What is your strategy for keeping warm in a treestand in extreme cold weather? Here is mine: 1. Avoid cotton clothing. I try to keep everything I wear "moisture wicking". 2. Dress in layers. 3. Dress as lightly as possible for the walk in to the stand (minimize the moisture/sweat). I use a backpack to pack the extra layers in to the stand and apply the layers when I get there. I've seen people totally bundle up for the walk in and wonder how the heck they do it. If I did that I would sweat my off on the way in and freeze out early. WHAT DO YOU DO???
If I stand hunt in really cold weather I either use a pop up ground blind or a box stand, something enclosed to block the wind. I also take lots of food and drink and if it's really cold a small Coleman heater. The older I get, the less that he-man stuff looks good.
I use a spandex type long underwear firsy followed by a synthetic blend followed by a polar fleece style underwear. I know it sounds like a lot but I haven't frozen out once this year. This all goes on under my overalls and shirt. On the coldest days, the ones you're wondering why you aren't still in bed, I will layer a pair of coveralls over this.
My wife got me some 100% silk long underwear, long sleeved shirt and sock liners this year for Christmas. I thought it was a joke, but they are dang warm. I use them as a base layer and then some fleece long johns and my overalls over that.
Drop some $ on a good pair of long johns and merino wool socks. Also, a pair of insulated boots a size too big that I wear with Smart Wool socks as a liner and then a pair of heavy rag wool socks.
I layer up and usually vary my layers depending on just how cold it is outside. If it's going to warm up fairly quickly I'll just wear my insulated overalls over my jeans and then ditch them once it warms up. In really cold weather I wear my UA cold gear, fleece wader pants and unsulated coveralls. Upperbody I usually wear cold gear or some other compression type shirt along with a layer or two of fleece and sometimes I'll throw in a chamois shirt. Too keep my feet warm I generally just wear some good wool socks with uninsulated hunting boots. In the colder weather I'll throw fleece jacket or something of that nature down around my feet. This is the first year I've done that and it was surprising what a difference it made.
I read a couple of years ago that if you want to keep your feet warm, cover your head :scratch: After I read that I picked up a stretchy wool cap and it really does help! When it gets really cold though I put my Arctic Shield boot covers on, and those things are amazing. If it's REALLY cold (teens/twenties) I toss a handwarmer in each one. Great product!
Good call on the wool cap. I have a fleece cap and neck gaiter that I wear. Only really cold and/or windy days i'll usually pack a balaclava or something with a hood. I have every intention of owning some Arctic Shield boot covers by next hunting season.
I wear merino wool underwear and layers of wool to the outside. Deer don't seem to smell me when I wear wool. I wear silk liners on my feet with heavy rag wool socks . Warm hat really helps too.
Plus one one the neck gaiter. I hardly leave the house without it (Mines wool) if it's cold at all. It traps that heat from escaping around your collar, and it keeps you neck/face warm. It's like an extra sweater that fits in your pocket and comes on and off a ton easier.
Dressing in layers has always worked for me....Depending on how far a walk I have, I will carry another pair of socks and another pull over to put on when I get to the stand....
You won't be disappointed! I also wear a fleece balaclava when it's windy, and both it and my wool cap when it's cold AND windy. And a word of advice on hand warmers...they work great when they're fresh, but degrade over time. I always get a mess of 'em in my stocking, but last year I started getting into some that didn't work at all. They were just too old. They're fine for a year or so, but if they're any older than that you'd better have a few backups just in case they don't work! I whittled down my stockpile this year, so I'll have all new ones next season. :thumb:
I layer up with fleece underwear, wool socks, and a wool ski mask then my camo bibs and coat. This year I stumbled onto something, I found one of my grandparents old coats that is pretty thick but windproof and that thing is warm. So I think the real trick is to wear something on the outside that blocks the wind and you wont feel it blowing through your cloths and it will keep you warmer.
