NARGC Review November 2007
What you wear really does make a difference!
By Des Crofton
We all know those occasions during the hunting season when you got soaked to the skin, forgot to bring a change of clothes (just in case) and you end up wet, cold and miserable. I can quite remember a couple of occasions over the years when I wondered why I put myself through such hardship. There were times when I reasoned I should have stayed at home beside a nice warm fire with hot soup or even a hot whisky. It’s amazing that when people feel miserable and cold their minds, obsession like, inevitably become pre-occupied with thoughts of warmth and comfort. I suppose it’s some kind of psychological safety net that allows us to better bear the extremes of cold, wind and rain. Anyway, whenever I ran into problems in this area, they always stemmed from coming up short in the outdoor clothing department.
Being the Irish Board Member for FACE Europe for many years, I have often had occasion to grudgingly admire the “gear” which foreign hunters routinely wear, particularly those from Scandinavia. I say grudgingly, because not only can the typical Scandinavian hunter be found wearing good quality outdoor clothing, his gear looks expensive, is expensive but also looks good and even fashionable. It was only in later years that I finally came to realise that spending a few extra Euro on good quality duds is actually an investment. Moreover, the extra money gets you something that looks good – even cool! I have been to Finland on several occasions over the years, where hunting is almost a religion and the weather conditions during the season don’t get much worse anywhere else. On those trips, the Jahti Jakt brand name in outdoor clothing became a familiar sight on the backs of Finnish hunters. I recently acquired some of the Jahti Jakt gear for myself and to say the least of it, it has far exceeded my expectations. Jahti Jakt AIR-TEX is a membrane specially designed for hunting wear. The membrane is water and windproof, letting out vapour caused by sweating. The AIR-TEX membrane is laboratory and terrain tested and it certainly lives up to it’s claims. The jacket keeps you comfortably warm and dry while letting out vapour. The breathability is top quality and the easy to use ventilation openings located at 4 strategic points, cool you down during strenuous exertion. The trousers has all the same qualities. It is also light to wear and very importantly for hunting, it is silent. It has numerous pockets (11). The jacket comes with an adjustable waterproof hood with AIR-TEX membrane and quick snap fastening system. For €169.00 you get the jacket and trousers, membrane hood, insect hood, flannel shirt, hunting gloves, reversible cap, and a safety vest. For the quality you are getting, it is fantastic value. I know of other brands in the same quality region, costing that amount and more for a trousers.
I had the good fortune very recently to be invited for a day’s driven wild boar shooting while attending a meeting of FACE Europe in Bulgaria. On the night before the hunt, the first serious snows of winter arrived in the mountains where we were to try our luck and boy, did it arrive with a vengeance. It snowed throughout the night and when morning came, it was still belting away. Hunting is hunting and so we braved the elements. To say it was cold would be an understatement of mammoth proportions. I noticed one of the party displaying solid ice frozen to his eyebrows. As for me, I was completely taken with how warm and dry I remained inside my Jahti Jakt suit. It was truly an occasion on which I would otherwise have expected to freeze to death. My Finnish suit played a blinder. I was able to remain relaxed, dry and warm throughout the day.
I am delighted that this brand has now come to Ireland. It is being distributed by a company called MSS Country which is based at Alperton, Cliff Road, Windgates, Bray, Co Wicklow. The phone numbers are 01-201 0138 or 087-639 4262, email Infosales@msscountry.com and website www.msscountry.com. The website is worth a visit. I can only say to anyone who is a regular in the great outdoors, whether that be for hiking or hunting, throw your eye over the Jahti Jakt gear. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
The writer wearing his Jahti Jakt jacket and pants during a recent hunting opportunity in extreme conditions in the mountains in Bulgaria while attending a meeting of FACE Europe.