Topic: Best Women’s Hunting Jackets (Read 38 times)
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Why it Made the Cut
As one of the leaders in performance hunting clothing, Sitka became one of the first to introduce a fairly robust women’s line. The co*pany released its women’s line in 2017, including the Women’s Kelvin Active Jacket. The jacket is designed to be part of a co*plete layering system, yet its versatility makes it a powerful stand-alone piece.
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Overview
The Sitka Women’s Kelvin Active Jacket has been my go-to jacket for four years. This layer is in my pack, or on my back, during any hunting trip. It’s my favorite layer for bowhunting elk in early fall. The fabric and zippers are incredibly quiet, so this jacket won’t give you away. The elastic cuffs make it quick and easy to get on and off and don’t get in the way of wearing a release co*fortably. This co*fortable jacket is low-profile and lightweight yet warm. It breathes well for co*fortable hiking and keeps you warm during long, glassing sits. The brushed fleece pockets are soft and roomy, and they’ll keep your hands warm on cold mornings.
Why it Made the Cut
Prois helped pioneer women’s hunting gear for women, by women. The co*pany launched in 2008, when options for female hunters were scarce. The co*pany has created a co*prehensive line up of women’s gear and prides itself on empowering women hunters to have a “unique look without sacrificing co*fort or performance in the field.”
Prois is a leader in women’s hunting gear, and this mid-weight jacket is warm and co*fortable with roomy fleece-lined pockets.
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Overview
The Prois Torai Mid-Weight Jacket performs well as both an outer layer and insulating piece. The jacket’s athletic fit is very flattering. I appreciate the attention to detail with the pit-zips that provide a quick way to make the jacket more breathable while hiking.
While this jacket is warm, the pockets are warmer. During a mid-November mule deer hunt, these pockets came in clutch while I quartered the buck. As soon as my hands started to go numb, I shoved them into the fleece pockets for quick warmth, so I could get back to dressing the animal. However, the jacket’s cuffs are too tight, which makes it unco*fortable and difficult to layer, and the cuff’s loud velcro isn’t exactly stealthy.
Why it Made the Cut
The Nomad Women’s Harvester NXT Jacket is one of the co*pany’s most versatile women’s hunting jackets at an affordable price. It’s designed as a mid-season jacket with wind and water-resistant capabilities.
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Overview
The Nomad Women’s Harvester NXT Jacket provides serious co*petition for co*panies with higher price points. If you’re looking to purchase gear at a more affordable price, you should consider this jacket. Its design is similar to the Sitka Women’s Kelvin Active Jacket and Prois Torai Mid-Weight Jacket.
The Nomad Women’s Harvester NXT Jacket contains a soft and warm high-pile interior. The soft piling lines the top of the collar, making it extra cozy around the neck and face. On windy days, it felt nice to bury my face into the collar. Overall, this lining provides a lot of warmth, but even with the four-way stretch panels on the sleeves and body, this jacket isn’t as breathable as the Sitka or Prois mid-weight jackets. However, the four-way panel on the sleeve is super soft and won’t rub your nose raw when you wipe away the snot during cold, windy conditions. After multiple uses and washes, the jacket held up.
Why it Made the Cut
DSG’s Kylie 4.0 3-in-1 Hunting Jacket is designed for warmth, and its zip-in fleece liner makes this item a bargain for late season conditions.
Key Features
Pros
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Overview
The majority of my hunting is spot-and-stalk, and I carry a large “puffy” in my pack to wear while glassing, so the DSG Kylie 4.0 3-in-1 Hunting Jacket proved too heavy and bulky for that purpose. However, it quickly became my number one choice for any late-season activity that didn’t involve a lot of hiking.
If you get cold on late season hunts, you won’t while wearing this jacket. It’s superb for those long sits in the treestand or frozen mornings in the duck blind. It kept me toasty warm while laying in a ground blind with temperatures in the teens. A lot of detail went into designing this jacket, and it has enough pockets to hold your cell phone, snacks, extra ammo, and hand warmers. Accessing the pockets is quiet and easy. There’s even a flap on the back of the jacket so you can wear it over your treestand harness.
The removable hood is a nice touch if you’re already wearing hooded base layers. The super-soft fleece liner is easy to add/remove. However, on my second use, when I was pulling my arm out of the sleeve, I broke the snap that keeps the cuff in place. This is easily fixable and didn’t affect wearing the jacket, as it also zips in. I routinely wear the soft, solid black fleece for everyday use. The sizing on this jacket runs big, so I would reco*mend sizing down even if you plan to wear it over several layers.
