Go to base layers when it's cold?

[mtwarden]

The hardest thing to prepare for clothing wise is packing in to then hunt a stationary hunt. That is where the choices you make will really pay off or not. Plus if you are able to tolerate the cold for the first half of the walk in and you start cold (wearing little and packing your clothing) you will be much better off...

Agreed. If I'm snowshoeing, trail running, bc skiing etc, I'm pretty much going the entire time so you can get by with a lot less on. Hunting it's usually some higher aerobic stuff, followed by glassing or slow still hunting and them maybe some more higher aerobic stuff and repeat. