Written by Justin Park|
Last updated
Hank Williams, Jr. sang about "country boys" skinning deer and fishing in the rain decades ago. The connection between the outdoors and country music is as strong as ever, leading Luke Combs – a hunter and one of Nashville's modern icons – to his own line of hunting gear.
Combs partnered with outdoor apparel giant Columbia for his hunting gear, a signature line of Columbia's Performance Hunting Gear (PHG) focused on his passion: turkey hunting. The camouflage vest, base layers, hats, sun shirt, pants, and more utilize Mossy Oak's iconic Greenleaf Camouflage which helps hunters stay concealed under the well-known scrutiny of gobblers.
Genesis of the Combs Collection
Plenty of celebs are happy to cash in on their name with casual collaborations, but Combs' line emerged from a multi-year process of consultation, iteration, and development where Combs himself and a testing pool of 50 other hunters dialed in the features of the gear in the field.
Even if you're not familiar with his music, you may recognize Combs from multiple appearances on Steven Rinella's MeatEater, where he's joined the show for turkey and hog hunts in Texas, pronghorn pursuit in Wyoming, and a bull elk hunt in New Mexico's famed high desert elk country.
Combs and Steven Rinella hunt turkey in Texas from Season 13 of MeatEater.
What's in the PHG x Combs' Collection
The most specialized piece of gear in his line – which includes vest, hoodie, pants, gloves, neck gaiter, and ball cap – is the CSC PHG x Luke Combs Turkey Hunting Vest. Because turkey hunting often involves long, cold sits against a tree trunk calling birds, the vest has a tuck-away padded seat to keep your backside insulated and out of the muck. It also has foam-padded back and shoulders for comfort and a zippered game bag for hauling out birds.
While the vest is the highlight, the PHG x Combs line has a full outfit for turkey hunting from head to toe. The Tech Camo Pants use a blend of polyester and Elastane for a light, breathable fabric that keeps you cool on muggy spring sits but is roomy enough to layer under on colder days early season.
You can round out a full Mossy Oak Greenleaf-coordinated kit from Combs' line with the similarly light Sun Shirt hoodie, cinchable Neck Gaiter, Gloves with exposed trigger finger, Mesh Camo Ballcap, and aforementioned Vest.
Combs Appreciates Access
Combs is a celebrity now, but he comes from humble roots. "Growing up, I didn’t have the access to hunting land like I do now,” Combs said in an interview about his Columbia PHG line.
Sure, Combs has been on plenty of dream hunts as an adult such as his New Mexico elk pursuit with the MeatEater crew, but his lyrics show a deep understanding of the value of hunting beyond the kill.
On his song "Huntin' By Yourself" Combs croons about the fleeting joys of (often unsuccessful) treestand sits with his son:
He moves too much, and he talks too loud
But I don't mind, 'cause I'm finding out
That even if it's just time we're killing
It's never felt more like living
HLRBO's platform for finding private land hunting leases can provide access to trophy-class animals, but a majority of the listings are smaller parcels less than 100 acres. Many are lower-cost options that simply provide a place to hunt for people who may not have access to public parcels or private land connections.
Follow HLRBO on Instagram and Facebook for an upcoming giveaway where we will award Luke Combs’ full Columbia kit as a prize in the coming weeks.
Browse the full collection of Luke Combs x PHG turkey hunting gear here.
Justin Park is a Colorado-based writer, editor, and avid hunter with a passion for the outdoors. He contributes to leading publications such as GearJunkie, Popular Mechanics, Powder, and Men's Journal, and serves as Editor of Wild Snow. Park is deeply involved in conservation and recreation advocacy, serving as Chapter Chair of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Summit County. He also represents RMEF on a state recreation committee focused on proactively addressing land use conflicts.