{"id":1754,"date":"2021-08-16T18:47:04","date_gmt":"2021-08-16T18:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/?p=1754&#038;fishpig=1629138983&#038;preview=true"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:36:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:36:54","slug":"the-best-layering-system-for-hunting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Layering System for Hunting"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#The_Best_Layering_System_for_Hunting\" >The Best Layering System for Hunting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#A_Brief_History_of_Layering_for_Hunting\" >A Brief History of Layering for Hunting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#Determining_Temperature\" >Determining Temperature<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#Type_of_Hunting\" >Type of Hunting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#The_Best_Layering_System_for_Hunting-2\" >The Best Layering System for Hunting<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#PCU_Levels\" >PCU Levels<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#A_Hunting_Scenario\" >A Hunting Scenario<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#For_%E2%80%9CColdMission_Active%E2%80%9D_youll_need\" >For \u201cCold\/Mission: Active\u201d you\u2019ll need:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#For_%E2%80%9CColdMission_Static%E2%80%9D_youll_need\" >For \u201cCold\/Mission: Static\u201d you\u2019ll need<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#High_Quality_%E2%80%93_High_Dollar\" >High Quality \u2013 High Dollar<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#Mens_TRU-SPEC_Gen-III_ECWCS_Level-1_Top\" >Men&#8217;s TRU-SPEC Gen-III ECWCS Level-1 Top<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-layering-system-for-hunting\/#Functional_and_Budget-Friendly\" >Functional and Budget-Friendly<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Layering_System_for_Hunting\"><\/span>The Best Layering System for Hunting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>The best layering system for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/finding-a-hunting-lease\/\">hunting<\/a> consists of apparel that is at the same time warm, breathable, packable, lightweight, and sweat wicking.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Best Layering System for Hunting. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Clothing alone makes up a huge part of hunting. And the outdoors in general. You may have the best <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-benefits-of-having-a-rifle-suppressor\/\">optics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/7-ways-to-sharpen-your-rifle-shooting-skills\/\">rifle<\/a>, or skinning knife on the planet, but none of that matters if you\u2019re unable to stay comfortable during your time in the woods. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The best layering system for hunting consists of apparel that is at the same time warm, breathable, packable, lightweight, and sweat wicking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s being able to quickly add or subtract layers with the varying temperatures of a mountain climate. When that big bull or buck steps into an opening, your mind should be solely focused on making a clean kill rather than how cold you are.<\/span><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Brief_History_of_Layering_for_Hunting\"><\/span><b>A Brief History of Layering <\/b>for Hunting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Here\u2019s a brief history of the layering system that hunters have adopted from the modern <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/best-sniper-movies\/\">military<\/a>. When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, our forces were suffering from extreme cold weather conditions. Through a joint effort by the Army and a world-renowned mountaineer named Mark Twight, who helped Patagonia develop its super-popular <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regulator <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">series, a layering system called the Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) was born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_1759\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1759\" style=\"width: 720px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1759 size-full\" title=\"The Best Layering System for Hunting\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/22.jpg\" alt=\"The Best Layering System for Hunting\" width=\"720\" height=\"470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/22.jpg 720w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/22-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/22-460x300.jpg 460w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/22-150x98.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1759\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Best Layering System for Hunting<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The PCU consists of seven levels of 16 different garments that are designed to compliment the type of climate and mission troops undertake. PCU has fundamentally changed the way U.S. forces operate and will enhance your overall experience as a hunter in even the most extreme conditions. The following are the necessary steps to determine the best layering system for hunting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Determining_Temperature\"><\/span><b>Determining Temperature<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before a hunt, you must determine the climate. So, if you\u2019re heading to say western Colorado to hunt elk in mid November, what is the weather generally like that time of year? We know it varies up in the mountains, which makes layering even more important. But you can assume that it\u2019s going to be pretty chilly with fair chances of snow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Type_of_Hunting\"><\/span><b>Type of Hunting<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Second, what type of hunting will you be doing? Long, sedentary sits? Or hiking up and down mountains? Determining your activity level will give you a better handle on what time of apparel you\u2019ll need to acquire.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you can, purchase your apparel way before the hunt and experiment with various combinations. Climate, altitude, and other factors are different if your home state of Kentucky versus Colorado. But you should get a good idea of the warmth, breathability, and sweat-wicking performance.