The First Lite Trace Pants were the quietest early-season pants I had tested when I first reviewed them. But the piece I ended up wearing the longest was the Wick Hoody.
I first used the Wick and Trace as an early-season system. The Trace Pants did exactly what I wanted them to do. The Wick surprised me for a different reason: it kept earning a place in my system long after the early season was over.
The Trace is an excellent early-season pant. The Wick is an exceptionally comfortable hoody that can stay in your clothing system much longer. The Trace Gloves are quiet and useful, but their sizing needs some attention. I will also explain why the Yuma Synthetic Hoody did not replace the Wick for me, even though it did a better job managing sweat.
My quick verdict: The Trace Pants are excellent for an early-season bowhunter who puts quietness, comfort, and movement ahead of maximum brush protection. The Wick Hoody is exceptionally comfortable, extremely quiet, and more useful across the season than its light weight suggests. The Trace Gloves complete the system well, but go up one size.
How I Used the Wick, Trace Pants, and Trace Gloves
I tested this setup during late turkey season, hot-weather scouting, and early-season conditions where sweat, noise, movement, and insects all matter. I wore a size Large Wick Hoody and a medium bottom. At the time, I was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 185 pounds.
The system saw more than a basement try-on. I sweated hard in the Wick, walked and climbed in the Trace Pants, pushed the pants through brush and jaggers, and took them through about 100 yards of wet vegetation shortly after it had stopped raining. Those moments showed me where the system worked and where the tradeoffs were.
The Wick also kept moving into heavier clothing systems after the early season. That wider range became one of its biggest strengths.
Watch My Original Field Review
First Lite Wick Hoody Review
The first thing that stands out about the Wick Hoody is comfort. It is exceptionally comfortable. That starts with the way First Lite built it.
How the Aerowool Construction Works
The Wick uses 150-gram Aerowool made from 65% merino wool, 33% 37.5 nylon, and 2% spandex. The merino fibers are 17.5 microns, which helps explain why the Wick feels soft instead of scratchy. The nylon adds strength and helps move moisture, while the spandex gives it enough stretch to stay close without fighting my arms.
First Lite also uses lighter 125-gram Aerowool mesh in the high-heat areas. That gives sweat and body heat an easier way out when I am walking, climbing, or scouting. The modified raglan sleeves and flatlock seams also keep bulky seams away from the normal pressure points under pack straps and other layers.
That construction lines up with what I found in the field. The Wick gave me the odor control and comfort I want from merino, but it moved moisture and dried faster than I expect from a basic wool layer. It was also extremely quiet. When I moved, climbed, or wore it under another layer, the Wick never felt stiff or noisy.
I sweated my butt off in it during late turkey season and while scouting. It pulled moisture away from my skin and dried reasonably fast. It did not dry as quickly as the best pure synthetic tops I have tested, but it managed moisture well enough that I kept wearing it.
A Bare-Bones Design That Works
The Wick is simple. There is no kangaroo pocket, chest pocket, or built-in face mask. The hood fits well over a hat, the thumb loops help when adding another layer, and the stretch keeps the fit close without feeling overly tight.
I would still like to see a built-in face mask. That would make the Wick more complete for turkey hunting and early-season bowhunting. But I do not miss the pockets. In hot weather, I want the layer to stay light, quiet, and out of my way.
Why I Did Not Choose the Trace Quarter Zip
First Lite designed the Trace Quarter Zip to pair with the Trace Pants, but I did not want an early-season top without a hood. I use hoods throughout the season as part of my camouflage system. They help me carry the pattern over my head and neck without adding another loose piece that I have to manage.
That does not mean there is something wrong with the Trace Quarter Zip. It just did not fit the way I build my system. I wanted a hood, and I would rather have a built-in face mask too. That is why the Wick made more sense at first and why I was interested in the Yuma when First Lite released it.
Why the Wick Stayed in My System
The Wick did not stop being useful when the early season ended. I wore it under my original Whitetail Catalyst setup during the midseason. Later in November, I wore it as part of my layering system with the First Lite Core.
That is a major part of the value. You can wear it by itself when it is warm, then keep using it as a comfortable next-to-skin layer when you move into heavier clothing. If you are building around the roles in my bowhunting clothing system, the Wick starts in MOVE and keeps working underneath BUILD and LOCK layers as conditions change.
