Budget Apparel

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Flyway Connections is brought to you by our partners who keep us chasing birds all season long. We're talking about DOW Outfitters in Arkansas, delivering unforgettable guided hunts in the heart of the flyway. DH decoys, American-made, time-tested decoys built to last season after season. A Bear custom decoy rigs, keeping your spread dialed in with reliable, handbuilt rigs that stand up to any condition. RMC calls from the duck line to any world championship stage. They just work, designed to allow you to grow to your full capacity. No fancy marketing, no gimmick, just quality sound and craftsmanship. And they say you can't polish a turd. Small stock, big sound. And also, Hunt Repellent is a DEE-free, stem-free, insect repellent made for hunters, fishermen, or anybody who wants to enjoy the outdoors. Remember, DEET is dead.

SPEAKER_04 1:16

How are y'all doing today? Hey, so continuing with our hunting on a budget, um, we're doing today clothing, outerwear, comfort or um comfort or break the bank. So Chris, you you know we're going with this uh this segment today. You were probably the newer waterfowl waterfowl guy.

SPEAKER_02 1:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

And you actually got I would say when you came into waterfowl hunting and that you know after 2020, um obviously there was already a bunch of established gear. Um kind of like when when I started hunting with, you know, and it kind of like when you probably started deer hunting with your family and big game hunting, yeah. You guys know we got a lot of handy down stuff, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:17

And for me, some of the handy down stuff or some of the the um gear back then, it was um waterproof. And for the viewers, I'm doing my air quotes, uh water resistant. Yeah, uh, it was more like dry resistant. Yeah, but 100% now nowadays, you know, clothing and stuff is kind of something that you see on Instagram, you see on Facebook, you see on social media, YouTube, and the price may vary, comfort may vary. And for a newer hunter, um we always talk about it being kind of uh overwhelming, but definitely this one for a newer hunter can be overwhelming of what do you what to buy, what do you need really need, is it really worth it, or whatnot. But for you, when you first came in, what did you think about all that when you you know when after the first day we got took you, hunting, and you were like, I'm all in.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

I mean, I think one It's kind of hard for uh me and you, right? Uh comfortability for us is like key, especially when you're the job we did. Uh at least I learned that earlier on in my uh previous my government job career that you know comfortability is everything. So when I when I got into the waterfowl industry, I felt like okay, well, I want to be comfortable. You can always take off layers, you can never uh you can never magically create layers. So um I think for everybody and for the new waterfowler, I guess it can be overwhelming because there's hundreds and thousands and maybe millions of companies in different uh different sites, different uh places you can get uh hunting gear. Uh we were talking before the show, I mean, surplus stores. You I mean you can use any camo really, like you can use the old BDU camo or whatever maybe.

SPEAKER_04 4:28

So uh and you see pictures back in the day when that's what people uh use was the old um M81 BDU woodland camo. Um and you know, they still make Gore-Tex of that. You could probably find some surplus stores or even online uh for going for pretty cheap.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

But I mean, if go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 4:51

Oh, and now with multicam, uh I would stay away from our old stuff with uh the digital army stuff. Um I won't use that. That's stuff was a dope. But you know what? If guys can find the desert um the desert DCUs, yeah, yeah, that or the old Marpat for the marine, the marine digis, that's gonna work in a rice field or a wheat field or in in a cut corn field.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

You can put your grandma's couch out in a blind and just lay in there in the the or ground. Yeah. But um, I mean, I think for me, I I I didn't mind spending a little bit of money. Um, I obviously didn't spend because it just I mean, just like shotguns, you can there's cheap, mid-range, uh uh above mid-range, expensive, and then balling. So I think I stayed within the mid-range and then above mid-range when I got um uh when I started getting uh into the the waterfall community. Number one thing for me is key is being dry. That's the number one thing. So if you can get a good um Gore-Tex jacket, uh good insulate insulated jacket, uh, good socks, because your feet can get cold depending on the boots you get, what what type of wearers you get. So those are all things to think about. When it gets hotter, you can always take the stuff off, pack it in the bag, but always be cognizant of that because now you're carrying it back or you're wearing it back. So um I think uh I think for me, I didn't mind buying a good jacket, good socks, and good gloves. As far as t-shirts, stuff inside my waivers, I didn't really care. Hell, I mean, I I had uh sweats I would wear in my in my waivers, just regular sweats you get at like Academy or something. I mean, I would never, I was never didn't buy the Drake pants or wager pants or any of that. I just didn't buy any of the uh banded wager pants. Oh, we're gonna buy uh bench pandes.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

No, no, we'll talk about that.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

Those are actually and then this is a conversation we'll get into, but another good location to buy uh waterfowl products is at Expos. Because when you buy something, sometimes they'll add stuff. So, or when you order stuff, you know, sometimes they'll add stuff. So I actually got those because when I went to the waterfowl expo.

SPEAKER_04 7:31

So he he bought everything else. But I bought my as well for that.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Yeah, my yeah, they gave me a hat, they gave me hats, they give me shirts, they give me uh the way I the wager pants now. Well, I what I will say, now that I have wader pants, I do like them because um they have the little slot for your foot. So this way, because the what happens is when you wear pants or sweats or anything, you have to shove it down the boot. Yeah, you have to shove it down your boots because when you when you put it in your waders, just remember just know this that your pants will ride up. And in the in the beginning, you're like, oh, it'll be okay. But when you're walking, it starts scraping on your skin, it starts um, it starts uh I lost my train of thought, but basically it just makes it, uh it raws it up and stuff.

