Managing Editor Katie Marchetti Hutton wearing her First Lite gear while turkey hunting in Montana, 2021.
Opening weekend of the spring turkey hunting season in Montana can be sunny and 60 degrees — so I’ve heard. The last few years the wind has sent the temperature scuttling away into the single digits and we’ve spent our time hiking, hoping to spot silent birds in a blizzard.
Layers are key when preparing for hunting in Montana’s unpredictable weather conditions.
The Phantom Leafy Suit has worked so well for us while turkey hunting. It’s easy to pull on over your other First Lite layers quickly and quietly. The 3D camouflage is incredibly effective at keeping you hidden from a turkey’s impeccable vision — there is nothing more exciting than to have a strutting gobbler closing in on you while you’re hidden in plain sight.
I live in my FL Women’s Kiln Baselayers while hunting. They are soft, ward off the chill and smell of exertion, and are designed to keep you comfortable and dry while logging miles a day.
I stole my husband’s Catalyst Softshell Pants because they’re so comfortable and as I tend to run (very) cold I never hunt without my Aurora Puffy and more often than not I’m also wearing the Men’s Chamberlin Down Jacket. These gaiters are a must have for hiking in thick country or bad weather, and throughout the changes in weather I switch back and forth between the Shale Touch Glove and the Grizzly Mitt. When we get back to camp, I almost always pull on the Puffy Pants, which have been a game changer for my ability to stay comfortable at night or on a windy glassing knob.
Explore each product of the kit below, and head over to firstlite.com for the full selection of hunting outerwear and apparel.
Modern Huntsman is proud to feature some selections from First Lite’s 2021 line, especially having experienced them in the field. It’s important to us to partner with brands that share our same mission and values and First Lite has proven to be nothing less than exceptional.
