Help with layering choices

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checkerfred
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Help with layering choices

Unread postby checkerfred » Tue Nov 22, 2016 10:47 am

I've been looking at all kinds of camo here lately and would love some input. i live in Alabama so looking for a layered system. I've look at First Lite, Sitka, Kuiu as well as other odd brands. There's things I like about all of them and things I also dislike. I currently use underarmour base layers and just cotton pants. when temps drop I throw a regular fleece pants and pullover and use my Arctic shield clothes. I really want a better system tho. Anyway here's what I'm thinking so far. Any help would be appreciated

Warm weather 65+: core4 merino top, asat bdu's. (I like the first light kanab but ouch on the price)

40-60: add core4 merino base bottoms, some kind of pullover. Looked at the Sitka Fanatic hoody but prefer asat. Really would like a windstopper layer

30s thinking of adding a kuiu base on top of the pants since they have zip legs then maybe a windproof outer layer. Not sure about top

20s i really don't know...in the past I'd put on multiple fleeces and feel like the Michelin man

I really like first lite and love asat as I feel like it would work well both ground and in a stand, but their prices are ouch. I really like merino for the non stank factor. Sitka looks well thought out and read good reviews on the polygiene treatment to stop stank...I can get 40% off but not crazy about their pattern. Kuiu is having 30% off right now and looks ok but their pattern doesn't look like it would be good for ground hunting

Would love to hear input.

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Rich M
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby Rich M » Tue Nov 22, 2016 1:41 pm

I find that outer layer is the most important. The raincoat I have is a Gander Mtn brand breathable and by itself is good in 40-60 degree weather if I have a long sleeve shirt on. It is light, easy to just carry in and put on after my body has a chance to cool down from the trek in. It also holds body heat and blocks wind.

A fleece vest is great, and a fleece jacket is good too. They add quite a bit of warmth. Under the raincoat, I will put the combination right up there with my duck hunting parkas.

I imagine a pair of breathable rain pants would go a ways in keeping someone warm by cutting the wind and holding the heat some.
mauser06
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby mauser06 » Tue Nov 22, 2016 3:32 pm

I've gone to several thinner layers and I'm much warmer and drier.


When it's warm I will wear whatever. I'm gunna sweat. That's all there is to it. Lotta times BDU style pants and a button down.


Once it gets cold I layer..under armor next to the skin...then polyester long underwear...i get stuff from Kohl's on sale dirt cheap compared to what you see for "hunting". It's good stuff.. moisture wicking and works well...can find dark colors...but I don't care..it's an under layer..

After that I have fleece and merino wool stuff...and Cabela's wooltimate. All can be an outer layer but the fleece and merino can be an under layer..


I hunted this evening...27 degrees and wind 15-20 gusts well over 30.

Pants all I wore was Wooltimate. They are WARM.

Top i had under armor, the polyester shirt, a fleece long sleeved shirt and a thin merino Ice Breaker jacket..the shell is polyester with a merino layer inside. It's thin but warm, breaks the wind and the polyester shell allows another jacket to slip on. Once on stand and cooled off I put on my wooltimate jacket. I don't have the parka..just the jacket...I rather layer than have a super heavy coat.
Sounds like a marshmallow man...but non of it is bulky...i had free range to draw and shoot and no string clearance issues or anything...

Only thing that got cold was my fingers when I held my bow a while and my feet..I can't figure the feet thing out...a metal stand and rubber soles seems equate to cold feet after a while. And I have sweaty feet to begin with. I've tried everything and got it better but I'd love to have warm dry feet...


Head layers is also important IMO. I have a tight under armor type head cover...on top of that I had on a fleece one...and a winter hat on top. I LOVE the fleece head covers... Cabela's now calls them "ninja style". I tuck them down into my layers..no more cold neck or back. Can pull it under your chin..can pull it clear off your head and just cover your neck.

They say a lot of heat is lost from your head...i believe it to be true...


Whatever you do..I'd hunt for sales. The wooltimate I got the pants and jacket cheaper than regular price for 1 piece...the ice breaker merino I got for like $40. I think of was originally $240 or something...same with the Cabela's fleece stuff I have..

(I am HUGE on a quiet outer layer...drawing back on a buck to hear your clothes make noise is no good!)

I regularly surf different sites and snag up deals..I have a few thousand dollars worth of hunting clothes and I don't think I've paid retail for any of it..my buddies tease me and say I'm the "best dressed hunter" they know...