SPEAKER_04 8:21

So it makes your socks start to slide down.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

Yeah, you know what? What I did if you want to be cheap too, what I found, what I did is uh just like I did all I did is put my my I would wear my uh my military socks and just put them over my pants so when my s my feet slid in, it just slid in and my pants never rode up.

SPEAKER_04 8:40

So painter's tape.

SPEAKER_01 8:42

Yeah, painter's tape.

SPEAKER_04 8:43

I would use painter tape to do you know to um do the bottom of my cuffs. But yeah, um, I guess we'll do this kind of like we we we started on all the ones, you know, the the the down, right? Cheapest of the cheap, handy down marketplace. I'm the same marketplace, you guys always hear me say Facebook Marketplace. And I do have a really good story about Facebook Marketplace. With uh I like a lot of Drake gear. Uh it's not super cheap, it's not super expensive, it doesn't completely break the bank. And it's actually, I mean, I like it.

SPEAKER_01 9:17

Um he's a Drake fan boy.

SPEAKER_04 9:19

I am a Drake fan boy. Um but a few years ago, uh before 2020, this when I first moved down here to Louisiana, uh after Christmas, I'm just kind of slept at the market spot list and some guy selling two brand new Drake shirts and a brand new Drake jacket. Um the jacket alone was 250, but he wanted it all for 80 bucks. And I was like, almost out of scammed, but I looked, see the dude was in the military as well. Like, yo, we're gonna we got the McDonald's route side post. We did gave him yeah, I gave him a hundred bucks for it all. Like, here's a hundred bucks. And he I was like, you you know, he was like, you know what, I got this for Christmas, I'm not really in the hunting that much anymore. My parents got it for me. Uh I don't want it, I'd rather take the cash. Sweet, bro. Don't be uh a broke private or uh go you know go to the classics or whatever's spending money on. But uh yes, you you you can find good deals like that um on marketplace. Um and you know, I mean heck, when I dock these, they sell the tags on them. Um and like we're saying, I was just looking up, you can get a good Gore-Tex or Gore-Tex Surplus jacket from a surplus store or uh I was on Adventure Surplus Online for around in between 70 bucks and like 110 bucks. Gore-Tex, you know, you get a good Gore-Tex jacket. Uh just remember with those gore, especially with the military Gore-Tex jackets, you gotta retreat them every year. Uh that's what a lot of people feel to do is actually go and re-spray them with the Gore-Tex uh coating. But those are cheap, you know, those are cheap ways to get into it.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

I think that, I mean, I guess for people who don't, and I I know I'm not trying to say there's YouTube out there, but um when he says treat them, he just basically what I do, I don't know, Joe Joe, what you do, I hang it up on a hanger outside and I spray it with my Gore-Tex spray, and that's it. That's all you gotta do. I let it set for a little bit, dry up a little bit, and then I'll bring it back inside. So that's what you kind of that's what it's there's nothing. I mean, there's no like science to it when you're treating. So don't be discouraged about this. Oh, what does he mean by treating a gore-tex jacket?

SPEAKER_02 11:40

Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

I mean, you gotta do that with I do that with my um breathable waders too.

SPEAKER_04 11:46

So yeah, you're supposed to do that with breathable waders every so many. Um I do it, I actually I wash them, clean them, and do it uh once a season. I probably clean my waders and take care of my waders before I do my shotgun.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Yeah, you do. Uh go ahead.

SPEAKER_04 12:03

But you know, getting into the mid-level stuff, um you know, there's three ways of you know think about this. You see, you know, and uh you've seen stuff three, four years ago uh years ago, um where you had what was that brand, Tywee. You know, Tywee was a man, I don't want to bash a brand or nothing because I have buddies that actually um wrap them. But a few years ago Tywee stuff was kind of on the cheap side. Now they're kind of you know, they're kind of like raising their prices, you know, obviously with inflation. Um but um you know this is this category of stuff is where I'd be kind of careful with um when you're looking into buying stuff. And I don't know what for Chris, but for me, like these cheaper brands, like these Timu brands, Pie Wee, uh some of the other ones, I I'd be kind of careful with just because you might get a a good product that you're like, it's almost exactly like your other, you know, what say what brand, Shane, said good Drake, Bandit, whatever. But it's so much cheaper. Now, yes, um it's it's cheaper, but you also gotta think about where are they cutting cost at. Uh and sometimes you on some of these other these lesser brands, or I'm not gonna say lesser, I hate to use the word lesser brands, but less expensive brands, they're gonna cut costs and like the stitching and stuff like that. And for me, what I you know I hate buying something, ripping a stitch, now I got a whole, you know, I got a seam hole or seam leak, uh, you know, and uh now you gotta, you know, rebuy, um rebuy it, and now you bought two, three pairs, and now that costs you the same amount of buying um you know one of the higher mid-level uh pairs that you know lasted a little bit longer.

