European Alpine hunting clothes

[Redfishga1]

I’ve got to find the right boots for this situation

 

[Olivier]

The entire Harkila collection dedicated to mountain hunting (these are the clothes I am wearing in my profile photo)

https://harkila.com/fr-fr/shop/series/mountain-hunter-expedition

 

[Foxi]

@Redfishga1
I don't think a PH would go across ice fields with a stranger who is hunting.
But in the mountains, you can't always choose.
So make sure you have crampon-compatible mountain boots and buy gaiters.

Practice shooting with a stick and how your weapon hits at 200 m. Furthermore, you won't be allowed to shoot at the beginning.
It's far away anyway.

 

[wesheltonj]

I’ve got to find the right boots for this situation

You need to ask about the terrain you will be hunting Gams. I had hiking boots and they were not going to work. Not stiff enough, needed Mountaineering boots and I tried to go up the "trail." We hunted a different area to match my boots and it was still difficult. If you going in the ice, Mountaineering are your only choice.

I might also add, after I returned I could find no stores in San Antonio or Austin that sold mountaineering boots. The closest store was in Denver.

You might also ask about poles too.

 

[Russ16]

If you want, I can send you one.
Do you have a PayPal account?

That’s kind I’ll send you a PM.

 

[Rimbaud]

Springer, as pointed out, is excellent. So is Kettner. Halder has been making wonderful jewelry/hat pins for hunters for eons. Also, check out Loden Plankl, which is near Halder and across from winter palace, for trachten. For my European hunts, I tend to wear forest green, browns, etc. Vienna also has some great makers of traditional hats. Halder or Springer could recommend. I'm not a big believer in camo, even when hunting at home in the States.

 

[RLD]

Springer, as pointed out, is excellent. So is Kettner. Halder has been making wonderful jewelry/hat pins for hunters for eons. Also, check out Loden Plankl, which is near Halder and across from winter palace, for trachten. For my European hunts, I tend to wear forest green, browns, etc. Vienna also has some great makers of traditional hats. Halder or Springer could recommend. I'm not a big believer in camo, even when hunting at home in the States.

I have to second Loden Plankl in Vienna, I have a number or pieces of clothing from there and they are all excellent.

My favourite piece of hunting attire, a green El Paca wool hunting cape, I picked up from a smashing little shop in Salzburg: https://www.jagd-dschulnigg.at/jagdabteilung/?lang=en

You can certainly do just fine hunting with modern gear there, but for me it's trachten or bust. And the stuff is comfortable, warm and very practical.

 

[Red Leg]

Unlike Germany in the late seventies when I was first hunting in Bavaria, you will no longer find much in the way of loden in use in the field anywhere. Tyrolean hats with boar brushes or hunting related pins are more often seen in a gasthause than on a mountain.

My favorite fall hunting jacket/parka for Europe is modern and yet still traditional. It is their Game Keeper model. Mine has been to Spain and Austria twice while getting a lot of use here in the States. It seems indestructible. https://www.deerhunter.eu/eu/en/pro-gamekeeper-jacket_peat_5725-391

In Spain.

For normal mountain hunting in Spain and Austria, I have not found the need for a true mountain boot. I use a ankle hiker by Meindl that have been very comfortable. Were I going to be true above tree line climbing, then I would have a set of Kenetreks in the bag. But I have yet to encounter those conditions. Check with your outfitter.

However, if stalking game where close or visibility is important, do not be afraid to bring along a camo jacket. In all likelihood, your guide will be wearing something similar.

Hungary (note my Austrian PH)

Finally, you are never wrong with microfleece. On my Austrian Gams hunt, conditions were perfect for a loden colored microfleece jacket.

 

[Muskox]

I live in Germany, and have hunted in the Austrian alps, Slovenian Alps and here in Germany.

There are a few companies that make wool hunting clothing "elf suits".

There are a lot more companies that make wool fashion clothing. You do not want wool fashion clothing. This is what is called Tracht or Landhaus, country fashion.

Frankonia doesn't really sell Trachten or Landhaus clothing that you would want to use on the mountain, that has the Tracht design. They sell a lot of fashion clothing.

They do sell some functional green hunting clothing. They do not really ship to the USA, unless you buy a crazy amount of stuff.

There are people selling Harkila on eBay from Lithuania, I have bought quite a bit from him.

