I prefer wearing wool when out hunting in November, but as with most wool I find wind cuts right through it. Yes, I also have the expensive brand felted wool and even wind will penetrate through it as well. I have tried the Berber fleece with Windshear and I like it, but it is obviously too bulky to wear as a layer and I don't like that the outer fleece loses all of its insulating properties because the wind liner is located inside.

Anyone know of a good THIN wind blocker that isn't very noisy? I've tried wearing a top of the line, super light, wind jacket under my wool, but found it was quite a bit noisier than the Windshear.
Any suggestions?

I just carry a light rain jacket to put on over my wool jacket when sitting. I like the "breathability" of wool when moving.

I e not really had an issue and almost always wear wool.
I wear UA long johns and it works great.

I have one of the cabelas windstopper wool vest as well as a sweater in the same material. I seldom hunt late in the year w/o one or the other.

I've read reviews where people were complaining about noise on these. Any louder than the Berber with wind lining?

The wool isn't noisy is the material inside. I have a gander mt. version and a cabela's version. Yes, they'er noisy.

I have a couple of fleece pieces of the Cabelas fleece Windshear and I oftentimes where it as the outer piece while bowhunting - no issues with noise.

If you want a simple, thin layer, the SportHill XC 3SP Half-Zip Pullover Top is really sweet - same for the pants.

Another option is the Kuiu Guide DCS soft shell vest and/or jacket. I can vouch for the wind-bucking ability of both of them as well. Again, I'll oftentimes wear them as outer layer while bowhunting.

Any of the above would be an excellent choice beneath your wool.

Light, windblocking, and quiet - I had a long sleeved windblocker layer that was actually a biking shirt. I believe it was made by Kraft or Craft, Finnish company maybe? Excellent quality.

An insulator works by trapping air between the fibers. If the wind goes through the wool before hitting the windblock layer, it's already removed the heat that the wool is supposed to trap. Stopping the wind on the OUTSIDE will keep you a lot warmer. Yes, it's noisier but keeping warm is the purpose of wearing the wool in the 1st place.

I have been buying clothes from a non-hunting store like Colombia or REI. The clothing is high quality and it sure seems to perform better than box store hunting clothes.
Min have been wearing a soft shell type jacket to/from my hunting area, with an orange vest over it.

When I start to cool off I'll either switch it out for my wool coat, or put the coat over it if I'm on a stand.

I really don't have an issue with the wind going through my oil coats. One is a blaze orange Columbia and one is an insulated bemiji wollen mills coat. It has to be god aweful cold before I put that on.

I have the same issue even with my Filson Double Mack cruiser. Its warm, but the wind cuts right through it. I could use some ideas for some form of a wind blocker as well.

I bought an XXL soft shell hooded zip up jacket to layer over my wool and it works like a charm.

IIRC I paid 70.00 for one from Sierra Trading Post.

I have Cabela's Wooltimate jacket and vest along with their lighter weight Performance Fleece jacket all with Windshear lining. The windshear lining is the key to stopping wind and I have had zero problem with noise. I do have a couple pairs of heavy wool, unlined pants that I use with merino base layers when it gets really cold, and I can feel a bit wind when it is strong. Since I no longer hunt from a tree stands it doesn't bother me enough to stop wearing them. I like the way wool breathes.

I use cheap wind blocking light weight fleece(Rocky, Winchester, Basspro, etc) as outer layers and they work very well from the Rockies to the TX Panhandle in high wind. We hunt places where wind is constantly blowing and those fleece blockers work great. Layers are the key to warmth and the wind blocker must be the top layer. I personally like UA 4.0 as a base layer. If it's really cold out, I'll slip on a lightweight insulated set of Walls wind stopper coveralls on top. This set-up has worked for me for many years from -13 on up.

I know it's old school, but good coveralls are the best for warmth I've ever found hands down. It's what my dad always wears in every state he hunts and I finally caught on after tons of dollars wasted on various brands of bibs, parkas, vest, etc etc.

Heavy Carhartt hoodie underneath works great for me. Anything else can go on top.

Usually whatever rain gear I have doubles as wind protection.
I get some at least one size larger just for this purpose. The Cabelas Mt50/50 have worked as well as a variety of the other light fleece Gore-Tex models.

I have seen some anoraks and even vests made for this from the Mountaineering, Cycling and even Golf shops. Some of these are silky light weight and look ideal but I haven't tried them yet.

Old surplus extreme cold weather wind gear works too especially if treated with a repellent. A poncho works well while on stand or stump sitting. If I go this route I have a bungee to use as a wast belt if it is really windy.

Interesting take, we've always found that bibs and a top are much warmer than any coveralls we ever tried. Mostly because you are doubling the insulation over the core area or some of the core area of your body. Plus you can move much more freely, especially moving to draw a bow and such when the top layer is indepedant of the bottom layer.

May have to look back at coveralls again though to see if anything has changed.

These things are awesome for close in hunting. I have two. Absolutely quiet, breath better than any other windproof layer I've tried, keeps out the cold....


http://melanzana.com/catalog/produc...?osCsid=e0f0cbfeaec0b52dc0eab09eb1eee79c

Jeff,

I buy the coveralls big to use as a top layer and they work really well for me. I'll have 4.0 and regular layers underneath. The only thing I don't like coveralls for is walking as I get way too hot. My current Walls set fits in my pack, so I only put them on when I'm sitting somewhere for a bit. That said, I have run the coveralls alone with no ins base layers when I was doing stalking in cold weather. It worked well, but I wouldn't have wanted to sit long w/o the layers underneath(Usually throw a light jacket in the pack just in case).

I think the coveralls help more in the wind and keep the heat in much better than the bib/parka combo since they are one piece.

I have been wearing a windstopper lined wool sweater from LL bean for probably close to 25 years. Mine doesn't seem loud at all. It definitely blocks wind.

Your problem is part of the reason I've given up on fleece. The other part is that for me, moisture collects on the inside and takes forever to dissipate.

My solution is to wear wool when it's not too windy, and my old Cabelas waterfowl parka when it is. It's so old that it's made in America. Has a camo shell, Gore-tex liner, and a layer of thinsulate. It's easily the warmest coat I've got and weighs next to nothing, especially compared to my Filson. WV requires 400 square inches of orange during the firearms big game seasons, so I wear a cheap Walmart fleece jacket that I cut the sleeves off as a vest, which cuts the noise down a lot. It also adds some pockets for gloves and such. That thing cost me all of about $10 and works like a champ.

Cool. I'd look into it again if the bib/coat thing wasn't working so great for us! I haven't put on a coverall, other than fire coveralls, in so long I have no clue.. likely the 90s...