SPEAKER_01 14:22

Now, I mean I won't say too, that's not always sometimes that's not always the case. And and I'll give an example. So like when I first got in, I got uh I didn't buy a Sheen or I didn't buy a sit uh waiters, I bought uh Cabela waders, and they last, they they're still working to this day. I mean, the the Velcro is all messed up. I mean, that I I don't care too much about that, but uh but yeah, what Joe is saying is research your stuff first, try it out. Also make sure that they have like a warranty on them. So when you take them out, uh these are leaking, I don't want them. Or if you take out a jacket or some type of uh outerwear and uh seam rips, yeah, like I don't want them, you get a refund. Um, some of these, like I don't know, I guess Timu's. I've never done Timu, but some of this T most Timu stuff, maybe it has a warranty, maybe it doesn't. So, or if it does, it's a hassle to get through the warranty. So just research yourself a little bit. Again, what I would say is if you have an opportunity to go to any of these expos, you get amazing deals there. So, um, and you also get to try the product on, wear it, try to feel it, kind of see how you're comfortable. And I'll give another example. Uh, I had a jacket, I'm just gonna say, I mean, I had a jacket that's from um uh what is that uh that brand that um that that what's his name? Buddy, Air Force Buddy uh in Louisiana now that uh God, it's gonna bug me. But it's a brand. Um it was an United Up Tony brand. I tried the jacket, same size jacket as like a jacket. I have a Drake, uh I have a Drake um what uh waiter jacket, waterproof or rain coat or whatever. Same size, put it on, it doesn't fit right. Like it's it's almost like it was supposed to make it made for like a T-Rex, and I'm not a big guy at all. So that says a lot because I put it on and I put the sleeves go to like halfway halfway from my elbow and my wrist.

SPEAKER_04 16:26

So um photo research multiple. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

Like just wear research it, see if it fits. I mean, that's why I say these expos are amazing. Or you can go to uh, I know like here in Dallas now they have uh a Sitka store. I think they're making a Sheen one too. So I at least maybe I maybe I'm imagining that, but go try the stuff on. You can try different stuff from uh at the expos. I know it's kind of hard to try bandit and Drake stuff here, but you they have Cabela's which has the have they have those products. They may not have all of them, but the jackets are pretty much the same. So you can put on a jacket here and then order the the jacket that you want um online. So just one of those things. I think comfortability is everything, uh, especially when you're working with uh weapons or whatever, shooting. I mean, that's gonna help because if you pull up and you're trying to shoot a bird or whatever, uh and you know, you get restricted from whatever you're wearing, where it may be a jacket or maybe a shirt or t-shirt or whatever it may be. So just kind of research yourself. That's why I say if you have the opportunity, take advantage of going to these expos so you can see the product and for yourself.

SPEAKER_04 17:41

Yeah. So like you were saying with the Drake and stuff, man. Before we start getting into nitty-gritty of actual like you know, pants and all that stuff, and kind of our opinions. I'm gonna say, um, dude, Roger Sporting Goods. Uh, I'm not freaking um we're not supported by them, but again, we always give them shoutouts and the budget stuff. They're always having sales. Um always having sales. So with the Roger Sporting Goods, um, go there, you're I mean, you're from everything, ammo, um, decoys, lines, but with you know, with the clothing, you you you're gonna get 30 to 40 percent off. It's almost like it's year-round with some of these sales. Um with them. So online shopping is definitely a great thing for us. But now to you know, to not get into super brand specific stuff, or not to get kind of brand specific. Let's start going from head to toe. Uh what do you like to wear? And we'll, you know, you know, a high-end one that you like, and a you know, another budget thing that you like. Um of of equal of equal stuff, of equal um not necessarily equal value, but equal um like a hoodie or whatnot. Uh I mean we're both hat wearers, uh but like hats are kind of hats. Um we have plenty of them from the in the expo. But when you go to hoodies, um I think we both wear hoodies a lot for honey. Is there a specific brand or you know, or whatnot of a hoodie you wear?

SPEAKER_01 19:32

No, like I said, for me, I mean, as long as you can get to me, and uh everybody has their own opinion, Joe. You can kind of caveat on that. As long as you have like a black or brown or something that blends in hoodie, it doesn't even I don't even think it needs to be camo. I'd wore like a tan, I've worn like a desert tan hoodie consistently with my because you you gotta think uh you're at least if you're wearing wiggers. Now this is another conversation because Joe, I know you hunt in the rice field, so you're wearing head boots a lot of the time. So maybe, maybe the the I don't know. It is to me, I don't think that matters too much as long as you're not wearing bright pink and you're out here like never mind. I you're you're you're not you're not wearing something crazy. So or black, I've wore uh like a uh desert tan I've wore like um kind kind of like a camo green, like olive, uh I don't say olive, a little bit darker than that, but uh the hoodie, I don't think that for me, as long as you're comfortable wearing it, you can get that at Academy, you can get that at Walmart. I mean, you can get that if you wanted to at Timu, as long as it's gonna be comfortable and it's gonna give you give you warmth. When it comes to the hoodie, um, at least that's me. Now, that's more my cheap end. Will I get expensive hoodies? Yeah, because some of the hoodies they have little features. Uh, I know hoodies that I have that are more expensive have a have a pocket here on their chest, which is nice because when you're wearing waders, the lower pocket is harder to get to. And sometimes I don't put my stuff in my waiters because I tend to forget that they're in that the waiter pocket. Or so I'll put them in my hoodie pocket that has like a chest zipper pocket up top. Um, some of them have like some cool features on there. I mean, I guess uh little velcro or uh wrist. Yeah, so well, brandy usually you I'm I'm before the yeah, I mean I I I I've gotten into uh I'm a bandit fanboy now, I guess, but I have Drake hoodies. I mean I I like Drake. I like I like Drake. Drake's a great company. I have a Drake hoodie that has a zipper right here. That's what I do like about them. I don't have I don't I think I have one banded hoodie, and it's just your regular standard hoodie. It's a bandit and it has uh the pocket and the low, but I actually wear The um the Drake hoodie more than I do the bandit because what Drake does, I like the I like the what maybe the other companies do it, but I like that Drake has the upper body camoed and the lower body is just a plain desert tan or black or something.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

Um, and then the upper body is uh I don't I don't know what it is, but it's not the it's not a cotton material like the lower part. It's um I don't know, like uh what like the windproof jackets we used to wear. Yeah, I'm talking about. That's what it feels like. I think you have one of those Drake hoodies. Yeah, I have uh it's uh where the it's uh above is like a camo and the bottom is like a cotton color.

