Best Cold Weather Gear?
Equipment
I've got an uncompahgre puffy from First Lite, plus their base layers. Looking for your best cold weather gear that won't break the bank!
Heater Body Suit!! Nothing else will keep you warm like a HBS. I've killed dozens of deer out of mine.
Whoa those are pricey haha! I assume you don't walk in your's at all?
HBS. Yes it has a price. But if you bought all of the other clothing you would need to equal the same warmth level, HBS is a bargain. And no, you don't walk in it. It is for stand/stationary hunting only.
I'm super impressed with the first lite sanctuary gear and I've owned the Sitka fanatic suit. So much warmer
I almost exclusively wear Sitka gear winter clothing. Yes, it is very expensive but it is of high quality and keeps me warm. What is that worth? You can find stuff discounted 30-50% off the retail price if you are patient and look around a lot. Camofire runs a lot of one day specials.
Heater Body Suit for sitting...look on eBay, Craiglist and Rokslide for used.
Mike
I bought the firstlite Sanctuary insulated bib for last year's Ohio rut hunt. Temps were in the high 20's / early 30's in the morning. I would say it performed ok, but I wasn't blown away (still needed hand warmers in the pockets to keep my legs warm). 25 degrees or lower, I doubt it would cut it (I had their Allegheny EXP bottoms on too). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of firstlite but that ultra cold gear is a tough niche to do right when you're strapped to the side of a tree in freezing temps. Curious to hear what others have found that works, thanks for starting the thread.
I use Cabela's Stand Hunter Extreme bibs, parka, and mittens. Not cheap but I've hunted in temps down to -10 F and it keeps me warm. Unless it is extremely cold I can wear the bibs and a lighter coat, makes shooting a bow easier.
I really like my Heater Body Suit when it gets cold here in South Dakota. It's really not that expensive when you compare it to Sitkas extreme cold weather gear. I duck my face down in it and read a book on those December all day sits.
I like the cabelas stand hunter extreme one piece, I always carry it in, warm enough for Manitoba deer season
Cabela's Wooltimate w/winshear lining. Won't break the bank and extremely warm. I carry it in a pack to get to stand.
Maybe I'm just cheap but I wear a 40yr old down coat & German army surplus wool pants under my old Predator fall gray coveralls. Base layers include Duofold or Cabela's X-static long johns, a Columbia zippered turtle neck, and an ugly brown fleece hoodie. This has kept me comfortable hunting late season in west central WI.
Best socks I've used have been alpaca.
They suck to walk in but for boots, the military Bunny Boots are hard to beat. They can't be beat when you might get wet feet.
Cabela's Wooltimate here as well. For someone like me who uses it about one week every 4 years, it is a great balance between cost and performance. Very warm (even for a thin-blooded Californian) and quiet.
I like the extreme stuff from Cabelas. Pricey but, first, I use my Cabela's Club VISA card to accumulate cash-back points. Second, I buy it on sale. Got a great bibber a few years back, about a $275 item. On sale for $220 and I had $100 in points. Doesn't hurt so much that way ;-)
Someone mentioned the 'Stand Hunter Extreme' from Cabelas, I'm saving points for a new parka. Hoping to get it free ;-)
I put a pair of 2XL Sitka Kelvin pants in my pack with bibs strapped to the outside. The Kelvin pants go right over my pants and the bibs next. The Kelvin pants weight very little and provide a lot of insulation.
http://www.columbia.com/mens-gallatin-bib-1618911.html I wear Columbia Gallatin Range wool blends. It is inexpensive and works well, as I've hunted North Dakota deer in -30 on stand. With the right layers, I stay warm and have a good hunt. Boot blankets, wool gloves and a balcalva complete my winter gear.
Wooly image is great stuff without spending a lot.
Another vote for the Cabelas Wooltimate Ultimate with Windshear. Like Matt I only need it now and then (even though I hunt the CO plains in November and December), but when needed it's da bomb.
