Quiet Please

In the clothing business, fabric softness is described by words like "drape" and "hand." In the bowhunting business, soft-fabric outerwear should be described as "essential." At close range, hard, stiff clothing that scrapes noisily on brush will alert your quarry, either spooking it away completely or making it wary, making for a more difficult shot. Soft brushed cotton and soft wool knits are traditional favorites for quiet outdoor wear. Today, a number of new synthetic materials provide warmth, protection from the elements and quietness in the woods for bowhunters. Synthetic fleece garments, often available with wind or waterproof liners, are top choices for archers. These are very warm and quiet in the woods. Two new synthetic fabrics, Saddle Cloth and Shikari Cloth, combine weatherproofing and abrasion protection for the wearer with a soft, low-noise, napped finish. Besides being quiet, their unique finish won't pick up burrs and debris. Your hat and gloves should also feature a soft external finish to avoid game-spooking brush noise.