Fieldtester looks deeper, so you choose smarter
Ian Hodge talks through what clothes sell to women who go shooting, from fun to functional. Some of these items are now in the Ian Hodge Fieldsports sale. Check Ian’s website IanHodgeFieldsports.co.uk More from Ian Hodge Fieldsports here:
Crispi boots are a favourite with hill stalkers and others who want dry, comfortable feet after a hard day’s walking in all kinds of terrain and undergrowth. Jane Keen of Cluny Country Store explains why the boots are proving so popular. “We stock the Crispi Hunter boots, which have been
Fieldsports folk do a lot of walking over all kinds of difficult terrain, from rocky mountain slopes to slippery mud and grass. We want a sure footing and dry, comfortable feet all day long – ideally in a boot that will last a season or two of hard use. That’s
Wellies are essential in the countryside, but you want different types of welly boot for different situations. Fieldsports Channel’s Jason Doyle runs through the Jack Pyke range of wellies and explains what’s what. “For a formal occasion like a driven shoot, the Ashcombe Zipped Wellington is ideal,” he says. “The
youtu.be/ACGvk1SRLhc The Jack Pyke Hybrid Jacket is a lightweight quilted jacket that’s ideal for general use outdoors, either as part of a layering system or as an outer jacket in milder weather. Instagrammer Dan Thor finds it very versatile. “Sometimes I’ll pop it on when I go feeding the birds
youtu.be/UCmqafPmj1Y Farmer and pigeonshooter Andy Crow loves his Jack Pyke boots. “I wear them every day of the year,” he says. “They’re so comfortable, I’d rather wear these than a pair of trainers. You don’t even know you’ve got them on. It’s the soft leather.” Andy wears the shorter Fieldsman
youtu.be/iRBD3XuvqE0 Jack Pyke are continually researching and developing new products and designs, and their English Oak camouflage pattern, designed specifically for the British countryside, has proved popular with UK shooters and effective in the field. Their latest camo pattern is Digicam, a computer-generated, pixellated blend of earth tones that helps
youtu.be/dfGCxjFeEBY The Jack Pyke Ashcombe Technical Fleece Jacket is a very versatile garment. It’s thin enough to wear under a jacket or smock, but it’s also an ideal top layer when the weather allows. Fieldsports Channel’s Jason Doyle says “It’s smart enough for casual wear, but it’s also excellent as
youtu.be/zVsdRUvpOvs When you’re outdoors all day, you need a jacket that won’t let you down, whatever the weather. Fieldsports Channel’s Jason Doyle is a big fan of the Jack Pyke Pro-Lite Hunters Jacket. “This is Jack Pyke’s most technical and lightweight jacket. I use it every day.” “It’s a super
youtu.be/t22LlR84VJQ Jack Pyke’s Weardale is a stylish knitted jacket that’s ideal for casual wear or in the field. The combination of softshell contrast panels and finely knitted fleece gives the jacket a smart look and a comfortable feel. It features a full-length front zip, two lower zipped pockets and a
When you need to remain totally unseen, you need 3D camouflage – just look at the intricate ghillie suits used by police and military snipers. This LLCS Concealment Suit from Jack Pyke uses the same principle. It’s covered with cut-out leaf shapes, in Jack Pyke’s English Oak Evolution pattern to
youtu.be/2Q-U8pO9C3Y The fleece gilet has become a country classic – it’s a versatile piece of clothing that’s at home in the field, out shopping or at the pub. “It’s pretty much the standard uniform for going to the Game Fair,” says Fieldsports Channel’s Jason Doyle. “It’s so versatile and practical,
The Heat waistcoat from Härkila is like carrying your own personal woodburning stove, says Simon Esnouf from Härkila’s UK distributors. “It’s very welcome when you’re out in freezing temperatures hunting, fishing or watching a game of rugby.” He explains “It’s a nice quilted waistcoat that will keep you warm anyway,