Someone on this site a couple years ago on a similar thread recommended the artic armor suit ( jacket and bibs ) for extreme cold weather hunts . They said it was as warm as a heater body suit , but you could walk in it . On that recommendation I purchased one from pro fishing supply and although I have never own a heater body suit I have been extremely pleased with this suit . Lite and warm . I have worn it in 12 degree temp and 30 mph winds and was warm and comfortable I could not be more pleased and it does not break the bank . About $340 for the suit if I remember correctly. Worth every penny .
Like Scoot said, depends upon your idea of cold. Again sitting in a stand or spot and stalk?
This is what I think of when you ask for cold.
Anything below about 10 to 15 degrees you want the heater body suit or something comparable, if you're immobile. If you're moving a lot and working hard you don't need near as much. Depends on your style I guess. Layer up if you're gonna be active.
Come to think of it body suit would work there too. Carry it in a pack while you're walking in relatively light clothes. If you sit for a while, put it on.
Insulated Predator fall grey works good for long sits in the stand or blind for me. I've been in the low teens for quite a few hours in it. I have a onesy liner I wear under it. I lost good circulation in my feet and fingers so higher quality boots are a must for me on long sits. For that I use Baffin Control Max boots.
Gerbings heated vest & socks, I have hunted -30 in Alberta for years and would never be without them, no bulk, rechargeable batteries will last for 6 hours or more.
Not too high jack the OP's thread, but I would like to throw out a more specific question related to cold weather clothing.
To set the stage, I hunt whitetails here in WV where it is hilly big woods type terrain. When I say cold I am talking 20-40 degrees.
I agree that layering is important such as having a good base and mid layer.
My question is what do you guys prefer after that when it gets down into the 30's? Another mid layer and a non insulated shell or top it off with a heavier, insulated shell?
In other words, more layers or a little more bulk? For stationary hunting? I am personally more comfortable with fewer layers and the insulated shell while sitting out there, but I am having a hard time finding something that fits the bill but isn't too bulky.
Not clothing, but something my friends and I use tree stand hunting is a Thermacare Heat Wrap. It is a disposable hand warmer type belt that wraps around your waist and concentrates the heat in your kidney area. They last 5-8 hrs and really help to keep your core temperature up. You can get them at Wallyworld, Walgreens, etc. They are awesome at helping you stay on stand a lot longer.
30 degrees Fahrenheit is cold weather gear? Isn't that like right around freezing? Not to bash or anything but you can still hunt in your favorite sweater in that weather ;)
When we talk about cold weather gear I would assume we are talking 10F or less. To me, the biggest difference maker is an awesome base layer. When I started using the Cabelas Polartec base layer it instantly changes the temps by like 5 degrees C that I can sit in just by wearing that base layer. I've tried others, and none have been the same. It is crazy. There are sometimes when I am going out to sit and the temp is legit -10 to -20F and I still need to open up my bibs all the way down the leg and not wear my jacket to let the heat out, they are amazing. Even at -10 though without a HBS or some nice sunshine I find I can generally only sit about 4hrs. With a HBS and some sun maybe I can do an all dayer, but colder then that I don't know how people can do an all dayer perched in a tree in the breeze. I've never used anything battery, but I have foot sweat issues and will need to make minimum 1 sock change in the tree. Warmest boots I've ever used is the Cabelas Saskatchewan Pak boot. I bought the Sitka Fanatic line back when they were (Halfways) affordable and they're good for 99% of my hunts.
Thanks. I understand that isn't cold to a lot of people. That is why I specified where I hunted and the temperature range I was asking a recommendation for.
Late bow season and muzzy season here in IA. cold=25 and below with high humidity and a penchant for northerly winds.
I'm just going with the Sitka Fanatic bibs and jacket, and saying to heck with the price. I should have it for 10+ years, and this will allow me to get out and chase after coyotes more anyways-win/win
Atta Boy Iowa! All Sitka, all the time!
The older I get, the numbers to define cold have risen greatly!
Lots of people I know say their cold-weather clothes allow them to hunt in sub-freezing temps, but when you really question them about it, they basically can only hunt 2-3 hours before they need to get down out of the tree. It sucks being in a tree, waiting for the shivering to get so bad you have to get down. Late season is the time to be in a tree during mid-day. The only piece of clothing I've seen that allows you to sit dark-to-dark and never get cold is the HBS. Period.