First Lite Trace Pants Review
The Trace Pants are excellent in the early season. They are light, flexible, breathable, and exceptionally quiet. At the time of my original review, they were the quietest early-season pants I had tested.
The four-way stretch gave me the movement I needed for walking, climbing, and getting into position. The athletic cut never felt like it was fighting my knees or hips. That matters for a mobile bowhunter because a pant can feel fine while standing in a room and turn into a problem as soon as you start climbing sticks or stepping over deadfall.
The Trace is built around First Lite’s KineticGrid fabric. It is a thin, porous grid material made to move air, stretch, stay quiet, and dry quickly. First Lite adds an articulated cut, a built-in removable belt, dual thigh vents, HeiQ Pure odor control, and a DWR finish for light moisture.
Most of that construction showed up in the field. The articulated fit and stretch gave me room to walk and climb without the pants fighting my knees or hips. The porous fabric and large vents moved a lot of air, and the pants dried quickly after they got wet. The DWR helped with light moisture, but this is still a breathable hot-weather pant—not rain gear.
The current pant weighs 13 ounces, and First Lite lists it for temperatures from 60 degrees to above 80 degrees. Those numbers place it where my field use did: this is a true hot-weather pant.
Quietness Is the Trace’s Biggest Strength
Every early-season pant has to balance quietness and durability. Make the fabric thicker and tougher, and it usually gets louder or hotter. Make it soft, light, and quiet, and jaggers can get through it more easily.
The Trace leans toward quietness, and I think that is the right choice for many bowhunters. The cargo-pocket closures were among the quietest snap-style closures I had used outside of magnetic systems. The zippers were quiet, and the fabric stayed quiet when I moved.
If you hunt from a treestand, saddle, or the ground and your access is relatively clean, that quietness is a real advantage. If every hunt starts with a fight through briars, there are tougher pants available.
Venting and Pocket Layout
The Trace has inner and outer thigh openings that can move a lot of air through the pant. The side-entry cargo pocket also works as part of that venting system. That helps on a hot walk, but it creates one tradeoff: if you use the opening as a vent, loose items in that pocket can fall out.
The fix is simple. Keep the pocket partly zipped when you are carrying gear, or use the opposite side for more airflow. The pants also have top-entry cargo access, regular front pockets, and two zippered rear pockets.
What Happened in Wet Brush
The DWR handled normal light moisture, but it did not keep my lower legs dry after I pushed through about 100 yards of very wet brush shortly after the rain stopped. From my knees down, the pants were soaked.
The good part was how quickly they recovered. About 30 minutes later, they were dry. That matches what I want from an early-season pant. A thin DWR-treated pant will not act like rain gear in soaked vegetation, but it needs to move that moisture and dry quickly after the water gets through.
Durability in Jaggers
Jaggers got through the fabric and reached my skin during testing. I also found one small pull in the material. The ripstop construction kept that pull from turning into a larger tear, and the pants held up to the field use I gave them.
That is the tradeoff. The Trace is not my first choice for repeatedly pushing through the nastiest briars. It is one of my first choices when I need an early-season pant that is exceptionally quiet, comfortable, and easy to move in.
You can see where the Trace sits against the rest of the field in my best early-season bowhunting pants guide.
First Lite Trace Gloves Review
The Trace Gloves are the third part of this setup. They are light, quiet, and give you enough dexterity for an early-season bow hunt. The fabric was so quiet that I had to work at it to make much noise when I rubbed my hands together.
The important issue is sizing. I normally wear a medium glove, but I bought the Trace Gloves in a Large after reading that they ran small. That was the right decision. If you normally wear a Large, I would move to an XL. Go up one full size.
First Lite uses KineticGrid across the back of the hand and a tougher material across the palm, where most of the wear occurs. That keeps the glove light and breathable while giving the working side more protection. The articulated shape helps maintain finger movement when you are handling your bow and getting ready for the shot, and the DWR finish helps shed light moisture from wet vegetation.
The glove weighs 1 ounce and carries a regular $40 MSRP. It adds quiet hand coverage without feeling like a cold-weather glove or taking away much feel during the shot.
Wick Hoody vs. Yuma Synthetic Hoody
The Yuma looked like it might replace my Wick for the hottest part of the season. It gave me the hood I wanted and added a built-in face mask, but its construction is very different from the Wick.
