Black Ovis Clothing Review | TESTED

Black Ovis has been developing its own clothing line for a while now, but in recent years it has become increasingly popular among hunters. Life has a way of coming full circle. For example, when I was a child, I remember how unimportant camo patterns seemed. That changed as I entered young adulthood, when hunters once again began to believe camo patterns were essential. Over the past five years, there has been another shift, and “solids” have steadily grown in popularity.

Make sure to check out our other gear reviews and the Backwoods Pursuit YouTube Channel to help you decide what gear will help you stay out in the field longer!

When choosing a clothing system for hunting, it’s important to understand exactly how you plan to use it. For example, if you buy a heavy cold-weather system and expect it to perform well during summer scouting trips in the backcountry, you’ll be disappointed—no matter the brand. I typically build a layering system that fits my preferred style of hunting. When I say “build a system,” I’m referring to having multiple layers that work together and complement one another, tailored to the season and the conditions you’ll face.

The Testing: Black Ovis Clothing Review

I love testing clothing systems and have worn many different ones from a variety of brands over the years. In this review, I’m going to break down the details of the Black Ovis layering system that I tested over the past twelve months. The pieces I tested are listed below:

Black Ovis Clothing Tested

Black ovis Venture Merino Short Sleeve Shirt Review

I love the Black Ovis Venture merino short sleeve shirt. I wore this shirt so many times during this last year. It was worn as a base layer under other pieces during the moderate to cold days and was worn a lot as a stand alone piece during summer scouting as well as my early archery deer hunt. In fact, the Black Ovis Venture actually got me back into wearing more merino after several years of choosing synthetic base layers instead. That’s how much I liked it.

BEST USE: The Black Ovis Venture performs really well as a standalone piece during summer scouting or early-season outings. The merino especially shines when it comes to odor control. I often wore this piece for five or more days without washing it and still couldn’t smell it. Yes, I did that on more than one occasion… it was only to test the shirt, I promise. The blend of New Zealand Merino and Spandex turned out to be an ideal combination, and I really enjoyed the fit and comfort. 

DURABILITY: This Black Ovis Venture short sleeve shirt took a lot of abuse over the course of the year. I wore it a ton, and it held up really well. Unlike most other merino items I’ve worn in the past, it didn’t seem to shrink when washed, nor did it “pick up” like some merino base layers tend to do. Keep in mind, I always hang-dry my merino to prevent any shrinking in the dryer.

Buy the Black Ovis Venture Shirt

Black ovis Realm ¼ Zip Tech Hoodie Review

I have worn countless different brands of a hooded base layer and the Black Ovis Realm Tech Hoodie might be my favorite of all of them. Better yet, it comes in at a fraction of the cost as you can even find it on sale at times. If you see it on sale, grab it. It’s that good.

BEST USE: I am a huge fan of quarter zip, hooded base layer shirts. I think they are a must-have when it comes to backcountry hunting in the spring, summer or early fall. Whether it is spring bear or early season mule deer or elk, I often find myself spending long hours behind the glass. A hooded base layer that can not only keep the sun off of my neck, but also allows me to dump heat with the ¼ zip, is something I always wear on these types of hunts.

Polartec is an awesome synthetic material and I love the way the Black Ovis Realm hoodie fits. The fabric feels durable yet comfortable against the skin, with just the right amount of stretch for active movement. This piece also contains a natural biocide (peppermint oil) that helps inhibit the growth of odor-causing microbes in the fabric, and it seems to work very well. It isn’t merino when it comes to odor control, but for a synthetic piece, I was really impressed with how fresh it stayed, even after long days in the field.

DURABILITY: The Black Ovis Realm shirt was another piece I wore a lot. I took it on numerous backpack hunts, including one that lasted over five days, and it held up really well. I wore it through the spring, summer, and even into the late season, and it shows only one small spot of wear. That spot doesn’t appear to be a manufacturing defect—it’s on the left sleeve and is most likely from rubbing against Velcro during my grueling spring bear packout.

Buy the Black Ovis Realm Shirt

Black Ovis Anchor Pointed Welded Down Hooded Vest Review

This hooded vest is an awesome idea. Black Ovis nailed it with this piece in my opinion. This 800 fill down vest offers a ton of versatility. It is very light and packable, yet it includes a hood—something not commonly found in down vests.

BEST USE: I really like vests, but I often find myself choosing a different mid-weight option because I’m a big fan of hoods. The Black Ovis Anchor Point Hooded Down Vest quickly became one of my favorite pieces, especially for backpack-style hunts. The warmth-to-weight ratio is excellent, with a medium weighing in at just 8.8 ounces. The hood made a huge difference in how warm I was able to stay, whether I layered it over a basic 150-gram base layer or even 250+ gram base layers in the late season.

