Over the last week, I have been preparing my gear in preparation for my Iowa late season muzzleloader hunt. I have also been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast as it becomes available . Fortunately, I have yet to get uncomfortably cold on a hunt and I sure do not want this Iowa hunt to be my first experience at that. I have deer hunted in single digit weather, turkey hunted in snow and experienced the skin chapping affect on my skin of 25-30 mile an hour wind. From what I am hearing, late season Iowa can be pretty brutal.
I am confident in my wool gear and my heavyweight base layers, but my base layer closest to my skin had me second-guessing. I had purchased that particular pair of base layers more for its wicking properties for chilly mornings turkey hunting where you are on the move — sometimes working up a little sweat.
I had to have a pair of base layers that would not only wick away moisture, but also keep my body heat regulated under all that wool while I trekked through snow. A base layer that will keep my body heat warm when sitting in a stand — with snow falling and the wind whistling through the trees.
I have never cared for the body hugging fit of most base layers, keeping in mind that the closer to your skin the garment, the better the performance. Another feature I don’t like in most base layers is that the garments always shrunk in the washer and dryer cycle, with some of the various brands stretching out of shape while wearing them. I even had one pair that stretched so much that the waist literally came up above mid-torso, causing me to have to fold them down on top of my waist band.
Prior to the last two years, I have had to purchase men’s base layers for the lack of finding good quality base layers for women. Because of that fact, I had a MAJOR pet peeve … a fly on the front of my base layer pants. Why? Why? Why do manufactures even bother to waste the time putting that feature on men’s under garments? In all my years, I have yet to meet a man that actually uses that feature.
Thermal pant and shirt for both women and men. Photo courtesy of THY Enterprises, LLC
Now there are manufacturers that make good quality women’s base layers. One of the companies that I found is THY Enterprises, LLC. This company not only provides base layers for the outdoor enthusiast, they are a major supplier of our military Special Ops personnel. If it were rigorous enough to pass the brutal and tedious testing of our military, then surely in my application it would pass the test with flying colors.
The first thing I noticed about these garments was the quality of the double stitching, a non-binding wide waistband and the lightweight feel of the material. I put all the items in the washer with Tink’s Vanish laundry detergent and then the dryer with a Hunter’s Specialties Scent-A-Way anti-static dryer sheet. They came out of the dryer soft and in the same shape and size that they went in.
It was time to put the product through the test. I pulled the pants on and was pleased to find that the length was good, with a little room to spare. The waistband fit snug and it did not ride down in the back when I bent over or squatted. I slipped the mock-neck, long-sleeved shirt on and loved the fact that the neck was not tight, the sleeves were plenty long and the cuffs were snug but not tight. The feature I really liked was that the shirt has a drop tail long enough for tucking in … allowing you the added benefit that it would not pull out of the back of your pants when reaching or bending over. The shirts feature dropped-shoulder seams to reduce pressure points from backpacks or gun slings.
I headed to the field to try this product out. The temperatures during my hunt were mild and the early morning low was only 27 degrees with no wind. Regardless, I could tell that these garments were going to live up to task of keeping me warm and comfortable in any cold weather situation; as well as wicking away moisture on milder days.
THY garments are made from 100 percent continuous filament polypropylene yarn that results in material that transfers moisture from your skin without the fabric having to be treated with chemicals. The garment’s moisture wicking properties make this an ideal early season garment as well as a great base layer for temperatures that fluctuate often in the same day. The balaclava is available in adult and youth sizes and is specifically made not to stretch out from continuous pulling and it conveniently can be worn over or under ball caps or hats comfortably.
Adult Balaclava available in White, black, foliage green, pink. Also available in Youth sizes. Photo courtesy of THY Enterprises, LLC
Sock Liner available in women and men's sizes. Photo courtesy of THY Enterprises, LLC
THY Enterprises manufactures women’s shirts and pants, as well as bras, camisoles, socks, sock liners, glove liners and balaclava in several different color choices. In addition to women’s wear, THY Enterprises also offers garments for men and youth in the same styles and similar color choices. You can see the entire line of THY Enterprises products at http://www.thyenterprises.com/basket/.
I am so thankful that I ran across this product prior to my Iowa late season muzzleloader hunt and I feel I can confidentially say that I will stay dry and warm. You can rest assured that Richard will also be wearing THY Enterprises garments.
To follow along with the Guru Huntress’ adventures and see how these products work for her in the field, see her blog: http://njadams1.wordpress.com/
Endorsement Disclosure: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission, this product review is an endorsement and the writer may have been compensated by “in-kind” payment to review the product.
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
