Staying warm on stand
Whitetail Deer
I apparently have turned into a nancy after spending a few hunting seasons in MT...trying to sit in IA in my deer stand I am always cold.
What I have been wearing:
Bottom: FL Boxers, FL Kanab or Kuiu Attack Pants Feet: Rubber boots and FL socks Top: FL Llano 170, Halsted Tech Fleece and sometimes the KUIU Teton Jacket.
Feet are fine, head and hands are fine, but it's my core and legs that have been cold. I have the FL full length base layer bottoms so I think that should help for a little while still.
I have Sitka's Fanatic Bibs and Jacket, but I think those will be too warm still.
Anyone have some Sitka they like for a mid layer, possibly a vest or something that will help keep this nancy warm until it's time to break out the fanatic series haha?
I have the Sitka traverse hoody that I really like as well as a gerbing heated vest for when it starts to get cold.
I've been wearing a t-shirt and still sweating... you must be doing something wrong. ;^)
Two tips: Acclimatization and be sure you eat prior to going on stand.
My new favorite piece for layering is an Ulfrotte woolpower jacket. It's a 600 weight (maybe it's only 400) Merino wool jacket. It's heavy, but it's a perfect midlayer to wear under a light jacket early, or to layer with late.
I also still carry a Cabelas Wooltimate vest a lot in the early season for layering on colder evenings. I don't hardly use it when it's real cold anymore, skipping straight to the Sitka Fanatic.
I'd like to buy another Sitka jacket, but I'm saving my pennies for a few upcoming hunts, so I'm trying not to buy any new gear :)
Wear some WOOL. Sheep have been doing it for 10,000+ years!
Also try doing some isometric core exercises while sitting. Making large muscle masses work will generate heat. A few foot warmers stashed in pockets on your torso wouldn't hurt either.
hah yup Franzen this humidity is killing me, it's crazy how fast my body got used to not being in humidity. Plus out in Montana I was always on the move, didn't ever have a use for insulated boots even late season rifle elk hunting in temps below zero.
Think I might pick up that Fanatic Hoody and Stratus vest.
What Blane said wool power is one of the best kept secrets. I have been wearing it since late 90's and have found nothing better . Pricy now but worth every penny. Wool ,wool , wool . Warm or cold weather that is what to wear .
Bring hot water in a thermos. Takes the edge off.
Wear your bibs... You own them. Why not use them?
I have a heavy pair of bibs. I carry them to the stand and put them on before climbing up. I find it especially helpful in the evening. I get pretty chilled when the sun goes down and I don't want to be distracted at the most important time of the day.
One tip for bibs... make sure that the side zipper go all the way up to your hips. If you open those zippers, you will not overheat. Just close the zippers as it starts to get cold.
It very well may be time to break out the Fanatic bibs, but man they are super insulated haha. They do have full length zips which should help vent quite a bit.
Iowa humidity? Well compared to Montana I guess!
I grew up in New Jersey. Now THAT'S humidity. When it got to 20 degrees there it was just plain BONE PIERCING cold. I lived in Wyoming after that and it could be zero and as long as the wind wasn't blowing (yeah, I know, that's like water not being wet) too hard and the sun was out it wasn't all that bad.
Stay warm!
Yes,seems young skywalker took advice and got the Woolpower.Me's loves mine too....
kelvin lite jacket for me. packs down to nothing, only weighs a few ounces. i was surprised how warm it was for the weight when i got it.
Iowa is at 79% humidity right now, down quite a bit from the last couple weeks!
Just my opinion, but for the cost of 2 or 3 Sitka jackets or pants you could likely afford a Heater Body Suit which should keep you quite toasty on stand in just about any temps. Here is a picture. I have no experience with one, as I am blessed with a extreme tolerance for the cold, but if ever I loose that tolerance I would buy one. Just a possibility for your consideration.
I use the Stratus jacket, vest and pants, never had trouble with that combination in TN or KY for sitting long hours, if the cold does invade it will be around the waistline so in very brutal conditions with strong winds I would pull out the Bibs.
If the bibs are that warm wear less under them to compensate for their added insulation. DANNY
A good hat or toboggan and neck gator will help. All my hats have gortex or something else to block the wind.
My method for staying worm in below freezing temps is based on no matter what NEVER breaking a sweat on the walk to my stand so I kind of developed a system of dressing VERY lightly for the walk and pack my additional layers and heavy outer cloths and put them on just before climbing into stand. I am actually quite chilled for about 1/2 of my walk, but by design I use the second half of my walk and getting into my stand to build up my body heat and keep me worm for a LONG time. It's not an exact science as by trial and error and by pure personal judgement at certain point based on my level of body heat VS distance to stand I will put on my hat or balaclava and once my stand location don the rest of my clothing be fore my newly built up body temp has a chance to drop.