You can get some items, but most of it is just "costume".

https://www.steinbock.at/en/home/home.html. Frankonia sells this brand, but I don't think it would be super functional hunting clothing.

https://www.rascher.de. Rascher is a popular hunting brand, I have some items. I don't love them. They are warm, but heavy.

https://lodenwalker.com Popular company

www.kuiu.com. Most guys here are wearing some version of outdoor functional clothing. I prefer Kuiu, in green or brown. Most of my hunting guides in Europe are wearing functional clothing. I have had one guide in 10 hunts that wore something that was even close to actual trachten, and he was in his 70's.

Harkila, Sitka, Deerhunter, there are tons of brands of functional clothing other than Kuiu and Sitka.

The sizing may not work for you, I personally do not like the way European hunting clothing fit. They are super tight through the crotch and thighs. They are also short in the crotch, and most of the time I have plumber butt.

 

[Muskox]

The first photo is me 20 years ago in Germany. Green and Grey.

The 2nd and 3rd are of me in Austria and Slovenia in 2025. No one really cares about what you wear. I personally think that if you try to hard you will look like a dude in a costume, and not someone that is serious about it.

 

[steve white]

Why not just dress like a Cowboy? There's lots of western fans over there...

 

[mdwest]

Not that you want to buy an entire new hunting wardrobe... but.. Ive found that european brands/lines are really better suited for european hunts than a lot of what youre going to find in Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc..etc..

An example I'd give is Onca Gear.. a Spanish line thats pretty much been developed for altitude, wet, cold, etc and dealing with European terrain..

Products

ONCA creates best in class hunting gear proven to be effective in the world’s harshest environments. ONCA uses their proprietary camouflage pattern, specialty fabrics and advanced manufacturing techniques to create the world's toughest outdoor apparel.

oncaofficial.com

Its not that Kuiu, Sitka, etc wont get the job done.. it certainly will... 99% of what I wear these days is either Kuiu or Sitka.. and I've got enough kit on hand already that if I were hunting anywhere from the wiklow mountains in Ireland to the Alps Italy, I probably wouldnt need to buy anything else.. Ive likely got enough good stuff to get me through any predictable situation and/or environment..

But if I were purposely buying some additional kit for a specific European hunt.. I'd probably invest in what the Europeans buy/use for hunting "at home"... you know it will work well for their locale..

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

Alpine hunting in Europe in December!
First you need to know how will look a hunting day. Attack pants? NO way!
1. First you need wind and water proof pants and jacket.
2. Down jacket in your back pack ( best quality, wind proof) best when you are glassing.
3. Merino wool changing set in case you are sweating ( base layers, socks, etc)
4. Waterproof gloves, gore tex and not heavy. You need the gloves 1 sizer higher than normal.
5. Gaiters for protections
6. Boots, waterproof, I don’t recommend full leather. And always on snow and ice, crampons.
7. Neck and mouth protection for strong wind
And more things…

 

[Russ16]

Alpine hunting in Europe in December!
First you need to know how will look a hunting day. Attack pants? NO way!
1. First you need wind and water proof pants and jacket.
2. Down jacket in your back pack ( best quality, wind proof) best when you are glassing.
3. Merino wool changing set in case you are sweating ( base layers, socks, etc)
4. Waterproof gloves, gore tex and not heavy. You need the gloves 1 sizer higher than normal.
5. Gaiters for protections
6. Boots, waterproof, I don’t recommend full leather. And always on snow and ice, crampons.
7. Neck and mouth protection for strong wind
And more things…

What about early November?

 

[HUNTROMANIA]

What about early November?

Depending on the weather ( snow etc )
Here is end of October

Here is middle of November

Here is December

 

[wiyofa]

Not that you want to buy an entire new hunting wardrobe... but.. Ive found that european brands/lines are really better suited for european hunts than a lot of what youre going to find in Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc..etc..

An example I'd give is Onca Gear.. a Spanish line thats pretty much been developed for altitude, wet, cold, etc and dealing with European terrain..



Its not that Kuiu, Sitka, etc wont get the job done.. it certainly will... 99% of what I wear these days is either Kuiu or Sitka.. and I've got enough kit on hand already that if I were hunting anywhere from the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland to the Alps in Italy, I probably wouldn't need to buy anything else. Plus, with resources like https://halara.pissedconsumer.com/customer-service.html, I feel confident I can handle any situation and make the most of my adventure.

But if I were purposely buying some additional kit for a specific European hunt.. I'd probably invest in what the Europeans buy/use for hunting "at home"... you know it will work well for their locale..

For traditional European alpine hunting, hunters often wear Loden or Tweed jackets from brands like Härkila, Seeland, or Deerhunter, wool or blended trousers from Schoffel or Mufflon, and flannel or wool shirts from Filson or Härkila, layered over modern base and mid-layers for warmth and comfort.