what do you guys wear in 20 degree weather?

[riot1013]

I was hunting today in about 20-25 degree weather.  Calm, no wind to speak of (I was in a blind anyway).  My clothing was as follows:  Under Armor compression t-shirt, Waffle knit silk/wool long john top, Pendelton wool shirt, Polartec 200 fleece vest, Filson Timber Mackinaw wool hunting coat with a military M-65 coat liner buttoned in.  Down below I had Under Armor boxer briefs, regular silk long john bottoms, wool whipcord pants and Filson Timber Mackinaw bibs with M-65 liner buttoned in. On my feet I had a pair of 600 gm Thinsulate leather boots and heavy wool socks. To round it out I had a fleece balaclava and fleece gloves with a hand muff.
  The problem is that my feet got really cold after about an hour and by 8:30 I had to pack up and leave because I was getting to where I couldn't feel my toes.  I was taught in Navy CWEST school(Cold Weather Survival Training) that the reason why feet and hands get cold (given they have enough insulation) is because the core of the body is not warm enough.  I really felt like I was warm enough but my feet got really cold.  I am not sure if I need more insulation or what. I do own warmer boots but they are big time, extreme cold pack boots.  What do you guys think?  By the way I did have minor frostbite on my right toes during the CWEST school.  But both feet were cold today.  Any input would be appreciated.

Riot

[Montauks]

When it gets that cold I pop these    Toe Warmers   into my boots...they work! another trick I use is to apply anti-perspirant to my feet

Gene

[Dave2old]

In 20-degree weather I mostly wear sweat pants and a long-sleeve T and mocs ... because I stay indoors close to the woodstove!  

[Killdeer]

A house.      
                     


Sock liners, thick wool socks.
Expedition weight Thermax/wool longjoghns (can't find them anymore)
Depending on activity level, maybe a pair of medium weight underneath.
Dang...forgot my wool pants!

Expedition weight Thermax/wool longjohn tops, maybe with my midweight trebark thermax shirt under it.

Wool "commando-type" sweater.
Polartec 3 jacket.

Is it windy? Gonna sit? In the shade? Might put on a Rivers West type coat instead of Polartec.

Wool scarf.
Wool hat, maybe with another hat. Polartec fingerless gloves or glommits.

Some of this stuff, as well as a pair of extra socks and a couple of Grabber 12-hour handwarmers, will be stuffed in a pack as I walk out, otherwise I will sweat like crazy going up the mountain.

Killdeer

[riot1013]

killdeer, what about your feet?  I am really thinking about pulling out the Cabela's Predator Extreme boots that I have.  They are rated for "-150*"  so I think I might be good to about 10.

[Killdeer]

Oh yeah...I can have freezing feet even though my core feels warm. I put a spare hat or jacket over my boots. As soon as air circulation ceases around the feet, they warm up. Boot blankets are bulky, so I think I might invest in a small windproof blanket, like Rivers West offers, to put over my feet. An army poncho will cover your legs and keep you toasty, but they take up a lot of room in a pack.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

Feet deserve a whole thread by themselves!
I use pac boots a lot, but they still get cold! Walking, they warm up, but sitting is torture. Dry socks are a primary necessity, so I carry a pair in the pack. Covering the boots is the other thing that works. I don't like anything in my boots except feet and socks, so I am very reluctant to try toe warmers. Besides, the moment I get them in, I will hear something on the other side of the ridge and have to go investigate. Then my overheated feet will soak my socks.

Killdeer

[riot1013]

Yeah I hear ya about the toe warmer thing.  I had dry socks on today though.  I don't know maybe it was colder than I thought this morning.  But my feet got cold last Saturday night at the VT football game with the same boots on.  It was about 25 that night too.

Riot

[riot1013]

I just looked at the airport weather, it was 19 in Blacksburg at 6:00 so I am pretty sure it was colder than that on the other side of the mountain.  Maybe that was the problem, I should have been wearing the big boots anyway.

Riot

[JimB]

I used felt lined boots by Scnees,in cold weather.There are other brands too.You might try your Cabelas boots.When sitting still,in cold weather,I don't think you can get too much warmth on your feet.

[riot1013]

Yeah Jim I think that is the way to go.  Those boots are huge though.  They will be "fun" getting to my stand.  Lot's of climbing involved.

Riot

[Soilarch]

How/what were you sitting on in the blind?  If you cut-off circulation the least bit your feet will get very cold very fast.  (Same idea as wearing too many socks will actually freeze you faster just wearing one...cause it cuts off circulation)  Most tree stands nowadays have pretty good seats in this regard, but a lot of people, myself included, use whatever is handy for a blind.