SPEAKER_04 22:44

Yeah, I have a quarter zip that I I bought when the quarter zip Drake hoodie or the Drake uh pullover was uh the shit and everyone had it. And I you know, I still wear it.

SPEAKER_01 22:55

Um yeah, I wear it too. It's comfortable too, and I feel like I don't know, now that I'm thinking about it, now we're talking about it. I feel like the upper part has a lot more layers, so it's warmer and it keeps your chest warming. Um the lower part is just like a like a wool time material. But um I'll definitely cater to one of the more I say not really high-end brands, but mid-range type brands like bandit and drake, and um I mean even something at Academy or or Cabela's that looks good, you know.

SPEAKER_04 23:29

Yeah, I mean when we talk about Academy, it's Majell. You know, McJell's brand is you know uh has a lot of that type of stuff. Uh I'm a hoodie guy. I have tons of hoodies. Um, I I wear a lot of the um a lot of the Drake, I wear you know just Drake hoodies of the I wear a lot, but I wear a lot of these other different ones. Um hoodies for me, kind of like a hat for me. We get a lot of them going to these exposed and stuff or from uh sponsors. So uh, you know, a hoodie, but you know, what I'm over here looking at sheen hoodies compared to, you know, sheen hoodies eighty dollars, and then I'm looking at uh drag hoodie of almost equal stature is forty dollars, and then you can get a a Magellan hoodie for around uh hell so almost thirty dollars.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

So what would your like low end and then high end be then?

SPEAKER_04 24:32

Man, uh when it comes to the hoodies and stuff like that, I kind of uh I mean you're just gonna go go with Magellan. Uh a Magellan or eat like a drink or or or whatever. At that point to me, it's kind of um uh what your uh what your style is and what you know what you really you know what do you want. Um yeah, but like I I think when it comes to that, uh a lot like a hoodie, man. Go go cheat. Yeah, there's no real warranty on the hoodie. That's what you kind of get with some of these other high-end brands. Um now for the for the viewers, we have friends that wear Cisco, we have a lot of guys that wear Sheen. We're not bashing on any of these, but we know we're talking about the beginner hunter just trying to get in and saving a buck. Um, these higher-end, you know, there is there's things with some of these higher-end brands that it is cheaper to go expensive at first, but and then you got a warranty. Um but you know, save a buck.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Yeah, I'm I I'm kind of with you on that. Like the hoodie, it's you can go to Walmart or you can go to the thrift store, just find a black hoodie or doing like a brown hoodie or whatever. Yeah, yeah. Well, I mean, car hard, I don't know if you're seeing the practice car hard down there. Back in the day, like in the 90s, I remember it was just working clothes and my uncles used to wear an odds like God, but yeah. Uh thank thanks a lot, Yellowstone. Um but but uh I mean man, I I that's why I say like a good jacket, good cortex or something that keeps you water resistant, keeps you uh warm, not wet, a good, a good pair of gloves, um, a good pair, um, a good pair of socks. I think you if you can go spend your money on that, uh that's my opinion. Um, but everybody, that's and I honestly, even uh it doesn't even have to be a good, a good beanie or a good good hat, but it is nice to have something over your head when because when you're waterfowling, understand like real, I found that real hardcore waterfowlers or any waterfowler really, any duck hunter, hunting in the rain is a kind of a an every season thing. Like I I've hunted in the rain every season, so you can get a good uh wax hat or uh I mean hell, even uh a good beanie. So I like I I like I like wearing beanies just because I I'll wear that when I get in. When I get high, I'll put on my hat. So I I want to have both.

SPEAKER_04 27:20

Now going to some of the wax products, and they're low pricing. This is what would I have from these wax products. You have wax looking products, and then you have actually wax products. And it goes with like the hat. I have I have some hats that I like that I do like the wax hat look, and I also like the wax hat function.

SPEAKER_01 27:47

But you can also like do that yourself too if you don't have the wax yourself.

SPEAKER_04 27:51

But what people get is they buy a wax, uh, a hat that looks wax, put it on, and yeah, now you gotta weigh ahead. So know the difference between some of that is the wax looked and it's actually wax. And you can wax some of this stuff on your own. I have a bunch of uh wax that I use, I use Folsom Wax. Uh it's uh a wax company that does wax bags, wax jackets, um and you know, there's a process of doing it. You can go on Facebook or not Facebook, Instagram, and look up, they have little tutorials how to how to waterproof a hat or a jacket or bags with um with actual sealant wax. So, you know, that's a route you can, you know, also you can go. But when it comes to, you know, like now jackets, right? I think you know, we when I'm looking at these clothes, like we have the hoodies, the shirts, you know, I I like Magellan shirts, I like um drink shirts. Um, but for me, I there's there's when it comes to clothing-wise, I have I pants, a jacket, hip boots, and socks. Those are my four big things that you know is where I will spend money on and whatnot. Um so like a like a jacket, I use like I said, I have Drake products, but one of my, you know, there's there's some little off-brand shoot products and companies that people don't think about. Uh American, North American waterfowler. Uh, I'll tell you what, for me hunting here in Louisiana, and we've talked about it before when we've had them on, we've had Joey on the on the show. For 150 bucks, I think he makes one of the best rain jackets right now on the market.

