Cold weather dress...

[NYLES]

What do you where? Looking for ways to stay dry while moving around in cold weather. I have been trying to figure out the warmest, lightwieght, mositure free outfit I can get.

Ive tried body amour cold gear...will freeze your but off down here in the south simply you walk break a sweat your done. Not enough dry or warm factor with this stuff.

I have heavy insulated gortex duck bibs, liner and coat...dont try and walk more than 50 yards in this..youll sweat sit down and freeze. Took coat off last week after a lil walk at about 30 degrees looked like id been in a shower, alot of sweatin going on hear. If Id had sat still much longer would have froze.

I have wool cheap columbia stuff not bad but to heavy..no good on wind breaking.

Had a duck hunter tell me about silk on the skin layer up as needed from there...ended up using body armour hot gear the tight seems best option so far 20 degrees this am I wore it a longsleeve cotton shirt and lightwight down coat...pretty warm up top anyway. Need to get some bottoms.

Will try this combo with a diff coat tommorrow should be in the twenties.

Any other ideas and combos welcome, oh! you westerners be easy on me I assure you 32 in MS and 32 in lets say CO are two very very differnet things!

 

[philny1]

Layering Up

First of all forget about cotton. Down is great, don't get it wet. Plan on hiking any great distance you will need a pack.
On a AK sheep hunt last Sept we spent our time on horseback, hiking, climbing, sitting and glassing.
First layer is a of wicking material readily available at Cabelas. Yes, silk works. I start with a t-shirt and shorts, depending on the temp maybe a second long sleeve mock or turtle neck. Long underware in a similiar material. Next a wool shirt, I beleive one layer of wool to be important, next a fleece or wool pull over or sweater. Over that a down or thinsulale light weight jacket w/hood. My outer layer was a uninsulated rain jacket w/hood, a good wind breaker.
My pants were Gore-Tex brush type pant. My boots were uninsulated and I had a variety of socks. Gore-tex gloves. Head gear was just a base ball cap, but I had a watch cap and face mask in my pack
This got me through a hunt--not real cold 20*s in the morning. We saw some snow, rain and some faily strong winds.
When we tied off and started to climb I woud shed down to my fleece pullover or maybe my wool shirt. Then as our activity level changed back on they went. Constantly adding or sheding as needed.
Colder weather add another layer or an insulated jacket for an uninsulated one. Always better to have an extra layer with you and not need it, than leave it in the tent.

 

[NYLES]

Had to wear the cotton today, Im at work.

I agree on the pack and take it with you but trying to lighten this mess up as much as possible. Never know some days walk a mile into the wholly swamp climb a tree next day a few hundred yards across a field and hop in a shootin house. I have way too many different types of cold weather gear to ever get cold but hate wearing all that crap(just gotta be a better way!)....I might have to run down and tackle Ol' Mossy Back, and you know 'Split-Toe" is hiding just across that bottom! Need my agility!

The main problem is going from high activity to sitting still....and sweat is a very very bad thing!

I saw some type of Body amour the other day at hibbits looks like a liner shirt and pant going to go have a look at that stuff in a min, might allow very light dress and add the liner in when I get to the spot. Size and wieght of a jump suit.

 

[BountyHunter]

Layering, and backpack carrying other in. Silk or light poly pro as base to include socks.

I go super light going in or walking and then take out bibs and/or jacket to put on when stopped. Key is start out superlight with nothing but base layer on and no chance to work up sweat.

Old trick, stop after 5-10 minutes and if getting hot, take layers off. Do not keep going sweating your butt off.

If I am going to be on stand, then the "Heater Suit" works well and the fleece and thinsulite jacket and pants combo rolled very tight (8"x20") with 2 carry straps. I modified the fleece pants with 20" zippers on the sides of the legs and super easy to get on and off but still warm. I tie it to fanny pack or in small backpack. I also have small slip over booties. The disposable little heater pads work well for hands and feet. Slip over fleece hoods or baclavas top it out.

Lastly I do not put it on or zip it up until I have cooled down if I got warm and started to get cold.

BH

 

[philny1]

Layer Up

Yea its a pain.
If you discover another way, you'll never have to worry about where your next meals commin' from or any thing else for that matter.
Be sure to let us know!!

 

[royinidaho]

When growing up in PA I had a couple of woven wool pullover sweaters. Two of them over a modern base layer and under something to break the wind would allow walking around the hills all day in the cold humid climate.

Down flat didn't cut it, for me, back there. It would get wet from sweat then act more like a conductor than an insulator.

Out here in sub zero weather a down sweater/jacket is sufficient when walking with a cheap wind breaker such as the 19 dollar frog-toggs from Cabelas.

The secret seems to have been or be to wick the sweat to the surface as fast as possible. Frost will form on the outer layer but be comfy underneath. I guess ya just gotta figure it out for yourself.

 

[speedbump]

I was out before dawn today: +7*F. I'm with BountyHunter on most things. Layering is essential, as is NOT sweating on the way to a stand. Currently I'm starting with UnderArmor, but I'm not that psyched about it. Better is a good thin layer of Thermax, then Polypro, a medium wool layer, heavy fleece (preferably windproof), topped by an outer layer of Goretex or similar all weather fabric, depending on need.

