Heater Body Suit let's hear the good/bad
General Topic
OK heater body suit users let's hear the good and bad about these things. I think I"m getting ready to pull the trigger on one. My worries are getting in/out of it at 30' in a climber, getting out of it when a deer is coming in and I"m really worried about having to make a shot to the right without getting all twisted up in this thing.
There is no bad. It's the single most amazing piece of gear I own. Easy to get into/out of. Once you push your arms out, it's completely behind you no matter what direction you shoot.
My daughter killed an archery buck in one when 13, killed two archery deer last year out of the suit when she was 14 (she gets cold easy).
I've killed dozens of deer out of the suit. You can get out of it and ready to shoot in seconds. The only drawback is in January when it's 10 degrees, you have to get out of the toasty warm suit to get down.
I agree as well. They are great. My only complaint is that I hunt out of a tree saddle mostly now. There is no way to wear it and a saddle. If someone comes out with a heater body suit tree saddle I'll be first on the list.
I have had some amazing late season hunts thanks to the suit. With practice you will easily be able to get in and out undetected. Both of my buddies that I talked into buying one rave about it. Just knowing you are going to be comfortably warm on the stand might be enough to get you out on days you might otherwise hit the snooze and stay home.
As far as sizing, I am 5'-8" and a medium fits but is just a tad short. I will look to trade for a larger size with somebody when I get back to stand hunting again next year.
You can NOT hold your bow while wearing it zipped up. If you hunt very thick cover that is a problem, I like to hold my bow, that's my biggest problem with it.
It is however, very warm. I only wear it when the temps drop substantially and the wind is 15-20 plus mph.
No cons. Easy to drop off your shoulders to shoot. My bow always hangs on a holder so I don't have an issue like woodguy.
You can bring the price down if you find two others that want one and buy three at the same time. Just call and ask. One of the 2 other guys that bought one when I did shot me a text yesterday saying he was loving life in his.
I love mine.
what about this its a bit cheaper ??
My first year with one last year. Opening day texting with my family during rifle season my only complaint was my fingers were getting cold.They are Great. Late bow season only way to go.
My only complaint is getting in and out of it 20' in the tree. As far as the ability to shoot I have no issues with slipping it off my shoulder and it does not interfere with shooting.
Best thing I ever bought when it came to a rut hunt in Montana during the rut. There were only two of us that had it in camp and we were the only two that stayed out from sun up to sundown. I'm 6'1" and bought the XL but I wished I would have got the next size up in retrospect.
Like others have said, the only downside to it is the price.
It is good, but you still get cold in it, but not frozen. Take into consideration that I hunt Manitoba, so it is colder then most areas guys are using it.
Compatibility with different harness types?
SBSchindler... looks ok but the bottom is open. Heater Suit is fully enclosed. You only use these things in extreme cold so I would think the real deal is better when the time comes to use it.
I can't imagine anyone's hands getting cold. If that is an issue wear some lightweight gloves in there and you'll be fine. For kicks we take off our gloves, jackets etc in there to see what we can get away with.
Kevin... there's no hood so you can let the harness tether come out the top in back without a problem. You wouldn't wear a harness on the outside of it for obvious reasons.
I was thinking about getting a dewalt 20v heated jacket. I also hunt with a tree saddle but figure if my core is warm and a boot insert I should be good
If I was going to deal with batteries I'd go with Gerbing brand heated clothing.
Gaur... click on the little white box above the red alert box and you can edit your posts.
How do you where a safety harness with the suit?
Its a little hard to get into sitting in a small tree stand. Other than that its the cats ass. Only down side is I Dont want to open it up and let the cold in when a deer is coming. If you're gonna sit all day in single digits or below, its the only way to go. Put a price on comfort.
Buy a cheap sleeping bag and it will do almost the same thing.
I love mine. I am 5'10" and the XL is too big. I would buy the size smaller if I was doing it again.