The Black Ovis Anchor Point Hooded Down Vest really complements a wide range of systems because of the versatility it offers. I used it numerous times under a heavy puffy to help keep me warm in 30+ mph winds. I was also able to use it as an outer layer during early-season glassing sessions as the sun was coming up or going down.

Another thing I really liked about the Anchor Point hooded down vest is the fit of the hood, which is often a complaint of mine. I think this is a piece that can stay in your pack all year long and you’ll get plenty of use out of it. That said, keep in mind you’ll want another mid-layer or a heavy-duty outer layer in the late season, given how lightweight this vest is.

DURABILITY: This vest held up really well and doesn’t seem to be leaking any down. I’m also a fan of welded down, since it eliminates holes in the outer material that come from stitching the baffles. In my experience, this design holds up better in the long run if the down gets wet. It’s important to understand that this is an ultralight down piece—you need to take care of it, and it isn’t built for busting through brush.

Buy Black Ovis Anchor Point Hooded Down Vest

Black ovis Anchor Point Welded Down Pant Review

“Puffy”pants have become a must-have for me. I’ve tried numerous brands and variations, but I constantly find myself coming back to the Black Ovis Anchor Point Pant. I’ve worn these down pants for years, and I’m a huge fan of them. The price point is hard to beat at under $165. 

BEST USE: These Black Ovis Anchor Point down pants are with me on nearly every single hunt I go on. The only time I leave them in the truck is during summer scouting. Other than that, if the temperature is going to drop at all, I have them with me. I love them for backpack hunting because they pack down really well, and the warmth-to-weight ratio is excellent. They weigh just 12.9 ounces in a medium, yet Black Ovis didn’t cut corners anywhere.

DURABILITY: This is another ultralight down piece that needs to be taken care of, but if you do, it will last a long time. I had a pair of these pants for at least three years before passing them down to a buddy, simply because I picked up a different colorway of the same pant.

Buy Black Ovis Anchor Point Down Pants

Black Ovis Granite Peak Pant Review

The Black Ovis Granite Peak Lightweight Pant is rock solid. I have spent double the price on other brands, just to get pants that didn’t hold as well as this Granite Peak did. These pants fit me great, and I found them to be true to size.

BEST USE: The Black Ovis Granite Peak pant is a lightweight option that can be used from spring into mid September. It moves very well with your body and I didn’t feel as though it stretched out even over extended backpack hunts. The only thing I would like to see on these pants in the future is some type of hip vent. I found myself wearing them a lot and I think hip vents taken them to the next level for me.

DURABLIITY: The Granite Peak pants are very tough for a lightweight pant. I abused them over the course of a year and wore them for more than thirty days in the field—not including the times I wore them around town or at the range. Another thing I really liked, which I haven’t experienced with many other pants, is that blood washed out of them surprisingly well.

I’ve spent a lot of money on other pants in the past, only to have blood stain them when I couldn’t wash it out immediately while in the backcountry trying to fill other tags. This year, I wore the Black Ovis Granite Peak pants on both my spring bear and early archery hunts, and they cleaned up very well after just one wash. 

Buy Black Ovis Granite Peak Pants

Black Ovis Terrace Pant Review

The Black Ovis Terrace pant is a mid- to late-season option and a relatively new addition to the Black Ovis clothing line. I got my hands on these in September 2024 and spent quite a bit of time wearing them. I went with a size 34 waist because I was told they run a little small, but I think a 32 would have fit me better. The overall fit of the Terrace Pant, aside from the waist, was excellent. I really liked the style, and I especially appreciated the addition of hip vents—a feature I consider a must for any mid- to late-season pant.

BEST USE: The Terrace Pant is a mid-weight option that works very well from mid-September through early spring. The pant moves naturally with your body and has just the right amount of flex. I also liked the fleece backing, which felt like a great complement to the overall design. The 12” hip vents worked really well and give you the ability to wear them across a wider range of hunts and temperatures. They allow you to dump heat during high-output activities or on sunny days.

DURABILITY: The Black Ovis Terrace Pant held up really well to everything I threw at it, and much like other Black Ovis pants I’ve worn, it seems to be bulletproof. 

Buy Black Ovis Terrace Pants

Black Ovis Lone Rock Softshell Jacket Review

I’ll be completely honest—I’m not a fan of softshell jackets. I’ve worn several from some of the industry’s more well-known companies and was never impressed. So when the Black Ovis Lone Rock jacket arrived, I’ll admit I wasn’t all that excited. I wore this jacket to town the first time and could instantly tell it wasn’t like some of the others I had tried in the past. The fit was perfect—it wasn’t too tight in the upper arms or back, which had been an issue with other jackets I’ve worn.

