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Staying warm in cold weather... TIPS?

dalton916 said:
Buy good socks and good boots.









Then hang them on you pack and walk in with wearing a pair of normal socks and sneakers or, if you’re serious about killing deer, Crocs. You can’t wear enough layers on the rest of your body to over come feet in socks wet from sweat. I would even go so far far as spraying your feet with an anti-perspirant at home before you leave the house because it’s cold, right? So the first thing you’re going to do is turn the heat on and set the vents to blow on your feet.
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thanks for the tips!
 
Embrace the phrase cotton kills. I do a lot of other outdoor activities in the cold and around cold water. Barely any of my outdoor clothing is cotton. Cotton holds sweat and loses its insulating capabilities when it gets wet. Contrary to this I do have a double thick hooded sweatshirt from arborwear that is nice when its dry out.

I like merino wool for base layers. When it's really cold I double up on long jons on my legs, that helps quite a bit. I like to say its not about how many layers you have on, but having the right layers. For some people its 3 for others its 6, but as long as they're the right ones for you you'll be good. A wool sweater goes a long way as well, keep your eye out at thrift stores for wool sweaters, they're usually pretty cheap. I am also a big down fan, the only problem is its delicate. I wear a hooded lightweight down jacket that might weigh like 10 ounces or something and a windproof hooded shell over the top of it to protect it. Having a hood helps so much to keep warm.

Socks are a big deal too, i have hundreds of dollars in my sock drawer. Darn tough are the best socks I've found. They're expensive but life is too short for cheap socks.

I've seen a lot of hunters get caught up in the idea that everything they buy needs to be targeted towards hunters. There is a ton of gear out there for the backpacking/hikingoutdoor communities that is phenomenal stuff that a lot of hunters overlook because it's not camo. My down jacket is from Eddie bauer and I freaking love it.

There is also a lot of good info for the backpacking/hiking community about staying warm.

I saw someone else post about windproof. I second the windproof thing. It's a game changer. So are fleece lined pants, I only wear those in single digits, they are almost too warm.
 
For me, being a little cold is something I look forward to. It’s empowering. It’s part of the experience. Enduring the uncomfortable and conquering is just part of it. My mindset is such that, if I could live with easy and comfortable I’d upgrade my cable TV package and order groceries by delivery. I want the full experience though, and I don’t want it easy. I’ll work for it. And I’ll earn it. That’s just me.

That’s said, there’s a difference between “being hard and being dumb”. If it’s 2 degrees outside, I’m going to protect my appendages and preserve core temperature with merino wool.


Semper Fi,
Mike
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Chimney7 said:
Embrace the phrase cotton kills. I do a lot of other outdoor activities in the cold and around cold water. Barely any of my outdoor clothing is cotton. Cotton holds sweat and loses its insulating capabilities when it gets wet. Contrary to this I do have a double thick hooded sweatshirt from arborwear that is nice when its dry out.

I like merino wool for base layers. When it's really cold I double up on long jons on my legs, that helps quite a bit. I like to say its not about how many layers you have on, but having the right layers. For some people its 3 for others its 6, but as long as they're the right ones for you you'll be good. A wool sweater goes a long way as well, keep your eye out at thrift stores for wool sweaters, they're usually pretty cheap. I am also a big down fan, the only problem is its delicate. I wear a hooded lightweight down jacket that might weigh like 10 ounces or something and a windproof hooded shell over the top of it to protect it. Having a hood helps so much to keep warm.

Socks are a big deal too, i have hundreds of dollars in my sock drawer. Darn tough are the best socks I've found. They're expensive but life is too short for cheap socks.

I've seen a lot of hunters get caught up in the idea that everything they buy needs to be targeted towards hunters. There is a ton of gear out there for the backpacking/hikingoutdoor communities that is phenomenal stuff that a lot of hunters overlook because it's not camo. My down jacket is from Eddie bauer and I freaking love it.

There is also a lot of good info for the backpacking/hiking community about staying warm.

I saw someone else post about windproof. I second the windproof thing. It's a game changer. So are fleece lined pants, I only wear those in single digits, they are almost too warm.
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that was incredibly insightful and i'm going to take your advice seriously. thank you so much!
 
In my experience, the key to keeping warm in the cold(Louisiana "cold" isn't really that cold) is to limit sweating and then change into fresh clothes before getting on stand.

I have a very high octane body. IF i'm moving, i'm sweating. I sweat so much my doctor prescribed me prescription deodorant for my pits and they sweat all day no matter how hot or cold. They define it as " Hyperhidrosis", and it's tough to manage when it's very cold. My pits and feet sweat ALL DAY!

