Clothing Question

deerdhunter · Post by **deerdhunter** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:24 pm

Golfcat - you might try using a deer/game cart to haul everything into your stand. I have also read a lot of good things about the heater body suit but can't speak from experience. I strap my backpack to my treestand and carry it in or as someone else said pick a spot with favorable wind and hunt from the ground.

Fishn-Hunter · Post by **Fishn-Hunter** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:44 pm

I walk as far as a killometer to some stands, I am not a light wieght and I sweat a ton. No matter how cold it is I walk in with just a thin long sleave fleese shirt and lined pants. I even take my boot liners out, I carry my scent-lok outer layer, warm cloths and boot liners into my stand in a soft duck decoy bag with back pack straps. It holds a ton of stuff. When I get to my stand I change my wet shirt (witch makes a huge diff.), put wet shirt in scent proof sealed bag. I stuff it inside my coveralls. I also spray every layer down again with carbon blast or whatever scent controlling spray I have at the time as I put each layer on. Hot hands packets work wonders in gloves, I also put them in my boots under my toes and it seems to keep them nice and toastie. I realy y enough about scent-lok as an outer layer and head cover, they totally keep the wind from getting through. It seems like alot of work but it realy is not and is worth it, being comfortable is key and spraying every layer down again as you put it on builds confidence.
Fishn-Hunter

saxman · Post by **saxman** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:58 am

Make sure you take something hot and harty to eat and or drink.
The act of digestion creats heat in the body not only what it does for you in your mind knowing you have a hot cup of soup and some coffee.
Thanks for bringing this up,since my transplant I get cold easy and I have learned allot from the other posts.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:41 am

it all comes down to what you believe and choose to do.. i always put my clothes on at the house before heading to the stand. I arrive at my stand ready to hunt instead of putting on clothes and so forth. I do carry a bottle of scent away and hose myself down when in the stand though. Do this day ive never really had any issue with deer scenting me and im usually only 12-15ft up the tree. If you hunt the wind right, it really doesnt matter. I dont believe in the scent soaps and other stuff either. Just more ways to get cash from us.

watch the wind and most hunters will be fine..

golfcat · Post by **golfcat** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:45 am

Guys,

Thanks for all the replies. All good suggestions and several that I have not heard before or tried. It seems that a large percentage of you take a large portion of your clothing to the woods with you and then put it on. That's something I've never thought of and will definitely try next weekend. Might have to get one of the new hi-tech backpacks that allow air to get between you and the backpack for ventilation.

It also seems like an upgrade in undergarments is long overdue. Most of mine is Duofold, not polypropylene, and it does seem to hold moisture more than I think it should. A lot of you seem to like UnderArmor so I'll start saving up for some of that.

Thanks again,

Roger

LV2HNT · Post by **LV2HNT** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:06 pm

I am pretty much the same as C.F. I wear everything to my stand. I don't want to take the time to suit up once I have walked to my stand, plus I am not convinced that it is a good idea because stripping some off to put more on and taking all that time just gives my scent time to saturate the area before I get settled in.

I like to use poly as my base layer and then I add more layers according to the forcast. Usualy I only wear a tee shirt with a thin long sleeve shirt over top of it. When it is too cold for that I wear a North Face fleece liner and for realy cold temps I add my North Face gortex shell. I also have an Eddy Bower Polar Parka and wool pants for extreme cold but it hasn't gotten cold enough for them in years here. For my legs I usualy go with the poly and a pair of blue jeans. If it is realy cold I will add an extra layer of poly and possibly a pair of gortex pants. On top of all that I add my scent blocker suit (quite warm on it's own) and I am ready to go. If I get too heated up on the way to my stand I will stop to cool of for a bit, remove my hat, and I will unzip my camo and jackets so that there is only a thin layer of clothing between my chest and the ouside air.

Here, my biggest problem is wearing enough to stay warm for the first few hours of the morning without feeling like I am in a sweat box for the rest of the day after the sun heats everything up. So I will strip down as the day goes by if I have to. I love to still hunt also, so if I am planning to do that, I will intentionaly wear less clothes so that I will be comfortable while moving, and if I make an error and don't wear enough to stay warm on stand I just get up and move when ever I get cold.

Here are some things I have learned and noticed over the years.

1. A good warm hat is worth it's weight in gold.
2. Gloves (thin enough to still pull the trigger) are great to have.
3. Face masks are wonderfull because they heat up the air you are breathing and keep your face warm. I use a very light mesh one for warm and cool weather and a fleece one from walmart in the cold.
4. Some others will dissagree but I think sitting on the ground is worse than a stand because the ground just sucks the heat right out of you, so a good insulating seat is recomended.
5. Those big heat packs are supposed to work well. Stick one to your chest or back and they will help keep your core temperature up, or place the small ones in your pits and/or crotch to help heat the blood circulating through those arteries.
6. North face and probably other brands with gortex work great because they breathe and let moisture escape while holding in heat and blocking wind, not to mention they are the best rain gear I have ever seen. Mine also have zippers under the arm pits so you can open them while walking and let a ton of heat escape.
7. Food and drink especialy when warm will help to keep you warm.
8. Your wifes panty hose are supposed to work real well to keep you warm but I havn't tried that one yet.
9. Good socks are also key. Smartwool is a brand I have been hearing a whole lot about.

golfcat · Post by **golfcat** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:52 pm

It's not that I'm overly concerned about the scent. The problem is that if it's cold enough that I need the extra clothes I've only got to walk about 100 yards and I'm soaking wet with sweat. Out of shape would be a good way to describe it. One of the places I hunt it's a little over 3/4 of a mile to where I go and you've got to cross two 40' deep ravines to get there so it's a pretty good strain. It wasn't a problem when I was playing basketball and still in shape but now that I'm facing knee replacement surgery I can't stay in shape anymore.

