briar Proof Gear

Explore our collection of ultra-durable 420 denier and 1000 denier briar proof gear at Huntsmart, designed to withstand the toughest terrains and thickest underbrush. Perfect for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts, our gear offers unmatched protection, ensuring longevity and performance in harsh...

www.huntsmart.com

Here’s the brand said to be made by the Amish. https://briarproofhuntingclothes.com/bulldog-bibs/

Here you go

 

[zeroz]

Some boar hide ones would keep the briars off for sure.

 

[carbonbased]

You can actually buy those chaps above! Imagine the stuff that would get caught in them, wow.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1315918738/made-to-order-handmade-leather-batwing