With all that said, I want in on cold days (30* or less) in shorts, rubber boots and short sleeve t-shirt. This allows me to hoof it to my "staging area" where I try to allow myself 20 or so minutes to cool off before I made my final approach to stand. At this point I strip down to my undies and let me core temp drop to where i'm borderline shivering. When I get to that point I put fresh socks on, put on my bibs(leave everything fully unzipped) then put my t shirt back on and walk to stand. My feet are still going to sweat just from being in rubber boots so when I get on stand and everything is as unzipped as can be, I am still having to manage sweat. While my feet are still warm from walking I put on artic booties with hand warmers in them(they've been in every since I got to the staging area) and slowly zip up the bibs and add layers on top as needed. I have found it's much easier to add layers on my upper body than my lower body while in a saddle so i plan accordingly there.
 
I wish one of these companies would make a good insulated coverall . I use to have Cabela's MT050 coveralls where from November till February in NJ Waterproof windproof quiet and warm a lot of pockets . If below 0 I would put the parka over. They don't make anymore and when zipper broke after 15 years I threw out I thought I could get another suit .I use bibs and Jacket now .Wool socks ,merino wool long underwear . Bogg boots ,boot blankets if necessary and hand muffs with warmers. I think the quality made coveralls would be great for saddle hunter like the MT050. Primaloft insulation works better then thinsulate. More money though.
 
Why not get an oversized set of warm weather coveralls. Then, buy winter gear that you can wear for any activity to wear under the coveralls. Save a few bucks.


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For me a lifesaver is one of those hand muff/sleeve things. It takes some adjusting and trying it above bridge/below bridge to get right for yourself when sitting in a saddle. I wear medium weight gloves for better bow shooting and keep my gloved hands in the muff until I need to grab my bow or binoculars. You can keep hand warmers in there to keep your hands even warmer.

Also a thick full head cover makes a world of difference during a cold windy hunt. A lot of times this item will make the difference between sticking it out or giving up. It really dampens your hearing but i found that when it’s windy enough to need it I’m not able to hear deer through the wind anyhow.
 
fawnzy said:
Why not get an oversized set of warm weather coveralls. Then, buy winter gear that you can wear for any activity to wear under the coveralls. Save a few bucks.


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I do that with the coveralls up to mid season works good. Below 30 f I switch over to Bibs and parka . Just wish some company would offer High quality coveralls again . I think they would work well for saddle hunters especially when the temps go down .I am not the smallest guy in the world so coveralls over my winter gear would be bulky .
 
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Alright here is what I have currently and it is not cutting it. I live in Alabama but North alabama so there are some 20-30 deg days and high wind.
ECWCS Mid Weight Base layer
Polyester Fleece Cheapo walmart fleece as second layer (gonna try this north face fleece below tomorrow)
Next a down jacket
Next a UA 100% Polyester Jacket (i have no information on this.
Merino Wool Blend Darn Tough socks
Mid weight gloves
Balaclava + Fleece Beanie


B4CB95F5-D979-4640-9A7E-4E311B2EE4C2.png


I am thinking I need to pick up some heavy weight base layers to start. Next I would like a warmer fleece? I saw Woolimate at Cabelas is that any good? Then finally I would like to upgrade the outer layer.


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Suggestions? Not looking for stuff that'll cost a grand in total.
 
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Also have some insulated carhart bibs I might try tomorrow or putting my skii pants over all this.
 
If you have to walk any distance, carry most of your layers in and put them on at the tree. Bibs instead of pants when in a saddle. High loft goose down (800 or higher) is the best insulator I've found and packs down small also. Boot blankets to stay warm. Chemical body warmers (super warmers and adhesive body warmers). Make sure to have some food in your stomach and bring a high calorie snack if staying out very long. This is my favorite cold weather hat, after trying many (runs small because I don't think they took into account all the insulation inside with the sizing).

www.stormykromer.com

The Rancher Cap

Our fleece, wool and Thinsulate-lined Rancher Cap is made for seriously cold winter conditions. Four times warmer than the Original Stormy Kromer Cap.
www.stormykromer.com www.stormykromer.com
 
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There is a lot of talk on here in many different treads about merino wool base layers. I have a set and love them. I do have one question on the matter though. Hopefully I won't catch too much flack on it but is there a need to wear underwear when wearing a merino wool base layer? Would wearing regular cotton underwear defeat the purpose of the moisture wicking merino wool?
 
oldsouth said:
There is a lot of talk on here in many different treads about merino wool base layers. I have a set and love them. I do have one question on the matter though. Hopefully I won't catch too much flack on it but is there a need to wear underwear when wearing a merino wool base layer? Would wearing regular cotton underwear defeat the purpose of the moisture wicking merino wool?
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Yes. If you want to wear undies with your merino base layers, just get merino undies or bamboo. My everyday undies are bamboo rayon and definitely the 2nd best clothing investment I’ve made next to lots of merino clothes (for hunting and everyday wear).
 
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