SPEAKER_02 29:43

Um Yeah, I yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_01 29:46

Um, I will say also, too, um know where you're hunting and also know where you're gonna future hunt. So I have a pair of hip boots, but I don't I'd be honest, I don't even wear them. Um I I wear my wiggles everywhere, even in a dry field, because it keeps me warm. So also think about that. Um, if you're if you're hunting consistently every year, and I mean, I would say if you have your own rice pit or whatever, and that's what you do, hip boots are gonna be amazing for you. Um, I like the hip boots, they're lighter, they're easier, it's tight, it's like wearing pants, it's I mean, it's it's it is comfortable, more comfortable, and you can access your pockets easier and not having to dig into your waiter stuff.

SPEAKER_04 30:33

So well, before we get hip boots, because I that's actually something I won't talk about at the end, your what's your go-to jacket, price-wise and company-wise?

SPEAKER_01 30:43

My man, this is this is uh this is hard because a lot of companies make really good jackets. I've had a I have jackets from Bandit, I have jackets from Drake. Um, but I'll be honest, uh at that expo, when I saw the for the price and how, I mean, how simple it is. You know, sometimes I think some people get caught up in um maybe gimmick stuff. And I'm I'm guilty of it, right? I really do like the American, the American waterfowl, the rain jacket. Um, so that that would probably be my go-to. The one I wear now, my go-to is my Vortex uh drake jacket. Uh just because I like the um magnetic, it doesn't have a zip, it has the magnetic pocket. I put my phone in there and it's a drop pocket. It's almost nearly, not saying it won't fall out, nearly impossible for like anything to come out. I've never had that issue, especially when you have uh waiters on or whatever. So I would say right now, the stuff that I have my go-to jacket is my great, my uh drape um bottom line, uh Cortex jacket, rain jacket. So, and because like I said, when you're out there, you want to be warm and you want to be dry. That's the biggest thing for me. That's I think that's everybody. I mean, once you get wet, the hunt's not over for us because we I I think there's a point where I don't want to say uh I'm flying on the thing. There's things that they're yeah, I think for me and you, there's things that have sucked more than just being, you know, I want to enjoy it out there, especially if I have um my kids with me, right? I don't want to ruin the hunt for them. Um so I mean, I I mean, I there's things that definitely worse things, worse feelings, worse, you know, a lot colder. A lot, so sometimes not too bad, but to warmth and uh staying dry. So that's what I would say. But yeah, I would say that's my go-to, the one that I have, my personal stuff. The one I'm the one that I do like is the American waterfall. So I need to get on that. I haven't pulled the trigger on it though, but maybe uh Joey Hibbs will hear this and be like, here you go, Chris, got you a new jacket. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding, man.

SPEAKER_04 33:06

But uh I do I have some honorable mentions. So I like how you you brought up like the um um northern flag waiters you have. Uh if I was gonna if I was right now gonna be a you know jump into hunting uh and I had to buy a whole new set of on a budget, but for quality, I would go with a Magellan, and then probably right above the Magellan, I would pick the Northern Flight uh series gear from Cabela's. I'm looking at here right now for 150 bucks you have the Northern Flight three in one parka. So for 150 bucks, you get a camouflage parka that is that you can do into a waterproof um just a waterproof uh cold weather jacket that's kind of almost like oh um everything keep you warm. It's a little more bulkier, but it's gonna keep you warm. It has uh you know you could downgrade it and unzip some layers off and have it just as a waterproof rain jacket, and you could have almost uh comes in too like almost a like a windbreaker type deal. Uh for that price, a good three-in-one jacket that you could um that's kind of modular. I'd say that is a very good price for the newer hunter. Um I'm gonna come back to a lot of this um, you know, these northern flight products. But that's the one that that I would go with. Um now when I start when I start looking at Sheen and Sitka and all these other ones for a waterproof jacket type top. My son has a Hudson, he likes it, uh, or the Delta jacket. Uh Landon has a um Drake one that he really likes. Um but yeah that one that Drake one is a little for me when I've looked at it, it's a little too warm for we gonna hunt here. So you know, for me, in the area that I hunt, I'm gonna go with the um $150 uh Northern Fly, or not Northern Flight, North American Waterfowl uh Company from Joey Hibbs. I would go with their jacket.

SPEAKER_01 35:38

Actually, the that brand uh popped in my head that I forgot. It was the Hoot brand. That Hoot brand, which is not it's not a bad brand. My my daughter actually wears that jacket now and she loves it because it's warm. It has the the uh the wrist cuff velcro. Um but like I said, try it first. Maybe if I had a uh I guess the bigger size, um I don't know, maybe maybe it's been better, but I just that one was kind of uh I don't want to say donated, but gifted to me. So uh nothing better than free, right?

SPEAKER_04 36:14

So yeah. That's especially with this key on, but next let's go with weiter pants. I'm a big waiter pants guy, and I know you weren't at first, and then you know we talked about how you guys got into waiter pants. Um you know, I'll let you talk about how you you know what you start off with, what you like, and if you can give, you know, then we'll give we'll each give your budget type waiter pen you like, and the high dollar, you know, if you were gonna get a high dollar one, what it would be. Yeah. What brand or whatnot.