With those other jackets, sizing up made them far too baggy to wear comfortably. The Lone Rock also had a hood that fit great, which I’ve already mentioned is one of the components I often critique in a piece. To put it simply, this jacket changed my opinion of softshell jackets.

BEST USE: The Black Ovis Lone Rock Softshell Jacket is the perfect outer layer, especially for windy glassing sessions. It can also be worn during the warmer seasons thanks to the pit zips, which I used often. They worked exceptionally well for regulating my body temperature and are located in the perfect position, making them easy to reach—unlike others I’ve tried. I wore this jacket far more than I expected and often didn’t leave home without it.

Although it isn’t a piece I bring on multi-day backpack hunts, if I’m hunting from a base camp, I never go without it. I’m pleasantly surprised to say this has become one of my favorite all-around jackets.

DURABILITY: I often found myself wearing the Black Ovis Lone Rock Jacket while driving the ATV or walking through heavily brushed areas. It repels light rain, blocks wind effectively, and protects your base or mid layers from brush. The Lone Rock Jacket can flat-out take a beating. If you’re not counting ounces on a backpack hunt, this is a jacket you’ll want to keep in your truck.

Buy Black Ovis Lone Rock Jacket

Black Ovis Hailstone Rain Pant and Jacket Review

Rain gear is like car insurance—you hope you never need it, but you have to have it. Good rain gear should be an essential part of your layering system. In the early season or during summer scouting, it can serve as your standalone outer layer, and in the late season, it can be a must-have for staying dry and warm.

The Black Ovis Hailstone Jacket and pants use eVent fabric that doesn’t feel like your typical rain gear material. Instead, it’s much quieter and has a softer feel. To be honest, I was a little concerned about that at first, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well it held up to water. That said, I haven’t tested it in the extreme conditions you might encounter in Alaska or the Pacific Northwest.

BEST USE: The Black Ovis Hailstone Rain Gear series is very lightweight and packs down well. The face fabric makes this system versatile across a wide range of seasons, as it’s much quieter than Gore-Tex. I’d like to see how it performs in wetter climates such as the Pacific Northwest, but for the storms I encountered here in Idaho, it did really well. The pit zips also allow you to dump heat while wearing the jacket, which is especially useful when you need to stay mobile during a storm. 

DURABILITY: I think the eVent face fabric on this system makes it more durable than standard Gore-Tex. It also handled walking through brush better than other rain jackets I’ve worn in the past. I noticed that the Black Ovis Hailstone Pants didn’t develop holes in the seat as quickly as other rain pants I’ve used in the past. Normally, if I don’t sit on a pad, a few times on a rock or stick is enough to wear a hole through. I never experienced that with these pants, and I think the face fabric played a big role in that.

Gila Softshell Gloves Review

I love leather gloves and the versatility they offer. They’re usually warm enough for most conditions, and they’re extremely durable.

BEST USE: The Black Ovis Gila Glove is made from goat leather and built to withstand a beating. They’re tough and handle a variety of weather conditions very well. I really like the fit once the glove is on, but my only complaint is how difficult they can be to put on. The wrist feels tight, and when your hands are cold, it can be a challenge to slide them in. This may be why they feel so good once they’re on, but I sometimes found myself frustrated trying to get them on in the cold.

DURABLITY: This glove is tough as nails. It’s designed to handle whatever you can throw at it, and that’s exactly what I want in a glove. I wore these in rain, snow, and brutal winds, as well as during activities like splitting wood.

Buy Black Ovis Gila Gloves

Conclusion: Black Ovis Clothing Review

Something I didn’t talk much about during this review was sizing. Most of the older gear that Black Ovis produced had more of an athletic fit, and I felt like I needed to size up one or two sizes. That’s no longer the case—most of their current pieces fit true to size.

One of my favorite things about the Black Ovis clothing line is the variety of solid color options, which allows you to incorporate pieces into any system you’re currently running. I would recommend it not only for someone new to Western hunting who is looking to get fully outfitted in a clothing system, but also for seasoned hunters looking to add reliable pieces to their existing kit.

Black Ovis is a stand-up company that makes gear built to last. They also offer a solid warranty and stand behind their products. I don’t know if there’s another company making better clothing at this price point, and I truly don’t feel like you’re sacrificing quality for the cost that Black Ovis offers. In my opinion, Black Ovis delivers some of the best value in hunting apparel today—and their gear has earned a permanent place in my pack.

Check Out Black Ovis Clothing

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