First Lite builds the Yuma from a lighter 115-gram, 100% polyester dot-matrix fabric. The open dot pattern lets more air move through the shirt. Its 37.5 Active Particle fibers are made to move moisture and speed up drying, HeiQ Pure helps control odor, and Burlington No Fly Zone adds insect and tick protection.
I wore and tested the Yuma after filming my original Wick and Trace review. The technology showed up in the field. It was really good at wicking sweat and managing moisture. The problem for me was the fit.
I wore a size Large. The body and hood fit fine, but the material was slightly restrictive through my biceps and upper arms. The Wick fit me better and was exceptionally comfortable, so I ended up wearing it more.
When I needed insect protection, I treated the Wick with Sawyer permethrin fabric treatment. My complete insect-protection hunting clothing guide explains how I build protection across the whole system instead of relying on one treated top.
The Yuma still has a place. If it fits your upper arms well and you want excellent synthetic moisture management, a hood, a built-in face mask, and insect protection in the shirt, it is a strong hot-weather option. For my build and the way I used the clothing, the Wick was the one I kept reaching for.
Current Specs and Full-MSRP Value
As of August 20, 2026, First Lite lists the Wick Hoody at $130, the Trace Pants at $160, and the Trace Gloves at a regular $40 MSRP. The complete three-piece setup is $330 at full MSRP. Temporary sale pricing can lower that number, but I use regular MSRP when comparing value.
The Trace Pants earn their place through quietness, comfort, ventilation, and movement. The Wick earns its place through exceptional comfort, quiet fabric, moisture management, and a wider seasonal range. The gloves are useful if you want the complete setup, but the fit means I would not order them without sizing up.
This is not the toughest early-season system I have tested, and it does not give you built-in insect protection from top to bottom. What it gives you is a quiet, comfortable system made for bowhunting. For many treestand, saddle, and ground hunters, that is the part that matters most.
Where This First Lite System Fits
The Trace Pants and Wick Hoody make the most sense if you:
- Need an exceptionally quiet early-season pant for close-range bowhunting.
- Put comfort and movement ahead of maximum resistance to briars and jaggers.
- Want a merino-blend hoody that can continue working as a base layer after the early season.
- Are willing to treat the clothing with permethrin when insects are a serious problem.
- Want light gloves that stay quiet and do not interfere with the shot.
I would look at a tougher pant if your access regularly runs through heavy briars. I would look at a complete factory-treated system if you want built-in insect protection from your hood to your lower legs. My field-tested early-season bowhunting clothing guide compares those other systems.
Best for: Early-season treestand, saddle, and ground hunters who put quietness, comfort, and easy movement ahead of maximum brush protection.
Skip it if: Most of your access runs through heavy briars, you need factory-treated insect protection from top to bottom, or you want the toughest pant you can find.
Final Verdict
The First Lite Trace Pants are excellent early-season bowhunting pants. They are exceptionally quiet, comfortable, breathable, and easy to move in. Their weakness is heavy brush, but the ripstop kept the small pull I found from becoming a larger tear.
The Wick Hoody is the piece I used across the widest part of the season. It was exceptionally comfortable by itself in warm weather, useful under the Whitetail Catalyst during the midseason, and still part of my system with the Core later in November.
The Trace Gloves finish the system without adding much weight or noise. Just remember to order one size larger than you normally wear.
The Yuma did a better job moving sweat in the hottest conditions and added built-in insect protection. But the fit through my upper arms kept it from replacing the Wick. That is the difference between choosing from a feature list and choosing from time in the field.
- Check the First Lite Wick Hoody
- Check the First Lite Trace Pants
- Check the First Lite Trace Gloves
- Compare the First Lite Yuma Synthetic Hoody
CONTINUE THE CLOTHING SYSTEM
Your Next Steps
This system fits MOVE because its main jobs are controlling sweat, staying mobile, and handling heat and insects during active conditions. The Wick can then stay in the system as a next-to-skin layer under BUILD and LOCK pieces when the temperature drops.
See how active clothing should control heat, moisture, movement, and insect pressure.
2. Compare Early-Season Clothing
Compare the complete warm-weather systems I have tested for hunting, scouting, insect protection, and value.
3. Build an Insect-Protection System
See how I combine treated clothing, permethrin, and field habits instead of expecting one shirt to solve the entire problem.
Part of the Everyday Bow Hunter Clothing System
Want to see exactly what I’m carrying this season? Check out my Personal Bowhunting Gear List for 2026
