For those of you with heater body suits

[8leg-lover]

Well I ordered a Double Bull recurve blind yesterday and now I want to get a heater body suit. I think this will make a great late season combo. My question is....What is the coldest temps you've ever hunted with the HBS and what did you where under it, especially on your feet. I have no problem dropping money on quality gear, so are they all that they claim to be? Any feedback is greatly appriciated.

Thanks in advance, Carl

[BUCKY]

used my friends last year in 10 degrees and wore,wool socks 800 gram boots,light fleece pants under cotton camo pants,2 light thermax shirts with a light fleece vest and a longhunter wool shirt. i was very warm for the 8 hours i was on stand.on my head was a light face mask and a mad bomber hat.on my hands were light wool gloves.i'm sold on this thing.

[Burnsie]

I would love one, can't bring myself to drop that much cash for a few cold hunts each year.

[Deadbolt]

burnsie go to wally world and buy a sleeping bag...if your in a blind they wont see it and it works just as good.  ive used them before muzzy hunting and loved it.

[caleb7mm]

I sure needed one in MO last week. Was in a tree in -8 temps. I would also like some feedback on them, I am moving to MO in 2010 and am sure it would come in handy one day.

[BrianH]

I have had mine for about eight years and consider it the best money I have spent on hunting gear.  I have hunted in temps below -10 degrees with gusting winds with it, without it, I wouldn't last very long.  When it gets below zero, I drop a couple of those heater packs down the legs of the suit and the heat keeps it cozy in there.  It's perfect for me as I have to walk long distances to get deep into public land, and I can dress fairly lightly so I don't start to sweat.  Plus I don't have to wear layer upon layer once I get to my stand site.  They are expensive, but so is good quality wool.  No matter how many layers I put on, I still tend to get cold, not so with the HBS.  Get one, you wont regret it.

[The Night Stalker]

Brian, you must be able to read my mind. I have two body heater suits. I do hunt from one of my stand locations in a double bull.
I use bunny boots or micky mouse boots with regular white gold toe socks. My feet have not been cold in years.
I made pockets in a polarfleece vest, two over my kidneys and one in the middle of my back. I use the large heat packs when it gets really cold. I have no problem falling asleep so tie yourself in.
I use my KOM wool also on occasion with the body heater suit and my safty vest.
If you do purchase a body heater suit, get the pack that they sell. Its great, it has backpacking straps sewn to to it. I put my body heater suit, kom wool, and such and pack up the mountain to my stand location. I climb the tree with the pack on then dress while I am tied in.
Lastly, I made some long bow holders from a tree step and a piece square tubing and a forge. My bow holders are great. when you come out of the suit, your bow is right there in front of you. The body heater suit folks make a long bow holder but it does not work as well. I can send you pics of my two designs.

[VTer]

Has anyone actually shot a deer while wearing one? Seems like a lot of extra movement.

[term]

I have one and love it, I got the wind stopper but not waterprof, If it is that cold its not raining. But I do think that the wind could rob heat from your set up, if not wind stopper. Good luck  TERM

[x-ray]

where is the best price on these?

[frank the hunter]

love mine wood not hunt with out it

[BrianH]

Greg,  I have shot several deer out of mine.  After you slowly unzip the suit, you kind of shrug out of it and the criss crossed interior straps pull the suit behind and out of the way.  It takes some practice to use and I suppose it might cost you a shot if the deer just appears under you and is moving to quickly through your shooting lanes.  But I can't think of a time where the suit cost me a shot, wait, there was that really cold day when I was so warm and cozy that I was starting to doze off and had a deer suprise me.  It allows me to hunt in conditions I wouldn't hunt in normally, so to me it is worth every cent.

[bama]

How awkward is it to use in a tree stand?

[calgarychef]

I made my own and it has holes to put my arms out.  I couldn't even imagine having to take the damned thing off to shoot.  Then once you do take it off what happens if you can't move agiain for half an hour while the deer dinks around?  The coldest I've been out with my suit is -25C that's cold-cold as hell actually.  I wasn't in a blind either I was sitting in a treestand with a wind blowing.  The heater suit will keep you warm for sure but I think it has quite a few drawbacks.

the chef