SPEAKER_01 36:48

So, first off, budget waiters. If you're starting out, I'm just gonna tell you, you don't need them. Um, if you're wearing waiters. Uh there's other things you can do. You can put your socks over your sweats that you're wearing or whatever you're wearing. Um, and your your booth, your, your um, your pants, your hand, sweats, whatever won't ride up. What I will say there is a comfortability and um I guess uh what am I trying to say? I guess a convenience to it with waiter pants, because there's some waiter pants that look like your everyday uh, I don't want to say slacks, but like hand jeans or whatever. Um I have I have a pair and uh and then I have a pair of like waiter sweats, I guess, that are abandoned, and then I have a pair of like pants that are waiter pants. When I say comfortability and convenience, it's hey, we're about we're gonna go to go eat, which I don't care. I I've looked like a bum at breakfast with my smoker's jacket and some sweats. My shirt Joe's like, yeah, I don't know who that I picked up this hobble off the street, so I don't know. But um that that's just me because I I don't care. I mean, going into I think we've been in the um uh Daryl's when I is Daryl's Daryl's not there, right?

SPEAKER_04 38:13

No, so Daryl's still open in like Charles and then they rename in uh in Venice.

SPEAKER_01 38:20

So when we go to we go to Daryl's, I mean I for a long time that's how I I addressed, but um that's just because I didn't want to spend the money for waiter pants. Um but as I went on, there is I again there is a convenience to it because now I could still wear my wader pants, they look like regular jeans. I go eat somewhere and I don't look like a bum. Um Joe doesn't have to say he picked me up offside of the street because I look hungry or something and stuff. But um I would say if you're a beginning hunter and you have waders and all you're using is waders, I would say you don't need them. You can wear sweats, you can cuff, uh put um socks over your over your uh pants or whatever the main your whatever you're wearing. Now, well, I if you're eventually, hey, I I really enjoy this. This is fun for me. Um, I guess I would say 100% get you some waiter pants because there's some of the waiter pants, they also have a little uh velcro cuff. I know my Drake ones, they're the waiter sweats, I guess. They have the slot for your foot and they have a velcro cuff. So when you slide your your feet in, um, it doesn't ride up. And then uh the waiter pants kind of have the same thing. Mine don't have a Velcro cuff, but it does have the uh where your foot gets uh swipe, you can slide your foot in and it slides down a little bit. So I would say yes, I would I would recommend getting them. Um they're also comfortable. Uh at least my pants are kind of like a stretchy material pants. I don't know what yours is, Joe, but um I would say yeah. Um though that would be my high-end. There would be probably the banded ones I have. And then if you're starting out, I would say if you have waivers, you don't need them.

SPEAKER_04 40:10

Yeah. Uh man, dude, so I've gone through all sorts of wader pants. Um and some of my favorite ones are uh not you know are are you know or not so cheap or uh they're not too bad expensive. But yeah, like I said, yeah, at first, I mean, sweats work, you know, just you know, just just as good. Sweatpants. Um but and when you if you're gonna go that route, you really don't need to go buy high-end sweatpants, right? Um I'm looking at Drake waiter sweatpants right now that are for a hundred bucks. Listen, I like Drake, but there is no reason why he should be paying a hundred bucks for sweats that are, you know, um for sweat. Um so yeah. But there, you know, there was a certain kind of man there for a while I wore a uh I wore jeans underneath my waiters and you know um now I'll try to wear I try to stay away from jeans now. Uh there was a certain brand of jean uh that I that I wore um just because the way they fit and they're you know there are athletic cut from uh old navy. There's a pair of old navy athletic cut jeans that I I would wear a lot with hunting because they wouldn't they wouldn't ride up or whatnot. They're you know, and they I wouldn't have my sock fall down or whatnot, and because of it. Uh things why I tell people stay away from some jeans and denim when you're wearing, especially when you're using um uh breathable waders or not, especially breathable non-insulated waders, where you're that denim to rub against um uh things and thing tape, you're gonna just gonna add a little extra wear. You don't think about it, but it does. Um, you know, a hard good denim is gonna rub against that. Um now I wear if I had to go with waiter pants, you know, they're actually uh $40 waiter pants from Drake. Um, and they're almost like they're a canvas. I really like the canvas ones. I like them because they had zipper pockets and they had the built-in cuffs. Um and they, you know, they were more of an athletic form fit, they weren't super baggy, and um I could wear them wheel in my waiters and not feel like I had a bunch of extra fabric underneath them, uh underneath my waiters that are bunching up. That's the kind of one thing about waiters and waiter pants for comfort um is buying something that doesn't have a bunch of extra material on it where it kind of bunches up and it's gonna start rubbing. I mean waiter pants, like I said, um they're they're all sorts of I'm even looking at um the pricing on some of these that are just you know even some of these cheaper brands are just super expensive. Um and there's some like you know Avery Heritage Hunted pants that are about 60 bucks, not horrible. But there was a pair of pants that I super liked. I've never bought them uh just because of the price of them. And so I like to hunt hip boots and the in the rice. Um the thing I don't the only thing I don't like about hip boots is the attachment point to them. Um it's either on your belt or your belt or directly on your belt loop, which when you're kind of locking, it's kind of it's kind of a weird pivot point that kind of pulls your pants down. Now you can see you, you know, you guys will see me sometimes not wear my hip boot straps at all. Um and it doesn't yank on your pants or your belt, but they start riding down, and then that that can get a little uncomfortable, or it can kind of like when you're walking, it starts kicking water up into the um into your hip boot. But there was this pair of pants from Duck Camp, and they're the um men's guide brush pants, is what they're called. Now I don't own them. Yeah, they're they're about they're about 170 bucks. I don't own them. The h but they have a special loop on them for um for um your what do you call it? Your uh hip boots, and it's oh it's all it's horizontal loop underneath your belt, your belt line, and it's a lot thicker or like wider or longer. So when you're walking your uh loop or the the strap on the um do that again, do that again.