<\/span><\/p><h4 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Best_Layering_System_for_Hunting-2\"><\/span><b>The Best Layering System for Hunting<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Take Sitka, for example, a company that has revolutionized the hunter\u2019s layering system. This company manufactures an array of pants, shirts, jackets, and undergarments that has changed the way we approach a hunt. You no longer have to sweat your tail off in the high heat or bundle up like a yeti in the extreme cold. Using a company like Sitka that makes all the necessary apparel for a hunt in the high mountains or the desert, we can now look at the various PCU levels based on the where and what of our hunt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h5 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PCU_Levels\"><\/span><b>PCU Levels<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 1 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0lightweight, next to skin, like boxers and a t-shirt<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 1A &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">pretty much the same as Level 1 except these next-to-skin garments are full length and thicker.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 2 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">midlayers, pullovers and long pants that help usher sweat to the outer layer.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 3 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">heavyweight fleece jacket that\u2019s warm and dries quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 4 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">thin, windproof shirt, generally worn under the other layers<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 5 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">soft shell jacket and pants<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 6 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Gore-Tex hard shell jacket and pants<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><b>Level 7 &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">jacket, vest, and pants to be worn on the outside because they\u2019re extremely water resistant and breathable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h5 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Hunting_Scenario\"><\/span><b>A Hunting Scenario<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In western Colorado in mid November, the average highs are in the 50s and lows in the teens with strong chances of snow. You will likely spend the week with a mix of long hikes and sedentary <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/outdoor-life-binoculars-test\/\">glassing<\/a>. So, that means you\u2019ll need to mix and match garments that fit what PCU identifies as \u201cMission: Active\u201d and \u201cMission: Static\u201d that fall within the \u201ccold\u201d range of 0\u00b0 to 30\u00b0.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1758\" title=\"The Best Layering System for Hunting\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/6.jpg\" alt=\"The Best Layering System for Hunting\" width=\"569\" height=\"379\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/6.jpg 807w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/6-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/6-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/6-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 569px) 100vw, 569px\" \/><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>One of the main goals of the PCU system is to stabilize your body temperature, which is accomplished through increased breathability and overall system enhancement.<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, the weather forecast is hardly ever correct, so to be able to thrive in mountain conditions, you\u2019re going to need a base layer system that keeps us warm, and outer layers that breathe and dry well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That said, your clothing set up, based on the levels above, will look like this.<\/span><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_%E2%80%9CColdMission_Active%E2%80%9D_youll_need\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For \u201cCold\/Mission: Active\u201d you\u2019ll need:<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><ul style=\"text-align: justify\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 1 (long underwear base layer)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 (insulation base layer)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 (soft shell jacket)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_%E2%80%9CColdMission_Static%E2%80%9D_youll_need\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For \u201cCold\/Mission: Static\u201d you\u2019ll need<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><ul style=\"text-align: justify\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 (insulation base layer)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 3 (insulation layer)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 (soft shell jacket)<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 (parka)<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To give you an idea of the various options out there, here are some manufacturers worth checking out that can help provide the best layering system for hunting. Staying comfortable &#8211; warm and dry &#8211; throughout the hunt is priceless. But the apparel to reach that point sometimes cost a pretty penny. Here are two options for high quality, high dollar, and budget friendly yet super functional clothing.<\/span><\/p><h4 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"High_Quality_%E2%80%93_High_Dollar\"><\/span><b>High Quality \u2013 High Dollar<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 1 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartwool.com\/shop\/mens-base-layers\/mens-merino-150-base-layer-quarter-zip-sw016070?variationId=D11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smartwool<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 1 Bottom &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartwool.com\/shop\/mens-base-layers\/mens-merino-150-base-layer-bottom-SW016043?variationId=001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smartwool<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sitkagear.com\/products\/traverse-zip-t\/optifade-open-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sitka<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 Bottom &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartwool.com\/shop\/mens-base-layers\/mens-merino-250-base-layer-bottom-sw0np605?variationId=001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Smartwool<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 3 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/propper-gen-iii-fleece-jacket-tan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 Jacket &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sitkagear.com\/products\/mountain-jacket\/optifade-open-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sitka<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 Pants &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sitkagear.com\/products\/traverse-pant\/optifade-open-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sitka<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Jacket &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stoneglacier.com\/collections\/insulation-layers\/products\/grumman-goose-down-jacket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stone Glacier<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Vest &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sitkagear.com\/products\/mountain-vest\/optifade-open-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sitka<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Pants &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stoneglacier.com\/collections\/insulation-layers\/products\/grumman-goose-down-pant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Stone Glacier<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1760\" title=\"Understanding Rifle Scope Turrets\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/0-650-tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote.jpg\" alt=\"Understanding Rifle Scope Turrets\" width=\"466\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/0-650-tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote.jpg 650w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/0-650-tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/0-650-tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/08\/0-650-tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote-96x96.jpg 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 466px) 100vw, 466px\" \/><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mens_TRU-SPEC_Gen-III_ECWCS_Level-1_Top\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Men&#8217;s TRU-SPEC Gen-III ECWCS Level-1 Top<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify\">This piece of the Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System, is the top is part of a collection of apparel inspired by the United States Army\u2019s equipment.<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Functional_and_Budget-Friendly\"><\/span><b>Functional and Budget-Friendly<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 1 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-top-coyote\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 1 Bottom &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-1-bottom-black\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-2-top-black\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 2 Bottom &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/tru-spec-gen-iii-ecwcs-level-2-bottom-black\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 3 Top &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tacticalgear.com\/propper-gen-iii-fleece-jacket-tan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tactical Gear<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 Jacket &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcguirearmynavy.com\/products\/gen-iii-level-5-soft-shell-jacket#:~:text=The%20Gen%20III%20Level%205,and%20comfort%20without%20impeding%20movement.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">McGuire Army Navy<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 5 Pants &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fortbraggsurplus.us\/GENIII-Soft-Shell-Cold-Weather-Pants-Multi-Cam-OCP-p\/geniii-level-5-pants.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fort Bragg Surplus<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Jacket &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/ECWCS-Primaloft-Level-Medium-Regular\/dp\/B00B39AB6A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ECWCS<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Vest &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.llbean.com\/llb\/shop\/119864?page=mens-primaloft-packaway-vest-mens-regular&#038;bc=&#038;feat=down%20vest-SR0&#038;csp=a&#038;searchTerm=down%20vest&#038;gnrefine=1*CATEGORY*Men%27s%20Clothing&#038;pos=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">LL Bean<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level 7 Pants &#8211; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcguirearmynavy.com\/products\/ecwcs-level-7-primaloft-pants-used?variant=30252302205022&#038;currency=USD&#038;utm_medium=product_sync&#038;utm_source=google&#038;utm_content=sag_organic&#038;utm_campaign=sag_organic&#038;gclid=Cj0KCQjw6uT4BRD5ARIsADwJQ1_ZIAW1OTXrX_fpPpau5mg3cB4lxfatfUFxiB8OW-tNhHrS3vQSX-EaArS1EALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">McGuire Army Navy<\/span><\/a><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Don\u2019t get fooled by some clothing manufacturers that tell you that they\u2019re products will keep you dry all the time. The perfect outer layer is properly balanced between breathability and the ability to dry out quickly. Essentially, sweat is wicked off the skin and dispersed to the outside layer where natural elements like wind and sun eventually take it away. When you are way out in the mountains, your clothing is your shelter. Stay warm, stay comfortable, enjoy the hunt.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1344\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/TRACT_BRAND_728X90.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_BRAND_728X90.jpg 728w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_BRAND_728X90-300x37.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_BRAND_728X90-600x74.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/12\/TRACT_BRAND_728X90-150x19.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Best Layering System for Hunting | TRACT design and engineer performance-grade optics without the added retail costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12158,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2258,2259],"tags":[2460,2556,2647,2797,2812,2813,2844,2845,2846,2847,2848,2849,2850,2852],"class_list":["post-1754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hunting","category-hunting-rifle-scope","tag-big-game-hunting","tag-clothing","tag-gear","tag-hunting","tag-hunting-calibers","tag-hunting-calibers-for-deer","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber-chart","tag-hunting-rifle-caliber-for-deer","tag-hunting-rifle-calibers","tag-hunting-rifle-calibers-by-size","tag-hunting-rifle-rounds","tag-hunting-rifle-scope","tag-hunting-rifle-sizes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1754"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1754\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11439,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1754\/revisions\/11439"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}