Who Makes The Best Shooting Gear?

Who makes the best shooting clothing is a big question, and not one with a simple answer. Shooting isn’t a cheap sport, and when you’ve spent hard earnt money on a day, not to mention using up precious free time, you don’t want to get caught out by the weather, so the carefully selecting the right clothing for the job is essential. There are dozens of brands to choose from, and picking between them is often not easy. Here we take a look at what differentiates some of the bigger and well-known names from each other, to assist you with picking the most appropriate clothing for your needs and budget.

Harkila

Harkila is a Scandinavian brand that crafts superior highly technical shooting clothing and footwear, undoubtedly the most technical brand within the sector, constantly pushing the boundaries with the use of innovative fabrics and practical designs. Harkila’s elite quality kit is certainly not the cheapest available, but technically it may well be the best on the market. Unlike many European brands, many of their garments are specifically designed for shooting in the UK, making them possibly the leading import from the continent into the UK. The overall look tends to be more modern, and is generally favoured by younger, and more active shooters, who require the absolute best performance possible from their clothing. The flip side is that the look appeals less to a traditional gun, standing in the shooting line, but even for this some of the range is now very suitable. For a more detailed look at  Harkila check out this blog, and for key parts of their range see these three;  Pro Hunter, Stornoway and Retrieve ranges.

Deerhunter

Deerhunter is a brand that is worthy of reconsideration. It previously had an unfair reputation, but the quality of the product has evolved a long way, and it is now firmly moving towards the upper end of quality, but with a very reasonable price tag. Like many European designed and manufactured products much of the range isn’t suitable for the UK, and, if you’re searching for a traditional British shooting field look, Deerhunter probably isn’t the brand for you. But I have revised my opinion of it, and I think it is now worth considering if you’re looking for a functional Jacket, especially if you want a more modern, younger look. Have a look at the Muflon Jacket as a great piece for all round use.

Musto

Musto have led the way in technical shooting garments for decades, however a change of ownership has reverted their primary focus back to their roots as a sailing clothing manufacturer, and so, no new shooting garments will be produced by Musto. Given the quality of the gear they produced, it’s a big loss. I’ve personally worn Musto shooting kit since I was big enough to hold a gun, and it has never let me down. In future I’ll be filling my wardrobe with Harkila and Schöffel, which are the two brands best placed to fill the void left by Musto.

The one bit of good news in the short terms is that there is currently still plenty of Musto gear available, and you may be able to get it at a bargain price as retailers begin to clear space for other brands. For those who want country, but not shooting specific kit, there will still be plenty in the range from Musto, including the fantastic  Musto Land Rover Range, and the Musto 64 Casual Collection.

Laksen

Laksen is another Scandinavian brand making strides in the UK. They produce the very top end kit, often with a slightly alternative edge setting them apart from other leading brands, which allows for distinctive style to complement the technically superb performance. In terms of both look and price Laksen is not for everybody, but those who buy their product tend to swear by the outstanding quality of their garments. Check out their Ventguard Jacket for a great example of Laksen have to offer.

Seeland

If you want both exceptional value and performance at a modest price point then Seeland could very well be the brand you’ve been searching for. A Scandinavian brand designed for the British environment, Seeland uses the finest fabrics, and innovative technology borrowed from their sister company Harkila to produce outstanding quality garments. Their Woodcock Advance Range(once worn by HRH, The Duchess of Cambridge) offers a complete outfit suited to most types of UK shooting and, for a price point that doesn’t break the bank! For good quality clothing that will keep you warm and dry, I definitely recommend taking a look at Seeland’s impressive portfolio.

Alan Paine

For great value traditional tweed Alane Paine is a real contender. Their  Combrook range has a luxurious feel, but without the price tag associated with other brands, especially if you are competing against made to measure tweed options. Their range is huge, and they also produce plenty of traditional looking green shooting jackets at middle of the range prices. Whilst the green jackets look dapper, it is really their terrific tweed range that stands out with Alan Paine.

Barbour

When it comes to country clothing Barbour is a huge name on the market, their quality and style is world renowned. Over the years Barbour has grown into more a fashion focused brand and sadly have neglected their specific shooting clothing range, however this year they have refocused on the shooting field and brought in a number of new shooting style jackets, as well as continuing with the extremely successful  Bransdale Jacket. Beyond their jackets, for shirts and knits the range is huge and very suitable for the shooting field. They wash and wear endlessly while maintaining excellent quality, which is probably why my wardrobe is full of both their shirts and jumpers.

Le Chameau

Le Chameau are undoubtedly the leading footwear brand in the shooting field, and for very good reason. Le Chameau boots are exceptionally comfortable, warm and highly durable, crafted from the toughest vulcanised rubber. They are top end, but well worth the price tag. The  Vierzonord style is probably the most popular amongst any line of guns anywhere in Britain. As they are now part of the same group as Schöffel, Le Chameau no longer make clothing allowing both brands to focus on what they do best. Whilst it’s a shame because they used to make some great styles, by pairing up Le Chameau and Schöffel kit, you are extremely well dressed in phenomenal quality clothing and footwear!

Schöffel

Schöffel might be a German name, but their country collection is 100% inspired by the Great British countryside. For a traditional British shooting look, they are out on their own, and very much the most aspired to brand on the market. The quality is tremendous, using technical premium quality fabrics, and the attention to detail that goes into every unique style makes Schöffel stand out from the crowd. The success of the Oakham Fleece is astonishing, you can hardly move in the countryside without seeing one. Schöffel also heavily appeals to the younger consumer, with a range of sweats, shirts and even hoodies that perfectly compliment their technical shooting collection. Check out their Exeter Sweatto see one the most sort after garments in the range right now. Schöffel may not be the cheapest brand out there, but is certainly worth the money, and you won’t be disappointed.

Hoggs Of Fife

Hoggs Of Fife sits in very crowed middle position, however they are probably amongst the very best for quality at their price point within the market. Hoggs is a Scottish brand who have been producing exceptional quality garments for almost two centuries, and you certainly don’t last that long by crafting substandard products. The brand is still owned and managed by the Hogg family to this day and they produce almost everything you need for your wardrobe from some fantastic  footwear to trousers, shirts, jackets and fleece. When it comes to value for money on investing in a top-quality, long-lasting product, Hoggs is well worth considering.

Aigle

Much like Chameau, Aigle continue to produce superb quality  rubber wellington boots, however unfortunately they no longer produce clothing for the shooting field. It’s a big loss as Aigle have produced some really great pieces (even David Beckham has been spotted wearing one of their country fleeces), but with them no longer available I’m afraid you need to look to other designers. Harkila and Schöffel are the best alternative brands I would recommend for former Aigle wearers to turn to.

Dubarry

Dubarry of Ireland are very much a country brand, but not a shooting clothing brand as such. Their leather  Galway Boot is an iconic piece of footwear that looks dapper and performs fantastically. You’ll often see Dubarry boots on a shoot day, and they make some remarkably attractive tweeds that certainly look the part. However, they edge more towards fashionable than functional, and so the fit can be restrictive for swinging a gun. Most commonly you’ll see Dubarry tweed on the ladies, who are not actually shooting, but want a functional country jacket to keep warm, dry and looking impeccably elegant. For a more detailed look at  Dubarry, check out this blog.