Best cold weather hunting gear
Whitetail Deer
Looking for some good high quality cold weather hunting gear What is your go to gear I’m sick of freezing , Thanks
There are plenty of great options from brands like Sitka and First Lite. Two others worth checking out, based on positive feedback, are Huntworth and Code of Silence.
Personally, I’ve been using Sitka for several years and have been very satisfied.
For extended sits in cold weather, I’d also recommend looking into boot blankets and a heated vest—they’re game changers.
I’ve tried them all for the most part and for cold weather bowhunting my money goes to First Lites Sanctuary coat and bibs. Incredibly quiet and warm..
Anytime I battle bitter cold I prefer goose down as insulation layer
Cabelas Berber gear is by far the warmest I’ve used. I’ve tried cabelas stand hunter but the bibs are not as warm as they claim. The Jacket is warm. I hunt in -30c and colder and I can sit for hours with the Berber gear. I believe it’s no longer available in Canada but they carry it in the US at Cabelas. I also wear boot covers with cabelas inferno 2000gram boots
Heated vest and there isn’t a close competitor. Cheap on Amazon. A battery bank you use to charge your phone will run one all day, you don’t feel like the Michelin tire logo drawing your bow back and you stay warmer than any jacket offers trapping your body heat.
First lite sanctuary and heated vest are my go to.
I'm a Kings Camo guy myself ~~ see my link.
Some dang good Cyber Monday sales going on right now.
Stay warm,
Robb
Sitka incinerator coat and bibs
I can enthusiastically endorse the rechargable handwarmer by Ozark Trail. I've been using mine to treat an arthritic hand while I sleep. The highest setting of 140° can cause me to release it for fear of burning, so I am helped by the 122° setting. Neigh $10.00 at Walmart it's a bargain. My version has a small light function that doesn't work but is supposed to be operated by the single switch that also sequences through the temperature settings. I've noticed a newer version that has a separate side button switch for the light. I prefer mine without the light as I've had numerous lights that get pocket activation to deadness. The battery at the 122° setting will last the seven hours I sleep and the cycling of the unit on the thermostat is perceptable to the touch. It also can be used to recharge a dead cell phone battery, somehow, as I have no experience with that feature.
I’ve not used it but KUIU just came out with the Haven line that is insulated with down and quiet. It was made for cold stand sits.
Heater Body Suit (if hunting from a stand).
heater body suit is the best ive personally used.
Kotaman did a really nice review of cold weather jackets and another on boots a while ago. Those are worth a looksie.
Agree with heater body suit if stand or closed blind. If moving code of silence camo.
My wife swears by her Iwom suit. We hunted last night in 10 degree temps with a good wind and she was warm. Inside she wears the liners to her ice fishing boots and wears light hiking boots to the stand and changes them out. She said she didn't even turn her heated vest on last night.
I wore Sitka bibs and the heated vest and stayed warm for the afternoon sit as well.
Heater body suit for me yesterday.
Sitka Fanatic and a heated vest, Artic Sheild boot blankets and hand warmers on your toes.
Cabelas Berber gear is by far the warmest I’ve used. I’ve tried cabelas stand hunter but the bibs are not as warm as they claim. The Jacket is warm. I hunt in -30c and colder and I can sit for hours with the Berber gear. I believe it’s no longer available in Canada but they carry it in the US at Cabelas. I also wear boot covers with cabelas inferno 2000gram boots
I bought volteX heated vests for myself and for gifts after doing some research. After trying them out I am not satisfied with them. Is there a heated vest that anyone can recommend?
I own a heater body suit, a set of Sitka Fanatic G3 and had a set of First Lite Sanctuary given to me.
The only thing I personally use at all anymore is the Sitka Fanatic set. On Friday I went hunting and the temp before wind was -33. Wind chill into the 40's. I put a heated vest under the Fanatic, and all I wore was my Cabelas Polartec base layers plus sweat pants plus Fanatic bib on bottom and on top I wore base layer, vest jacket. Was sitting 20 minutes before legal. By about 20 mins after legal I have to admit it felt like the cold was creeping in on my shoulders/upper arms. But all I had on there was a base layer + Fanatic. But then the sun came up and that little bit of difference made it work. These kinds of temps are rare even here, and that's the coldest I've ever sat in. Usually the temp drops a couple degrees right at sunup, and it felt like it. But I know for a fact it was -33 when we started temp without wind. We sat until 10 when we shot a deer, but by then I was comfortable. It was insane cold. It was hard to keep up with removing ice buildup on the eyebrows and lashes.
