Mid Season John Dudley Picks: Lightweight Hunting Gear

The folks at Sitka kept comfort and versatility top of mind when designing the Traverse Jacket. With a high-loft Berber fleece interior that delivers plenty of warmth, plus mapping in lightweight fleece panels at the sides and underarms for a great fit.

A super-quiet polyester knit face with a durable, water-repellent finish helps keep you dry in light rain. The fabrics used in this jacket were made with recycled materials, so it’s eco-friendly.

• High-loft Berber fleece interior for warmth
• Mapping in lightweight fleece panels at the sides and underarms for a better fit
• Super-quiet polyester knit face with a durable, water-repellent finish
• Made from recycled materials

The perfect layer for when the fall frost arrives — the midweight Core Merino 220 Bottoms from Sitka are made from durable, ArmorSpun merino wool, which has a high warmth-to-weight ratio and is naturally odor-resistant to keep your scent concealed from nearby deer.

This jacket will last you for years to come.
• Durable 220g merino wool that’s made to last
• Naturally odor-resistant
• Lots of warmth without extra bulk

With a super-soft, super-quiet body that helps you stay comfortable and stealthy, the high-performance Fanatic Hoodie will become a favorite in your whitetail system. It’s body-mapped grid and microgrid fleeces work to regulate your body temperature while keeping odors to a minimum with Polygiene® Odor Control Technology.

Its half-zip construction allows you to quickly dump heat, and the integrated flip-over hand mitts keep fingers warm and ready to shoot.

• Body-mapped grid and microgrid fleeces to regulate body temperatures
• Polygiene® Odor Control Technology
• Built-in, flip-over hand mitts to keep your fingers warm and ready to shoot

One of the most popular baselayers around, the Core Lightweight Hoodie is the prototype on which all Sitka systems are built. Featuring a high-performance, moisture-wicking polyester construction, the Core Lightweight hoodie will keep you comfy and dry when you start to sweat.

• Moisture-wicking to keep you dry and comfy
• The perfect amount of stretch for a great fit
• Comfy, high-performance polyester

The Equinox Turkey Vest pairs lots of storage space with tons of comfort. This hunting pack gives you plenty of organizational space without sacrificing the mobility you'll need for a run-and-gun turkey hunt. With spacious pockets with magnetic closures for strikers, box calls, pot calls, and other tools, you’ll have ample room for all the essentials.

The Equinox features adjustable straps to create a secure fit, and a drop-down seat lets you deploy and cinches back up in a flash.

• Adjustable straps for a secure fit
• Drop-down seat for when you need a break
• Roomy, magnetic-closing pockets to keep your tools and accessories safe

Built on a tubular, aircraft-grade aluminum frame that exceeds industry standards of comfort, even when fully loaded. The Mountain Hauler 4000 features triple-density foam for extra padding in the hip belt and shoulder straps.

With a load rating of up to 150 lbs., it can easily handle full game bags and a set of antlers. And with plenty of internal and external storage, you’ll always have room for holsters, bear spray rigs, and other accessories.

• Tubular, aircraft-grade aluminum frame
• Triple-density foam for extra padding in hip belt and shoulder straps
• Load rating of 150 lbs.
• Tons of pockets and external storage

With 23 separate pockets and 2,200 cubic inches of total storage space, this extra-large, bucket-style pack has dedicated pockets for climbing sticks, bow hangers, water bottles, and more. With a durable, water-repellent finish, it will keep your gear dry, and breathable air-mesh back panels deliver excellent ventilation.

It also features stay-secure front accessory straps, hide-away top and bottom accessory straps, load-bearing shoulder straps, and a hide-away load-secure strap.

• 23 pockets and 2,200 cubic inches of storage space
• Durable, water-repellent finish to keep gear dry
• Breathable air-mesh back panels for ventilation
• Load-bearing shoulder straps for comfy carrying

Big game hunters can all agree: The Mountain Optics Harness is perfect for storing all the gear you need. Featuring a magnetic, silent-secure, one-handed front flap for binos, not to mention removable, modular side pockets for accessories, the Mountain Optics harness gives you quick and quiet access to all your gear. It even features additional elastic pockets for storing calls, keys, or other small belongings, and the internal lens cloth helps you keep your glass clean.

This harness has a brushed polyester face fabric for super-quiet stalking.

• Removable, modular side pockets
• Secure magnetic one-handed front flap for binos
• Brushed polyester face fabric

The Leupold RX FullDraw® 5 is ideal for archers, using your bow’s shot angles, peep height, velocity, and arrow weight to calculate accurate ranges based on your gear setup. It has input velocities as low as 170 feet per second. And with new-and-improved flightpath technology, you can switch between two viewing modes, letting you see possible obstacles from distances up to 85 yards.

This rangefinder even has a setting for low visibility, and Last Target mode lets it reach through fog and moisture to give you a precise, accurate reading.

• Broad range of velocity inputs, giving you an accurate reading for your specific gear
• 6x magnification
• Bright red OLED display
• Last Target mode for precise readings in bad weather
• Super-fast laser engine

Exceptional performance that doesn't weigh you down on long hunts; That's the beauty of the Leupold BX®-4 Pro Guide™ HD Binoculars These binocularss provide edge-to-edge sharpness and contrast, plus the superb brightness that guides demand – all while minimizing glare. They’re the ideal binoculars for seeing clearly in low-light conditions.

• Exit pupil – high: 4.2mm
• Close focus distance: 7.5ft.
• Angular field of view – high: 6.2 degrees
• Weight: 1.5lbs.

Comfort, simplicity, and the ability to adjust groups quickly – there are reasons why the Nock 2 is so popular. This release features a custom two-finger design and an auto-closing jaw for quick attachment to your d-loop. The finger hole is engineered to accommodate use with a light glove.

You can reduce variation in your release angle by limiting the number of fingers you use on the release, which will force repeatable finger pressure, helping you to improve consistency downrange!

• Auto-closing jaw for quick, easy attachment to your d-loop
• Custom two-finger design for comfortable grip and repeatable pressure
• Improves consistency down range