Hunting clothing for the cold

DGY said:
This is all good for us people with regular blood circulation.
If you have Raynaud syndrome, it doesn’t matter what you put on, the only way to alleviate the symptoms is to use electric gloves and socks or hands and feet warmers.
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Both my son and a friend have Raynaud Syndrome and both use electric gloves and vests
Cat
 
A lot of resounding answers from the hunters here all seem to favour wool. that's for sure.

Wool being as pricey as it is, I think i'll invest in wool socks and a good pair or two of gloves this year. maybe some headgear. If I can snag a good deal on a nice jacket I will.

I like the old reversible plaid jacket I have right now, brushing against trees and brush etc it's silent, but doesn't close up well at all around my neck or waist so the wind comes through a bit so not ideal for real cold weather.

Thanks for the advice folks. Good luck in the deer woods.
 
Depends on my style of hunting. If I’m sitting for long periods in the cold my heater body suit is the ticket. I dress light so I don’t sweat while hiking to my stand. Once there I dress in my heavy wool layers and then get into the bag. With a comfy seat and a thermos of hot soup I can sit all day. Still hunting or tracking its merino base layers against the skin then insulating layers over top. Same goes for my feet. Always a wool outer layer for silent movement.
 
Should mention those tear open heater packs that are full of harmless iron oxide. They can be quite useful but their main drawback is that they need oxygen to work and there isn't that much available inside winter gloves or boots. That prolongs their working life of course- it's a tradeoff.

Electrically heated gloves- I've never seen a pair that have heating wires in the fingers, just be aware. My best combo in the teeth of an Ottawa winter was insulated gloves inside a thin wind and waterproof goretex shell mitten, purchased separately. Works in extreme cold and in freezing rain storms. For hunting, a really thin pair of contact gloves inside those would have been ideal- but I don't hunt at those temperatures, if only because all the seasons are closed.
 
As mentioned earlier, wind proof or resistant gear is a huge help. Investing in high quality clothing has been a game changer allowing me to wear less while staying warm. If you’re hunting in a windy environment, it might be worth looking clothing that will block that heat sapping wind.

Moisture management is also important, both from the inside and outside. Pants with hip vents that you can open up when active and close when you’re sitting are a huge help regulating your body temperature. If you’re hiking around getting all sweaty then end up sitting around a while you’re probably going to get cold faster. Wool base layers are the way to go, a good merino wool blend is my preferred choice.
 
Big Bad said:
Should mention those tear open heater packs that are full of harmless iron oxide. They can be quite useful but their main drawback is that they need oxygen to work and there isn't that much available inside winter gloves or boots. That prolongs their working life of course- it's a tradeoff.

Electrically heated gloves- I've never seen a pair that have heating wires in the fingers, just be aware. My best combo in the teeth of an Ottawa winter was insulated gloves inside a thin wind and waterproof goretex shell mitten, purchased separately. Works in extreme cold and in freezing rain storms. For hunting, a really thin pair of contact gloves inside those would have been ideal- but I don't hunt at those temperatures, if only because all the seasons are closed.
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I've been sorting out my cold weather stuff and came across these Zippo heater units I was using last year. They work surprisingly well, have USB recharging and 3 power levels. Nice thing is they don't require oxygen to make heat so will work inside anything. Drawback is they are more solid than iron oxide packets and maybe a bit bulky. Hockey and ski kids got them for Xmas last year and they were so impressed I got a pair for myself. For central heating, hang one on a lanyard and wear it around your neck. Also emergency power for the phone, etc.

zippo handwarmer.jpg
 
Big Bad said:
I've been sorting out my cold weather stuff and came across these Zippo heater units I was using last year. They work surprisingly well, have USB recharging and 3 power levels. Nice thing is they don't require oxygen to make heat so will work inside anything. Drawback is they are more solid than iron oxide packets and maybe a bit bulky. Hockey and ski kids got them for Xmas last year and they were so impressed I got a pair for myself. For central heating, hang one on a lanyard and wear it around your neck. Also emergency power for the phone, etc.

