Down Pants Under Bibs - Anyone Tried It?

[BoilerBowHunter]

Looking to get some feedback from anyone who has tried this? I have two ideas in my head. One is to have a pair of bibs like the Sitka Stratus line that have no insulation but are windproof and then add down pants underneath if the weather gets really cold. The other is to have a pair of insulated bibs. The first idea sounds like it may be more versatile across a wider range of weather, but I don't own down pants and maybe it wouldn't work like I think it would. In my mind, the downside of insulated bibs are they are bulkier, more expensive, and overkill for certain "tweaner" temperatures.

Has anyone tried this, and what were your takeaways?

 

[WCB]

I've done it here in MN. Just spent a couple all day sits with down long johns under some light insulated bibs.

2 things

#1 you are a head of the game on wind proof...that is key. mid day I put on my rain gear bottoms under my down pants as the breeze was keeping my from staying toasty.

#2 you would want to make sure your bibs are plenty big as compacting the down eliminates the purpose. Your but will still get cold and the tops of your thighs while sitting as those points will compact. At least that is my experience.

I had on some light Kuiu Long undies under the down pants. IMO should have wore a pair of fleece wader pants under instead.

In all reality...Purpose built clothing for cold long sits is much more ideal no matter the cost. GOOD gear is not overly bulky and yes does cost more.

 

[Macintosh]

Works great. It’ll be warmest with windproof shell OVER the insulation, as wind blowing thru the down face-fabric will remove more heat—the shell outside prevents this. You will get some condensation under a waterproof-breathable shell if thats what you’ll use and it can get your down damp, but generally not a problem for day trips. The extra space between layers can trap more air than if the same amount of insulation was in one garment, so it can actually be warmer than one insulated pant, and as you said its more versatile this way, ie 2 garments has three wearing options. And the down is way light/packable. I tend to do this with a jacket more than pants, but same/same, its part of my normal kit.
The down-side (funny, huh?) is down is typically in loud fabric so may not be great for very close range hunting, and the shell fabrics and down fabrics don't tend to be very durable so they can get shredded easily in briars or krummholz. I keep wishing for this “mobile hunting” thing to actually produce some legit packable AND quiet gear for this sort of application, but apparently not.

From a convenience of laying point of view I tend to use my down jacket as insulation under a shell or soft shell a lot. If its really cold and I want pants I have a set of synthetic insulated zip in pants, but down would be same—I generally put these on over my regular pants and call it good. If its warm enough to be really wet for me to want rain pants, that means its warm enough that I dont need the insulated pants in the first place. I might have a set of shell pants I could put on over those if I were winter camping or climbing, but thats not generally a hunting setup for me. Could be nice in late season prairie setting with cold, snow and lots of wind though.

 

[Coopsdaddy]

All the time,is it as affective as over,probably not but works for me.
Down jacket and pants under stratus bibs and jacket and fanatic jacket.

 

[Bearwhisky]

All the time,is it as affective as over,probably not but works for me.
Down jacket and pants under stratus bibs and jacket and fanatic jacket.

So you wear a down jacket with a stratus over top, then a fanatic over top of that? Where on earth are you hunting? Haha


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rich M]

I use breathable raingear and long johns to stay warm. Works pretty good - windproof is key.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

Thanks all for the replies. I’m definitely intrigued. For me, I’d be wearing hunting pants with wool long Johns on the walk in. Then I’d be putting the pants and bibs on at the base of the tree, so I’m not concerned with durability. And as far as noise goes, I’d be wearing them under Stratus bibs so not concerned there either.

Sounds like a layering system I need to consider!

 

[Fogalo]

I do - especially when I have to climb up a ridge to a stand

 

[Binz17]

I do this. Find a pair with full length leg zippers. I leave the legs zipped open for my walk in then zip up and put the bibs over them when I get to my stand. I have a set of gray wolf woolens bib/ parka and there are times I will layer a puffy under the jacket too if it's nasty cold or windy. The puffy pant/jacket combo eliminates any drafts getting through.

 

[littlefish]

I added Kuiu down pants to my setup two seasons ago. I wear Sitka heavyweight bottoms and their Stratus pants on my walk in. I keep the down pants in my pack and then I'll throw those on as a mid layer when the temperature dips below 35. For anything colder than that I'll walk in wearing the heavyweight bottoms and the Stratus pants and then I'll put the Sitka Incinerator bibs over that. I suppose I could layer both the down into the system under the Incinerator but I've never had the need even in the single digits.

 

[Whip]

Exactly what I do, and it's the warmest I've ever been in my life while hunting late season cold temps. My bibs are Gray Wolf Wolfskin with Windstopper lining but no insulation. I wear them with a light pair of long underwear from mid 20s up to 50 degrees or so. Anything colder and the down pants go underneath, and mine are zip off so that I can easily take just the down pants off in the field if it gets warm without needing to remove my boots.

 

[davidjenkinsa2]

I run with a poly liner pants as a bottom layer, wool insulated pants, and then insulated/windstopper bibs. I can sit all day in freezing temps. If it's bit warmer, i can get rid of the wool and be comfortable.

 

[ckk416]

I do this with my Stratus bibs. I used to use Plythal Prima Heat Pants and they worked great, for the price I don't think they can be beat. That said, I switched to the Sitka Equinox Midi pants and prefer them because they're just so damn comfortable because they flex\stretch. They could improve the "belt". I used my bibs and midi pants a couple weekends ago and all but my feet were comfortable in 30 degrees (it warmed up to 42 as the morning progressed). Any colder and I switch to my Fanatic setup.