Field Tested: FORLOH Hunting Apparel

There’s a new brand forging a new path in hunting apparel with an all-out dedication to quality and a unique commitment to design, test and manufacture every product — from raw materials right down to the final stitch in every garment — right here in the USA.

This is FORLOH, and if this is the first time you’re hearing about the company, I bet it won’t be the last.

Back in the spring, I field tested FORLOH gear during a spot-and-stalk hog hunt in Florida. I came away extremely impressed, but before I tell you specifics about the clothing, a little background is in order. For starters, you should know the name FORLOH is an acronym created from “For Love of Hunting.” The founders of the Whitefish, Mont.-based outfit built their product line on a passion for hunting and a desire to create an all-American brand that offers second-to-none technology and quality.

FORLOH is committed to giving hunters the most durable, waterproof and breathable fabrics available and actively seeks out leading technologies from not only textile firms but the automotive industry, pillow manufacturers and even NASA. It’s all part of what FORLOH refers to as its no-compromise approach to product development. Rather than designing garments to hit a pre-determined retail price, FORLOH uses only the very best materials on the belief that serious hunters will pay a premium for top-notch gear built by skilled American workers. The company also backs all products with a Lifetime Warranty.

Now, about that hog hunt. I wore FORLOH’s Deep Space Crew Long Sleeve Top and AllClima Stretch Woven Pant, both in Deep Cover camouflage, a pattern featuring a mix of greens, brown, beige and gray specifically designed for dense, lush environments such as those found in Florida. Deep Cover not only looks sharp, it was absolutely fabulous at concealing me as I slipped among the palmettos and other brush in pursuit of boars.

As for the clothing, the Deep Space crew is a midweight base layer that worked perfectly as an outer layer in the Florida heat. Built with 87 percent polyester and 13 percent Spandex, the shirt offers a comfortable, four-way stretch fit and dries quickly. It also features 50+ UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) and Trizar, a NASA-certified technology woven into every fiber that diffuses moisture and helps regulate body temperature. Finally, the Deep Space crew also features both Polygiene Odor Crunch and Stays Fresh technologies to eliminate odor-causing bacteria on the surface of your body and destroy outside odors that come in contact with the garment.

The AllClima Stretch Woven Pant combines softness and comfort with breathability, stealth and weather protection, making it the “go-to” FORLOH pant for most hunting situations. These are the most comfortable hunting pants I’ve ever worn, as well as being extremely quiet and functional, thanks to features such as articulated knees; gusset crotch; DWR water-repellent treatment; Abrasynthetic Suede knee patches; strategically placed, mesh-backed ventilation ports; and YKK reverse-coil water-repellent zippers. Pockets on the pants include two zippered hand pockets, two zippered cargo pockets and two zippered rear pockets. There is also silicone grip on the inside of the waistband for a more secure fit and durable, double-reinforced stitching in the seat, knees and leg cuffs.

While a few days testing a couple products can’t serve as a blanket endorsement of the entire FORLOH line, I can truthfully say this shirt and pants are as good or better than any other warm-weather hunting garments I’ve ever worn — and I’ve tried just about everything on the market! At the very least, my limited experience with FORLOH makes me eager for more. If you are looking for quality hunting apparel that also supports the American economy and American workers, try FORLOH on for size. — Editor Christian Berg