What's your cold weather system?

[boostedprozac]

Base layers do a few things only. They don't usually keep you warm. They wick sweat off your body, protect it from the wind, and cover up your scent (depending on your specific make and model). I keep it simple. I use the columbia omniheat coldweather base layers. On top of that, I use the scent blocking UA fleece Treestand top and bottom. They're both wind proof and thick and warm. I then wear a regular pair of socks and my lacrosse aerohead boots to the stand. I pack the rest in. I do this because the walk will make you sweat! It not usually that you're cold because of the weather, but from your sweat and the wind. Once I get to my stand, I change out my regular cotton socks for my wool socks. Quickly put on my UA rut gear, which is great on scent, wind, and water, and up the tree I go. Yes, this does keep you warm but No, not down to zero. I get away with this till about the 20's. The UA stuff lets me put warmers in the kidney area pockets, and one in each pocket. When it becomes colder later in the season, I Then just wear the UA Treestand layers to the stand and jump into my IWOM. I've been down to -10 with a blazing windchill and still fine with just a few hand warmers and the IWOM. I've had the IWOM since 2012 and I can't say enough about it. A few things I will share that has helped me throughout the years... Always have extra handwarmers handy! When purchasing boots, MAKE SURE there is enough room in there to fit your larger socks AND extra room to BECOME warm. This is a big deal! When it's too tight, there is not enough room for heat to circulate. You can try any of the boot warmers but the best thing to have is dry socks, room for warmth, and decent insulation. Have circulation in the boots, decent insulation with dry socks, and a good base layer and mid layer that works together. Then have a nice outerlayer that protects your from the elements. If they're all scent blocking/absorbing, even better. These are just a few ways I stay warm. I threw in the brands incase you wanted to try them. A closed system like the HBS or IWOM will keep you warmer!

[JoeRE]

What I have learned is there's a lot of difference between people. Some people are warm blooded and will always have problems in the heat (ME) and others are cold blooded/bad circulation and will always have problems with the cold.

With that being said, here is what I wore on several late season hunts this year, in temperature around -20 F. In that kind of cold I wouldn't go out in any kind of wind chill, that was about my limit. On my head was a heavy wool facemask with a balaclava over top it, my tops were heavy wool hunting shirt, two light jackets, then heavy parka, and light snow camo poncho. Bottoms were long underwear, two pairs of insulated pants, then light snow camo pants. I had heavy pac boots on with two pair of wool socks and handwarmers in between the socks on my toes. I had light gloves with wool trigger finger mittens and handwarmers on my hands. Doing this I could stand for about 2 hours on those coldest days, 20 below zero, before the cold set in. It was about 30 pounds of clothes in all I love cold weather being naturally warm blooded with good circulation (very important to staying warm, I have noticed heavier guys actually have a harder time hands and feet warm) but the trade off is I hate anything above 70 degrees. If it is more normal cold for around here, say single digits, I drop one middle layer top and bottom and dont need hand warmers. Its a lot easier to move around then!

I've been given a couple sets of under armour base layers as Christmas gifts over the years and they are great but you can be comfortable and spend a whole lot less money on army surplus stuff and such. I am pretty sure everything combined cost less than $200 that I wore on those coldest days not including my boots. You need good boots.

Look at it like this: What you need for cold weather is a moisture wicking base layer, a couple of medium thickness layers for insulation (that is what you add and subtract from to meet your comfort level), then a good heavy outer "shell" to cut windchill.

[Terry]

My biggest concern while dressing for cold weather is staying mobile. I don't like to feel bulky or restricted, matter of fact I hate it. I wear UA as a base layer and Cabela's Wooltimate with windshear as an outer layer. Wool socks and gloves, and a fleece beanie top it off.

For real cold days(single digits or below), I will add a layer of 100% polyester fleece and a fleece balaclava.

This system works for me and cuts down on bulkiness and several layers.

[jonsimoneau]

Sitka Fanatic. Most of my wool has been for sale since trying this. It's fantastic.

[GRFox]

I posted the following in a similar thread a few months ago......

Here is a trick a really good hunter taught me that have used all year and works great.

I walk to my stand with all my top layers in my pack. I wear a cotton tee shirt or long sleeve shirt on the walk in with a cotton hooded sweatshirt. Get completely set up in the stand (on morning hunts) or the base of my tree on afternoons strictly due to the movement. Once I am set up completely, I strip down to my bare chest, use the tee shirt or long sleeve shirt to towel off my entire upper body, then stand there bare chested until your skin starts to feel tight. (this may sound crazy, but you really don't feel cold with the elevated body temperature from walking and climbing)

Open the back pack which was previously packed in order; light weight merino wool tee shirt, mid weight merino wool long sleeve shirt then my Cabelas Wooltimate hoody down to 35*. Anything under 35* I add an LL Bean rag wool sweater and I am as warm as I will ever be.

This is coming from a guy who used to have to wear the HBS in the mid 40's just to no shiver on stand. For 10 years I froze on every sit, the HBS stopped that completely, but in all honestly I got tired of lugging it around. It is also huge. You go from being human sized to big foot sized in the tree.

I am now wearing minimal layers of Merino Wool on a dry body and staying warm while being comfortable and not overdressed. You can sweat as much as you want on the way in and not worry about it. My lower half really never gets cold or sweats, so maybe this won't work for some, but it was a game changer for me.

How cold would you be willing to hunt with your system?

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Last Thursday it was 4 degrees. -17 with the wind chill. I used that exact system only added a Rockys Fleece top and used my Arctic Shield parka instead of the Wooltimate. Stripping down really wasn't that bad. I got dressed on the ground in this instance because of 20mph winds.

I sat for 4 hours pretty comfortable. The only thing that got cold was my feet as I was wearing the wrong boots.

[ Post made via Android ]

[Edcyclopedia]

Moisture wicking layers and http://www.beaglewear.com and
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/35482?fe ... tId=516972
and smartwool socks w/ moisture wicking smartwool socks..

Real cold weather I use the Toe Toasties and a couple of hand warmers in my pockets.
I will be buying the kidney belt that you can place the toasties inside to keep the blood in the kidney's warm, plus it's like a gentle massage on the ole back

[staywarmguy]

These are all great suggestions. A couple others: 1. try covering your bare feet with baby powder before you put your socks on to keep your feet dry 2. Eat a lot of calories and carbs (pancakes, pasta, grilled cheese, nuts)

There is also a new cold weather product on the market you might want to check out:

http://www.huntersapron.com

[dehart89]

This will be my first season in my new IWOM. Seems like a great suit and looking forward to putting it to the test.

http://www.iwomouterwear.com/products/i ... ting-parka

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopi ... 2&p=315615
[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember them at the D&T Expo. You'll have to let us know how they are and write a review on them.

A buddy of mine takes a sleeping bag to the stand and covers his legs and puts a Mr. Heater under his seat/sleeping bag.

I have the Heavy Merino Wool for tops and bottoms that I'm going to try this year. Now to just get some fleece for mid-layer. And my Scent Blocker for a Top layer.

[dehart89]

This will be my first season in my new IWOM. Seems like a great suit and looking forward to putting it to the test.

http://www.iwomouterwear.com/products/i ... ting-parka

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopi ... 2&p=315615
[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember them at the D&T Expo. You'll have to let us know how they are and write a review on them.

A buddy of mine takes a sleeping bag to the stand and covers his legs and puts a Mr. Heater under his seat/sleeping bag.

I have the Heavy Merino Wool for tops and bottoms that I'm going to try this year. Now to just get some fleece for mid-layer. And my Scent Blocker for a Top layer.