Like BH, I dress very light for a stalk / walk, then find a rally point just shy of the stand / hide and gear up. If you're sweating before you stop & layer, you're in for trouble. Your head alone accounts for 20% of your skin area, and it's an efficient radiator. Cover as needed. There are some fine high tech boots out there, but I usually use the old military "Micky Mouse" artic boots if I don't have to kike for many miles. Speaking of milspec, just about any ECWCS garment is a good starting point (think ... army surplus). A Thermax or Polypro watchcap, covered by a wool hood or windproof device is great.

When possible, take extra socks &/or a base layer of clothing. Plan on a big main pack loaded with bulky (but light) layers, and an attached day pack with other essentials. Get used to layering and un-layering and your comfort level will skyrocket.

 

[eddybo]

Nyles....all you gotta do is run down to the Harley shop and order some of that 12 volt heated clothing. Then stop off at wally world for one of those little 12 volt jump starters with a 12 volt outlet. I havent tried it, but have a buddy that swears by it. He claims the little booster box will last 5 hours and fits in his back pack.....I think the clothing only comes in black but maybe you can get some tassles. I wouldnt suggest wadin wolly swamp wearin it though

 

[silvertip-co]

ABC. Anything But Cotton. I wear light layers of polyester blend garments topped with a Carhart hip length coat or Carhart coveralls as needed. Keep that plumbers crack covered and you'll be warmer. That UnderArmor stuff is like wearin silk pantys, they'll keep ya warm too til ya sweat. More marketing hocus pocus.
Good wool blend sox are cheaper now since more cos are making them. Stay away from 100% poly and 100% wool clothing. Get the blends, you'll be warmer and dryer all day/night long. Woolrich has lots of blends now.

Good luck.

 

[NYLES]

Eddybo ,

Thats funny but probably would work however to much crap to tote! You need to come up and hunt HILLSIDE with me next year on the M/L. Get a idea how far we walkin in and how much crap we totin! Wonder if NASA has any used space suits I could get?


One thing for all on cold feets, well they sweat too! but I have that beat. I used to really get cold feet bad get down out of the tree bad....Went a had a blow-out on my rubbers one morning so off to get a new pair. I asked for a size 12 800 gram insulated.....Girl looked at me said you get cold feet I says "yea BAD!" She says you at least a 13 non-insulated, tried em on I said "lil loose" over to the wool socks she says put these on...got a pretty good fit...Any way to make this short ended up with a size 13 un-insulated neoprene rubber boots...never got cold feet since! She says problem #1 wrong socks problem #2 too tight #3 to much insulation sweaty feet.

I've worn my alfa sport burly's noinsulation all year down into the 20's walked a mile to my stand no sock change been fine not even a nip at the feet. Ive done this for about 4 years now and the nons are alot lighter than a insulated.

I understand that in some colder places this combo will have to change but I know the three rules to warm feet!

 

[eddybo]

No worries now....MS weather is back. You will still break a sweat.....but now it will not be freezing on you I have matured into a box blind hunter on those rare 20 degree mornings we get. (turning into a wuss) I have actually had better luck overlooking alfalfa fields in cold weather, than actually hunting. Seems like mature bucks dont mind grabbing a few nibbles of alfalfa during daylight hours. How is your season going? We dont have big deer or as many deer down here in SWMS but I got these two. Both were mature enough and I got to shoot one at semi long range 488 yards.

 

[philny1]

Layer Up

Got a sale flyer in the mail today from Cabelas.
On page 7 is a jacket I've been using as part of my layering. Very light weight and you will find it hard to believe how warm it is.
Comes with a stuff sack, takes up less room than say a foot ball. Can be used at nite for a pillow.
MicroDown is effective even when wet, haven't tested that out, yet. This, I wear under my last layer. The shell is a ripstop material that is rugged. I had one of these for years and was in pretty sad shape when it came up MIA. She never did fess up, but I know where it went. I was finally able to replace it last year. This is $60 bucks you will never regret spending.
Page 60, same catalog "Visa Endurance Compression Top and Bottoms. Haven't tried the bottoms but the tops work super, used them on three hunts, plus here at home. They will move the moisture away from you in a hurry. Don't like them tight, order the next size larger. A good deal for $20 bucks.
Page 91. Had one of these pullovers for years, til that too hit the rag pile. Replaced it with the uninsulsted full-zip jacket. This is my outer layer. Great wind breaker plus rain gear.
This will keep me comfortable with layering and shedding as needed to 20-30*.
Tree stand hunting, where my ony only activity is getting there--out comes my parka and bibs.

 

[NYLES]

Eddybo,

I swear I will never own up to saying this but stop shootin the 8's! Two nice bucks you got there but if you got any control over the place your huntin man let live just 1 more year....No control? Bust thier butts! Will give it to ya though both look a tad bigger than my 4 bucks for this year! not much but yours edge em out!

philny1,

Ill be checking that stuff out! Thanks!