Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Warmest puffy?

You’ve got good gear. It sounds as if you just need to adjust what you wear for the hike in to avoid overheating and sweating out your under layers. It’s always tough for me to strip down enough when I start to hike in cold weather. But I know that after I get well started especially when carrying a load or climbing that I won’t need much more than wind protection to stay warm even in very cold conditions. So I force myself to ditch the insulation beyond base layers and wind protection. A heavy hat and gloves goes over a light hat and gloves. It’s uncomfortable to start. After 10-15 minutes of hiking I usually ditch the heavy hat and gloves. If I start to sweat I vent the outer layer. As soon as I stop to glass I get out the puffy jacket and overpants and layer back up before I chill. It keeps me dry so sitting isn’t miserable.

First off, Thank you Biwinters and all who contribute to this thread. It has been a big help to hear everyone's experience with their gear.

It is Flintlock season now. The high temp in the mountains here yesterday was 10 degrees above. I tracked deer all day wearing only a mountain hardwear butterman as a first layer and micro puff half zip top as a second with a capilene light weight pant as a base with an R-one pant as a second layer. Knit hat, light gloves and Meindl boots. That is it. Perfect for the day, as no sweat and not cold.

I didn't carry a pack, just the rifle. I knew I would be hiking all day. I had a fleece pullover left in the truck.

It seems to be a natural instinct to wear too much at the beginning of the trek. You have to underdress to start and layer up if you find yourself still cold after walking for awhile.

If one were to be stopping to glass or take a stand you would have needed all you had to stay warm. That is wear this thread is valuable. Keeping away from sweat by walking"light" but having the puffys and other insulation layers in the pack to add as needed.

Stand hunting and stalk/track hunting are so different that they need two strategies. But even short walks to your stand can bring up a sweat if overdressed. One tip is to drive to your hunting destination with the heat on low or off in the truck so you can adjust to the outside temp knowing that you exertion while getting to your stand will kick up the body heat.

The bottom line is never sweat in the first place and if you do, have the layering system that enables your body to push out that moisture through to the outside layers.

This thread is a big help in figuring out what those layers are for you.

Thanks for making me focus more on tweaking my approach to layering.

Diesel, I agree with most everything you said except "never sweat in the first place." Sometimes it's just not possible to avoid sweating so as others have pointed out, you need layers that your body heat can dry out. These come in handy not only when you sweat but also when you get rained on. And they really come in handy when you can get into your sleeping bag wet, and come out dry.

Just to add one personal experience I hunted a few weeks ago in Pennsylvania for whitetails. Temps in the upper 20s and a mild breeze. Started out with wool base layers, kuiu kenai as a mid layer and first lite puffy as my outer layer. While I really love the first lite for most of the hunting I do I was getting pretty cold alternating between sitting for an hour at a time and really slow still hunting in beteeen sits. Late morning I walked back to my truck and swapped the first lite for my Kifaru lost park parka and was truly surprised how much warmer it was. Felt 50% warmed at least. I really like both, the first lite is more packable and quieter and the kifaru is warmer and I like the marsupial pocket and the ability to buckle a pack through it and still keep my hands warm. Both great just different depending on your needs.

I've been using First Lite Aerowool mineret all week. It doesn't stink and dries fairly quick - I like it. I'm probably going to go with Kuiu Peleton 200 over a synthetic base layer for my western hunting. I'm finding if I'm not dry within an hour of stopping I get cold. The Aerowool under the Kuiu Ultra Merino 210 works but am finding the ultra Merino 210 holds moisture too long when sweating. It 'cooks' dry too slow as FormD says.

Is the Peleton 200 and/or 240 similar to a Sitka Kelvin Active?

I have the Sitka Kelvin jacket and the Kelvin Lite Hoody. Yesterday I went pheasant hunting and the air temp was 17 degrees BELOW zero. I left the Kelvin Jacket at home as it would have been way too hot. I had on 3 layers; a synthetic short sleeve tshirt, a Sitka Core midweight long sleeve and the Kelvin Lite hoody. I was as close to perfect as you can get. Never got cold even a little bit.

I didnt read this entire thread so forgive me if I repeat something someone said! Sitka Kelvin is just plain awesome. I dont wear wool anymore because of it. Sitka's Incinerator Series might be even better! Make sure you dont have stuff too tight. Wear a neck gaiter. Dunno about the other brands, but Sitka has me convinced that Primaloft is a definite advancement in cold weather clothing.

I wish KUIU, Sitka, etc. offered their outerwear in blaze orange. I'm not a camo guy and hate having to carry around and wear a separate orange vest to meet state minimum requirements.

So what is the difference between Primaloft and the polartech material? I can only find Primaloft in outerwear and polartech material in base layers. Surely there is more than that??

Primaloft and polartec are insulation. Garment manufacturers choose them based on ...well who knows what they are based on, but suffice it to say, they are used in different garments. Based on the things I have with Primaloft, I have become a big fan.

Do you have any base layer garments made of Primaloft?

