How to stay warm ~15
- Thread starter cooeyguy
- Start date
I use thermacell foot warmers. They are great for keeping feet warm. I find that when I do get cold it's my hands and feet that start first. For my hands I wear thin gloves and use hot packs in a pouch around my waist. I also layer everywhere. Moisture wicking base layer from socks to toque. Merino wool is good but pricy. I use synthetic materials. An insulating layer or two and then an outer layer which includes bibs and a coat with a hood. My outer layer is water and wind proof. Also minimise sweating on the way to your stand. If you have to get dressed at the base of your stand do it. I ride my atv to within a couple hundred meters of my stand then walk slowly to avoid sweating. I also carry a heat-a-seat to sit on. With this set up I can sit comfortably for quite some time.
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
^^^this is correct, the best deer blinds are made by ford,dodge,chev etc. I once guided a hunter from New Jersey and on the first day I asked him what kind of hunt he wanted...His reply was emphatic- "I don't want to see a tree stand or unheated blind of any kind. My last guide dropped me off at a tree stand at 7 am and picked me up at 5 pm in -25 temps...the worst hunt I have ever been on". We walked some bush trails a bit but mainly sat in the truck on field edges, When he left he said it was the best hunt he ever had the privilege of enjoying.
Amazing response guys!
Lots of great ideas I am going to try out with the clothing. Usually it was my extremities that got cold first (head feet hands). But a lot of good ideas about only putting on clothing up in the stand, I may have been anxious to zip everything up in the truck.
Hopefully get this sorted out this deer season so I can enjoy more days out in the stand.
Lots of great ideas I am going to try out with the clothing. Usually it was my extremities that got cold first (head feet hands). But a lot of good ideas about only putting on clothing up in the stand, I may have been anxious to zip everything up in the truck.
Hopefully get this sorted out this deer season so I can enjoy more days out in the stand.
I like to wrap myself in broken liberal campaign promises and failed liberal policy. There's just so much of it that you can really layer it on. If it's really cold outside try adding some carbon tax lies to the mix... they're straight from the pits of hell so your toes will be nice and toasty.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Change your socks when you get to your stand, and when you put your boots back on, leave them so loose they'd fall off if you kicked. That will aid in circulation, and give you more insulating air around your feet. Avoid tight footwear!
Tight gloves are a big no no for me too. That's hard to find, but I have a pair of un-insulated well worn work gloves that are much warmer on my hands than a tighter pair of Thinsulate hunting gloves. Keep your hands and gloves dry. I take a second pair with me on long hunts, put them inside my coat so they are warm when I switch to them. an old sleeping bag stored in a plastic bucket in your blind can be a real blessing on seriously cold days.
Antiperspirant on your feet is not a joke, it works!
Tight gloves are a big no no for me too. That's hard to find, but I have a pair of un-insulated well worn work gloves that are much warmer on my hands than a tighter pair of Thinsulate hunting gloves. Keep your hands and gloves dry. I take a second pair with me on long hunts, put them inside my coat so they are warm when I switch to them. an old sleeping bag stored in a plastic bucket in your blind can be a real blessing on seriously cold days.
Antiperspirant on your feet is not a joke, it works!
pointandshoot
CGN Regular
- Location
- richmond, bc
My dad and I have been loving these over the disposable hand warmers that only seem to stay at their peak temperature for 30-45min if your lucky. We find them best if kept next to our core, or in jacket pockets if keeping hands warm is on the menu. Pro's are they stay hot till they run out of fuel, which on a full charge of fuel is basically a full day of hunting. They are easy to top up if you pack a bit of fuel with you, and you don't have to use expensive lighter fluid (camp fuel or naptha is basically the same thing). Cons are there is a bit of smell like evaporating lighter fluid, I doubt enough to ruin a hunt vs the odors our bodies emit anyway, but when tucked in a jacket I sometimes get a pretty good whiff but the smell doesn't stay in our clothes either. Lots of YouTube on them as well.
https://www.zippo.com/products/12hour-black-hand-warmer
https://www.zippo.com/products/12hour-black-hand-warmer
I work outside year round for the last 30 yrs here in lovely Winnipeg (winter peg) and I find that the tough duck brand of bib coveralls work great, wigwam socks in dunlop or other rig boots full rubber. wear the bib over what ever jacket and regulate with zippers and sometimes a balaclava with a touque on top. If you are sitting for a time in a blind /shack strip down and enjoy the heat from a MrBuddy propane heater.