I do put boot warmers over my boots before I try to slide my feet into the HBS. That way my feet slide right in without the boot catching all the way in.
I do wear a hand muff around my waist, to keep my hands in though.
Mule power. Hands got cold cause I opened up suit to text with family. Was razing my family cause I was so warm.
Yep Pat... gotta take your time and be careful putting it on if your stand is small. Put the safety harness on first!!!
Which answers your question AM125. Put it on, get in. It is open around the collar. No hood etc. the harness strap just sticks out the back above the collar like it would if you wore it under a coat.
A cheap sleeping bag has no legs. Also zips on the side instead of closing up the front. Plus it's made to "drop and shoot" quick and quiet. "Almost" is a far stretch.
Don't worry TBM... you won't have to read the instructions for a Heater Suit if you live in Alabama. You might need one of those cooling vests instead.
95-I wear my harness on the outside of my coat. I just adjust it slightly bigger as it gets cold and I need more layers. My harness has pockets on the outside that I like to use for calls, rangefinder, etc.
Archery95... totally depends on how cold it is. If I don't have anything heavy on I'll put it on last. But I'd it's downright frigid out and I have a bulky outer layer on I'll put it on at the truck and put the big outerwear on last when I get to my stand.
Luv mine, only cons are they are bulky to carry and dangerous to put on and remove while in a treestand...
Had mine a few years so it's older, but the only adaption for a safety harness/device on mine is a slit in the back at about waist high...
Used one for a week in Alberta in mid-November. Temps never got above zero, and was -15 degrees when I shot my buck.
The good- I could not have stayed all day on stand without the HBS- and kept still enough to bow hunt effectively. Supplemented with a hand muff, lots of hand and foot warmers, and facemasks/stocking caps. With a little practice, the suit unzips quietly and falls away so you can make an unrestricted shot, just like in their commercials.
The bad- it is bulky to pack in and takes a bit of effort to get into while up in your stand. Not really unsafe when you are belted in- just a bit cumbersome.
Bottom line- unless you are superman, HBS is just the ticket to hunt all day in really cold conditions. I have not found any better options.
I use one of these....has more added options...has arms so you can hold your bow if you want to.....you don't have to unzip it in order to shoot.
As mentioned above if you're looking for the last resort - you found it. But ya, tough to get in/out while in a hang on stand especially while wearing cabelas Saskatchewan PAC boots. And one more thing to carry in. Other than that, it is flawless.
And a cheap sleeping bag is nothing like the HBS. I'd love to see a video of someone trying to "slip" out of a Walmart noisy cheap bag lmao.
Basically I find its a lot like a decoy. When you're at home you're hemming and hawing about ehhhhh should I pack it out, and every time you do you're sitting in your stand grinning ear to ear about how happy you were that you packed it out!
Pro's warm
Cons PITA to put on in the stand.
I use a cabelas stand hunter extreme one piece, its warm enough for anything our manitoba seasons can dish out, and I put it on standing at the base of the tree then climb up.
I love mine. I don't think it's that hard to get into. I can wear light uninsulated hiking boots in below zero temps with the HBS and slip into it easily.
Brady
I am with Nomad on his choice. I used one Sat to get my buck. Have shot several bucks while using it. IWOM all the way.
I think the difference between the HBS and the IWOM is similar to the difference between gloves and mittens. I find mittens to be warmer because your extremities aren't isolated from each other.
Plus I like being inside the HBS and not having bulky sleeves to worry about when it comes time to shoot. That's a big advantage of a suit over ordinary serious cold weather outerwear.
I also use mine when it is not so cold. I use it on days up to around 45 degrees , I just don't zip it up all the way. I also carry mine in a military pack. Makes a tight little package all together
The Bad -
Deer camp food + beer + coffee+ all day sits + HBS = a microwave for your farts.
HBS should come with a warning not to eat anything from a gas station less than 5 days prior to using it.
