Colorado Antelope Hunting Gear List: What I’m Taking in Early October
An early October antelope hunt in Colorado can cover a pretty wide range of conditions. Mornings can be cold enough to make you want additional layers, while the afternoon can warm up enough that those same layers quickly become too much.
Because of that, my clothing system for this hunt is built more around layering and being able to adjust during the day than trying to predict one specific temperature.
This isn’t a list of every possible piece of hunting clothing I could take. It’s the gear I actually plan to use on this Colorado antelope hunt and why I’ve settled on it.
Boots: Crispi Thor II
For footwear, I’ll be wearing my Crispi Thor II boots.
These have become the most comfortable hunting boots I’ve ever worn, and for an early-season or warmer-weather hunt they’re an easy choice for me.
Antelope hunting can involve quite a bit of walking and stalking, but I’m not expecting conditions that require a heavily insulated boot. The Thor II gives me the combination of comfort and support I want without moving into a heavier cold-weather boot.
For this type of hunt, comfort over a long day matters more to me than carrying around insulation I probably won’t need.
Hunting Pants: KUIU Kutana Stretch Woven Pants
My primary hunting pants will be the KUIU Kutana Stretch Woven Pant.
They’re lightweight, extremely comfortable and have become one of my favorite pants for hunts where temperatures can climb during the day.
Even if the Colorado mornings turn out colder than expected, I would rather start with a lightweight outer pant and add insulation underneath it than wear a heavier pant all day.
That gives me considerably more flexibility as temperatures change.
Cold morning: Kutana pants with a merino base layer underneath.
Warmer afternoon: Kutana pants by themselves.
Instead of trying to find one hunting pant that is perfect from a cold sunrise through a warm afternoon, I let the base layers handle the temperature changes.
Lower Base Layers: King’s XKG Foundation 260 and KUIU ULTRA Merino 160
I’ll have two different options for lower-body base layers.
One is the King’s XKG Foundation 260 Zip Off Merino Bottom.
This is probably my favorite setup when I’m expecting a large temperature swing because the legs actually zip off.
I prefer that system to base layers that rely on Velcro for removal.
That’s particularly useful on hunts like this one. I can start the morning with the additional insulation, and if temperatures climb in the afternoon, I can remove the base layer without turning it into a major clothing change.
That’s a big deal to me because even when a western hunt starts out legitimately cold, it doesn’t take long to get too warm once you’re moving around in the sun.
I’ll also have the KUIU ULTRA Merino 160 Bottom as another lightweight merino option.
The KUIU isn’t the zip-off design, so I look at the two differently. If I expect to leave a base layer on for most or all of the day, the lighter KUIU merino bottom makes sense. If I think I’ll want to shed the insulation as the day warms, I really like the convenience of the King’s zip-off system.
Upper Base Layers: KUIU Merino
Merino will also make up the foundation of my upper-body layering system.
For lighter conditions I’ll use the KUIU ULTRA Merino 120 LT.
It’s the lightweight option I’ll use when I want moisture management and a comfortable next-to-skin layer without adding much insulation.
I’ll also have the heavier KUIU PRO Merino 200 available.
That gives me the ability to increase insulation without immediately jumping to a jacket. On a cool morning I can layer the merino pieces, and as the temperature increases I can start stripping layers off.
That ability to regulate temperature is more important to me than simply dressing for the coldest temperature forecast for the hunt.
Insulated Jacket: KUIU Kenai Hooded Jacket
If temperatures drop enough that the merino layers aren’t sufficient, I’ll add the KUIU Kenai Hooded Jacket.
For an early October Colorado antelope hunt, I don’t expect that I’ll spend a huge portion of the hunt wearing a heavily insulated jacket while I’m moving.
The Kenai gives me another step in the system before I need to reach for serious cold-weather insulation.
It’s particularly useful when activity levels and temperatures are changing throughout the day.
Cold-Weather Insulation: KUIU Super Down PRO
I’ll also have the KUIU Super Down PRO Hooded Jacket in the pack.
Do I expect to need it very much on this hunt? Probably not.
But western weather can change quickly, and early morning glassing or an unexpected temperature drop can make a highly packable insulated jacket worth carrying.
I’d much rather have that additional insulation in the pack and not use it than discover that my normal layers aren’t enough after the weather changes.
Rain Gear: KUIU Kutana Storm Shell
My primary rain gear for this hunt will most likely be the KUIU Kutana Storm Shell.
There are certainly lighter rain systems that could make sense for an early October Colorado antelope hunt.
I just don’t like owning a different rain system for every possible hunt.
I’d rather use rain gear that I trust across a wide range of conditions and hunts.
The Kutana gives me that versatility, and unless the forecast changes significantly, it’s what I expect to bring to Colorado.
KUIU Yukon TR Rain Gear
I also own and use the KUIU Yukon TR rain gear when conditions justify something more substantial.
For this particular antelope hunt, I don’t expect the Yukon to be my first choice. The Kutana should make more sense for the conditions I’m anticipating.
But for hunts where I’m expecting prolonged rain, colder temperatures or generally nastier weather, I’ll move to the Yukon.
Rather than buying several highly specialized rain systems, I prefer having a couple of proven options that cover virtually everything I do.
Why I’m Using a Layering System for This Colorado Antelope Hunt
The biggest challenge with an early October western hunt isn’t necessarily extreme cold.
It’s the temperature change throughout the day.
You can start the morning cold, begin hiking and warm up quickly, then find yourself sitting behind glass and getting cold again.
That makes flexibility more important than simply choosing warmer clothing.
My system starts with lightweight KUIU Kutana pants and merino layers. From there I can add the King’s 260 merino bottoms, KUIU PRO Merino 200, Kenai jacket or Super Down PRO depending on how cold it actually gets.
As temperatures rise, I can reverse the process.
The King’s zip-off bottoms are particularly useful for that because I can get rid of lower-body insulation without completely changing clothes.
My Early October Colorado Antelope Hunting Clothing List
- Crispi Thor II boots
- KUIU Kutana Stretch Woven Pants
- King’s XKG Foundation 260 Zip Off Merino Bottom
- KUIU ULTRA Merino 160 Bottom
- KUIU ULTRA Merino 120 LT
- KUIU PRO Merino 200
- KUIU Kenai Hooded Jacket
- KUIU Super Down PRO Hooded Jacket
- KUIU Kutana Storm Shell rain gear
- KUIU Yukon TR rain gear when conditions warrant it
It’s not the absolute lightest clothing system I could assemble, and that’s not really my goal.
My goal is to take gear I already know works for me and have enough layering options to comfortably handle the temperature swings that can come with an early October Colorado antelope hunt.
That means lightweight pants and boots as the foundation, merino for adjustable insulation, a couple of progressively warmer jacket options and rain gear I already trust.
For me, that’s a much better system than trying to build an entirely different clothing setup for every hunt.
To discuss my gear list or talk about yours, go here.