For as much time and other expenses I invest in hunting I wanna be comfortable and warm and dry out there...

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briar
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby briar » Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:19 am

I may not know jack dilly about hunting big bucks, but if there is one thing I think I have learned in all my years in the woods is how to dress. From a young age I simply FROZE in the stand and this has lead to thousands of dollars spent and experiments to finally find out what works for me. First of all there will never be any kind of polyester base layers on my skin ever again in my life. This stuff stinks, is clammy, and just plain makes my skin crawl. So if I am wearing base layers, they are merino wool. In fact 90% of my layering is now done with wool, merino or regular. You can find some great deals on these as long as you are not dead set on camo versions. Merino is difficult to add a pattern too which is part of the reason it is so expensive. I have had good luck with Minus33. Its high quality and more reasonable for the most part.

Other than the wool layers, a great vest is a super investment. I have a Gray Wolf Woolens vest that is fantastic for warmth. Dead quiet and very insulating. As far as outer layers I waver between wolfskin and wool. It depends a lot on the weather. If its not as cold or its wet, I am taking wolfskin.....real cold and dry I like wool. I have lucked out over the years and bought everything I have used and now have probably enough until I die. If I was buying one thing for stand sitting in Alabama it would likely be a nice set of windproof bibs and a jacket custom made by GWW.
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby matt1336 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:33 am

Look into the heater body suit or IWom type of cold weather gear. This stuff takes all the guess work out of layering and spending a ton of cash trying to find the layering system that works for you. No layering needed. You will not get cold, ever- especially in Alabama.

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brkissl82
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby brkissl82 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:28 am

I struggle with this also. I hate carrying a backpack into the woods. But if i wear all my crap its to heavy. I have a cabelas coverall suit thats warm as can be but super heavy to pack

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JakeB
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby JakeB » Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:33 am

mauser06 wrote:I've gone to several thinner layers and I'm much warmer and drier.


When it's warm I will wear whatever. I'm gunna sweat. That's all there is to it. Lotta times BDU style pants and a button down.


Once it gets cold I layer..under armor next to the skin...then polyester long underwear...i get stuff from Kohl's on sale dirt cheap compared to what you see for "hunting". It's good stuff.. moisture wicking and works well...can find dark colors...but I don't care..it's an under layer..

After that I have fleece and merino wool stuff...and Cabela's wooltimate. All can be an outer layer but the fleece and merino can be an under layer..


I hunted this evening...27 degrees and wind 15-20 gusts well over 30.

Pants all I wore was Wooltimate. They are WARM.

Top i had under armor, the polyester shirt, a fleece long sleeved shirt and a thin merino Ice Breaker jacket..the shell is polyester with a merino layer inside. It's thin but warm, breaks the wind and the polyester shell allows another jacket to slip on. Once on stand and cooled off I put on my wooltimate jacket. I don't have the parka..just the jacket...I rather layer than have a super heavy coat.
Sounds like a marshmallow man...but non of it is bulky...i had free range to draw and shoot and no string clearance issues or anything...

Only thing that got cold was my fingers when I held my bow a while and my feet..I can't figure the feet thing out...a metal stand and rubber soles seems equate to cold feet after a while. And I have sweaty feet to begin with. I've tried everything and got it better but I'd love to have warm dry feet...


Head layers is also important IMO. I have a tight under armor type head cover...on top of that I had on a fleece one...and a winter hat on top. I LOVE the fleece head covers... Cabela's now calls them "ninja style". I tuck them down into my layers..no more cold neck or back. Can pull it under your chin..can pull it clear off your head and just cover your neck.

They say a lot of heat is lost from your head...i believe it to be true...


Whatever you do..I'd hunt for sales. The wooltimate I got the pants and jacket cheaper than regular price for 1 piece...the ice breaker merino I got for like $40. I think of was originally $240 or something...same with the Cabela's fleece stuff I have..

(I am HUGE on a quiet outer layer...drawing back on a buck to hear your clothes make noise is no good!)

I regularly surf different sites and snag up deals..I have a few thousand dollars worth of hunting clothes and I don't think I've paid retail for any of it..my buddies tease me and say I'm the "best dressed hunter" they know...

For as much time and other expenses I invest in hunting I wanna be comfortable and warm and dry out there...

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Any idea which icebreaker jacket you have? I have a very light zip up one with only 200 gram merino layer... It's ok but really not as warm as I hoped it would be for what I bought it for.. Hopefully they have that end of season sale again this year so I can pick up a few more pieces from them.