I'm in the process of patenting a high efficiency horizontal mounted chimney with a disposable fish tank carbon filters just for this problem. Stay tuned
I've been told that the IWOM is quite noisy in comparison to the HBS (which is silent). Can anyone comment on this?
"Buy a cheap sleeping bag and it will do almost the same thing."
Almost being comfortable and warm has never cut it for me.
I had an HBS. It did keep me warm, but too bulky. I also got froze when I zipped out of it and the buck hung up for 20 minutes +. I now have an IWOM and it's so much better. You don't zip out and your arms are free. I take it hunting all the time it's even a little cold. Much easier to transport and use than the HBS. I use it for ice fishing too. I wouldn't do that with the HBS.
"Buy a cheap sleeping bag and it will do almost the same thing."
You could also skip the Lacrosse boots and slip on some garbage bags before putting your old tennis shoes on. Is this Bowsite or the Redneck Hunting Channel? lol
WOW. I didn't even know they made such a thing. Good thread.
I am a big time puss when it comes to the cold. I look like the stay puff marshmallow man when it is cold and still freeze my ass off. Even mickey mouse boots wont keep my feet warm when the temp drops below 25. It is very frustrating to only make it a few hours at a time when it is cold. I use to be able to hack it but not anymore. I may get one of these along with the heated vest.
mule power-a little of both..
mule power-a little of both maybe.
Iwom here too.... HBS was too bulky and getting into it in a tree was thrilling... Although I have to admit, I didn't practice too often with it to get comfortable putting it on in a tree before hand... it will keep you warm though..
How noisy is the IWOM? Ive been told its pretty noisy.
For those of you who have the IWOM how easy is it to maneuver around on the stand without the legs? I am building my second HBS knockoff and am considering closing the bottom like the IWOM but want to make sure I can turn around easily while on the stand without losing my balance.
Thanks! Dwayne
The IWOM is noticeably noisier than my winter fleece but MUCH warmer & not loud enough to make me not wear it. I now wear my fleece bibs in the suit & am good to go. It does sound like Velcro when you are leaning against the tree & then pull yourself away. I solved this by strapping a seat pad to the tree & covering it with my scent-loc head covering & am now whisper quiet when pulling away from the tree. I may just sew some fleece to the back for next year.
Dwayne...I have not tried to turn all the way around while in the suit up in the stand but can turn full side to side with no problems.
I have used the IWOM suit for at least 4 years. Very little noise. Much less than the Arctic Shield I used before. Very easy to move around in the stand. As with all clothes pulling away from rough bark there will be some noise. I fixed this by using some fleece type material with strings I sewed to it to tie around the tree. Makes it silent to move around in the tree. With the IWOM you can put it on before climbing into the stand. Just pull it down and zipper the bottom when in your stand.
I started to buy all the newer stye updated cold weather cloths for hunting as I got older but recently I picked up a set of 100% wool pant and jacket from a garage sale for 20 bucks. I knew it was good but not that good. It is King Of The Mountain omnitherm gear that is a 750 dollar set of camos.
I tested it the other day. I went out with it on and stayed warm for hours. then I used the other gear I had been using and noticed right away there was a huge difference just walking in the woods. Wool IMO is still the best.
I agree Hammer that wool is the king of cold weather clothing. That is if you don't want to spring for some of the incredible stuff from Sitka. But its still clothing and the suits like Heater and Iwom are a different animal altogether. Extreme gear.
I wouldn't sleep outside overnight in the mountains of Montana or Wyoming in any clothing, wool, Sitka, or other. You'd die! But you'd be fine in a top quality sub zero sleeping bag. Again... your extremities aren't isolated from the rest of your body. The whole enclosure is basically core temperature. No comparison to any clothing really.
By the way Hammer... $20 for King of the Mountain wool! Holy chit.
What size do you wear and how would you like to sell it to me and double your money? :-)
Mule,
No way I am selling them. I knew they were very good camos when I saw them but I had no idea of the real value for them on the retail market. I couldn't believe it when I looked it up.