I've heard the panyhose thing before but my wife is 5'7" and I'm 6'6" so I'm out of luck there.

Roger

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:23 pm

LV2, i always wondered about that also. If everyone leaves their scent stuff in a bag and then they put it on at the stand, then well wont you leave a scent trail through the whole woods, thus doing away with its whole purpose;)

but the biggest thing that helps me stay dry is the new under armor gear and the endura skin shirts that bass pro sells! Those keep you nice and dry and also cool.. just the perfect temp if you ask me. I always wear one as my base layer just to help regulate my temps.

But if its hot out, then just simply carry your jacket in with you and then put it on. Its not rocket science

If you dress for cool weather and it warms up while you are in your stand, just remove your jacket or a shirt. I normally wear atleast 3-4 layers when its cold out so I can remove a shirt or 2 when it warms up during the day, then put them back on when it cools back down

plus I have about 6 different suits I use for different temps.. the roadtrips suit, the dream season suit, and etc etc

On quick day hunts I'll just put one of those on over my plain pants and shirt.. works like a charm

Country · Post by **Country** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:05 am

I won't sit in a stand all day unless there is a good reason to do so. No use sitting all day only to see does and lesser bucks come through. You need to stay mobile to locate a nice one. Still hunting is the answer to cold feet. I carry hand clippers with me to work my way through thickets. It's quiet and the next time you go through the thicket you don't have to clip. Staying on your feet all day will keep you warm. I generally don't even wear a jacket until it gets below 20f. Put on just enough so you think your going to die from the cold and you'll be just about right.

golfcat · Post by **golfcat** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:16 am

Country,

If you don't put on a jacket until it's below 20 you are one tough dude. If it's below 20 I look like one of the old Peanuts cartoons where Charlie Brown has fallen on the ice and can't get up because he's got so many clothes on. For me light jackets come on if it's below 50. Below 40 I'm usually in a parka with multiple layers on underneath that. My hunting buddy is a lot like you. Stuff that makes me wear the parka he's got a camo sweatshirt on over a T-shirt. On the other hand I'm perfectly comfortable playing golf when it's 105 outstide and he's dying from the heat.

Roger

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 12:09 pm

In the cold weather, I'll move more. Once I get to the point of shivering or not feeling parts of my body, then it's time to get up and take a walk. I have a couple of blinds set up at each farm so depending on the wind I'll take the longest route to the next blind at the other end, or I'll find a good seat under a tree. Let's me check on tracks while I'm at it.

rutman · Post by **rutman** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:57 pm

chris4570 wrote:A couple things you can do to prevent heating up while walking in, even with your hunting clothes on. Don't wear a hat until you are on stand, or gloves. Unzip what you are wearing. Move slow. Stop once in a while to allow some excess heat/moisture to escape.

While on stand a toque, or better yet a balaclava. A neck gaitor or even a scarf. Hot packs in your gloves(mitts are better). Good warm footwear, essential to staying warm. Windproof outer-gear or any heat you have will be easily lost. Flex your muscles, hold and release.

This is great info.
If you want to be warm and economical at the same time. Buy only high quality wool sweaters for regular clothing and when it becomes older or less presentable add it to your hunting clothes. I wear a combo of fleece and layers of wool sweaters. All that is over top of the two pairs of long johns. Boots and gloves are most important. I wear wool /thinsulate gloves inside a large pair of those thinsulate flip away mits with the gloves built in. Boots should have a program that keeps your feet away from the bottom of the boot and a moisture resovoir area in the sole. Sorel glaciers are an awesome example but I recently saw cheaper but similar boots at TSC.
Carrying climbers to far is nuts, put up a chain on or something. I don't even like carrying my bow to far.

VixChix · Post by **VixChix** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:49 pm

Just to clarify - I don't wear cotton in the winter. I wear polypro underwear, silk turtleneck, fleece pants & top under my camo pants and jacket, I pack in a "bomber" type hat - warm and fuzzy with ear flaps (sorta like Grizz's) and I wear a double layered fleece bandana over my face. I wear two layers of socks - a wicking polypro sock and a big thick pair of wool blend. I get cold because it's cold! LOL

I also get cold from sitting for several hours in -10 or colder.

I sweat very easily - just thinking about doing something scary will do it!

So I carry my jacket and hat, warmer gloves, etc. in my pack and wait a bit before I put them on.

I also pack in water, apples, cheese and sometimes fruitcake (which is actually one of the best survival foods!

)

My husband laughs at all my layers - he needs 1/2 of what I need and he's still comfortable. I need a bigger pack than he does for the extra clothes, hat, mitts, warmers. There are several things that favour the male gender when it comes to the outdoors and being able to take cold better is one of them.