Today’s hunting clothing is so different from even 10 years ago. With all the technology available, manufacturers have really stepped up their efforts to keep hunters in the field longer with better quality clothing and more features. TUO is appears to be at the front of the pack.
The TUO Aptitude Softshell Pant has a four-way stretch, which allows hunters a lot of flexibility and a good fit that is not stiff or confining when climbing, bending or stretching. The pants don’t dig into your body, but they stay with your body as you move. The 94.5% polyester and 5.5% spandex does the job. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this mating of fabrics had a lot of other positives, to include being quiet when in the field. Wading through a powerline of brush was not a noisy affair for me.
One of the other features of the TUO pants is the AeroGuard membrane. That makes the pants windproof which I can attest to. I have worn these pants for almost the entire deer season in Virginia and many days were windy and even cold, but the pants cut the wind very well. The pants have been warm, even warmer than some other well-known brands without a lot of bulk. TUO uses fleece grid lining which makes them very warm. I noticed that right away when putting them on.
In fact, I had to hurry to get outside since we had the woodstove going. I was concerned about hiking to my stand location and sweating, but according to TUO, the Polygiene technology prevents bacteria from growing and causing odor and it also prevents odor from sticking with the fabrics ... meaning animals are less likely to wind you. I like this because I often check my woodstove before heading afield and hate the thought of the smoke from the fire lingering in my clothing. While hiking I never got sweaty, which surprised me.
TUO also states that due to this technology and the fact that the pants are stain resistant, they do not need washed nearly as often and that makes them ecofriendly. It is nice to not have to wash my pants every trip or every other trip to get any smells off of them.
So how about the fit? The knees flex and don’t bunch up when stopping to drop and shoot or climb. TUO added some abrasion resistance to the knees for durability too. I can feel it on the outer edge of my knees on the pants. A feature that all of us want and appreciate is the knee to cuff zippers to get the pants on and off easily, even over hunting boots if necessary.
The pants include six pockets. Two waist, cargo and hip pockets, all of which are zippered. The TUO Aptitude pant has what they call a knife pocket on the right side, but I am not a fan of it. It is wide and open, and I really don’t trust my knife to stay in there even with a clip on it unless it is a small pocketknife and if so, I personally think it is a bit too wide. But that is simply my opinion. They come in two colors: Deadfall is a solid color and Verse camo is of course a camo variety which I have. I like it. It blended in well on my hunts so far.
In summary: TUO Aptitude pants are warm, stain- and odor-resistant, have a great flexing fit and block the wind. The pockets are nice and spacious, which keeps gear from getting lost. The pants are comfortable and, so far, are very durable, which means they will be my go-to pants all season long. I see these pants lasting a long time and standing up to the rigor of my season long hunts without an issue. They look nice too! TUOGear.com.
