Dressing for the walk into the woods

WCB

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Messages
3,640
Depends on how far I am walking or if I know exactly where I am setting up. If it is shorter walk 500 yards or less I have no problem wearing most of my clothes. I don't wear my hat if possible. unzip/open up my jacket and and shirt I have under. I also just walk slower and don't get worked up.

Longer walks or if I am in a hurry and have to make good time getting to the stand. outers layers strapped on my pack or something and just get dressed at the stand.
 

KRA-Z

FNG
Joined
Sep 13, 2021
Messages
15
I haven’t tried this yet, but I’ve been thinking about just hiking in with my spandex running tights. They work exceptionally well for running in cold weather…. Good insulation, very breathable, A little cool at first but great once the blood gets flowing.

I sweat my ass off, and I’m usually running late which doesn’t help the situation. I think I could just pull my insulated pants on right over the top of the spandex once I get to my tree as the tights don’t hold much moisture. I usually change my shirt & socks tho as they are always soaked. (I’m hunting public with a 1.5 mile hike in)


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I did not have any luck with the under armor spandex, it kept me wet, did not wick away like it’s supposed to... at least not anywhere as good as the meriwool... my jacket would be a few pounds heavier when I came back than was when I set out, but I never felt wet or cold with the meriwool.... the UA I was warm but felt wet...

Feet are a whole issue in itself.... boots with vents you can close up and still have waterproof would be nice ( in dreamland) I suppose...

I’d say unless you have scouted and know exactly the times they come through, even running late I’d take my time and try not to draw any attention...
 

KMSbuck

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 6, 2017
Messages
120
I was hunting a friends treestand last year which was about 400 yards from the road. In my camo gear, i would be sweating by the time i got to the stand. I do run cold so i dress in multiple layers, usually with a bib for colder days.
this year i am planning more public land saddle hunting which will likely be even more walking. How do others dress on the hike in to minimize sweating. Do you keep your top layers in a pack?
I usually wear a very lightweight long sleeve T-shirt for the walk in, even in very cold weather. No matter what, with a pack on I sweat a lot. Once I get to my spot, I take off that shirt and put on a dry merino wool long sleeve shirt and whatever layers I need over that. This method has kept me warm once I quit moving.
 

Maki35

WKR
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
405
Base layer hiking in. I pack the rest of my clothes.
I'll wait until I'm cooled down before I even consider putting any layers. Sometimes I don't even bother putting on my coat unless it's freezing.
 

JAC357

FNG
Joined
Sep 28, 2021
Messages
12
Like others have said, i wear my base/mid layers in and keep my heavy outer layers strapped to my backpack. Or if its not too far, i just purposefully walk slowly enough to not work up a sweat
 

bat-cave

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
367
Location
Littleton, CO
I agree with other posts that wearing as little as you can get away with is ideal. Where I have found it more challenging is when it's already snowing and/or you have lots of corn / brush / dense foliage to navigate (hopefully not overly close to your stand or on a deer trail of course). This has been my situation frequently over the past few seasons. I have yet to find the best combination as it's miserable to start with wet baselayers and it's already tricky enough to quietly don the heavy layers at the bottom of the tree, but it really sucks with a few inches of snow on the ground as I invariably put a foot down (what can I say I'm a bonehead). Hoping someone has great ideas of how they have dealt with this.

To make matters worse, my circulation in my hands isn't the best, so I usually end up with some frozen digits from getting dressed at the tree, which just makes getting situated in the stand more of a PITA. Typically I am fine after I can sit and warm up waiting for the sun to come up.
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2021
Messages
15
I was hunting a friends treestand last year which was about 400 yards from the road. In my camo gear, i would be sweating by the time i got to the stand. I do run cold so i dress in multiple layers, usually with a bib for colder days.
this year i am planning more public land saddle hunting which will likely be even more walking. How do others dress on the hike in to minimize sweating. Do you keep your top layers in a pack?
I could really use some better walk in gear. I get too warm even when trying to dress down
 
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