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Thoughts on keeping warm

Nutterbuster

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2017
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10,062
Location
Where the skys are so blue!
Right now I'm in a tree in the swamp. 24°, 17° real feel. Hardly blizzard conditions, but cold. I've been sitting here for an hour after a long walk and drilling a tree. Here are my thoughts and tips on cold weather.

Most people overdress, especially walking in, and most especially with regards to their feet. This leaves them sweaty, cold, and swaddled in restrictive clothing. Here's what I'm wearing.

Top: under armour tee, m65 field jacket liner, browning hells canyon parka.

Bottoms: under armour boxers, basspro midseason pants. Mid weight wool socks, muck field blazers (uninsulated).

Accessories: carhart beanie, buff cloth, wool fingerless gloves.

That's it. Now for the thoughts.

Sweat cools. Dont sweat. Dont put your clothes on until as close as possible to hunting. I made breakfast, packed, and drove in Jean's and a t. No heater in truck. Walked in with my boots, socks t, and jacket liner. Applied antiperspirant to my feet last night and again this morning. Walked slow. Climbed slow.

Wear a windbreaker on stand. Cover your face. It doesn't take much. Keep your core warm (torso and head) and your hands and feet will be fine. A good beanie hat and vest will do wonders, and they're light and compact. Cold butt and saddle underwarmers are dumb. I'm sitting in a kite. My butt is fine.

Stay dry

Block wind

Insulate core

It's easy.:)
 
Now give us another comment at the end of hunt and tell us if you would have changed anything. Unless the temp warms up quite a bit your M65(heatcorrect?) may prove to be your saving grace.
 
I looked it up and see that it’s not heated. I think I would put money on you are cold after 3 hrs that is unless you have a very big cold toleranc. Everything about insulating core you stated I agree 100%. personally I would add foot and toe warmers at the stand after changing socks since my feet sweat. I would add hand warmers in a hand muff or jacket pockets also. I would have late season pants with also. My 2 cents
 
Also, tell us how long you sit. Is it a half day hunt or dark to dark. Im guessing not dark to dark or you just do awesome in cold weather.


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I looked it up and see that it’s not heated. I think I would put money on you are cold after 3 hrs that is unless you have a very big cold toleranc. Everything about insulating core you stated I agree 100%. personally I would add foot and toe warmers at the stand after changing socks since my feet sweat. I would add hand warmers in a hand muff or jacket pockets also. I would have late season pants with also. My 2 cents
It'll warm up to around 40° with a real feel of 33° by 11am when I have to leave. I've hunted colder and longer with this setup. Like I said, not that cold by a lot of guys standards, but cold enough on the gulf coast!

Not saying I'm the expert on all things sub-zero. Just saying my comfort in the cold increased dramatically when I started dressing lighter and emphasizing staying dry.
 
Not sweating is the key, when I head to the stand I am packing almost all my clothes and dress at the base of the tree to avoid sweat. If I feel myself starting to sweat I stop for a min and cool down. I like when I head to the stand and I'm actually a little chilled.
 
I dress extremely light and carry artificial heat with me. I tend to stay warm this way works for me. I dress light enough If I run out of hot hands I headed to the truck! Lol


See you in a tree, Ricky
 
Also, tell us how long you sit. Is it a half day hunt or dark to dark. Im guessing not dark to dark or you just do awesome in cold weather.


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I'm not privy to @Nutterbuster's secret huntin' hotspots...but birmingham is 21 now, 30 by 9, high of 50. Sunny. Any clothing that gets til 9 is good for the whole day easily. Overall seems about right.
 
One ittle trick I do that really makes a difference for me is to swab out my nose with a snot rag. It helps warm my nose which warms my face and makes me feel less cold all over.
I don't blow my nose on stand because of the noise, but, occasionally during the day, I do use the bandana to wipe my nostrils and it really does make me feel warmer.
 
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Grabber adhesive body warmers will eliminate at least one layer of clothing especially if you're wearing a wind proof outer layer. After climbing stick one in the middle of your chest and one on each kidney. They’re expensive (about $1 each) but you can reuse them by sealing in a ziplock bag.
 
6:57 AM and you're giving us pointers? You haven't even had time to cool down from the walk in yet, son. Suspicious no updates since then... Let us know about 10:30 when you swear the suns rays are shining upon everyone in the world but it seems like you have your own personal cloud directly overhead. Or do an all day sit when it never gets above freezing, some pointers for that last hour once the sun goes down.

Mostly I agree, definitely outer layers need to be 100% wind resistant, that I think is what gets most people. The other pointer I would add is no phone use when it's below 35. Keep those fingers in your pockets or muff.
 
On the cold topic , maybe someone can help me. This is my second year of wearing eyeglasses and I can’t seem to figure cold hunting with them. If I cover my face and nose it fogs the glasses. Then you try to wipe the fog and hunt blurred for a while. I end up taking them off and just hunting without. It’s doable with a scope but I can’t use bowsights without them. Any suggestions other than contacts?
 
Dressing light on the walk in is great, but sitting in light layers all day won't get it done. I disagree with the butt warmer assessment, but to each their own. Sat all day last Sat. (shot my buck last 20 mins of the day) in on & off blizzard like conditions. Feet were cold by 1300, everything else was warm, including my backside.

Base layer - make sure it's a wicking layer.

Feet - 100 guys will give you 100 different opinions. If your feet sweat, they will eventually get cold. In true cold weather, I will carry a change of socks and change them at base of tree after walk in. That allows my boots to cool, and also gets damp socks off my feet and allows them to cool off from the hike in. I've pretty much learned to accept cold feet eventually. Too cold will chase you out of the woods.
 
6:57 AM and you're giving us pointers? You haven't even had time to cool down from the walk in yet, son. Suspicious no updates since then...
Somebody's salty on a purty morning. :)

Dont know what to tell you guys other than still "warm". Sitting by the fire drinking a hot toddy it ain't, but im comfy and focused. Sun's up. 30° and feels like 25. Probably cooler here because I'm 30ft from a big creek, but its smooth sailing from here.

Screenshot_20191113-075606_Gallery.jpg
 
If the air is still you need a lot less clothing than if it's windy. Yesterday, it was windy here with temps in the mid 30s. I was cold in the woods.
 
I would add these items and your overall feel will be better. They are my go to's when it gets below 30. Windstopper is a must!



 
Time to break out my full blaze orange goose down coat to see how it works in a saddle. Wasn't it 90F here a few weeks ago?
Can deer see blaze orange?
 
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