Best Deer Hunting Gear of 2024 To Find and Harvest a Big Buck

We're in the thick of deer season now, and hopefully all your pre-season hours of scouting, tracking, and preparation have paid off. But for some of us, that nice 10-pointer hasn't showed his rack quite yet or a fat doe hasn't presented itself quite close enough for a good shot. Whitetail deer hunting season is still here though, and hopefully all that hard work will pay off soon—or we believe so, at any rate. 

While hard-earned knowledge remains a hunter’s most valuable asset, good deer hunting gear goes a long way toward a successful whitetail season. To that end, our editors have spent the last several months logging long miles and longer hours in the woods to see what deer hunting gear works and what doesn’t.

Here’s what deer hunting gear we found to be the best so far this season on our quest to fill the freezer.

Best Deer Hunting Gear at a Glance

• Best Deer Hunting Shirt and Pants: Sitka Equinox Guard Pants and Hoodie
• Best Deer Hunting Backpack: Kifaru Bedlam Pack
• Best Cold Weather Deer Hunting Jacket and Pants: Firstlite Core Whitetail Kit
• Best Deer Hunting Base Layers: Kuiu ULTRA Merino
• Best Deer Hunting Chest Pack: Kifaru Deluxe Bino Harness
• Best Deer Hunting Socks: Hollow Boot Socks

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Best Deer Hunting Gear of 2024

Best Deer Hunting Shirt and Pants: Sitka Equinox Guard Pants and Hoodie

Sitka’s lightweight Equinox camo is hands-down the best kit we’ve used to date for early-season hunting. Much of our testing takes place in the southern U.S., where heat, humidity, and bugs are all constant features in early fall, and the Equinox kit is just what the doctor ordered for all the above.

The material is light enough to keep us comfortable on the hottest days of the season (we had a few afternoons in the mid-90s during scouting this year), wicks moisture exceptionally well, provides UPF 50+ protection from the sun, and includes an Insect Shield treatment that we can personally attest works like a magic barrier against the South’s ravenous mosquitoes. The Optifade Subalpine print is particularly well-suited to the colors of late summer to early fall, and all but disappears whether you’re hunting from the ground or a stand.

Best Deer Hunting Backpack: Kifaru Bedlam Pack

One pack that does just about everything: Kifaru’s modular 80-liter Bedlam pack may seem like overkill for your average Whitetail hunt, but that’s kind of the point. Whether you’re hunting big game in the backcountry out west or spending a weekend in your local deer woods, this pack is built to handle anything you throw at it.

The pack-on-frame construction (we opted for their new carbon fiber ARK frame) means you can comfortably haul as much or as little as you need, but also allows you to lash large/heavy/awkward freight to the pack, whether that’s a mobile tree stand or quartered game. There are multiple ways to secure a bow to the pack when you want to hike hands-free, there’s a spacious meat shelf, a full-length #8 YKK zipper for easy access and organization, and a separate side pocket for hauling spotting scopes, tripods, folding blinds, etc.

Best Cold Weather Deer Hunting Jacket and Pants: Firstlite Core Whitetail Kit

Temperatures drop pretty quickly in the south, and pieces from Firstlite’s Core Whitetail Kit have been our weapons of choice this year as we move into colder weather. They're warm, windproof, and utterly silent out in the woods with a list of laser-focused features any hunter will appreciate.

We won’t attempt to list them all here, but a few of our favorite pieces include the Core Jacket and Core Bibs. They feature body-mapped PrimaLoft gold insulation, a convenient harness passthrough for the treestand/saddle folks out there, and Firstlite’s outstanding “Kitlink” magnetic pockets, which seal out cold air when you’re warming your hands inside the bib’s insulated kangaroo pocket. Spending long hours sitting in the cold isn’t anyone’s favorite part of hunting, but the Firstlite Core makes it as enjoyable as possible.

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Best Deer Hunting Base Layers: Kuiu ULTRA Merino

Merino wool is indispensable in the outdoors, and especially so for hunting. Moisture-wicking insulation that doesn’t hang onto smells is a no-brainer when you’re chasing game, but merino also has an unfortunate reputation for premature wear and tear. That’s not the case with Kuiu’s new ULTRA Merino layers.

That’s because Kuiu is leveraging Nuyarn technology, which weaves high-performance merino fibers around burly nylon core yarns for a big boost in durability. We’ve been trudging around in this stuff for a few months through thorns and thick underbrush and have yet to see a single tear or pulled thread. We’ll also note that both the 120 and 145 weight layers have held up well under the added stress and abrasion of a heavy pack, so you can wear it as an outer layer without fear of ruining your investment.

Best Deer Hunting Chest Pack: Kifaru Deluxe Bino Harness

A good pair of binoculars is a game changer for any hunter, and a chest-mounted harness is the only serious way to carry said optics in the woods. This year we’ve made the move up to Kifaru’s Deluxe Bino Harness, and it’s been worth its weight in gold.

Unlike our old budget-friendly harness, Kifaru’s Deluxe harness is quiet, secure, and incredibly versatile. The main compartment alone includes six separate pockets with room for your binos, your phone, and any number of small items from archery tools to folding knives. The two side pockets include dedicated storage for a rangefinder and an additional zippered compartment for anything else you want easy access to, while the front includes additional molle loops for added customization.

Best Deer Hunting Socks: Hollow Boot Socks

Sitting around in the cold sucks, but sitting around with cold feet is exponentially worse. While we typically default to Darn Tough socks for anything and everything outdoors, this year we gave Hollow’s Alpaca boot socks a chance and we’re glad we did.

Hollow socks cost a pretty penny, but Alpaca fiber is truly the stuff of miracles. These tall and thick socks are exceptionally warm, breathable, and moisture-wicking, and seemed to dry a good bit faster than merino when we got them wet. We also found they’ll go several days without picking up any serious odor, so one pair is plenty to get you through a long weekend in the woods.

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