Tips on staying warm

Hey guys. As someone who is relatively new to hunting (5 years) and doesn't get to go out more than once or twice a season for a day or so at a time I was looking for some tips. I haven't had to hunt in weather under about 35-45 degrees. I am going this weekend for muzzie and its going to be pretty darned cold (in the teens). Any tips on staying warm? I am going to try a new couple spots near some new rubs and I will be sitting on the ground behind some cover at one. Thanks all!

I recommend the .99 hand warmers and a good pair of gloves. To me if you can keep your hands and feet warm the rest of you will stay warm. I place them on the tops of my hands in my gloves as the that helps warm the blood going to your fingers!


With that said I still froze after a couple hours last Sunday evening as I ate an east wind for 2 + hours!

Good luck

staying dry on the walk in is key also. Work up a sweat on the walk in and you won't last long on stand.

Think in layers, polypropylene or sweat wicking fabric on your skin, fleece, then wool or goose down insulation, and a good windbreaker layer.

The heater body suit is awesome when temps get below freezing and in windy conditions. It's like you never rolled out of the warm bed

Check archerytalk for reviews on the HBS. Lots of Minnesota and Wisconsin guys wear the HBS when it gets cold in the late season.

also get a good pair of mittens and throw a hand warmer in each of them

I have these and love them for cold weather

http://www.graywolfwoolens.com/store/product.php?productid=168&cat=38&page=1

If your going to sit on the ground, I'd suggest carrying in a sleeping bag. Dress just like others have suggested and then step inside the sleeping bag and zip it up. I've done it a few times and I did it for my daughter when she was about 11 years old and it worked very well.

I use 4 of those cheapo hand warmers on the coldest days. 2 for my hands, and 2 in the chest pockets of my bibs....Works Great!

Layers, layers and more layers.

Thanks guys! I like the sleeping bag approach. I might do that or take a blanket. I will get some hand warmers and stuff em in some mittens I have. I have a pad to sit on but the blanket/sleeping bag could be icing on the cake. Hopefully I'll have a pic next week to post!

Nothing was said about keeping your head warm. Might be a bit of a no-brainer but thought I would bring it up.

I have deer and coyote hunted in deep snow with a bag. Don't forget to bring a white sheet to cover up the bag. Works great but make sure to wear an orange hat.

One time I hunted geese laying down on a lawn chair. Covered the chair w/ a sheet then covered myself w/ another sheet. Had geese fly 2' over my chest.

Wool...... h.h.

+1

nothing else insulates when wet like wool does.

Some used military (or goodwill) surplus wool sweaters work great as a insulating layer

Layers work well if wicking away moisture for the first layer. Don't wear cotton for the first layer. I love the fleece too. But my secret weapon is the cheap shake up disposable hand warmers mentioned earlier in a special made insole that puts the heat right under your toes. With good layers and wool or fleece and a good hat you will be set.

Also don't tighten your boots too hard or put too many socks on. I found this cuts the blood flow to your feet, which then get cold. Once settled loosen them up to let air in to a degree.....let the insulation in the boot work to your advantage. For years I layered my feet then started this and found it works well.

+1 on the loose boots. Shouldn't be tight at all. I bought a pair of rubber insulated boots a size bigger than usual a few years back and wear 1 pair of wool socks. Feet hardly ever get cold anymore.

I also recommend bass pro tree stand wool socks. And one other thing I remembered. When hunting from a tree stand I wire some old carpet on the platform to cut down the wind and airflow around your feet. I'm usually good if my feet are warm.

You got it!!!!!

Add to the wool, a wool Cabelas wind stopper sweater and you are set! I also have a pair of wool bibs, with the sweater and bibs all I need is my base layer and maybe a sweatshirt and pants.

Wool mittens I can peel back to expose my fingers and a face mask are also staples.

Couple of years ago I bought a pair of Muck Boots, they are for duck hunting but they sure keep my feet warm.... with again WOOL socks.

Get it????????? Wool and more wool..........

Joe, if it didn't itch, I'd have wool underwear!!!! Forget all the fancy, high dollar camo stuff........I use what keeps me warmest in the stand and blind.

This guy right here is allergic as all get out to wool. Found out as a kid with a wool face mask. It blew me up like a balloon. Tried it again recently and anywhere it touches me I instantly swell up. Sucks I have to make sure it doesn't touch me at all.

So Trad.....wool undies are out of the question then? That sucks! Weird too.....

merino wool? that stuff is amazing and not itchy at all!

Yeah a no go on the wool undies, I have 2 wool sweaters I have to wear a hoodie under and roll the sleeves up to make sure they don't touch me at all. Even on my hands it tears me up. Only thing I am allergic too that I am aware of.

All great ideas. When its this cold, a big ol thermos of hot ...... helps a bunch. Coffee, cocoa, soup...name it.