You get warmth from that? All it does is add to the chill, for most of us.
Seeing Liberal Tears, though....Warm fuzzy feeling!
buckbrushoutdoors
Regular
- Location
- fort saskatchewan AB/Edson AB
I sit for two weeks in late November in northern Alberta for whitetail sun up to sundown. I usually froze pretty bad until my wife bought me a body heater suit for Christmas. It’s been a game changer I wear half the amount of clothes I used too. The only thing I still wear all day is my cabelas brand pac boots. I get very sweaty feet easily and always need big boots to keep my toes warm.
Cranky Pants
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I get cold after a few hours in the stand too, seems there's nothing I can do, also I get a bit bored and need to walk around.
As mentioned, walk in with the heavy clothing open or off, don't want to sweat.
Loose layers- knees, toes and hands are my worst areas.
Do you have an old sleeping bag you could pack in or leave at the stand in a weatherproof container?
I always envied those with enclosed stands that could be heated but In my area things grow up too fast, get cut over or other conditions change to invest too much into one stand. A buddy has a camp on a river near me, no other camps for 2 km and they logged across the river leaving a 100' buffer between the river and the clearcut, forcing any passing animal near the river. He has a perfect 130 yd view to a little meadow- sit inside by the fire and wait- lol.
As mentioned, walk in with the heavy clothing open or off, don't want to sweat.
Loose layers- knees, toes and hands are my worst areas.
Do you have an old sleeping bag you could pack in or leave at the stand in a weatherproof container?
I always envied those with enclosed stands that could be heated but In my area things grow up too fast, get cut over or other conditions change to invest too much into one stand. A buddy has a camp on a river near me, no other camps for 2 km and they logged across the river leaving a 100' buffer between the river and the clearcut, forcing any passing animal near the river. He has a perfect 130 yd view to a little meadow- sit inside by the fire and wait- lol.
holzmeister
Regular
- Location
- Neumarkt Ontario
While in the Deutsches Heer ( German Army ) we often used what many called a German sleeping bag/German snipers bag. It was like a mummy sleeping bag except it had arms and the lower portion could be unzipped. Worked while in Finland at -50C so it would work treat at -15!
canadian hunter312
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County
Ditch the stand all together and still hunt the area. Not only will you stay warm, you'll see more deer and learn more about them and the area in the process. I typically only hunt from a stand when it's warmer out and I am looking for a quiet place away from it all for some relaxation and possibly a nap.
I'm going to take a stab at it and guess you're working up a bit of sweat on the way to and up into your stand? Have you tried wearing minimal clothing on the way into your stand and waiting until you're in the stand before putting on all the cold weather gear? I sweat more than average so I am forced to do this or the trapped sweat/moisture in the layers of clothing guarantees I will be cold in short order.
I'm going to take a stab at it and guess you're working up a bit of sweat on the way to and up into your stand? Have you tried wearing minimal clothing on the way into your stand and waiting until you're in the stand before putting on all the cold weather gear? I sweat more than average so I am forced to do this or the trapped sweat/moisture in the layers of clothing guarantees I will be cold in short order.
my brother and i use the toe warmers, but put the sticky side onto where your kidneys are, and you can put some on your neck also. as for my feet and hands i try to clench my muscles a lot to try and keep the blood moving as much as possible with out making any movement.
Areas of clothing that get compressed lose a lot of their insulating properties. Aerogel fabrics do not lose their properties under compression. They are much thinner (1/8") than normal insulating materials yet much warmer. A bit pricey but worth the money. Check out these guys. w ww.shivershield.com I have a jacket and a vest and I can't fasten them if I am moving without over heating.
TheCoachZed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
While in the Deutsches Heer ( German Army ) we often used what many called a German sleeping bag/German snipers bag. It was like a mummy sleeping bag except it had arms and the lower portion could be unzipped. Worked while in Finland at -50C so it would work treat at -15!
I've wanted one of those sleeping bag parkas for deer hunting for years, but didn't get the surplus ones when Sportsmans Guide had them. and now I can't find them.
There is a variation of this idea, sort of a massive well-insulated cocoon, that's sold to late-season hunters in the midwest. I forget what it's called; saw it in hunting magazines before. The idea was you could sit in a snowbank and stay warm.