Why it Made the Cut
The merino wool regulates body temperature incredibly well and conceals body odor. This jacket is lightweight and great for throwing over a few layers.
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Overview
The First Lite Women’s Catalyst Soft Shell Jacket reminds me why a good soft shell might be the best addition to your hunting layering system. If you’re new to hunting, a camouflage softshell is the only piece of camo you need, because you can wear it over baselayers and jackets you use for other activities. Softshells are the most versatile jackets because they have minimal insulation. They can be worn co*fortably in warmer weather or layered over insulating jackets for colder weather. The Women’s Catalyst Soft Shell Jacket is form fitting, so I reco*mend sizing up.
I have the Women’s Catalyst Soft Shell Jacket in Firstlite’s solid conifer color. While I wouldn’t reco*mend a solid color for bowhunting, I chose this one to wear for other activities like fly-fishing,everyday wear, and rifle hunting. I love this jacket so much that I will probably buy another one in camouflage for bowhunting.
The fabric is soft and weather-resistant. It’s very stretchy and easy to move in, especially the sleeves which provide a full range of motion. The interior fleece is soft as well. I layered this jacket over a baselayer and mid-weight jacket on windy 30-degree hunts ,and felt co*fortable while hiking and glassing. It cut the wind well and kept out the elements.
A good hunting jacket should be lightweight, breathable, and above all, keep you warm. Of course, depending on your hunting situation, some factors might not be as important as others. If you’re hunting whitetails on your family’s farm in a box blind, weight probably isn’t as important as staying warm. On the other hand, if you’re chasing elk in the backcountry, a lightweight, well-ventilated soft shell can mean the difference in punching your tag or going home early.
How long a hunting jacket lasts depends on the use and care it receives. Style of hunting also plays a role in your jacket’s wear-n-tear. If you’re belly crawling through rocky, brushy terrain, knicks and abrasions are bound to occur. However, if you’re hunting the late season from a treestand or in a place where temperatures occasionally drop below freezing, a heavy jacket like the DSG Kylie 4.0 3-1 might receive little abuse.
The cost of a good hunting jacket varies, but from the list above you can expect to pay $200 or more. Prices of hunting jackets have increased but so has the technology. There are affordable, functional jackets like the Nomad Women’s Harvester NXT, and most higher end jackets like the ones listed above are worth their price. If you’re paying top dollar for a hunting jacket that nails all or most of the necessary co*ponents, think of it as an investment in your hunting.
A jacket is one of the most essential pieces of your hunting gear. It’s a critical barrier between your body and the weather. Wearing the wrong jacket can cut your hunt short or worse, put you in danger if you’re not dressed appropriately for weather conditions. When selecting a hunting jacket, first consider the time of year you hunt and the typical weather conditions. You then need to consider your most co*mon style of hunting.
Spot-and-stalk hunting involves hiking and long periods of sitting and glassing. It takes trial and error to figure out the layers for spot-and-stalk hunting. You don’t want to start with too many layers because you’ll quickly work up a sweat, but as soon as you sit down, you’re cold from the moisture and lack of movement. Depending on the weather, you might want two jackets including a lightweight, breathable layer for hiking and a more insulating option for glassing. However, if you’re carrying these jackets all day in steep terrain, you’ll want to balance weight with warmth.
For late season hunts and those with minimal movement like treestands and ground blinds, warmth is key. Traditionally, weight and bulk aren’t much of an issue. You need a jacket that provides enough warmth to keep you co*fortable in the elements. If you get too cold, you risk not being able to draw your bow or make the shot.
Quiet fabric is important—especially for bowhunting—when it’s imperative to remain undetected during close range hunts. Fit is also an important consideration. If the sleeves are too long or bulky, they can get in the way of shooting. A jacket should fit slim enough to allow for easy movement, yet roomy enough to wear over one to three layers.
Read Next: Best Puffer Jacket for Men and Women
Five years ago I never would have imagined it possible to write an entire article about women’s hunting jackets. There were just too few on the market.
I picked the best women’s hunting jackets that I felt covered a wide range of situations. Each of these jackets is technical, functional, and flattering. These are not your “pink and shrink it” pieces from the past. In fact, none of them are pink. Any jacket on this list would make an excellent addition to a woman’s hunting wardrobe. It’s just a matter of finding the one that fits your body, budget, climate, and style of hunting.
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