I wear almost nothing on top (just a base layer and maybe an UnderArmor top or fleece vest when really cold) while walking in. I put everything in my pack and dress when close to my tree. I'll even keep the hat in my pack while walking. Your body will heat up despite what you think. Once you do get dressed, layers! Multiple think layers much better than a single bulky layer.

Walk slow. My son realized the hard way that he needs to slow down when walking because he gets too warm. Warm = perspiration, which results in getting cold!

Fleece cover layer is awesome!

The hand warmers are great. I personally don't care for them bunched under my toes so I use the style that is a flat insole inside my boots. Very nice!

If you're less than happy with your boots I suggest a pair of the Artic Shield Boot Covers. Search Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc. This style is think but adds 10-15 degrees of warmth in my opinion.

All great tips here.

Poly base layer is a must !

Another trick is to use stick on hand warmer/ body warmer on kidney areas. Help warm the body from the inside

Water,Water,Water. along with the clothing said above......

One of the tricks I use is to wear a pair of surgical rubber gloves under my cotton gloves and stay warm that way. it keeps the hands warm and dry.

I bought the Cabelas wool jacket an bibs years ago an it is the ticket.

Bought some King of The Mountain Wool back in the 90's very pricey but should last my lifetime.

Yep we used an army sleeping bag (very heavy one) for my daughter and she was able to hunt in any condition !!!

For cold feet on stand use boot blanket without any boots on, a pair of nylon wicking socks, one pair 100% wool socks and and one 18 to 24 hours chemical heat pack in each boot. Walk in with regular boots on and carry the boot blankets, then take boots off and slip your feet into the warm boot blankets. Ive hunted in below zero weather many times using this set up and my feet stay toasty warm. h.h.

All of these are great things to do. One thing to remember that I learned in cold weather training as a Scout was to keep your bladder empty. Sounds odd but your body will use energy to keep your organs warm first, that is why your toes and fingers get cold first. If your bladder is full or partially full it will rob needed heat to keep your urine up to temperature. I always keep a pee bottle with me and try to use it often. It really does work.

Here's my "system":

Duofold expedition weight polyprop/wool long undies.

polyprop sock liners

smartwool or omniwool socks

Columbia wool pants

light merino wool sweater (goodwill is your friend)

heavy merino wool sweater

wool mackinaw (Asbell wool)

wool parka

Sorel caribou boots at least 1 size larger than normal

wool mittens that fold back

hothands handwarmers in boots, mittens, front pockets

PHHHEWWW!!! That wore me out just THINKING about putting all that on!!! :p

Me too

I never realized that wearing cotton socks as my base layer for my feet was the absolute wrong thing to do.

I now where the base layer socks with no cotton and then a nice pair of smartwool socks and my feet rarely get cold. For years my feet froze twenty minutes in and I was buying the best insulated boots I could!

My feet sweat even if I only walk a 100 yards. Then they are instantly cold. When it is 20 or below, I wear cotton socks in. I put a zip lock bag, my silk sock liners, and a good pair of wool socks in my pack. I change out my socks once I get in the stand. I let my foot dry off for a couple minutes before putting on the warm stuff. Thats the only way I have found to keep my feet warm. Have to get out of the wet socks.

All I wear is a pair of under armor tips and bottoms and an insulated pair of walls coveralls. Wool socks and if it's really cold I throw a hand warmer in my boots. My boys are the rubber 18in and have lots of room. As stated before, do not wear two pair of will socks. For my hands I have a hand muff and two hand warmers. My hands literally sweat. Gloves can't even touch a hand muff with warmers when it comes to warmth. Two layers might not sound like much, but I swear by under armor. When I unzip my coveralls, stream comes out. Then again, I I've being cold. I sweat sitting still when the temp his 75. I think the 140 deg heart in Iraq ruined me.

Walk in with very little on. I put all extra stuff in the back pack. Layers underneath, Love the underarmor cold weather tops and bottoms, also bought some cold weather underlayers at gander that I like real well. I like bibs when the temps drop. More cover on chest and back. A pull over Columbia cold weather top, and a wind proof coat. I use underliner socks with Cabelas over the knee merino wool hunting socks. I do love my Boot blankets, really helps keep the feet warm. But the thing that really does it for me is to keep my neck and face warm. I like a fleece balaclava. Keeps the cold off the front and back of neck, on the face and another layer on the top of the head. A peanut butter sandwich and water or sometimes hot chocolate at mid morning helps me to stay out when others are heading to the truck. If you can, buy quality gear. You get for what you pay for. Great topic, during a week of bone chilling temps in the deer stand

I just walk back to the house and build a fire....

Walgreens has these heat pad - beyond bodi heat- they are heat pads for back pain with adhesive on them . Put one of those on the kidney area . Makes a long sit on a cold day a little easier to do.