Staying warm on stand ?

[jt85]

Ok guys on those late season hunts when the temps drop I have a hard time staying warm without looking like the Michelin man so I'm planning on spending a little money on good cold weather gear. My question is if you can't buy both would I be better off spending my money on a good base layer or outerwear?

[MnFn]

Well, it does depend on how you are hunting.  On a stand, or still hunting?

In late season in ND or MN, I only hunt in a stand or blind. And for that, the best I have found so far is a heater body suit.

However, in a heater body suit you will make the Michelin Man look svelte.

[Burly]

I love hunting the late season and have been looking at the heater body suit as well. The older I get , the colder I get.

[CRM_95]

If you hunt in a pop up at all don't rule out a small propane heater. If it gets below 40 mine is on!! I can't do cold lol.

[jt85]

I mainly hunt from a stand . I also sit on the ground some

[Fletcher]

I'd start with a good base layer.  If money is no object, the merino wool stuff is great.  I have a couple sets of US Mil surplus brown heavy long underwear.  For the money, it is great stuff.

[Rob W.]

I wear good wool base layers. A thin layer then a heavier layer over that. When it gets real cold I add fleece pajama pants and a set of carhartt pants over top. My upper usually has base layers, wool sweater, and a fleece vest. I add the sweater when I get to my spot. For my head I wear a sock hat and then a fleece neck gaiter/hood. For my hands I prefer thin gloves and a wool hand warmer.

[Stump73]

Asbell wool

[Pine]

An old trick is to sit with a sleeping bag up around you with it tied around your waist .
When you need to shoot , you just slip it down and grab your bow .
After the shot , pull it up and warm up again .

[old_goat2]

I haven't used it yet, but this year I have a battery operated heater vest and a couple of batteries. I've heard good things from a lot of people in other threads here and elsewhere about them. I actually bought my dad one to check them out before I bought one. Looking forward to trying it out this year in Colorado's late season if I don't tag early

[ksbowman]

Graps, When I was young that is exactly what I did with an old military bag. Funny, since I have gotten old it doesn't take as much to keep me warm. I wear merino wool under wear, good wool balaclava and shirt and pants, then a wool coat when it is below 30. A lite pair of gloves and I'm good to go.

[Birdbow]

Just a suggestion from a lesson learned during my younger mountaineering days - stay hydrated with something warm to drink. Not coffee or tea which are diuretics, but something like the old Tang orange drink. Hunt warm!

[katman]

Base layer gets my vote, quality merino wool. Also when walking in to stand wear only your base layer shirt(leaving the truck a little cold) carrying the top layer, to easy to sweat and get wet if all bundled up. Hard to keep warm sitting if wet.

[BUCKY]

I do many dark to dark sits starting in November and NOTHING has worked like the Heater Body Suit,period!

[MnFn]

Yes Bucky.  It gets nasty cold where I hunt.  I used to use wear merino wool covered with wool and topped off with coveralls or bibs and jacket. I could last a couple of hours.

When I went to a heater body suit, it extended my hunting time significantly.  Similar to what Graps said, when you see something coming, it is easy to slip out and be ready for the shot.

If you look back on heater body suits I think you will find a thread about a bear Hunter from Manitoba that uses one when hunting late season in  Manitoba... About 100 miles north of me.

[Shadowhnter]

If you dont want to look like the michellan man... you really need both the base layers and a quality outer. If you already have something to get you by for outer layer, its the under layering that is most important. On the coldest of days, I use 3 layers for unders. A very thin base, a medium, and then a heavy layer under my outer clothing. All should have wicking capabilities moving moisture outwards away from you. Nothing beats the trapped space between those layers for insulating properties, and still remain very comfortable and mobile. Most good layering materials  avaliable today are very thin. Its all for not though, if you dont have a good outer to wear, that makes the under layers work trapping heat. Anywhere the heat escapes is draining the abilities of the layering effect. As said already, finish dressing at the stand. If you work up a sweat, you are screwed. Carry your outter and 3rd,or even 2nd layer unders...based on what temps you are dealing with.

[crazynate]

I hunt in northern,mi and the last 2 years I have worn merino wool as a base layer then that with first lites bibs and coat in late season. Its expensive but so are bows. If you look at it like a tool for the hunt its not that bad. Plus First lite is running a huge sale right now. Almost half off last years clothing. Check it out

[Tedd]

It depends on your walk in. Controlling sweat before you get in the treestand is really important and also impossible where I hunt in mountain terrain. I tried some Kuiu last year and added a lot more this year. It sure is nice to be dry and comfortable at least for  few hours on stand. Most Kuiu isn't necessrily for extreme cold but it's the hike in that I have to manage. I have enough to the me to the 10 degrees or so depending on wind.  I try to go in with as little clothing on as possible. I'm sure most disagree but  except for merino undergarments I don't think wool works for my type of hunting. It's too heavy going uphill.  It doesn't pack easily and you get way too sweated if you try to were it going up. It holds a lot of scent and wool outer garments are hard to wash. I got some zip on long underwear bottoms to try this year. You can put them on without removing your boots.

[jt85]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm going to try and spring for some good base layers and outer bottoms, I think the tops I have now will work well with a good base layer

[no]

IWOM gets my vote