Cold weather clothing

[Buckeye1977]

Would like to hear everyone's opinion on what they believe to be the best cold weather clothing. I have a few different types of cold weather clothing(kom, cabelas w/windshear, protec scent blocker w/windproof lining) but have not really found the one that I would get rid of the rest for. Also what you think the best bang for your buck is.

Thanks, Nick

[Mountain State Archer]

I like Patagonia capiene and R series base layers.  Can't go wrong with the older KOM wool eaither.

[woodchucker]

The ticket to cold weather is layering!!! I wear 100% wool sweaters, UNDER my hunting clothes. I have worn a pair of wool pants & 2 heavy wool sweaters under my light Camo hunting clothes, and been toasty warm to -20 degrees!!!
Keep what you have, (that's bought & paid for) and get some good base layers so you can dress for whatever weather.

[Jasper2]

Heater body suit is the real deal.  For me, there isn't even a close second.  When it gets really cold, you'll find me in the bag! The bonus is being able to walk to the stand wearing very little and not having to carry those bulky outer layers.

[PeteA]

Day One Camo wool pull over and high wasted pants. Great tightly woven wool. Excellent craftsmanship. I really like the ASAT pattern.

[greg fields]

IWOM.....  never been cold yet, but I hunt PA so I never tested it in super cold weather.  I'd still say I'd be warm.

[Roger Norris]

I have an awesome collection of wool, from super thin merino to extra thick and heavy. I layer it based on the weather.

I cannot fathom hunting in the cold without wool.

[BrushWolf]

I sat one year in early january to try and fill a tag. I had on merino wool base layer. Cabelas berber fleece pants and an asbell wool coat. My midlayers were quit thin. I wanted to see how long i could last that night. It was -1 when I left in the dark. Was pretty impressed to say the least.

[NBK]

Originally posted by Jasper2:
Heater body suit is the real deal.  For me, there isn't even a close second.  When it gets really cold, you'll find me in the bag! The bonus is being able to walk to the stand wearing very little and not having to carry those bulky outer layers.

Yep.
I wear gray wolf wool until it gets really cold then it's the HBS.

[BUCKY]

Heater body suit ,period!

[PistolPete]

I know it's sacrilege (don't shoot me!), but for sitting still in cold weather, wool is junk. Base layers don't matter. And layering makes no difference. Let me explain.

Wool has it's place for other roles, but keeping one warm when idle is not it. You can't wear enough of it; trust me, I've tried. That's why you see so many folks recommend things like the HBS, super-insulated pac boots, and electric or chemical warmers.

Think about this: why don't you see wool sleeping bags? Because it is not a great insulator for keeping an idle person warm! The best cold-weather insulation is down! I have a couple different-thickness down puffy jackets to wear as a midlayer, and some Primaloft insulated pants. And with those alone, I can be comfortable wearing uninsulated rubber boots and usually even no gloves!

Warmth is thickness. My "big" down puffy has about 1" of loft. Whether that inch of loft comes from 8 layers of heavy wool (good luck affording that, much less moving underneath it!), or 32 layers of magic wicking poly base layers, or any combination, it's all the same warmth. But no material on earth provides more loft for less weight than down.

I've tried everything else, and have since sold my nice woolens, and never been more comfortable in the stand. I know you're supposed to wear wool if you're on TradGang, but it just doesn't work in the treestand! And you can shop online sales (or Costco) for down jackets cheaper than just about any other more common hunting substitute.

Pete

[woodchucker]

Idk Pete, 1or2 wool blankets, kept the Frontiersmen & Indians warm, long before sleeping bags were ever invented.....

[adkmountainken]

as well as wool Army blankets that have been used for ever. wool is all I wear to stay warm in cold weather.

[fireball31]

Not to be argumentative, but Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania all chimed in that wool is a good insulator and keeps them warm in the stand. Virginia comes out and says its worthless. Take that for what it is. As someone who has spent many an hour in a sub zero stand and 4 years sleeping under a military wool blanket I say wool works awesome. Unless its windy and then a wind blocker of some sort works wonders.