SPEAKER_02 45:34

Oh god, I wish I would have ported that.

SPEAKER_04 45:37

The straps on your um head boots can actually move a little bit, and there's again so not, you know, they're not when you're walking, they're not pulling straight down. They there's there's um some of you know how you're gay. But uh I said I know you know if it wasn't balling on a budget, those are the ones I would probably have. I use I like the canvas because um uh it what do you call it? Uh I just like the like the canvas callhart type fit um material. But Walmart. Walmart has those rang the Wrangler outdoor pants that are or breathable pants that I'll wear. And I think they're like 20, 30 bucks, and they're no de you know, they're breathable uh material that's moisture wicking. That's really good down for me down here in Tilseason that I'll wear a lot underneath uh underneath my waders or my hip boots.

SPEAKER_02 46:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 46:48

Um yeah, and again, I'm not I'm not saying you don't need wader pants, but yeah, I I do agree that there's a lot of convenience to it, especially if when you're wearing hip boots. Um I I have a pair of hip boots, I know exactly what you're talking about. I almost have to like cinch my belt uh a lot more just so it doesn't ride, it doesn't hold your pants down, just awkward. So I do agree. Um as far as so we did waiter jackets, we did sweaters, we did waiter pants.

SPEAKER_04 47:14

It's cool hip boots.

SPEAKER_01 47:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 47:17

So I'll let you talk about hip boots first, because I know you're not a hip boot company.

SPEAKER_01 47:21

No, yeah. This is gonna be more your realm.

SPEAKER_02 47:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 47:25

I have I have a pair of hip boots, I have the lacrosse uh uh lacrosse. I don't know why I lost my blank. Also, people know that this we uh this is six in the morning when we start this podcast because we're uh we also have a life and and uh family stuff, and but um yeah, that's the only pair I have. I think I've worn them maybe twice. I don't wear them a lot. A lot of the stuff I hunt, I'm in the water. Um, if I do wear them, I'm I wear them when I'm with Joe because he wears them a lot because he in his rice pits or whatever. Uh so you don't need waders really too much. I wear waders anyways, the majority of the time, just because I want to be warm and comfortable. Um, but you don't have to. I will say with the hip boots, I don't know if you've ever worn waders. It's a little bit like you're lugging. I I don't even know how to say it. Like you look like record Ralph walking uh on a dry field or on a dry field. With hip boots, you're just kind of just walking normal. Kind of like uh, I mean, just an everyday thing. So it makes it, it is, there is a difference, but um, I'm not a hip boot condour, so I'm not gonna speak too much on it. Uh, but I I do like my hip boots. They're just plain Jane, the like um, I don't know, uh what would you call like a army green color?

SPEAKER_04 48:55

Those are absolutely my favorite hits. Yeah, those um lacrosse, yeah. So for me with hip boots, there's three different um categories. You know, you know, now you can get, I'll tell you what, if you if you're not gonna hunt that often in it, um Magellan makes a great $40 hit boot. You know, if you're you know the $40, they actually look a lot like look like the lacrosse boot. Um they're that um rubber PVC style boot or uh material. The only thing I don't really care for those is the boots not really supportive. It's kind of a little more floppier. So after walking in a while on it, it kind of uh I don't want to say it hurts, but you know you know, it's just not as um not as sturdy of a boot. And the the material they use, if you hunt them for a long time, they're more res they're more applicable to uh dry rot. Uh so you'll notice the cracks and stuff that are happening in those, um happening in those, and um you know, you start dry rotting, you get cracks, you get you know leaks, and then now you your hip boots, they're not functional, right? They're watering hell. Once you get water and something that's supposed to be dry, it's not you know a bad deal. But for 40 bucks, you could probably get three seasons out of them, four seasons out of them. My kids, those are the ones my kids wear. And um the uh they're outgrown before they're they're um completely getting destroyed. But you can start seeing the wear and tear on those um a lot faster than the ones that I have, right? I have I like the little cross ones that you're talking about. Uh they're about 150 bucks. Um and I wear them, I wear them a lot in the rice, uh, in the crawfish fields, and even uh kind of in the dry lump goose hunting, because you're kicking the mud stuff. They're durable, they last long, um, they're comfortable. Um they're not there's other some ones that that that are they're not baggy where um there's like extra dead space in them. There's some other brands that I've I've seen that are kind of a little baggier. Yeah, the the hip boots I you know I really like um little crosses um for at the mid-range. Now how there's ones that man, I look at them, I like them. Um if you know if you had the money in your balling, there's a sheen slew boot. Um I went down to the sheen store this this winter when I was going up to Arkansas, stopped over there, stopped in um in Stuttgart to the sheen store, and you have a slew boot, which is their version of the head boot. But it comes with a it comes with that sheen price of $300. So it's double the price of a of the lacrosse, and you gotta start thinking, do you really get um what's the $300, what's the $300 versus the $170? Um it's gonna come that's gonna probably come down to their warranty, right? You get a lifetime warranty with Sheen, you get it, I know with lacrosse, you get a two-year warranty. And I've used I've actually used lacrosse warranties on a whole pair of waiters that I had, which that um they are real good, didn't have no problem. It took me about a two-week turnaround to get a new pair of waiters through them. But you know, that's kind of like you know where you're at with um uh hit boot-wise, you know, there is um you know, the very we'll say inexpensive brand you uh Magellan brand you from from um Academy. I like, and then there's uh there's plenty in that mid-level 150 to 170 brand. You have uh frog talk, you have um banded makes one, you have Drake that makes a good pair of one. I like the the lacrosse ones because I like how they're a little bit tighter, they're more form-fitting. Um there, you know, you don't have a lot of like dead wiggle space in them. And I like that how thick they are. Um the thick rubber material. Sometimes you're going through um rice straw, rice stubble, you know, you're not you're just not you're not getting the the wear and tear on seams and stuff like you would get on breathable type tear that's her vortex. Um so you know, that's that's what you know, my thoughts on that. Um, like I said, you can go cheap, you can go expensive. Uh, I would say for me, if you're gonna be hunting um a lot, and that's what you want to use, I would go the mid-range on those little crosses. Um, reason why I like to hunt, uh, I everyone knows I like to hunt bibs and hip boots in a rice pit, and it's because you know, those rice people don't think about those rice pits, put a lot of wear and tear in and out of them on your waiters, on seams, rubbing against the metal and stuff like that. Especially me, even when I'm guiding and stuff, I sit in a dog box. So I'm kind of always moving, and you have metal, and it's like kind of like a Chrysassine them, it's almost like a rusted metal rubbing against seams and stuff like that. So you have stuff that do wear out a lot. Um so that you know, that's why I wear it. And like I said, for me, the price-wise, and you know, I'm going on my third season with about to start my fourth season with the same little cross, $150 crosshit boots.