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mauser06
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby mauser06 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:16 am

I have the Helix. $38.50..retail is $274.00 lol. It's only 70grams of merino.


I've only used it as a layer. The shell is too loud for me as an outer layer.


As a layer I love it. I'd love to catch that sale again...that was August or September i think...

I used to wear one big heavy coat but the bulk and range of movement was a killer.

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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby dglee4 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:09 am

Outside of price, anyone have any experience with first lite? I was looking at some for xmas and like the merino wool idea as i get too sweaty with under armour on and if i sweat even a little bit it stinks!
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checkerfred
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby checkerfred » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:30 am

Thanks for all the replies so far.

matt1336 wrote:Look into the heater body suit or IWom type of cold weather gear. This stuff takes all the guess work out of layering and spending a ton of cash trying to find the layering system that works for you. No layering needed. You will not get cold, ever- especially in Alabama.

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I've looked at these but they would only be useful for me for a few weeks of the season when temps drop and stay. Otherwise our weather is so screwy that layering is a necessity. It could be 20s early morning and get up into the 50s midday. Or it may go from 30s to 50s or 60s so I have to layer.

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briar
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby briar » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:40 am

dglee4 wrote:Outside of price, anyone have any experience with first lite? I was looking at some for xmas and like the merino wool idea as i get too sweaty with under armour on and if i sweat even a little bit it stinks!


I have several pairs of Allegheny's several Llano's a Labrador, and a springer vest. Great stuff. Very soft, very quiet, nice pockets, and stretches. The thing is, if you have never had it, you may feel like it is very thin for what you are paying. Even the "HEAVY" weight is at best as thick as a thin sweatshirt. It is not stuff you want to wear around in the briars and stickers. I generally walk in with a llano and a long sleeve T shirt, then put all these layers in a pack. ITs great stuff, but it isn't cheap.
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby dglee4 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:59 am

briar wrote:
dglee4 wrote:Outside of price, anyone have any experience with first lite? I was looking at some for xmas and like the merino wool idea as i get too sweaty with under armour on and if i sweat even a little bit it stinks!


I have several pairs of Allegheny's several Llano's a Labrador, and a springer vest. Great stuff. Very soft, very quiet, nice pockets, and stretches. The thing is, if you have never had it, you may feel like it is very thin for what you are paying. Even the "HEAVY" weight is at best as thick as a thin sweatshirt. It is not stuff you want to wear around in the briars and stickers. I generally walk in with a llano and a long sleeve T shirt, then put all these layers in a pack. ITs great stuff, but it isn't cheap.


checker fred i get what you're saying i have the weather swings too, northern wi for me haha and briar i was thinking about doing what you are doing but keeping it on and then layering up. so i was thinking allegheny on base layer and then llano on top of that and then once i get on stand to put more another warmer layer on. Do you think this would work? I'm mostly concerned with sweat and stinking while hunting hahaha how is it for 1.) temp control and 2.) scent? Thanks in advance for the help!!!
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby briar » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:10 am

To me the biggest advantage of merino wool is that it breathes and it does not stink. Lots of guys wear it out west how are hiking hard day after day, drying those llano's on a line and wearing it again. Since I have started wearing merino I will wear my poly when I am say running dogs or spring scouting and the only way I can describe it is that it feels disgusting compared to merino. It smells almost instantly and feels awful on my skin.....I simply hate it.

Even when merino is soaked it doesn't feel that way. I am really big on carrying my layers in my pack. if you get cold, one layer I would really suggest is a minus33 kinsman turtleneck. It is midweight and really keeps your neck warm. I will often wear a thin llano like top in with my T-shirt to protect it from bark/briars, then after my stand it set, put those two layers in my bag and redress. If its moderate out, I love just wearing a llano, Labrador and springer vest. It just doesn't get quieter and more comfortable. Its like pajamas.

I have no experience with the pants......my pants seem to get too beat up to spend big bucks on them.
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby Southern Man » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:26 am

I'm surprised you would have to layer at all being in Alabama :lol: :lol:
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Re: Help with layering choices

Unread postby dglee4 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:59 am

Thanks for all the responses Briar, sorry to jack your thread checkerfred just been curious about this myself i guess! One more question briar, y take the llano and th estuff you wear in off when you get to the stand if it is breathable and doesnt stink i would think you could just throw layers on over it no? Is there something that i'm overlooking? Thanks!!


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