Camouflage jackets – our top picks

The type of camouflage jackets you are going to need can differ depending on the time of year, location or quarry you are hunting (check out our advice on how to choose the right camouflage). The basics will always apply: pick a camouflage jacket that will help you to blend in with your surroundings and made from a quiet material that will help to mask your approach. There are plenty of technical patterns and fabrics available to choose from but don’t forget that tweed was helping to keep hunters camouflaged before they all came along, taking its colours from the moorland with patterns to break up the hunter’s outline — just like its modern descendants.

The last thing you want when hunting is to be conspicuous or you will risk scaring your intended quarry before you take your first shot. You can give yourself an edge by getting kitted out in a camouflage jacket that will help to keep you unseen, quiet and comfortable. Here are a few that caught our eye.

If you’re wondering how well do deer see, then see our thoughts here. Or for tips on stealth, don’t miss our advice on how to be a stealthy wildfowler.

1. Harkila Lynx Jacket, £403.99

• Technical style
• Button fastening
• 100% Polyester

+ Detachable hood
+ Very durable
+ Zipped side pockets

– Expensive

Part of the AXIS MSP (multi-season pattern) range, this camo is developed to mimic vegetation and break up the outline of the hunter. It features the Harkila weather system membrane, making it waterproof and lightweight. It has a removable hood, radio pockets and adjustable cuffs. It’s almost perfect as a pure hunter’s jacket, but it is let down slightly by the price. That said, if you’re willing to make the investment, this camouflage jacket is worth every penny.

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2. Deerhunter Muflon Jacket Long, £278

Best overall

• Features Deer-Tex® Membrane
• Nylon material
• Polyester outer

+ Waterproof and windproof
+ Build for extreme cold but still breathable
+ Loads of pocket space
+ Noiseless
+ 4 way stretch fabric for ease of movement
+ Large detachable, functional hood with micro fleece lining

Yes, it’s one of the most expensive on the list, but the fact is that even considering the significant investment, it is still the best option on the list and well worth the money – and given the quality on show for the price compared to the other entires on this list, not only is it the best overall, it also takes the top spot for best value for money. It is been tailor-made to excel in the extreme conditions in which hunters may find themselves – it’s totally waterproof, it’s very warm yet still breathable, there is an assortment of pockets to carry items such as maps or binoculars, it’s very giving in terms of ease of movement and it’s noiseless. If you invest in this camouflage jacket, whether it’s in the hills or the hide, you can sit for hours on end and remain warm and comfortable and remain protected and silent when on the move. It’s probably a bit too robust for transitional seasons, but for winter you simply cannot get better than this camouflage jacket.

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3. Browning XPO Camouflage Hunting Jacket, £210

Best for transitional seasons

• 100% polyester
• PU membrane

+ Lightweight and comfortable
+ Perfect for spring and autumn
+ Zip close fastening
+ Packable hood

Whereas the top choice’s Achilles heel might be the fact that it’s a little bit too robust to be used in the transitional seasons, Browning’s offering comes into its own in spring and autumn. It’s lightweight but still robust enough to withstand Britain’s idea of spring and autumn, it’s very practical with a packable hood and zip close fastenings and it’s very breathable, meaning that even on a slightly chilly summer’s morning, you could do a lot worse than this camouflage jacket.

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4. Jack Pyke Hunter’s Jacket, from £74.95

Most affordable and ideal for stealth hunting

• Made from polyester
• Utilises Breatha-tex fabric
• Laminated membrane
• Concealed hood

+ Very affordable
+ Perfect for stealth
+ Waterproof and breathable

Made from soft, waterproof Breatha-tex ‘stealth fabric’, the outer jacket material is brushed tricot polyester with a laminated membrane. The lining is brushed mesh polyester and taffeta. There is a concealed hood in the collar pocket, large pockets and a fold-out waterproof seat flap.

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