Every year after Thanksgiving I go deer hunting in north-central Pennsylvania. Late Fall and Winter in that area of PA is cold, with night time temps dipping into the teens or lower, and daytime temps are generally under 40 degrees, frequently under freezing. On top of that it's frequently windy, with rain or snow. So, warm clothes are a must.
Last year before deer season I bought a pair of wool cargo pants from Swisslink, but didn't get to use them because I didn't get them shortened in time. They are replicas of pants issued by the Finnish Army. They are made from 82% wool and 18% nylon. They're soft to the touch. The quality is very high.
Here's the care label:
The symbols translate, left to right, as:
- Do not wash in a machine. (I've read conflicting info as to whether they're hand washable in water.)
- Do not use bleach.
- May be ironed.
- May be dry cleaned using standard solvents.
Since I don't wear them a lot I plan to get them dry cleaned when needed.
Anyway, I spent a day out in some crummy PA winter weather in them and was happy. It was hovering just below freezing with snow squalls. I wore them over a pair of SmartWool long johns. I was sitting in a deer stand so most of the wind was blocked.
The pants kept my legs warm for a few hours while sitting still. Had I been still hunting, i.e., on the move, they would have kept me warm all day.
The only thing I don't really care for on them is that they have a button fly instead of a zipper. Yes, that's more authentic to the originals and some guys prefer button flys, but I prefer zippers.
Previously I've worn PCU Level 5 pants over cargo pants or BDU pants and long johns, but I was much warmer in these. They'll be my go-to pants for cold weather hunting from now on.
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