Winter Clay Shooting Attire

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Rod M

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
Messages
76
Hi All,

I only started shooting in April and purchased an inexpensive Seeland vest that, whilst it does the job, is rather too hot for comfort in the summer (or at least this summer). With some more moderate weather gracing us over the last couple of weeks, my mind has, however, turned to clay shooting attire during the winter. I see a few logical options:

  1. Wear a water/windproof technical jacket (hiking, climbing etc.) with a lightweight clay vest on top - in my case, I would replace my current vest with a mesh one for use in both summer and winter
  2. Buy a dedicated clay shooting jacket (long sleeved)
  3. Buy a field shooting jacket (which could be used for clays, game, and more general wear)
What do most do? What is the best way forward?

Thanks

Rod

 
Whatever you go for, make sure you can move well in it, most “shooting clothing” is expensive and we have gone down the route of golf clothing which has plenty of room for swinging the club/gun.  I too have Seeland vests and they are rather thick, so in the autumn or spring I wear them with golf waterproofs underneath, in the full blown winter I have a Musto waterproof full jacket in a girly pink colour!  In the summer I just wear my Musto shooting vest or use a pouch.

Use sites like EBay where you can normally get bargains, my hubby has put loads of shooting jackets on there in the past and they’ve always sold easily and quickly.  You will find the longer you shoot the more clobber you end up with.  Between us we have more jackets, shooting vests and boots than we know what to do with.  Good luck!

 
I always use a pouch rather than a skeet vest.  Summer I shoot in a polo shirt, if it gets a bit cooler I put on a fleece jumper (hiking type, berghaus make good ones as do craghoppers, but there are lots out there).  I personally struggle to shoot in a coat, so in winter I just layer up more.  A long sleeve base layer underneath helps a lot.  If it's windy I'll also put a golfing windshirt on top, making up four layers in total.  The windshirt is OK in light showers and I tend to avoid shooting if it's hammering down, but if I get caught out or I'm booked onto something that I need to attend, I will put a lightweight waterproof over the top and take it off when I actually shoot.

 
As Donna has said, golf clothing is your friend here. Cut for movement of the arms and looks smart. Also, the jackets rarely have big high necks which can interfere with gun mount.

Personally here is my approach:

Longsleeve poloshirt/shirt. Under armour storm tech light fleece (offers some rain protection) then my skeet vest. I will then wear a game shooting jacket over the top and remove it only when i'm shooting.

It has to be pretty grotty/cold outside to stick to proper gameshooting attire and keep the jacket on the whole time.

 
As said above. Golf clothing is leaps and bounds ahead of shooting gear, whether thermal or water proof.

 
Good advice so far; a should have thought of the layering approach straight away given I ski and hike!

A proper mesh skeet vest looks to be a logical first step. I already have various base and mid layers that will likely be more than fit for purpose. So a flexible golfing shell jacket may also be required for rainy days as my current gortex shells are all high necked (and hooded) for skiing and walking

 
Some of the technical climbing/walking clothing is worth a look too. That has the ability to allow you to raise your arms,  without the waist ending up under your chin. I have a  Rohan windshadow  'showerproof ' jacket which folds up incredibly small, but it is really warm when wearing it. It has also remained waterproof in all but very heavy rain.  I take a change of tops and a towel with me as I do NOT do heat. I just get wet then change afterwards. I once had a Musto waterproof clay shooting jacket, I wore it once, washed it and sold it. Great jacket, but just TOO warm for me. I also use waterproof trousers from Rohan or Keela (walking trousers), not cheap, but I picked mine up in the sales at £50. The Keela also have zipped leg vents, lined with mesh, great for a flow of air !  The benefit of walking, climbing golfing clothing is that you can wear it when you are not shooting too.

 
Log fire and a Scotch seems to work best. 

A neck warmer is a must really, as is keeping the wind out. 

 
Long sleeve thermal base layer with either a shirt or long sleeve tee shirt on top. If it’s a bit chilly then also a golf windcheeter but when it’s proper cold I have a tweed jacket to wear between stands/when waiting with hand warmers in the pockets and take it off just to shoot.

 
The core pieces of my winter shooting attire comes from my cold weather fly fishing gear .  If it’s bitterly cold  , and I can’t get out of going I’ll wear  a sleeveless  zip front micro fleece “ onsie” , designed as under wader wear  .  They give Lots of shoulder movement , small of the back and legs as warm as toast . Then various “ technical “  zip neck tops . Patagonia and Orvis as they are lifted from my fly gear .  On top will be either a Musto quilted clay shooting jacket , or my ancient Paviolion USA jacket ( clay specific)  with or without a  Patagonia micro puffa . For outer leg wear technical trousers or molekins . Feet will be Aigle Parcours neoprene lined , the best welly I’ve ever walked in .  A tweed flat cap , a pair of unlined Dents Pittards leather shooting gloves , and a Buff tube are always in my kit bag . 

 
The core pieces of my winter shooting attire comes from my cold weather fly fishing gear .  If it’s bitterly cold  , and I can’t get out of going I’ll wear  a sleeveless  zip front micro fleece “ onsie” , designed as under wader wear  .  They give Lots of shoulder movement , small of the back and legs as warm as toast . Then various “ technical “  zip neck tops . Patagonia and Orvis as they are lifted from my fly gear .  On top will be either a Musto quilted clay shooting jacket , or my ancient Paviolion USA jacket ( clay specific)  with or without a  Patagonia micro puffa . For outer leg wear technical trousers or molekins . Feet will be Aigle Parcours neoprene lined , the best welly I’ve ever walked in .  A tweed flat cap , a pair of unlined Dents Pittards leather shooting gloves , and a Buff tube are always in my kit bag . 
Love the idea of 'onsie' type thermals underneath, but being female they cause serious problems when you need a pee.  Think I might have to see if they still make red flannel union suits.

 
I tend towards the layering approach. From in to out - A normal Tee shirt, an ordinary long sleeved shirt, then a windcheater jumper. I have a Musto which is utterly brilliant, (but I'm liking the Golf advice) I have a Gortex very lightweight (Mac-in-Pac) type waterproof which I have ready to wear under a lightweight technical (quick drying) Skeet vest if it's a bit damp or a .slightly heavier Schoffel Vest for the really cold or windy days. 

I also have a pair of Iso2 Aigle wellies for the really colder/wet days and of course a hat! I keep a pair of Sealskin gloves, but don't like shooting in them, so they are only worn between stands. 

My mates are always moaning about the cold (two of them are farmers) I'm properly prepared and never normally feel the cold. 

 
Why bother with heavy clothing, go to Florida, shorts and a lightweight sheet vest are all you need.... plus factor30 sun cream

 

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