Let’s start with the bottom line up front. I bought the UnderArmour Storm2 Pants in RealTree as a set with their coat because they were on clearance and because I needed something that was marginally waterproof and warm for the late season hunting I do in Maryland after I’ve finished my hunting for the year in the Keystone State.
They work pretty well in Maryland, where the weather is temperate and rarely do the hunting temperatures that I experience ever go below zero in the time that I’ve spent there. Appropriate layering is the name of the game here, and you can afford to layer just a little less with the pants. However, if you don’t layer, the soft inside of the pants will stick to your leg uncomfortably if you overheat. I’ve used them now for two seasons and can say that these are great for the big woods, or in a tree stand or ground stand where you are sedentary most of the time, just waiting for a deer to come by. They’re warm, they don’t make a lot of noise, and they’re camouflaged in a pattern that works for the areas I hunt. I’ve sat for hours in some rain, sleet, and snow, and not felt wet while wearing the pants. Kudos to you UnderArmour!
Now let’s focus on what I don’t like. These pants and the jacket in the same line are not abrasion resistant. I mean, not even a little. I have to go through some briar patches on the way to several of my key deer stands, and I notices about a dozen pulls or snags the first time out. The first time I took them out for grouse season I blew out a hole in the knee. I’m sure UnderArmour makes something for that, but I can’t help but feel that these are some copycat designs in order to make the user “feel” like they’re a hunter. Maybe I need to be more careful about the briars, maybe they’re designed for hunters up in a treestand, I’m not sure. I’ve tried several soft shell type outfits that have the “go anywhere do anything” type advertisements attached to them. They don’t and they won’t. If they do — especially the pants on this one, you may find that they’ll travel to hunting camp with you, and spend the rest of the trip in your bag. Again, I’m a ground pounder — so walking around for hours and hours in the thick stuff be it walking for bear or still hunting deer or even pushing some grouse territory will tear the pants up.
The accents on the pants and jacket are Chartreuse! I… why?! Was this some attempt at accenting with a color so I didn’t forget where the zippers for the pant legs were? Is this not a color that whitetail can see because of their altered chromatic scale? On the women’s stuff the zippers are pink, something that my wife abhors about hunting clothing being designed for women.
In sum, I’d say this is something that you can add to your hunting wardrobe if you don’t have anything water resistant or need some quick camo. If you hunt anywhere prone to abrasion such as briars or barbed wire fences, probably stick to something like Filson for your outerwear, or get some chaps. The outfit is comfortable, and feels like hunting in some well worn pajamas, and that’s nothing to take lightly. All the complaining I just did about things that are resistant to abrasion come at a cost — those usually feel like you’re wearing bark or plate mail. Just a little more rugged and this set would be a solid buy for me, but as is this is a “if it’s on sale” — which it was at the time I picked it up.