Thanks

I don't own the Sitka Kelvin Active but using google Fu they look like 2 different products. The Sitka product is a Primaloft insulated jacket using Polartec Alpha. My understanding of Polartec Alpha is a insulation that has a primary function of removing moisture/breathable. It is used for active sessions. The Kuiu Peleton series are more of a base layer garment made of 100% synthetic material, a Toray polyester material. It appears the Sitka product is a light insulating layer; the Kuiu a sweat management with a bit of insulting value. My purpose is moisture managment next to, and one layer out, from the skin.

I agree with Berettaman on the differences between the two - as I understand it. It seems the Polartec product is more of an active insulation that is very breathable. As to the pure insulating qualities, I can't find anything on the Polartec Alpha with respect to measured insulating value ("R" value). I'd suspect its in the same ballpark as the better Primaloft products.

I do not - yet. I spent the past couple days deer hunting from a treestand. It was 16 degrees this AM. I wore a First Lite Mineret, Kuiu Ultra Merino 210 hoodie, and EMS Feather Pack into the stand (1/2 to 3/4 mile walk). I put a First Lite Woodbury over that. I had on 2 thin base layer on my legs and a pair of FL North Branch Bibs. My legs were a bit cool after about 2.5 hours. I'm looking at Primaloft insulated mid layer puffy pants now. Cabelas, Patagonia, and LL Bean all make one, as does the military. I'll own one of them before next deer season.

That said I do own a First Lite Santuary jacket and bib. The issue is that they are way too hot if you need to hike any distance. I'm hunting in the mountains of eastern and southern Tennessee (Cumberlands) and they are too hot for that purpose. I'm looking to add a mid layer Primaloft mid layer pant with the FL North Branch bibs. I should be set after that.

Also heard a couple things from First Lite. 'Rumor' has it they will be adding a hood to the North Branch jacket. A jacket with no hood is fairly useless in my book. I wear a hood alot, mostly for wind control when its warmer, to keep warm when its cooler. They may also be dreaming up a puffy pair of pants like I'm looking at. I'll own both if they actually do that............

Am i correct in this simplified assessment? Polartech (with its moisture management) is a better base layer. Primaloft (with its insulation management) is a better second layer. And if that is true, patagonia capilene base layers would be a good choice?

I'm not an expert by any stretch but that's the direction I'm leaning. Going hiking tomorrow with the wife in the Smokys. I'm going to wear the Patagonia Cap 3 as a base layer and a fleece mid layer. Likely throw a light puffy in my pack - expect to to be cool up on top.

Gonna make another conclusion.

Merino wool is better as a base layer when walking a short distance and do not expect to sweat.

Synthetic is better as a base layer when one expects to sweat. And as Form pointed out, a fleece mid layer is a good choice to help your body dry out.

Thoughts on this??

I wouldn’t agree. Wool works very well to move a lot of moisture if you are active and has a reduces stink factor when used over several days. Good wool is warmer than synthetics. Wool feels and acts “dry” for longer than synthetics while being able to absorb and move moisture. But if there is nowhere for moisture to move it will damp out. So if you are in a high humidity environment or bury the base layer under heavy insulation it will damp out and stay damp. There are a lot of experienced mountain hunters on this forum that have moved to wool for base layers and swear by it.

I agree with you. I still believe Merino will keep you warmer when its wet than synthetics - but my experience over the past couple hunting seasons indicates if you arrive at your stand dry or have a thin synthetic that 'cooks' dry in short order, you'll stay warmer longer on stand than wearing a merino next to your skin and having it stay damp for a long time. The reason I'm looking into a dual base layer system is to keep all moisture significantly away from my skin. I tested that theory this fall with wearing a synthetic next to the skin and a thicker merino as a mid layer. If you sweat enough to get the merino damp, its seems like the same effect as having it next to your skin - you chill easier and quicker.

So, I'm waiting for Kuiu to have another sale to fully test the theory - Peleton 130 (thin, moisture wicking synthetic) next to skin, Peleton 200 next (thicker synthetic with moisture wicking properties), followed by fleece/merino sweater (Ice Breaker 320). Depending on temps, I'll hike in with that set up. I'll wear a Kuiu Guide jacket when I cool down a bit and still hunt or take a stand. I'll have a down or Primaloft puffy in my pack for extended sits. I think that system works for about 60-70% of my hunting in the east and west. For my eastern TS hunting, probably go with the same base layer setup and insulation layers. The outer layers will change according to the temps - everything from a Kuiu Peleton 240 to First Lite Sanctuary as an outer layer.

I guess the short version is - I'm switching back to synthetics next to my skin except for situations where I can remain sweat free. I still love merino next to my skin but don't like how long it takes to dry.

A big thanks goes to Form D for prompting and providing thoughts on this. It wasn't until I started paying attention to why I was getting cold over the past couple years and Form's thoughts that I connected the dots. I didn't have this problem when I wore synthetic or synthetic/merino blends under fleece. It wasn't until I switched to all merino that I started having issues. Interestingly I caught a Youtube by Jason Hairston explaining why Kuiu brought out the Peleton line. It seems the Kuiu crew was hunting (New Zealand?) and all the guides wore synthetics next to skin because merino stayed damp too long. My experience matches those statements/thoughts.

No. The Peloton stuff is a base layer or fleece depending on the product. A closer comparison to the Sitka Active would be the Kuiu Kenai.