The only downside of the HBS is that after sitting all day and being toasty warm, you need to get out of that warm suit. It can be quite a shock!
Late bow season and muzzy season here in IA. cold=25 and below with high humidity and a penchant for northerly winds.
I'm just going with the Sitka Fanatic bibs and jacket, and saying to heck with the price. I should have it for 10+ years, and this will allow me to get out and chase after coyotes more anyways-win/win
It will last, and you will like it.
I have a copy of the HBS my late wife made for me about 15 years ago. Because of her skills, it cost only about 100$. I pack it in and out in a duffle. Mine has about double the insulation of the factory HBS. Mine uses the old Skyline camo which is mostly white and light gray. I've considered buying a factory suit for ground blind use.
I always chuckle at the same questions over and over about the HBS. It is carried to the stand site. I put mine on after I am up in the stand, and before I pull my bow up. I keep a pee bottle at hand. The quiet zipper lets my come out of the suit for the shot easily.
BTW my feet always stay warm in the HBS, wearing cheap boots.
Pat Lefemine did a review of the HBS many years ago. He climbed in a stand wearing his. I would never attempt that. BTW, I am 6'3", 260lbs, and in my mid-60s age.
I wrote an essay about building my homemade HBS which was posted here about 11-12 years ago. Don't know if it's still available.
Never tried a hubs so I can't comment. I own a pair of cabelas stand hunter coveralls. Love them. And when on sale.... $200. We've sat hours in -30 temps with them. When it's so cold your eyeballs freeze. I'm normally muzzleloader hunting with them but would have no trouble using my bow.
I have the Sitka stuff and like it pretty well. If it's not going to get over 20 I'll have an over size Cabela's Woolmate vest I can put on if I'm getting cold. And I pack a small fleece blanket that costs like $6. The same one I keep in my truck for my kids football games. That blanket on my lap lets me stay out hours more. It blocks the wind, hides any toe tapping I might do cause I'm bored sitting there and it weighs maybe 8oz. I'm sure the HBS is wonderful but that little blanket is all I need. I also have a piece of carpet for the platform of my stand. If you get cold feet, that will help a lot.
I believe in external heat using a good supply of the larger (chemical activated) hand warmers that last 12 or 18 hrs, exceeding stand time vs. the older ones which lasted about 6 hrs.
Also very important, get a kidney/back warmer belt made for these. Not sure where I got mine, but you can find them via Google. I think it was made by one of the hand warmer companies.
Put one warmer on top your head underneath a well insulated hat or wool pullover . Also use one on the neck and also for ears in extreme cold. For comfort from the heat and the hand warmers sometimes I put them over a thin silk head pullover.
I also have a pull over shirt I got somewhere that has pockets for hand warmers. All of this will keep your core extremely warm esp. if you have chosen your layering and outwear well.
For feet, take off your boots when on stand and use boot blankets just wearing a warm sock plus an oversized wool slipper and put one or two of the large hand warmers inside the slipper and/or boot blanket. Say goodbye to cold feet. Use a small piece of carpet to keep everything off metal tree stand platform.
This much active heat lets you avoid a lot of bulk in your winter clothing. Also, very adjustable. I used battery heated vests before, but the heat is not as strong nor as long lasting as the new chemical hand warmers.
The hand warmers might add up in price but compared to a tank of gas and other hunt costs, not so much. Only on extremely cold days such as for a Canadian December hunt would you have to use all of the above.
Wicking type inner clothing, ABSOLUTELY no cotton, and then wool, wool, wool.
So David how many hand warmers are you packing for a day's sit? And where do you unwrap them? I unwrapped one on a tree one time and thought the whole world had heard me.
A dozen for the very coldest all day sit at a cost of about $4. Half that many for a cold sit. I open them up before leaving in the morning and stash all of them in my outer jacket pockets where they are handy. They 18 hrs. ones will last you all day plus.