The heater body suits do work.... On really, really cold days or even just cold mornings its the only way I can stay on stand.
Ditto....i luv my hbs. I killed a ton of deer while wearing it. Very warm
HeaterBodySuit.....all you'll ever need.
Thermacare heat wraps. They concentrate heat in your lower back (kidney) area. Been using them here in Iowa for quite a few years now. They really help to keep your core temperature warm. You can get them at Walgreens, Walmart, etc.
I am set for super cold weather sits with my Fanatic bibs and jacket...I need something for the meantime that won't be too hot.
I have found the best way to stay warm on stand is to fill my tags early in the year when it is warm.
Socks and base layer merino wool for sure . Quilted long John bottoms , I wear inexpensive dickies brand and a cabelas windshear wool sweater . Outer layer carhart bibs and predator parka. Most important is my neck warmer and ,don't laugh, my leather and rabbit fur lined bomber hat!! That hat is amazing. Keeping my head and neck warm is the key to keeping my core warm. I hunt alot in low double digit and single digit temps. Only time I shiver is after I pull the trigger!
silk base layer, polartec unionsuit, wool leggings, wool top, wool longshirt pullover, bibs, raven wear vest, muff with handwarmer inside, sitting on a ravenwear convert-a-muff. never been cold. Boots are Muck boots woody armor. Had ice forming just above my ankles while sitting in a swamp, never felt cold, just moved my feet to break it up or I might still be there.
Fanatic Lite Bibs and Fanatic Lite Jacket.
All Sitka, all the time!
How old are you? I've noticed as I get older it is harder to stay warm on the stand. Just turn 75 and I plan to use my HBS when it gets below freezing.
Heater packs in hip pockets, breast pockets, and handwarmer pockets.
You aren't doing it right. First off, a hunting outfit that only costs $1000 is doomed for failure. :^)
FL this and FL that. KUIU, Sitka, etc..... All great stuff but very little of it you mentioned actually meant for whitetail stand hunting. Get some wool and/or polyester fleece. Eat and drink well before the hunt, get a good warm head piece and, enjoy. Primaloft and Climashield is your friend as well. Good luck and God bless
If we are talking real cold like around zero then I agree with the Heater Body Suit. My girls bought me one 3 years ago and although I have only worn it 6-8 times it is incredible. I sat two day with wind chills 25 below and actual temps 0 to minus 5 and was toasty warm. I layered underneath and used chemical heat packs on my feet but never came close to being cold. Shawn
Get a windproof fleece neck gaitor. More heat is lost there than anywhere else and most of these fancy "systems" don't address that well enough for the stand hunter. You say you are warm there but your body is just one big engine. Just because you are feeling cold in one area doesn't mean that area is the best area to address...address the areas losing the most heat first and you will feel warmer all over. Also add merino base layers, don't get sweaty walking in, and make sure your outer layer is windproof if that is a factor.
There is a new heated jacket for sale, I think it is made by tool tool company. Can't remember the name.
Pnuma Outdoors just came out with a heated vest the Icon X, which is very thin actually meant to be worn next to the skin. It is very similar to their base layers. It uses carbon fiber heating elements.
White Falcon the jacket you are thinking of is most likely made by Milwaukee. the body portion is heated, a friend has one and he removed the arms to make it a vest. its kind of bulky. He is looking at he Pnuma one.
Late season I wear anywhere from 5 to 9 "base layers", starting with poly-silver next to my skin, then alternating poly and merino. A wool shirt for the outer-inner, then a Primaloft vest over that. Every one of those layers traps body heat and wicks moisture away, but without bulk.
Then if it's really cold I'll decide on an outer shell, usually something soft with Windshear as a membrane. Bottoms are Cabelas Wooltimate Ultimate insulated bibs with Windshear. My problem is usually being too warm, even on the plains with wind chills way below zero.
Said it before a good wind proof beach gator is worth 1 layer of clothing and try Artic Armor Bibs and Parker. Good stuff when coupled with good wool base and mid layers .
Heat factory vest: http://tinyurl.com/y85pxbn7 plus the larger hand size 18 hr. hand warmers
Once you go to a bag system you'll wonder why you wanted all that money trying to stay warm with multiple layers of fancy stuff! Been in a bag for about 15 years. Have had them all. For most cold temps I really liked my warm bag. Wasn't crazy bully and the majority of the time your arms stayed out. That is huge when it's real cold and every little sound from movement is amplified so much. Bow on a hanger right in front of me worked perfect! Tried the hbs but it's bulky and having to remove it to shoot was tough to do without being caught. My iwoms are warm and well built but are very bulky and can be a pain to get on and off. But you stay really warm and your arms can stay out like a warm bag. And I go to Canada every year in November and sit from dark till dark.