The people were selling all the guys hunting and fishing stuff. He had passed away. I bought a real nice older 2 piece barley used target decoy for 10 bucks and some nice stands too. I really wanted the recurve bow but they wouldn't sell it.
They really had no idea what they had with some of that stuff I guess. Heck I could sell them on Ebay for 300 a peace from what I saw. Imma keep em cuz they are warm and I have been struggling to stay warm the past several years. Must have circulatory issues or something.
I will say even with these camos and Mickey Mouse boots when I sit in temps around 18-20 degrees or lower I still get chilly but it takes wayyyyy longer. However if you walk 100 yards with them on you start to sweat. My other camos suck in comparison.
I use a 10 more min approach when I am wanting to get down or out of the woods. I say 10 more min, 10 more min each time but usually only make it about 20 min once that starts. lol.... With these new camos that comes well over an hour later and I hunt much longer. lol
head to head comparison
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/hunting/2013/02/gear-test-cold-weather-body-suits
60x Strings - The bad? You named it! Getting it on 30 feet up in your climber.
Not a problem in my TreeLounge but I won't even consider it in my Lone Wolf climber or hang on. Too scary.
Opening day of gun season here in Wis. I wore it in my TreeLounge for an all day sit and I sat all day and was glad I had it on. If I hadn't had it I wouldn't have made it all day.
I've shot my stickbow with it on and it's not an issue. It has a "big" zipper that opens and closes easily with no noticeable noise. The inside shoulder straps keeps it in place so it doesn't drop down to your ankles.
Even though I don't use it that often, I'm glad I have it and the times I use it I'm glad I did.
One other thing. I've never experienced any heat loss with it due to wind.
I am a Heater Suit fan. My late wife made mine for me at a time when I was not working regularly. I'm 6'3" about 260lbs and I can get in and out of mine in stand. I carry it in a a big nylon freighter pack w/o the frame, drag it up to the stand with its own pull rope. At the end of the sit, I just drop it to the ground, and pack it up later.
My homemade suit is VERY similar to the factory versions. Having built 2 of them (one for my son inlaw) I don't consider them overpriced.
The system works. I wear enough clothing to be comfortable during the walk in and out. I still wear Predator Gray. My Heater Suit is an obsolete camo similar to Predator Gray.
I still want to make/buy one that is lightly insulated because I like the way the HBS hides small movements of arms and legs on stand.
There are some threads that I started about 11-12 years ago when my late wife made my suit. May still be pics. I may even have some hair.
Here is a link that should get you to an OLD thread about my homemade version.
http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread-print.cfm?threadid=306239&forum=2
Again, the factory suits are really nice and IMO not over priced. I may buy one myself.
Don-- glad to see that you are still around and sorry to hear about your wife.
I posted on Don's old thread and I still have my original HBS. I don't often use it, but still have it around. It makes hunting those cold days pleasurable especially when the wind is blowing.
I think the pros and cons of the suit has been well covered. After all these years the only thing I would change is the size of the HBS I have. I am about 6' and on the border line for the next size up. I have minimal problems sliding out of the suit, but the additional few inches the larger suit would likely make it easier to do so.
Used the HBS two weeks ago in northern mo. I was doing all day hunts and no way I could do it wo the HBS. My fanatic suit layered with traverse and merino couldn't cut that mustard. It was SO COLD..... I had an IWOM and sold it because I had the HBS and thought it was better owing to how quiet it is. I'm now having second thoughts. I think having my arms free is huge because I had several bucks chasing right under my stand. That extra time and movement does matter. Also, regarding the Iwom's noise, it never was that bad and when it's windy, it doesn't matter anyhow.
Hammer dont listen to Mule Power I will give you 150.00 for the King of the mountain gear plus a case of beer!
$200, a bottle of Crown Royal.... and a way to sneak into the back side of Kelly's hunting lease. lmao