Sitka Fanatic and/or HBS. I got sick of being cold and dropped the coin. Worth every dime
Fur for the head. Nothing beats it. RJ Miller here on the Bowsite fur and trapping thread has made me several bombers and mittens.
I have a first lite sanctuary, its so comfortable, and perfect for most of my whitetail hunts until is gets colder than -5c, then its not enough, thats when the cabelas stand hunter comes out, its waaaaay warmer than my sanctuary, too bad its you cant get it, shitty bass pro
I have an Ororo fleece heated vest. It works well. One battery will get me through a 4-5 hour sit. I consider cold here 10 to 15 F for a typical AM deer hunt in mid November. The heated vest with a hoodie over it is nice with my fleece bibs from Day One with wind stopper. Once the sun comes up it warms up quick. I use the vest even on evening hunts when it's not very cold, say 40s. It just lets you wear "less".
Outside of the Dakotas, listen to the Canadians, ouch! What they will do for a deer.
I use the Ororo vest and have purchased them for my kids as well. As has been said above, I like them because you don't have to wear as much under them. I would pay close attention to the guys that actually live in cold weather though!! We do have a damp cold down here though;)
Sitka Fanatic series is on Cyber Monday sale today...
Sitka Fanatic bibs and coat is hard to beat. I also have Raven Wear bibs and parka for stand hunting in very cold weather
One thing I forgot to mention is that when I was sitting in those insane temps Friday I even had hauled my HBS all the way to sitting spot expecting to get inside it with my SITKA stuff already on. It was so dang quiet I never did. Fun to listen to the trees explode on those super cold mornings though.
I was hunting with Tyler and because of the insane weather that day we spent quite a bit of time talking about cold weather gear. We are both in agreement that you simply can't beat actual fur. He experienced that value of hide on his polar here hunt and was wearing his musk Ox mitts. Think about it...it's like mid minus 40's wind chill, we've got warmers stuffed in our boots and mitts, and I've got a heated vest on and we have essentially the best gear money can buy. Yet a whitetail just walks around and beds down like it's no big deal. All the thing has on it's it's hide.
Altitude Sickness-Jay, what kind of boots are you wearing in the Boat picture. Kurt
Is the fanatic series, Sitka’s warmest gear?
Sitka's warmest is Incinerator.
Pyrannah, Sitka has the Incinerator Aerolite that is touted to be warmest waterproof line
Kurt they are like a modern Mukluk. You wear them over insulated leather boots. Or whatever you prefer.
That day on the river had a high of 9 degrees. Plus occasional motoring at 20 mph
You can usually find them for $120. They have a snow gator rolled up at the top that unrolls and extends over the knee to keep snow off.
I bought the Sitka Incinerator and returned it for the SKRE Guardian parka and bibs. I'm very happy with it, I used the cabelas stand hunter for years, it's extremely warm but I got tired of the bulkiness
Thanks!
Kevin what didn’t you like about the incinerator?
I’m tired of the bulkiness in my clothing as well
I filled my ND muzzleloader doe tag the other evening. Single digit high, I was wearing Columbia Gallatin Range wool jacket and bib over warm base layers. Steger Mukluks are all I wear in the cold, my feet very rarely get even a little bit cold.
When it's really cold real fur cannot be beat.
Altitude Sickness-Jay, those look like they would be pretty solid and Warm. I will be checking into them, Thanks,BTW , you have a lot of very nice Bows. Good luck. Kurt
Thanks, I got my mittens and hats from JMiller above. Very well priced and high quality. Great Christmas presents. He made a nice hat and mittens for my wife also.
I just ordered Code of Silence Zone 7 parker and bibs. Haven't received them yet but a buddy I hunt with swears by his. Keep you posted once I try them. I also have Sitka Fanatic jacket and bibs but I absolutely can not stand the offset zipper design. Thought I'd get use to it but I can't. They are very warm but the zipper is a deal breaker for me.
Sitka Incinerator is my go to. If you want to roast add a Kenai layer under. It’s pricey, but incredible for sitting here in Ohio winters. Not made for hiking though!
