Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Warmest base layer/long underwear ??

Looking for the warmest, non-bulky base layer.

This is for bowhunting from a 24"x30" hang-on stand for 11 hours at a time. Never had trouble with the system I was using before. But this is the first November it's been barely 20 degrees and windy.

What's gonna do the best job for sitting still from before daylight til after dark ??

Thing is if you're in wind the warmest base layer going won't do much good with wind blowing through. In other words no long underwear are wind proof, so get that dealt with with your outer layer first.

For a base layer I like merino of varying thicknesses depending on how cold it is. None I've tried are bulky at all.

I'm using Arctic Shield H4 as my outer layer and Easton Core 4 Element in the middle. It cuts the vast majority of the wind. Just thinking I could tweak my base layer to work better with what else I have going on.

Any particular brand of merino you've found to be better ??

Sounds like you're covered for wind. To be honest Yoder some real decent ones I got from Costco. I kid you not. A Merino blend maybe Kirkland brand? dunno.. but they're basically just light tights but a Merino blend that are surprisingly warm I've got a few pairs of them not sure if they still sell them. I've got some thicker ones Eddie Bauer I think I've worn the tights and these before for really stupid cold days.... works great. Or the Eddie's alone really is some pretty killer cold fighting.

Appreciate your help and insight, sir !! 👍👍

Carhartt coveralls over a union suit.

IMO, warmth is not tbe purpose of a base layer. I want it to wick so as to keep skin dry. Warmth comes from insulating layers over that, and a wind proof/resistant outer layer.

A neck gaiter is essential in windy conditions to seal the jacket. Again, IMO&E.

Silkweight merino is pretty good stuff.

Neck gaiters... when I saw those show up several years back I thought what kind of ghey fashion bs is this all about. And then I tried one. Gasket is the perfect word I've usually pissed around with hoodies or scarfs to seal up the neck which for obvious reasons leaks a lot of heat in the wind. I use a thin neck gator thingy now mostly forget what brand Cabelas had them they work great.

Milwaukee heated jacket and 3 batteries

Still froze my hydrocele nutts nearly off this morning.

Always have neck gaiter, my draw string broke so been using milspec wool scarf. 23 and light wind is cold to me. But i'm also on 19 different meds. lol

I'm still out there though, I haven't resigned my fate to posting threads about the lifestyle of kimberly guilfoyle

Im no help on the merino. I never seem to sweat enough while shivering to worry about wicking.

I do have this limited edition scarf made my genuine retards.

Brown county might be right outside of Billings. I'm not sure.

agree on the neck gaitor, for years never wore one...was a surprising game changer when i tried it

Just go buy the Under Armour 4.0 pants and shirt and be done with it.

This is coming from a Mn boy that hunts late season ML.

That will keep your core warm but it's very important to keep your head and feet warm too.


*Edit to add: I wear a mid layer too when it gets at or below zero F.

Ever consider a blind and a Mr Buddy heater? I know some uber committed late season white tail guys up north and that's the go to for them. I admire you guys on stand for hours at a time, man I've got the patience of a gnat on meth. lol So friggn hard to stay warm staying put in a cold wind....

Any experience with Merino to compare this stuff to?

I reconfigure a lot of my stands after 3-4 hunts. Shift with rut patterns, food; other hunter pressure.

No acorns this year, stands will be tweaked and moved toward some browse and honeysuckle.

I have 15 ladder type stands on two properties.

If I had some sort of food plot, I might could do an enclosed structure. But i like gettin wooly in swampy chit, broomsticks and ditchlines.

Renegade hunts on the ground. I hate being on the ground. I would hate something like a turkey blind.

I also don't use calls or scents so again, meh...

I'm a fan of merino long johns for real cold weather (last cold hunt it was 8F when I got out of the tent). Scarves/neck gaiter/bandana, something to keep the neck covered.

But, I can't speak for 11 friggen hours in a stand. I can hardly stand in one spot 11 minutes. So I'm likely warmer a bit by moving around every few minutes.

Maybe if I had a heated shooting house overlooking a pile of corn I could do it. Get a wireless connection and hang out here until Bambi walked by. But 11 hours in one place...........................no way that's a happenin' affair for me.

Good luck with your search. I'd likely go with a heated snowmobile suit if I were you.

Geno

Rennie's pretty sharp you know. Can't fall out the tree if'n ya ain't up in one.

Food plot? You mean a pile of corn before it's picked, shucked, and spread on the ground?

Good huntin' there. One of them stands should come through.

Geno