Staying Warm 101

[JOHNROHIO]

I've been thinking about a HBS for years now. Need to pull the damn trigger on one.

I've borrowed a buddys HBS I'm preparing for late season. I took it to the stand once this year, more so for a little practice. I can say one thing for it.... it is napping approved! I had all light stuff on , jumped in that thing doing a little practice. 20 min later, I was all warm and cozy and woke up about an hour later.

 

[jagermeister]

For base layers I think you can get by with many different options. Merino wool is nice, UA is nice also, but for me they aren't totally necessary. I've actually always thought the UA stuff was incredibly overrated. I buy the Rocky base layers at Walmart at the end of the year when they go on clearance for $5. They are plenty warm and very comfortable. To me, the biggest thing like Milo said is to have a windproof outer garment. If you're letting wind get in you're not going to stay warm, no matter how many layers are underneath. So my strategy is, buy base layers cheap (so I have a lot of them and can swap often) but buy high quality outerwear. My Predator fleece keeps me incredibly warm for as lightweight as it is. And the fleece vest by Predator is a great addition too when it's really friggin cold.

 

[Milo]

The merino wool won't stink like the base layers that's why I use it and it holds smoke really well.

 

[hickslawns]

Stole some first lite merino on triple field and stream clearance. Not their thick stuff but it keeps me very dry and comfy. Layer it under UA and all is good.

Third season for the Llama socks. Cannot beat them.

I wondered how those were. I remembered you trying them out but not sure if you had given a follow up report or not. Good to know Huck.

 

[PSE13]

I usually do pretty good at staying warm besides my feet and hands. I use polypropylene and wool socks but haven't figured the hands out yet.

 

[epe]

Lately I have been cheating but haven't had cold enough to test my upper layers..lol. I have a dewalt heated hoodie, which is a carhart insulated hoodie under a ua treestand coat which has the reflective technology. It also has the spots for the hand warmers inside the coat

 

[jagermeister]

The merino wool won't stink like the base layers that's why I use it and it holds smoke really well.

Good point about the smell factor. I guess that's why I buy a bunch of cheap ones... I can just throw on a different one when one gets stinky. I sometimes wear Copperhead baselayer underneath though, which actually seems to work as well as it's advertised. I've worn that stuff for several days in a row and it doesn't stink when it really should.

 

[Milo]

Good point about the smell factor. I guess that's why I buy a bunch of cheap ones... I can just throw on a different one when one gets stinky. I sometimes wear Copperhead baselayer underneath though, which actually seems to work as well as it's advertised. I've worn that stuff for several days in a row and it doesn't stink when it really should.

Same here.. I only have 2 sets of each merino wool weight... I can get 3-4 days out of a set of wool

 

[HeartLunger]

For those who use wool...

Is there a quality sub $200 parka on the market?

 

[Dannmann801]

Staying warm to me is a matter of Muck Boots and Carhartt insulated bibs.
Under the insulated bibs I wear a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, pref red plaid.
(Note: flannel lined jeans are friggin expensive. But if you wear flannel jammies underneath jeans you get the same effect for free.)

Carhartt insulated coat when it's really cold.

The Muck Boots/Carhartt bib combo is world class to me

 

[Jason Short]

I too wear the insulated Carhartt bibs and love them. If it's a little warmer I can just wear them over a long sleeved shirt and get a little air flow to keep me from overheating. If it's cold I wear a sweatshirt under them then a knockoff carhartt coat over top of that with a thin camo jacket over that and it keeps me plenty warm.

 

[Redhunter1012]

UA infrared, rocky thermals, fleece pajama pants, wool sweater. XPS outerwear. Feet get nylon liners under wool LaCrosse socks and Irish setter boots. handwarmers go on larger veins and arteries

 

[epe]

Staying warm to me is a matter of Muck Boots and Carhartt insulated bibs.
Under the insulated bibs I wear a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, pref red plaid.
(Note: flannel lined jeans are friggin expensive. But if you wear flannel jammies underneath jeans you get the same effect for free.)

Carhartt insulated coat when it's really cold.

The Muck Boots/Carhartt bib combo is world class to me

I have like 4 pairs of the flannel jeans. Pick up in the spring for like $10

 

[giles]

If you get cold feet, try and find your self a pair of Bunny Boats/Mickey Mouse boots. White ones have a bit more insulation in them, but the black ones work good too. If you wear a size 11 regular boot, buy a 10. They might still be big on you.

Only last year did I start having a problem with cold hands. I've got a few pair of OR (outdoor research) gloves, but they don't seem to do much when it gets balls cold. The old school military arctic mittens are the only thing that works for me. Along with a set of thin wool gloves so my hands do freeze off when I pull them out of the mittens.

If it's crazy cold, the best thing I can find to stay warm is keeping my sissy ass INSIDE the heated house! Because the worst part about hunting on those days is gutting an animal... Year before last I carried a deer out with my hands still inside it. Felt like my fingers were going to fall off after the got blood on them.

 

[CJD3]

Put them hot hands in your boots by your toes and a set in you gloves. Switch them out every hour or so. For whatever reason lack of oxygen they cool off, the ones in your gloves are hot. Ten minute later the ones from your boots get hot again.[/QUOT

Hot hands makes a line for boots too. They run on less oxygen so you shouldn't have that problem.

 

[Huckleberry Finn]

The good deals are starting to post up. Belas has some goof deals on predator stuff in cretain sizes...snagged their nice fleece pants for almost half off. In addition to the coat and bibs I already have.

Gun season wasn't as cold as years past by far but it proved that I won't wear a base layer other than merino. The icebreaker stuff I got is excellent under UA or almost warmer by itself.

 

[Buckmaster]

Staying warm to me is a matter of Muck Boots and Carhartt insulated bibs.
Under the insulated bibs I wear a pair of flannel pajama bottoms, pref red plaid.
(Note: flannel lined jeans are friggin expensive. But if you wear flannel jammies underneath jeans you get the same effect for free.)

Carhartt insulated coat when it's really cold.

The Muck Boots/Carhartt bib combo is world class to me

I've seen this combo used in person and let me tell you guys it's a highly effective killing garment. ickle:
The only ScentLok is when old Danno rips one off after having eggs in the morning. rotflmao

 

[Mike]

handwarmers go on larger veins and arteries

That works great.

 

[Mike]

I use polypropylene and wool socks but haven't figured the hands out yet.

Same

 

[Dannmann801]

I've seen this combo used in person and let me tell you guys it's a highly effective killing garment. ickle:
The only ScentLok is when old Danno rips one off after having eggs in the morning. rotflmao

That's why I smoke the Carhartts up hard - then when I rip off an egg fart the benefit is two-fold - I warm up the bottom of the bibs then put out the gourmet smell of smoked eggs, brings out the more refined upper-crust deer