I've yet to find a GOOD solution to this problem.  I'm young enough and dumb enough to just ignore it.  If/when the numbness ever goes past the toes I'll pack up for fear of frostbite. For now, I've just learned a lot of little tricks to help...but not solve, the problem.

[Slasher]

20 degrees... Hmmm... let see

Feet... ultimax socks w/liners... breathable (non) waterbroof hi-tech boots... once on stand, I cover with the arctic shield over booties after about 15 minutes... I have also done well with wool dress socks and running shoes and covered with the over booties...

bottom half- thin base layer thermal underwear... Lite polar tec on the bottom.. bdu pants... green army field pants (or mopp pants..)

core- thin base layer top... heavy wool sweater.. cheap cotton polyester/cotton (wally world type) jacket... polatertec neck muffler.. wool filson hat with polatec beanie over the top..

thin wool gloves with handwarmers in the pockets...

I leave the jacket open till after I am on stand and begin to chill...

However, its about 500-600 yds through the woods to my cold weather stands- Key is to not over heat on the way in...but to stay warm, and slowly lseal out the cold as I cool off...

Cold weather stands are by south and east facing slopes and the stands ae near creek bottoms that tend to be shelterred from winds... and the deer love to come and settle in and catch some thermal heat... however... only lil does and one button buck came to hang out this a.m.... I was hoping for big daddy to come looking for romance and they had moved off by the time they started looking good to me...

[Mike Bolin]

I also use the "cozytoes" toe warmers. Thay are just a cheap chemical hand warmer type deal that has adhesive on one side and you just stick 'em to the bottoms of your socks. I walked with them quite a bit last weekend and couldn't even tell they were there in my Muckboots. I have had surgery on both feet and both ankles....pins and screws in both feet. Between the surgeries and the metal in my feet, they are cold all the time. The "cozytoes" are the only thing I have found that keeps my feet comfortable while on stand. I work construction and use them for work as well. Good luck! Mike

[Bill Carlsen]

Last year I was talking to our favorite waitress at our favorite restaurant. She is a skier and we were talking about how cold my feet get. She suggested I look into getting some battery operated toe warmers by  www.hotronics.com.  I found some on sale at a local sporting goods store and tried them out for the first time about a week and a half ago. The first time I tried them I had on two pair of heavy socks and my feet got sweaty so the warmer didn't work very well. Next time I did what they advised....medium weight dry socks and loose fitting boots. Since my boots are oversized the single pair of socks was perfect. I do not get cold feet any longer. The batteries are rechargeable and I got wader extensions so I can run the wire from my boots up my pant legs and put the batteries in my pockets. The batteries have at least 3 heat settings but you reduce the amount of active hours they will stay charged. I keep mine on the second level and my toes are warm when I get back to the truck. A little pricey but I can hunt in comfort which, if you have feet like mine, is priceless.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Under armour top and bottom,
Fleece pants and woolsweater,
wool bibs and cabelas wool sweater with wind shear and sheerling lining.
I have to change sox after hiking in. My feet get sweaty and then they will freeze if I sit with damp sox.
On my head I like my fleece balacava and a Filson timber mackinaw hat on top.

[talkingcabbage]

last friday i was out in 10 degree weather with -1 windchill.  call me redneck, but i just had on my work boots with a pair of hunting socks and a pair of wool socks on top.  regular long johns top and bottom, jeans, carhart bibs, t-shirt, flannel, hooded sweatshirt, carhart coat, stocking type mask with grandma-made stocking cap, and wal-mart special thinsulate gloves.  I got kinda cold in the stand, but i stayed from sunup till about 9:00 (2 1/2 hours).  I can't say I'll do it too much, but it's pretty normal here in Iowa.

[trashwood]

20 degree weather.....oooooo I ware my PJ's.  

texas boys don't do cold but I admire you guys that can and do.....

if dog water is solid i throw another log on the fire  

rusty

[Interseptor]

Raven Wear!  Try It! You will be glad you did!

[Bakes168]

Mickey Mouse boots....best 50 bucks I ever spent.

They are all rubber, with a sealed wool insulated layer between your feet and the outside. They work by trapping your body heat inside and circulating it. My feet havn't gotten cold yet this year. They are big but you get used to them. I wore them for 3 hours on stand a while back, it was 25 degrees, I had on one pair of wool socks and my feet had just started to get chilly.
That is totally impossible with my Rocky 800 gram insulation leather boots and THREE pairs of wool socks.
They are army surplus and when you order them in your size they will feel too big but thats ok, I've found that the more space for your body heat to flow around in inside the better, cause they're pretty much air tight.

PM me if you want to know where to get them, trust me they're worth it    

Bakes