Hey guys,
I have some heavier duty cabelas wool with nice cabelas thermals but I'm wanting to find something less bulky. It's not that cold here in TX often. I'd like something that will keep me warm in 30 degree weather with thermals underneath. It'd be great if they had light weight gloves to match. I like pants and a pullover. Suggestions?
An Asbell wool pullover or zip up would work great. It's just wool with no other liner so it breathes and keeps you warm without making you sweat. I wear one in FL during cold days. Lol, I actually just listed one, since I want one in a different color. Or check out all the colors on GFred's site. Traditional Woodsman actually just listed a sale on them also.
At those temps I just wear cargos and fleece with a base layer. I throw a Cabelas rag wool sweater and a hand muff in my pack and I'm good to go.
Same here..... Asbell Zip Up in Timber Ghost, 400gr Ulfrotte' wool longjohns and I am good to go 90% of the time unless there is a stiff wind. Then I switch top layer to my Cabelas windproof sweater or my Gray Wolf Woolens vest that is Comformax and windlined.
Should be around 25 here in the morning and I am wearing my Ulfrotte', 100% merino wool goodwill sweater, then my Asbell on top. Bottoms are Ulfrotte', then Predator windproof Fall gray fleece pants. Tops are not heavy on their own but with three layers of wool I will be toasty warm....... :coffee:
Sitka gear ! I know its expensive stuff.....but I took the plunge this year and I'm very happy ! No more bulky layers for me !
I sold my heavier King of the Mount for this very reason. Asbell wool vest with a Pendleton wool shirt works great for me. On colder days I might throw on some light weight merino wool underwear as well. I highly recommend the Asbell wool for this part of the country. Good luck and good hunting.
I like Sitka gear as well. I may order some KUIU tomorrow before the 25% sale is over.
I agree with Asbell wool. Layer as much or as little as you need.
ChuckC
Oh how I wish it was that warm here!! The wind liner is a good thing to remember as mentioned earlier.
At those temps, I usually layer with a silk base layer, fairly light wool long john layer topped off by a relatively light jacket (often my Cabelas rain gear jacket). A commando sweater wears easily under the jacket if a bit more warmth is needed but adds little bulk. Layers can be added or taken away if the temp changes. Above all, good wool socks are crucial, as is a warm hat. Remember the old adage, "If your feet are cold, put on your hat."
Also, I have been using Asbell's as well as La Clair's wool over a light under layer both with good results.
It sounds like your temps are similar to my local conditions, and I have found that it is often best to carry in some of these items, putting them on when I get to the stand. If I sweat on the way in, I will be uncomfortable no matter how I dress.
Sam gives good advice about hats and carrying your layers in..... Lots of times I do not put my top layers on until I have been on stand for 30 mins or so to completely cool off. I go in with only my longjohns on the top and carry everything else.
I second silk as a base. I always dress light and carrry a wool top if needed.
At 30 degrees, I wear a merino wool top, wool shirt, wool vest, and a windproof uninsulated Russell outdoors shell. Plenty warm and no bulk.
I'm appreciating all the feedback guys, keep it coming. I'll be looking into each option mentioned.
Zane, i wear wool base layers and then a woolrich shirt. If it's really cold have a second (thicker) woolrich shirt to wear. I also have a wool vest that i got for $4 at goodwill.
That keeps me warm in anything texas has to offer. I could use a pair of good wool pants for those really cold days though.....all in all, i stay pretty warm. Wool has been a God send compared to what I used to wear. My toes get cold sometimes, but that's about it.
Asbell wool here too
I have finally figured out that it isn't much fun to hunt in below zero weather. For the last couple of years, when it is zero to 15, some heavy Asbell wool with a wool sweater underneath combined with wool pants and long johns keep me happy in the woods. I use the chem heat packs for hands and toes, and a Stormy Kromer type hat along with a wool face gaitor.
Now, at my tender age, I have decided that others can fight below zero weather. In Texas, you probably won't ever have to face that kind of cold, so some good wool and maybe some heat packs should do the trick on your coldest days.
Ulfrotte 400 tops/bottoms--Light weight but produce an incredible amount of heat/warmth. Kuiu Superdown pants and jacket under my KOM wool and I am good to go in temps below 20*.