SPEAKER_01 55:13

Yeah, that's something too. Also, I I guess I didn't really put when you're thinking about it, is like the wear and tear you put on something that's keeping you dry dry, dry when you're in the uh water versus you know just wearing some hip boots. But um no, I agree. I mean, I I think we kind of covered everything. Is there what else did you do we want to cover? Do we want to cover? I think we kind of hit the high points.

SPEAKER_04 55:43

Yeah, I know that I know for the viewers it was kind of more of a boring one. Um, the clothing.

SPEAKER_01 55:49

No, because I'm gonna I'm gonna put out that video of you making your hand motion. It's not gonna be, but I yeah, for the viewers, I mean be comfortable, spend the money where you need to spend it, and don't spend the money where you don't need to spend it. Just know what you're wearing. I know it's you you can go down this rabbit hole, rabbit trail, whatever you want to call it, and want to get the cool camo stuff, whatever. I'm a big bottomland guy, so um you when you don't need to, uh like I said, I'm gonna say it again. You just need a good pair, a good jacket, good gloves, good socks, everything else you can get at Walmart, Teamu, wherever you get your stuff, marketplace, thrift store. So yeah, surplus store.

SPEAKER_04 56:39

Yeah, I mean, trial and error is you know, a lot find something to make you comfortable. And then the big thing about waterfowl hunting, and even with any hunting at all at all, but more so with waterfowl hunting, because you're you know nine times out of ten, you're gonna be in water. Uh what makes the best hunts is the most comfortable hunt. So get good, reliable equipment that one is not necessarily gonna break the bank, but stuff that you won't have to buy over and over and over again because that all that's a cost that continuously adds up. If I'm buying the same product over and over again every season, you know, you might not not necessarily have to go to the Sheen or the Sitka stuff or the Couyu, but go to a mid-level brand that has um a you know a reputable product that's gonna last you two, three, four, maybe up to five seasons. Um, now I know we didn't really touch on some of these other brands like Sheen, Couyu, or Sitka, not bashing them. I know they make great products, uh, but this is like I said, this is for a budget line of hunting. Now, for people that wanna, you know, you turn, you know, going from hunting five times a season to 10 to 20 to 20, almost 30. Uh, and for people that don't, if you hunt 30 days of a 60-day season, you're hunting every other day. That's a lot, you're hunting a lot. Uh heck man, if you're hunting 15 days of a season, you're hunting a lot. Um those range of thinkings are stuff you might want to think about in the long run because of warranties. That's where those high-end companies, they do have high-end products, they do make real good um, real good products, you know, but where I think they shine at more so is their warranties, um, having lifetime warranties, fixing, you know, fixing leaks and holes and tears and ribs at a very reduced cost. So though, you know, that's something where um where you could look at long term, but for the people to get you know, to get into the hunting and all that, don't don't break the buck. Marketplace, um cabela's, even going to Academy. Uh, and just because the way people think that are lesser brands doesn't mean they're lesser quality. Or, you know, just because they're they're they're more cheaper brands doesn't mean they're lesser quality. Magellan and Northern Fly make great products that that I the person that I use, I have tons of Magellan equipment. But Chris?

SPEAKER_01 59:28

Yeah, I mean, I think we can that I think that was a good stopping point. Like you said, I like I did like uh just shop around. I mean, you can find stuff at the store, surplus stores. If you go to surplus store, I mean BDU color doesn't, I mean it works. So don't don't get too harped up on all these crazy um bottom line and uh different camos, but um but if there's nothing else, I mean, like always, uh y'all have a good one and uh love valor and I fail.