Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Cold weather insulation choices

I often still hunt in 10-20 degree temps in WV. I am re-thinking what I wear. On top a gore-tex thinsulate coat/underarmour 4.0. On the bottom I wear a gore-tex shell + underarmour 4.0. and find myself getting cold during the "still". I am going to add a smartwool 250 top/250 3/4 length bottom. Should I wear the underarmour next to my skin or the smartwool?

Wool, down, and fur. As Mother Nature designed, Dress for much colder than anticipated, Invest in down long underwear and down booties.

Underarmour is designed to be warn next to the skin. I go underarmour-wool underwear- outerlayers. I'd recommend losing the goretex layer unless it's raining. While it's breathable, it's not breathable enough to prevent you from getting damp. Damp will get you cold every time. A wool outer layer would be even better. We hunt in single digit to below zero temps regularly. I just don't get cold wearing wool.

WHAT About Your Feet ---ONCE they get cold , Your COLD, YOU Have To MMMOVE !
IF that is The Case, P.M. Me, I have a pare of The BEST SOREL CHIEFTAIN Cold Weather Boots Made !
And I Might Sell Them

Dirty Harry (Size12)

I am a believer in wool. I can stay comfortable when the young guys that wear the.expensive tech plastic gear are at camp warming up.

Moses,

I bought some Sitka Gear (on a great discount) to try out, last year; like Under Armor it is designed for activity. Sitting on a stand inactivity.

Wool or well blended next to the skin, Don’t work up a sweat gong to stand, WAY Overdress on stand.
Another trick is a camouflaged sleeping bag or heater suit - though they tend to be heavy and bulky. - even for a short walk.

Keep your feet warm and blood circulating.

Not traditional but, I wear a base layer, then wool and a wool coat and still can get a chill after a couple of Minnesota hours. My Hunting partner and I buy each other hunting related birthday gifts in September, sometimes its a gag gift, sometimes its something new to try. Two years ago he bought me a $100 battery powered heated vest. It changed hunting for me. I can sit all day with one battery on low or bring a second (size of a pack of smokes) and the two will last sun up to sundown on high. Two elements on the kidneys, one in the middle of the back and four small on the front. I love it so much he got one. Let my aunt and uncle try em and they both picked them up. So simple, so wonderful. I do have to wear it in the second position, over a thin base layer with my wool over the vest.

What brand is your heated vest? I have been leaning towards getting one. Any negatives with it? Seems like a great idea. I also am a big fan of wool. Another trick is the heater body suit and throw a few hot hands in the bottom, with my feet. It’s super toasty on cold days.

Wool and down are my go to for cold weather. If its blistering cold I will put on one of these to keep my core warm-

https://www.walmart.com/ip/ThermaCa...QCu2UzDj_0aAvp7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Base polypro layer, Cabela's ECWCS (Extreme Cold Weather Series) thermals, bibs, and jacket with hood. For really cold sits, I've sewn pockets on the ECWCS on the back near kidneys for handwarmers. Works GREAT! (Too great if you don't keep 2 layers between the handwarmer & skin...you get 1st degree burns!). My feet used to get cold wearing traditional 800gm Thinsulate leather hunting boots (purchased for walking hunts), but then I switched to 800gm rubber boots with a carpet sample under my feet in treestand. I'll sit for 4-5 hours in Michigan winters no problem with that setup.

Before you buy one, read the reviews. They don't work with all phone power packs. I have one, made by Doace, that works fine with my 20k mAh pack but won't even start with my wife's 10k pack. I don't know what the difference is. They both have the same USB plugs and the same voltage. Some vest makers have a list of packs that are known to work.

I got several of the under armor shirts from my employer and used them two seasons ago. Last season I switched to these and prefer them, a bit thinner but I felt they kept me warmer. I do wear a generic under armor shirt under it.

https://www.columbia.com/p/mens-mid...1.html?dwvar_1638571_color=010&pos=4


Depending on the temp I like a use polar fleece over that.

Then a soft shell jacket that has micro fleece and pit zips so when it gets a little warmer you can unzip them.

Here’s a great jacket that has the same features of much more expensive jackets at a better price. It’s really well made.

https://skregear.com/product/hardscrabble-jacket/

I started with wool then went the tech clothing route and froze on stand. They worked well enough while moving but were not warm sitting on stand about 2 hours I would be shivering. I am now back to Woolrich coat and German army surplus wool pants over merino wool long Johns. Nice and toasty on stand now.

I have 2 different weight Merino wool base layers. On cool days the lightweight set is used. On cold days the heavy set and on really cold days they both get used. Over the wool, different Sitka products are used for the existing conditions. If I'm on a pack in hunt, nothing big and bulky gets packed, but plenty of layering items do. I also vacuum pack different clothing items to reduce bulk and to make sure they stay dry. Tip a canoe over in mid 30 degree temps moose hunting and you'll appreciate it!

When it's cold I wear wool polyester mix base, heavy weight Mil-spec polypro bottom, USGI field pants with liner. I wear a polypro base layer sock and a wool boot sock and either packs with a removable liner or 1200 gram thinsulate insulated boots. I wear a polypro base later top, EWECS heavy weight top, an overly large shirt over that. I carry a blaze orange fleece jacket and wear a thinsulate goretex lined coat. I have a thinsulate insulated wool watch cap if my head gets cold.

Puffy jacket.

^^^For the win

If your moving and stopping this is a good way to go. Packs small and is light. It’s weight to warmth ratio is pretty good as well. Believe me I own plenty of wool from my Great Grand Dasd red woolrich to king of the mountain. It has its place. For stop and go hunting though I take my Puff jacket.

You guys using the heated vest, what do you use next to your skin before the vest ?

I also have merino wool top and bottoms

I purchased one a few weeks ago and was curious what is the best way of wearing it.

Thanks

Dave

Welcome to the Fire dmdracer. To your question, something that wicks away moisture into a next layer away from your skin. Cotton will kill you because it holds so much water. I like a wool shirt there because wool insulates well wet or dry. Then layers from there to include a down insulated jacket or a fleece jacket then a wind stopping possibly Gore-Tex parka and pants. You lose a lot of heat through your head and large leg muscles, so don't just think heavy jacket. If we have really cold weather or wind predicted, I'll put my orange down mountain climbing parka and pants in my pack and I can stay out in any weather with that outfit. I like to think that I'm a great stand site picker, but in reality I think that I can just outlast the guys with sub-standard clothing and they get up to keep warm and move the deer around.

All we need down here is occasional insulated coveralls. Be hot by the afternoon