[PistolPete]

Yep, about the reaction I figured, and that's fine. But have any of you ever actually TRIED down (or even synthetic insulation) in the stand?

Hey, use what works best for you, by all means! I'm just saying that I've used both (am I the only one?), and there's no comparison. Until somebody can weave a wool jacket that has at least 1" of loft, weighs less than a pound, and costs $100, I'm never going back for treestand sitting.

And if you read about back in the frontier days when they slept under wool blankets, they also had to get up and rekindle the fire every hour. Not my idea of warm or comfortable. Wool was the best they had back then, but no longer.

[adkmountainken]

I have used an Army wool blanket for many years both in tree stand and on the ground during bitter cold tempts, pretty much does was the "body suit" does at a fraction of the cost. it is pretty much all I use, wool bibs, pants, shirts, socks ect, never a problem here staying warm....

[Sam McMichael]

The problem I have found with so many synthetic and down garments is not that they fail to work; rather, It is that the covering fabric is often very noisy.

My preference for really cold would be a wool outer cover over down - as long as the weather is dry. Luckily, down here in the mild Georgia winters, I can use my military field jacket (a bit noisy) with a wool sweater, or I can use my Asbell wool with another layer beneath.

[Roger Norris]

Originally posted by PistolPete:
I know it's sacrilege (don't shoot me!), but for sitting still in cold weather, wool is junk. Base layers don't matter. And layering makes no difference. Let me explain.

Wool has it's place for other roles, but keeping one warm when idle is not it. You can't wear enough of it; trust me, I've tried. That's why you see so many folks recommend things like the HBS, super-insulated pac boots, and electric or chemical warmers.

Think about this: why don't you see wool sleeping bags? Because it is not a great insulator for keeping an idle person warm! The best cold-weather insulation is down! I have a couple different-thickness down puffy jackets to wear as a midlayer, and some Primaloft insulated pants. And with those alone, I can be comfortable wearing uninsulated rubber boots and usually even no gloves!

Warmth is thickness. My "big" down puffy has about 1" of loft. Whether that inch of loft comes from 8 layers of heavy wool (good luck affording that, much less moving underneath it!), or 32 layers of magic wicking poly base layers, or any combination, it's all the same warmth. But no material on earth provides more loft for less weight than down.

I've tried everything else, and have since sold my nice woolens, and never been more comfortable in the stand. I know you're supposed to wear wool if you're on TradGang, but it just doesn't work in the treestand! And you can shop online sales (or Costco) for down jackets cheaper than just about any other more common hunting substitute.

Pete

"Wool Is Junk" says the guy from VA.

Ok....good luck with your noisy, worthless when wet down garment.

[Marc B.]

This guy from VA loves wool. The correct layers is the key. Wool is different from down, I wouldn't say I'm warm as toast just   comfortable .

[Roger Norris]

Originally posted by PistolPete:
Yep, about the reaction I figured, and that's fine. But have any of you ever actually TRIED down (or even synthetic insulation) in the stand?

Hey, use what works best for you, by all means! I'm just saying that I've used both (am I the only one?), and there's no comparison. Until somebody can weave a wool jacket that has at least 1" of loft, weighs less than a pound, and costs $100, I'm never going back for treestand sitting.

And if you read about back in the frontier days when they slept under wool blankets, they also had to get up and rekindle the fire every hour. Not my idea of warm or comfortable. Wool was the best they had back then, but no longer.

Yes, I have "tried down" in actual cold weather hunting conditions, and I suspect you have not. It is loud, absolutely worthless when wet, and quickly shreds into a trail of small feathers should it be worn in thick areas. Down has virtually zero wind blocking ability.

Down jackets certainly are warm, in a sleeping bag, sitting in the stands watching football, etc. But for actually being out in the woods, in a situation where durability and stealth matter, you are as wrong as wrong can be.

If you had stated that some other modern material works well.... Sitka Gear comes to mind.....I would have shrugged off your comments as "different preference". But to claim a puffy down coat is better in a treestand than wool? You honestly don't know what you are talking about.