View attachment 1014308
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Wow, learned something today. Thats better than the old lighter fluid one.
 
rrnash said:
check out NEOS overshoes - wear it over your favourite shoes/mukluks - come in non insulated waterproof flavour or insulated (still waterproof) ones for extreme cold. Some models with ice cleats. I got insulated Navigators and wear them over regular sneakers once I get out of the car and into the woods. Absolutely great. Make sure to size them appropriately bigger to fit whatever shoes you want to wear inside. The only downside may be price, but I find them worthy. Look up Millbrook - that's where I got'em at fair discount abt 2 yrs ago, think they still sell them.
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I second the NEOS overshoes. They're bulky but they are awesome. They have some heavy duty studs that thread into the bottom. I've used shoes or hiking boots in them setting gill nets in -40ish weather with no issues at all. To be on the safe side you might wanna throw your mukluks in them. I've used Kamiik in them (Inuk version of Mukluks I guess) for long rides. I use traditional inuit parkas and pants out of regular textiles or seal skin. I'd suggest going with some of the newer electronic jackets, gloves & sweaters especially if you have any conditions that worsen in the cold, OP. Otherwise, I'm good with Helly Hansen puffers/down filled jackets with a layer or 2 under.
 
Forgot to add - for gloves I usually use thin cotton knit gloves under some loose fitting mitts so you're not freezing your fingers trying to shoot or handle guns in the cold.
 
TheCarpenter said:
A lot of resounding answers from the hunters here all seem to favour wool. that's for sure.

Wool being as pricey as it is, I think i'll invest in wool socks and a good pair or two of gloves this year. maybe some headgear. If I can snag a good deal on a nice jacket I will.

I like the old reversible plaid jacket I have right now, brushing against trees and brush etc it's silent, but doesn't close up well at all around my neck or waist so the wind comes through a bit so not ideal for real cold weather.

Thanks for the advice folks. Good luck in the deer woods.
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We used to wear dual wool jackets for high activity winter geophysics on snowshoes in Northern Ontario at temperatures from -10 to -40C.

I had two. A regular fitting good quality, button up wool jack shirt as the inner and a larger (sized to wear over the inner wool jacket), double shouldered, good quality, button up wool jack shirt as the outer when needed.

For pants we used those old felted wool German surplus pants with good button suspenders and no belts that restrict circulation.

It worked well with medium weight, polypro LJs (upper and lower).

The outer jacket would ice up as my sweat wicked up through it but twice a day I'd just take off the outer jacket and brush the ice crystals off of it and put it back on.

With this system I was always dry despite walking and sinking in deep snow for 7 hours per day.
 
The biggest heat loss is through the head/neck area. Your bodies defence mechanisms will cut blood flow off to the extremities to keep the computer working(brain). Keep your head and core warm is a big part of the battle. Working up a sweat and then sitting is also a good way to freeze. Lots of good points made here.
 
Silverado said:
Bama bootees are the only answer if you’re wearing non-breathable boots like Dunlops or similar. Exactly so long as you carry two pairs so you can swap at lunch.

Wool felt liners and reflective insoles work well also.

The best hack I can offer to anyone anywhere ever, is sheepskin insoles in your winter footwear. They are sublime.
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Where do you find the sheepskin insoles?
 
savagelh said:
Man that sounds great. Im going to track some down. How are they for drying out?
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I don’t do a lot of high exertion work outside anymore, but they definitely will go a whole day feeling nice, and will dry out overnight, outside the boots, of course.Just like a decent wool garment they don’t really suck up a lot of water per se and they never stink, which is nice.

I had never tried them until I bought a pair of winter Blundtstone boots, now I put them in any shoes that I might wear from fall till spring honestly. I wore those Blundys nearly every day for more than a year.
 
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