Extreme cold clothing suggestions

[dwills]

I will be doing an Alaska snowmobile moose hunt in December of this year. I am an eastern whitetail hunter mainly so will have to buy all new gear for this. Can someone help me with load out suggestions for this type of cold who has experience with it, from headwear to glove/mitten suggestions, to shell/down suggestions, to boots if you had to buy all over again. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I already have plenty of merino base layers, mid layers (Sitka ambient and aero light jacket/Kelvin down 3/4pants), if that helps.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

December? Wool, synthetic and down-filled. GI surplus Bunny Boots.

 

[Dennis]

I have two pair of U.S. G.I. extreme cold temperature boots. One black set and one white set. Also have some other cold weather gear. You pay shipping. PM if you are interested?

 

[Northern-Nomad]

On a snowmobile the biggest battle you’re going to fight is blocking the wind. I would highly recommend that whatever you settle on you make sure you have a completely wind proof layer that can go over the top of everything else, whether that be an anorak or zip up shell. The next thing is whether or not you plan on hunting strictly off the snow machines or if you’re going to be moving around on foot/snow shoes/skis a fair bit as well. I say this because if you’re moving around at all wearing the gear that will keep you warm on a snow machine, you will be sweating immediately. If you’re just hunting off the sled, no big deal. But if you’re moving on foot some, focus on getting outer layers than can be put on and taken off quickly and easily. Last but not least, absolutely make sure you have either sunglasses or snow goggles so you can keep blowing snow, sunlight, and just raw wind out of your eyes.

Getting into more specifics:
Footwear - USGI bunny boots are pretty well loved up north so I don’t think you could go wrong with those. I also really like pac boots like schnees or kenetrek. Mukluks are pretty solid too. Mostly though I would recommend something a removable felt liner to keep your boots dry. That said the arctic rated muck boots are fairly common and good if you plan on getting wet.

Headwear - brand doesn’t matter just have something that’s fairly warm and a little wind resistant. I would highlight having something for your neck though. Neck warmers and scarves are great, stay away from balaclavas though because the condensation from your breath will freeze on the fabric and then you’ll have ice just sitting on your face. Ask me how I know.

Gloves - I would highly recommend a mid-weight pair of gloves you can easily shoot in and then a good pair of overmitts to actually keep your hands warm. My experience with gloves has been that “do-all” gloves just suck at everything.

Base/mid layers - wool or synthetic, no cotton. That’s pretty much it. Personally I like the army ECWCS silkies and waffles and then throw a wool sweater over the top but there’s a million ways to skin that cat and what you have already will probably work.

Outer layers - this will depend largely on what I mentioned earlier but make sure it’s wind proof. For bottoms I would recommend bibs so there’s no gap between the pants and the jacket to let wind in. Then it just comes to budget. The army ECWCS level 7 gear is pretty solid and can be pretty affordable, there’s a huge range of ice fishing gear that works really well, carhartt and mountain hardwear are solid, and then premier brands like Helly Hansen, KUIU and such will have great stuff but it’ll cost you.

Apologies for that being essentially a short novel but hopefully it helps some.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I use smartwool layers, white bunny boots, a pair of fxr bibs and a Kifaru LPP.

Alaska gear company is making a new bunny boot which should kick ass.

I use klim snow machine gloves, Oakley goggles and a thick fleece balaclava. I also stuff my tunnel bag with down mitts, another down pullover, extra socks, tools and shit for an emergency shelter.

Snow machine hunting rules.

 

[CharlesF]

I second the Klim gear, forget camo, they don’t care.. it’s cold and dark, camo is the last thing they worry about. Minus 33 expedition weight merino wool, puffy pants, klim or ski gear shells. Definitely get a good face mask & goggles! Don’t leave any skin exposed or you’ll end up with frost bite. If you can’t find bunny boots, several outfits here stock Baffin boots for the cold, they work just fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stv117]

the kuiu super down pro, comes in a complete pair for about $300 and should get the job done.
and for your feet muck boots are my goto..

 

[vavaroutsos]

Northern-Noman nailed it. Mittens over gloves is highly recommended. I use a pair of wool gloves with water proof shell/membrane mittens that have a removable insulating layer. This works well for most conditions.

 

[medvedyt]

what i can add? some alaskans summed up your needs.

as written earlier if you do not move get a very warm down parka or an anorak like the one i have made in nunavut with wolf fur collar no zip can be tricky but helping a lot in case of wind.
you need to protect your eyes with very good googles as the wind might be a killer.

for over your good gloves im using home made black bear mittens with fleece inside.
make sure your over mittens have a lanyard of any kind you will thank me.

i do like poly and merino for underwear and im using in winter on skidoo but im using a 2 stroke 550f so not a race one very often helly hansen with fleece liner and even at -40c which equal -40f i never been cold but i doubt i have any piece of skin not protected lol ...

 

[CBar]

When running lions here in Wyoming, I've always got a Mad Bomber fur hat over my Icebreaker balaclava, combined with goggles that have a nose guard for the wind it's kept me safe at -30. The exhaust from the sled will keep your feet warm while riding, but having a pair of heated socks you can charge each night will allow you to wear pacboots you can get around in easier perhaps than the heaviest cold weather ones. I have a set of Schnees Hunter Its with 800g insulation and they work well on the coldest days here when combined with a battery pack from Hotronics. Gloves for riding the sled, overmittens for anytime off the sled.

 

[jaydoc24]

That sounds like a solid setup for those harsh Wyoming conditions! The combination of a Mad Bomber hat and Icebreaker balaclava with goggles is a great way to protect against the wind and cold. Heated socks paired with pac boots for mobility and warmth is a smart idea, especially with the exhaust keeping your feet warm while riding. Schnees Hunter II with 800g insulation and a Hotronics battery pack must really keep your feet toasty. Overmittens for off the sled are a nice touch too. Thanks for sharing your gear tips!