Dialing in my cold weather gear

obsessed1

Member
Hey guys i need some suggestions for dialingmin my cold weather gear. I live in northern alberta so im hunting deep snow and cold. Temps can be from -10c to-25c. I hunt mixture of large pasture/ crop lands and thick timber. The issue i have is i get cold sitting on a stand if i dress to hike but i way overheat if i wear my winter bibs when i have to walk any distance. My bibs ony unzip up the leg about 12" and i wear lace up boots to putting them on/ off on stand is way to much noise/ commotion but I dang near freeze sitting long without them. What do you cold weather hunters use? My coat is easy to pop on or off depending on needs.
I often end up walking a good couple miles between hiking into stands and retreiving shot dogs. Thanks
 
When it's real cold I wear merino wool long underwear and wool pants with the army surplus gortex pants and gators on the bottom to keep snow out and the noisy gortex from rubbing together.

It's not a lot of thick insulation like a pair of pants and most bibs would be. The wool does what it does best and the gortex keeps the wind and snow out of the wool.

Wool has become my best friend it doesnt take much to keep you warm so you aren't layered real bulky. I try to keep my jacket open before I hike, if I'm cold before the hike that's even better but sometimes you just got to stop to cool down.

If you can get layers of wool with a good quite wind and waterproof shell you can go a long way.
 
I find quality baselayers are the most important. Merino wool long underwear and thermal shirts. If it's real bitter cold I try to keep my sets closer to the truck but if I have to hike il take off the jacket and headgear while I hike to keep the sweat down
 
I dress in layers but nothing bulky.
Merino wool base layers, wool pants and an Alpaca wool sweater. My heated vest is my favorite item, I turn it on after I get to my destination. Its like turning on the heated seats in my truck
smile.gif

The vest was developed and is marketed out of Calgary AB.
http://powerinmotion.ca/
 
I do layer up with marino base layer to and bottom already then my mid layer is just jeans and sweat shirt with my bibs over them. I have a pair of wool pants I might try next time. Only issue is they are not waterproof at all. I might just need to look at changing up my seat system ( currently on ground with Stadium seat,getting my butt/ legs off the ground will keep me dryer.
 
Wet wool works better than jeans and cotton sweatshirt with cheap bibs. I've fallen into a pond and continued hunting.

Get more wool and a weather proof outer layer.
 
Originally Posted By: obsessed1I do layer up with marino base layer to and bottom already then my mid layer is just jeans and sweat shirt with my bibs over them. I have a pair of wool pants I might try next time. Only issue is they are not waterproof at all. I might just need to look at changing up my seat system ( currently on ground with Stadium seat,getting my butt/ legs off the ground will keep me dryer.
Not sure if they still make em but I use a pair of under armor winter pants. They are pretty much just an insulated camo ski pant but they are quite waterproof. I have taken to just plopping myself in the snow wherever I feel like and as long as I don't sit there for hours on end I'm still quite dry.
 
Originally Posted By: Rock KnockerWet wool works better than jeans and cotton sweatshirt with cheap bibs. I've fallen into a pond and continued hunting.

Get more wool and a weather proof outer layer.

I do have light outer waterproof pants and bibs. I'll try the wool base with wool mid and light waterproof outer.
 
Most my wool came from thrift shops for under $10. Any knit wool sweater is great, when it gets well below zero I have a sweater a size too small I put on then another wool sweater that's a couple sizes too big to put over top.
 
I find helly hansen lifa base layer to be the best they wick away sweat and keep you warm. Second use something to sit on to keep your but off the ground, you can sit for so much longer that way. Its pretty low tech but i use a pillow case with an old blanket folded inside to sit on. I fold it through my rifle sling and walk that way it stays put for the most part. Also for really cold days i use goggles with the nose piece keeping the cold air off my face helps enormously.
 
Wool is KING. I agree with everyone who says some type of wool layering under a Gore tex like water/wind proof shell.

This is exactly what I wear if I park and walk 200yds or hike a mile cross country in deep snow
1. Merino t shirt
2. Merino mid weight long underwear top and bottom
3. Heavy knit wool sweater
4. Gore tex bibs with a thin fleece backing (pants have built in foam layer on rear end so I can plop right down in the snow)
5. Winter Camo over jacket

If it gets to -10F I carry a puffy jacket
 
Cabelas heavy silk base layer is smooth and bind free+++ cannot say enough about this choice.
Then merino wool over by weight to correspond with temps, lightweight-smartwool, medium weight-filson or first lite, heavy weight-first lite.
Then pendleton wool shirt and waterproof insulated carhartt.
Everything I've got was on sale or close out. Sometimes this means purchasing in june. Have purchased some high quality stuff on closeouts for cheap at clothing store.
I take very good care and wash properly so it last a long time.
 