youtu.be/oZwDbBSEvrM Professional gundog trainer Jason Mayhew is out in all weathers, so his number one requirement for clothing is it has to be waterproof. He’s been trialling the Härkila Retrieve jacket and trousers for the past year, and he’s impressed. It’s kept him dry in all types of weather. “I
youtu.be/3y13naVIZIw Tweed has been the traditional choice for generations of stalkers and game shooters, and it still works as well as ever. It’s smart, warm and comfortable, and remarkably good at keeping out the wet although it will become heavy when waterlogged. There’s a modern alternative however – the lightweight,
youtu.be/WMtD1h5CZdc If you think you know Härkila boots, think again. In 2021 they’ve come out with a brand new range that’s even better than before. “We’ve been making boots for seven or eight years now, and we’ve learned a lot in that time,” says Härkila’s Simon Esnouf. “The new boots
youtu.be/KA0l49Rb-FA Gamekeeper and deer manager David Whitby has been trialling the new Avail stalking suit from Seeland – and he’s impressed.“It’s incredibly quiet to stalk in,” he says. “It’s fully waterproof, and a nice shade of green.” David adds that the suit is very versatile, “Perfect for stalking winter and
youtu.be/r-OPsRdP1ic In the UK we have to cope with some pretty unpredictable weather. You can set off in glorious sunshine for a day on the moors, or shooting partridges on stubbles – and a few hours later it could be tipping it down with rain. That’s where the Härkila Orton
youtu.be/SL2d2d0E8a8 Keepers need clothing that’s versatile says David Whitby. “We’re usually in the beating line, or behind the guns picking up – but we also want something that’s smart enough if we’re lucky enough to be standing on a peg,” he says. The Seeland Woodcock Advanced jacket and trousers tick
youtu.be/dn-33ULbbvs Tough, rugged, waterproof protection for your legs is essential for beaters, stalkers, keepers and others working in the countryside. And if there’s one thing about Seeland’s Buckthorn range, it’s tough, says gamekeeper and deer manager David Whitby. “We expect our beaters to go through cover, whatever that might be
youtu.be/R8wnnc8dgTc Any gamekeeper or stalker demands a lot from his everyday clothing. It needs to be hardwearing, and keep you warm and dry, but still be comfortable when you’re walking uphill or filling pheasant feeders. Gamekeeper and deer manager David Whitby is a big fan of the Seeland Hawker jacket
youtu.be/rCybKrQBARA Härkila is highly regarded by hunters who rely on the clothing to keep them dry and comfortable in the toughest conditions – and as Härkila’s Simon Esnouf explains, the magic is in the membranes that they use. “We use a mixture,” he says. “Some of our garments use Gore-Tex,
Sergio Couto gives his boots a hard time. As a professional stalking guide, he’s out day after day in all weathers – and he’s very impressed with the Gateway 1 Pheasant Game wellies, a Danish brand that’s made in China. “They’re tough, really tough,” he says, “Comfortable too.” He explains
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9H1xhbW4xc Cornish deerstalker Ollie Williams has been testing the Seeland Hawker Advance set of jacket and trousers – and he’s impressed. The Hawker Advance jacket is a technical shell jacket designed to withstand any weather conditions while being light weight and low noise. It has a windproof and waterproof Seetex
www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-RxcKlLigI Top military tailor Jonathan Macintyre has a shop in Wellington Barracks, SW1 and, as well as making military uniforms, he makes shooting shooting suits. Here’s how he does it. For more about Jonathan, visit JMCleanCutTailoring.comClick here for Jonathan’s views on shooting clothing sizing.
