Real Tree

As an avid Outdoors person, the name brand of Realtree is at the top of the list when it comes to camouflage and hunting apparel. As I was growing up, I remember them coming out with their first line of camouflage what looks like tree bark one of the best things a bowhunter could ever put on his body to blend in.  I have owned several products that Realtree has released over the years. And I have to say I’ve been satisfied with all the products that I have purchased except for one. 

The local sporting goods store Dunham’s ran a sale last year at the end of the season for all the winter gear that they had. The wife and I decided to go and check out the inventory that they were selling. They had a ton of light weather camouflage in their clearance section. And their discount section was quite a few of the winter gear cloths they had bibs and jackets, they had one piece. As I searched through the racks, I found a jacket and bibs, they had matching material I was excited. For a fraction of the price, I was able to get myself into a whole new hunting outfit this one even had the hole cut in the back for my safety gear while I’m in the tree stand. It had a lot of pockets for everything that I needed to carry, and it was warm feeling. As we all know, when we buy end-of-season clearance stuff it literally sits in the closet for around 330 days.

As the next year’s hunting season rolled around, I went to the closet and pull out all the hunting gear. It’s always exciting when you realize I bought that last year brand new can’t wait to use it this year. The only problem with that is that this outfit is for colder weather. This year Mother Nature is being a button stick and we have seasonably warm weather for the start of fall season. So back into the closet goes the new clothes till the weather turns a little chillier. October came and went November started with a bang Mother Nature just opened up and said no more warm weather. November 15th is the opening day of rifle season in our state Mother Nature opened her arms and the cold weather just poured out of her. The night before my son and I got all our hunting gear round so we didn’t have to struggle in the morning. At this point in time, I couldn’t wait to use the new gear I bought last year. 

The time has arrived opening day we popped up out of bed about 4:45 in the morning got our poop on and some coffee on us. We have something that is called state land in our state. It’s land set aside for all residents of our state to use. So, it is on a first come-first-serve basis. Early birds get the worm so to speak.

We were sitting in the tree stands by 5:30. About a half hour later we started noticing other flashlights and noises in the wood’s other hunters for sure. At this point in time that was probably the first time I started to move or wiggle in my tree stand get a little cold or uncomfortable.

 

Oh my God I said in my head as I lean forward to stretch my back, this Velcro sound came from behind me.  At first, I thought it was just my jacket that had frozen to the tree since it was about 22 degrees Fahrenheit out. Once I got a good stretch, I lean back onto the tree no noise it happened I did set still in quiet for about another hour just as the sun started to pick up over the trees and the temperature started to drop. My butt was becoming a little numb, so I had shifted  my weight from the left cheek to the right cheek to try to give one side a break. During this process the same sound come from behind me off my jacket. So, I started wiggling and playing with it a little bit to see if I can get it to make the same sound all the time. I was not happy with what I was hearing, the jacket material clings to the bark of this red oak tree. As it makes a velcro sound when pulled way. It boggles my mind that the manufacture of hunting gear allows this. One of the most important things in the woods is not be heard or seen during hunting season. And I truly believe they are aware of this. If I had a chance to give this back to design and development I would do it in a heartbeat. I would take them out to my tree and show them how the jacket makes a velcro sound against the bark. So, my review on this jacket is fail. I’ve attached a picture of the jacket in the tag so if any of you out there find this on the clearance rack do not waste your hard-earned money. I am still a fan of Realtree, I think it’s some of the best product out there for hunting I just think they really dropped the ball on this line of clothing. Thanks for listening to my rant get out get hunting have fun.