The great thing about wool is that it can be found anywhere but quality, which most often translates into how rough it is, will cost you. However, low-priced wool is still wool.

This user on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/usr/loscobos2010?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2754

Has the best price/quality ratio I have ever seen. The prices keep creeping up but the quality is great. I need to buy some more from them.

You can sometimes pick up decent wool at garage sales or the gimmicky places like Sportsman’s Guide. If there is something off about the size (it was washed in hot water or put through a dryer) you can resize the garment by soaking it in a mixture of water and hair conditioner then stretching it to fit and allowing it to dry in the stretched size. This often applies to military surplus items. Don’t expect to make a large out of a small but if the large is a bit tight you can sometimes loosen it up but lose a little length.
 
If I had to chose, I would skimp on the base layer, doesnt need to be fancy as long as it keeps the wool pants and sweaters from rubbing on me. Then put the saved money into knit wool sweaters and pants.

Merino wool underwear in my opinion is much less cost effective than cheap used wool clothes, it's great but two $20 sweaters are a lot warmer than a single $40 merino undershirt.

Wool pants are the hard ones to find and usually costs a bet more.
 
For anyone considering making their own Heated clothing for cold weather hunting I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this for a heating element. https://www.ebay.com/itm/5V-USB-Electric-Cloth-Heater-Pad-Heating-for-Waist-Abdomen-Cushion-Pet-Warmer-US/401966679072?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I have tried a couple different heated clothing inserts and have been disappointed. Yesterday the elements in that link finally showed up and I got to testing them. HOLY BALLS. It gets plenty warm. So warm that I think a guy could run it on low or medium and stay plenty warm. Only thing is a guy has to make sure you have a usb power pack with a supply of at least 2.1A. anything less and it won't work properly.

I messed with mine last night for about 2 hours and running it on high most of the 2 hour time frame I used up less than half of the available juice in my 20,000mah power pack. I have no reason to believe a guy wouldn't see at least 5 straight hours on medium power.

I went ahead a sewed it onto a strip of velcro so it can be stuck to the inside of a long sleeve shirt that I added velcro to. Hopefully this evening I'll have time to get out and try it out chasing yotes.
 
I bought a set of Merino wool a number of years ago after my heart surgery caught up to me. The company that made the set is no longer in business but the product is really great.

I do layer but I use the UA type long sleeve shirts as the next to skin base. Then the Merino, then a shirt and then a medium fleece pullover. As an outer layer I use a no longer available Columbia anorak that seals tightly at the waist so my upper core is really warm.

My biggest problem now is circulation to my hands and feet. I have tried electric sox but the ones I tried did not seem to do the job. I am kind of caught in the middle here. If I go to heavier boots the weight nocks the heck out of my stamina and I cant walk very far so I am still working on that.

Gloves are a whole other thing. I use chemical hand warmers inside the glove on my left hand as I am right handed but keep my lightly gloved right hand covered and holding a chemical pack. Thats the best I can do right now.

The Merino wool is the best thing in the world for me.
 
Shiver Shield


Pricey as all get out , but very thin and extremely warm.
Amazing stuff for cold weather.

Watch the vids on their website.
 
Originally Posted By: huntschoolI bought a set of Merino wool a number of years ago after my heart surgery caught up to me. The company that made the set is no longer in business but the product is really great.

I do layer but I use the UA type long sleeve shirts as the next to skin base. Then the Merino, then a shirt and then a medium fleece pullover. As an outer layer I use a no longer available Columbia anorak that seals tightly at the waist so my upper core is really warm.

Instead of buying "heavier" boots try buying a size larger boots.

!!!!!!!---In my experience there is less difference in boot insulation than what sort of added insulation that you can get into the boot.

For example my 16 year old pair of unbelievably durable 400g thinsulate Irish setters that are worn in and can fit larger wool socks than my new 1000g thinsulate irish setters and the lighter boots are just as warm but considerably smaller.

Moving up a size of boot also gives some wiggle room to flex and move your toes around when sitting and that little wiggle in the boot causes friction when walking which does a lot.---!!!!!!!!

My biggest problem now is circulation to my hands and feet. I have tried electric sox but the ones I tried did not seem to do the job. I am kind of caught in the middle here. If I go to heavier boots the weight nocks the heck out of my stamina and I cant walk very far so I am still working on that.

Gloves are a whole other thing. I use chemical hand warmers inside the glove on my left hand as I am right handed but keep my lightly gloved right hand covered and holding a chemical pack. Thats the best I can do right now.

The Merino wool is the best thing in the world for me.

I sure fudged up the quoting function and I cant fix it on my terrible little touchscreen gizmo... I surrounded my addition with!!!!!!!!!!

Basically in my opinion it doesnt matter how insulated you boots are, if they're too tight to get the socks you need into them or tied too tight you're going to get cold feet.
 
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