Clothing

  1. Mastering the Art of Whitetail Food Plot Placement for Deer Hunting

    mastering the art of whitetail food plot placement For avid hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, there's an unwavering fascination with whitetail deer. These majestic creatures captivate our imagination and fuel our desire to be immersed in nature. As hunting strategies evolve, one approach that has gained considerable traction over the years is the establishment of food plots specifically designed to attract and sustain whitetail populations. Continue reading →
  2. Is the Sitka Mountain Evo the best early season Bowhunting Jacket?

    Sitka mountain evo I have been running Sitka clothing for over 10 years now, and one of the many attributes I respect about Sitka Gear is there seems to be a significant amount of thought and testing that goes into new gear before it is ever introduced to the market.  I’ve found them to be very innovative and thought leaders in the industry. The recent introduction to the Sitka Mountain Evo Jacket is no different.  After having put the Evo Jacket through some initial testing, I was continually thinking, oh this is why they did this or did that.  So far it has been brilliant; so, kudos to John Barklow and the rest of the Big Game development team for thinking outside the box and developing a piece of technical gear for all types of outdoor enthusiast. Continue reading →
  3. How to Build an 8 Piece Layering System w/ John Barklow from SITKA

    sitka gear and camo on blackovis.com We met with John Barklow from SITKA to give us an overview of how to Build an 8 Piece Layering System for hunting. This is perfect for having a layering system for western big game hunting as he covers base layers, pants, rain gear, and jackets. On BlackOvis.com you can shop by layering system or camo pattern for SITKA here. Tune on this video and get prepped for an epic and comfortable hunting season in the right SITKA gear. Continue reading →
  4. BlackOvis Merino 2.0

    Most likely you’ve heard the term layering as it relates to hunting clothing and how this technique will give you the optimal benefit under a variety of hunting conditions.   Many of the top hunting clothing manufactures build entire clothing systems around this layering concept.  These systems include essentially three components.  1) base layer 2) insulation layer, and 3) outer layer. This article will focus on the first layer of the clothing system (or the layer that’s next to your skin). There has been much debate and research around the most effective material for this base layer application.  Below is a simple explanation of the most commonly used base layer materials and some of the pros and cons. Continue reading →
  5. Hunting The Iowa Whitetail Rut

    When I first began hunting the river bottoms of Iowa with a shotgun at an early age, the whitetail rut is something I did not know about. As a clueless youth hunter, I simply only knew about deer drives and that was it. For those of you who don’t know what a deer drive is, it is when a group of hunters walk into a piece of land in hopes of pushing deer towards other group members that are strategically set up to shoot. Now, I am guilty along with many others that obsess over hunting the whitetail rut with a bow. Continue reading →
  6. Active vs Static Insulation

    Earlier this year, Sitka introduced a new jacket and hoody called the Ambient Collection.  The thesis behind this new piece of gear is to use it as a mid-layer insulation piece, that breathes well, and manages moisture in active situations. This was interesting to me and got me thinking about the difference between active and static insulation. My hunting style lends itself more toward activity rather than sitting for long periods of time, so the focus of this article is to define those terms and give a full review of the Ambient Hoody that I have been testing this past summer and early fall. Continue reading →
  7. Sitka ESW PANT Review

    When it comes to pants, there are so many options for a hunter to choose from. A lot can depend on your location and your tolerance to types of weather. The ESW (Early Season Whitetail) Pant from Sitka Gear has become my favorite pant that I own. Now if you are unfamiliar with Sitka’s Early Season line, it entered the market a couple of seasons ago. It launched with the intention to accommodate for those early season hunts when temperatures can be on the warm side. Let me dive into why I love this pant so much and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Continue reading →
  8. Skin to Shell, Stack And Shed

    The "6 S’s" to comfort in all conditions: Skin, Shell, Stack, Shed, Season, Situation Continue reading →
  9. Lightweight Hunting Pant Comparison

    My brother Jeff recently wrote a review on Midweight pants. I will use the same format he used. Most of our scouting and hunting is done in the early season when temps are a little warmer. On an early season archery elk hunt, in September for example, temps can range from 30 degrees in the morning to mid 70’s and 80’s in the day. Choosing a pant that is lightweight and breathable yet still durable is key to making these hunts more enjoyable. I had the opportunity test and put the following lightweight pants through the ringer. Continue reading →
  10. Midweight Pant Comparison

    I love the off season because it’s a chance for me to test gear in preparation for next year’s hunting season.  For the past several months, I have been testing three, high-quality, midweight pants. Continue reading →
  11. Down vs. Synthetic

    When it comes to choosing how to keep warm in the outdoors, we’re lucky to have so many options.  When choosing gear to take on a hunt, or any outdoor excursion, the question of down or synthetic may have crossed your mind before.  Down insulation is the fluffy undercoat feathers that come from ducks, geese and other waterfowl.  Synthetic insulation is man-made and is made up of fine polyester filaments that are designed to create pockets of air between the fibers.  If you’re like me, you may have more than one option from each category.     Continue reading →
  12. Rainwear Guide

    Rain gear is a purpose-built layer that is great for rain, wind, and snow. It will be the most water-resistant piece in your layering system. High-quality rain gear will be waterproof and breathable. In comparison to other fabrics rain gear is made out of a tougher material that is water-resistant, but also noisier. The type of rain gear that I bring depends on the season and type of hunt.   Continue reading →
  13. 2021 State Hunter Orange Requirements

    Here's a quick look at the information we've gathered on if and how much blaze orange you might need in the state you're hunting: Continue reading →
  14. New Sitka Dew Point Rain Gear Review

    I just returned from a week-long black bear hunt on Prince of Whales Island in Alaska.    Prince of Wales Island is located about 600 miles north of Seattle, Washington in Southeast Alaska near Ketchikan.  The island gets about 220 inches of rain per year and 39 feet of snow.  This is compared to about 10-12” of rain where I live in Utah on an annual basis.  Continue reading →
  15. How to Choose a Hunting Sock

    One of the first phone calls I took when I started doing Customer Service for BlackOvis was a gentleman who had just retired from his job. He explained that he was 71 years old and figured he had 15 or 20 years left. One of his retirement gifts to himself was buying 365 pairs of socks. For the first year of retirement he would get to wear a brand new pair of socks every day! Most likely each pair would only be worn a couple of dozen times before he passed away. This guy was my hero!  Continue reading →
  16. LEG GAITER COMPARISON

    At a certain point in time, we have all been in the situation of having soaked pant legs after hiking around through the misty morning, dew-soaked brush in the mountains. A lot of us have even been in the scenario of hiking around late in the season where the air is crisp, and the snow has a rhythmic crunch with every step you take. These are both prime scenarios when wearing gaiters could be a comfort along with protecting your pant legs from some of the elements. Continue reading →

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