Do "Camo" Clothes Make The Man?

The hunting apparel industry has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade.  Athletic apparel giant, Under Armour, is now a major player in the high-end hunting apparel market.  $200 Under Armour camo jackets fly off the shelf.  I know, I've sold many of them in my ebay store.  Sitka has a jacket called The Incinerator that retails for a mind-boggling $600!  For that price, you'd think the jacket would do the stalking and harvesting on its own.  There are camo baselayers on the market that sell for nearly $100 a piece.  To the old fashioned people out there, that's $100 for a pair of long john bottoms.  

What happened to the good old days when a man would put on a service-worn pair of military fatigues, grab his gun, and head to the woods in search of a deer?  Well, we've progressed as a culture.  We now pay $5.00 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  Now, you can still buy your camo at Wal-Mart and have plenty of money left when you leave the store.  Wouldn't you be a more successful hunter if you had to take out a one-year loan to buy a camo jacket and pants though? Are you at a breaking point because you just don't know how much to spend on your hunting apparel anymore?

I've worn lots of camo over the years.  I've worn camo jackets that retail for $269 and camo pants that I found on clearance for $10.00.  Guess what?  I've been successful at both ends of the hunting apparel spectrum!  I've hunted elk all over Colorado's Rocky Mountains over the years.  The first weird outfit I wore consisted of a $25 blaze orange Cabela's flannel shirt, a noisy pair of upland bird hunting pants I purchased in the Cabela's bargain cave for $10.00, a pair of Wal-Mart hunting socks, and a used pair of Rocky hunting boots that were too small and hurt my feet.  I killed a huge cow elk.  

Over the years, I've taken elk, mule deer, and pronghorn wearing mostly unmatching camo patterns that I've purchased everywhere from Gander Mountain to Wal-Mart and from Cabela's to ebay.  I've worn some expensive Under Armour camo for the past 3 years simply because I was able to purchase it at an incredibly low price.  Don't get me wrong, their apparel is great stuff.  It is comfortable, lightweight, water wicking, and it just looks cool!  I can't afford it at retail though.  I've now taken several elk while wearing Under Armour.  Growing up in Pennsylvania, my dad hunted in old blue jeans or work pants my mom bought him at Salvation Army.  He brought home rabbits and whitetail deer.  

So, in the end I believe it all comes down to how much money you have and how much money you're willing to spend.  Remember the coffee analogy earlier?  You can get it at 7-11 for $1.00 a cup or you can get a blended coffee drink for a whopping $6.00 at a fancier coffee shop.  You know what's crazy?  They both have caffeine, they both have sugar, and they both provide a pick-me-up.  Spend the majority of your time honing your hunting skills, studying your prey, practicing with your weapon, and getting in good physical condition.  Know deep down inside that you can be successful no matter what you're wearing!

You can find out more about me, watch my videos, find out what I'm doing on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and purchase Rocky Mountain Meat Hunter products & apparel @ http://www.rockymountainmeathunter.com 

Thanks for blessing me today!

-Todd Toven
Rocky Mountain Meat Hunter