A good hand muff will take you a long way while on stand in cooler temps, highly recommend it.
-24 Celsius, brisk wind,5 hours in treestand yesterday.
Had to come down,not cause of being cold,because of family comitements. The secret...
Sure the Ulfrotte baselayer,down vest,Hidden Wolf woolens all contribute but the main ingredient,
"Heater body suit".
Mo
At 30' I stay inside, within two feet of a roaring fire...
I don't take off my longjohns until July or August when I take my annual bath, lol...
Pat now that is funny! The high school kids wear shorts to school in the 20s around here half the time! I need long sleeves at 30 cause I am a wimp!
Hey Pat don't get me wrong. I'm not that tough. lol
First thing I do when I get back home is a little sitdown by the woodstove to warm up the old bones.
Hate being cold,hence the equipment.But it's just the price one has to pay to get a crack at one of our mature northern bucks.
Come to think about it, maybe I would prefer a crack at one of your mature Texas bucks.
Tad warmer I bet.
Mo
Under armour cold gear. Would freeze without it.
The walk in distance and terrain type can really make tree stand hunting a challenge in cold weather. Also length of sit. I plan to purchase some high end clothes. I need more wind stopper items. I have a lot of good wool, some top quality long underwear. I've been putting under armor next to the skin.
I have to backpack my sitting clothes in in the morning or get too sweaty. Latley on all day sits, the only thing that keeps me in the stand on cold days is a bunch of hand warmers place all over my body. I use hand warmers in my shirt at my armpits, biceps, wrists, chest, kidneys, in my socks above my boots, under my hat and last year I started putting a few in the nether regions. But watch out, they can get really hot! I sometime use 12 of them. It seems expensive, but would you pay $15 to warm up?
Hunting from KS north to ND. . . Grew up in northern MI so quite familiar with routine of good wool and layering. The wt. is always a question for me. Thinking a lot about a homemade version of heater body suit. Want quiet, versatile camo, and ltwt. Thought of many designs while on stand this fall. . .
Base layer of Ibex or smart wool merino wool, LL Beam Guide Wool shirt then on top of the a Silent Predator Wool lined Vest. Keeps me warm and breathes if I move.
So I use a polar tech cabelas base layer, should I have something else below or above that before the outer layer?
As for the wool, what weights would you recommend? Is the asbell wool not bulky?
When it gets much below 50, I layer up and look like the pillsbury dough boy!
I have found that the Under Armor cold gear is the best longjohns I have ever had. Got rid of all the old cotton ones once I found the UA. I wear the UA against my skin and then layer shirts, sweatshirts, or jackets as needed. I also don't like bulk on my bow arm so I have quite a few garments that are missing the left sleeve! When I bought mine, there was only 2 choices, Cold Gear or Hot Gear. Now there seems to ba a gazillion choices. Mine is the compression fit Cold Gear.
Bisch
I have to go back in a little over a mile most times, up and down 3 or 4 of these ridges to get where I hunt. Unless it's below freezing I wear a long john top and long sleeve t shirt in and they are soaked when I get where I'm going...so bag them when I get there.
I pack my upper body hunting clothes in or stash them in the woods to pick up on the way. But since I hunt a lot of different areas that's not always good.
Light weight..carrying wise is crucial as is warmth.
Around freezing is my max and I wear two layers of Minus 33, midweight and Denali Expedition Full Zip, something fleece, wool pullover, Cabela's PrimaLoft vest with Windshear and either a Cabela's Berber fleece pullover or Wooltimate Jacket..both with Windshear..according to how cold.
Cabela's Berber Fleece pants with Windshear, mid and expedition weight Minus 33 bottoms one pair of good wool socks with heating pads on my toes..good insulated Wellington style boots. Hand muff with one heating pad and one unopened spare for emergencies. Light gloves with fingers cut out for tab on right hand. One hand in muff one holding bow..alternate as needed..still freeze most of the time due to blood thinners. Why I'm sitting here typing this instead of hunting..20 something outside.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Iflytrout/Ridges_zps037d6bc8.jpg)
Firstlite Merino wool, easy to layer and will keep you warm. I have a full set in ASAT, bottoms, several different tops and a heavy pullover.