youtu.be/jDQJY6IQQH8 Soft shell is a great fabric for hunting – it’s light, comfortable to wear, and it’s quiet, so there’s no noise as you brush against trees and undergrowth. That’s why Ridgeline use soft shell for their Ascent jacket as Nigel Winkle, from UK distributors Highland Outdoors, explains: “Soft shell
youtu.be/UIyXSYCXyGw When you’re out in all weathers, you need something that will keep you warm and dry, but is also breathable so you aren’t soaked with sweat going up the hills. Better still if it’s easy to dry out at the end of the day, so you’re ready to face
youtu.be/rJgc6BkdPcQ Nigel Winkle from distributor Highland Outdoors explains why he sells the Ridgeline Torrent III smock. This hunting jacket is part of the classic range. It’s well established and has been part of brand Ridgeline UK since the company came to market in this country in 2007. Why is this
youtu.be/9oTy0_cL0Yw If you go deerstalking, or just spend time out in the woods, the new Ridgeline Grizzly II jacket could be your ideal outer layer. It’s windproof, light and breathable, has a useful selection of pockets for your gear, and whilst it’s not fully waterproof it will fend off all
youtu.be/xvU4ICBX6uM Ridgeline’s Pintail Explorer smock became a firm favourite with stalkers and bushcrafters. It’s light and warm, very quiet to wear, and you can stuff it in your rucksack until you need it. Now Ridgeline have updated and improved the design to create the Pintail Explorer II. Nigel Winkle from
youtu.be/8TRwLlcmS-8 When you buy a ‘large’ jacket from one clothing company and it’s the same as a ‘2XL’ from another, and both of them seem to be about the same as a ‘medium’ from ten years ago, what’s going on? We talk to a top tailor about how much of
youtu.be/k5MDEWv-q44 Many stalkers and wildfowlers choose a Ridgeline smock for the excellent protection it gives, but what if you prefer a jacket that you can open all the way down the front? The Ridgeline Monsoon jacket promises the best of both worlds: the convenience of a conventional jacket, with the
Shooterking’s Huntflex is a range of clothing aimed at most gameshooting and stalking styles. We talk to two professionals about how they use it. Click here to watch Paul shooting in a Huntflex Winter Skeet Jacket The Huntflex jackets and trousers range from Shooterking is designed to be
Setting your sights on a hunting jacket? Härkila got high marks in our apparel surveys. Most mentioned was the Pro Hunter Move jacket. James from the UK says in our survey that the Pro Hunter is a “pricey jacket but you get what you pay for”. Härkila could still make
Pants, breeks, breeches, waterproofs – call them what you want but they’re all trousers. The standout brands in our survey are Deerhunter and Härkila. Deerhunter was the choice of most people, beating Härkila by one vote. But the single most popular design by far was Härkila‘s Pro Hunter. Ian from
Deerhunter scored high in our clothing survey, with its products vying for the top spot in several categories. Top manufacturer for jackets is Deerhunter, according to Fieldsports Channel viewers. For shooting, its Ram jackets are in first place, fitting the company’s description as “one of the most well known shooting
In March 2020, more than 500 of you filled out our shooting and hunting clothing survey, telling us which jackets and trousers you wear and why you like them. The big prizes are your favourite jackets and trousers. And here are the winners. Top manufacturer for jackets is Deerhunter but
Professional deer manager Jason Doyle bashes his boots to bits. He explains how to make sure a boot fits you, before you commit to buying it.
There are so many walking boots, so many makes and models. So which do you choose? Well, there is one clear winner among Fieldsports Channel’s viewers, with nearly a quarter of the market. And we will come to that at the end of this piece. Out of the 3,500 responses
It’s been a long day shooting clay or game, you probably want to slip into something more comfortable than your all-weather gear. In our survey, Ryan from the UK calls it a, “nice lightweight jacket easy to move in”. Deerhunter says it is “the perfect after-shoot jacket” and our survey
When analysing reams of spreadsheet data for trends, it’s always easier when one name appears nearly twice as often as any other. That was the case with our wellies survey. To the relief of the team trawling through information supplied by hundreds of Fieldsports Britain supporters just like you (thanks
Will O’Meara and Jason Doyle go on a two-day backpack hunt in the Wicklow Mountains in winter weather conditions. They are after sika as part of Will and Jason’s cull plan for deer in the area. Why put themselves through it? Ridgeline Clothing wants the guys to crawl in its
Paul Childerley does all his own stunts… he tries to kill the Shooterking Venatu jacket using gamekeeping resources. See how he gets on. ▶ For more from Shooterking, go to www.shooterking.co.uk This film was first shown in Fieldsports Britain episode 439. To watch the whole show go to Fcha.nl/fieldsportsbritain439
Not all “waterproof”clothing is made equal. There are massive variations, and in extreme conditions, it could be the difference between life and death. To discover just how significant these ranges are we’ve been allowed behind the scenes at the Gore-Tex facility outside Munich in Germany. We join Sporting Shooter Magazine
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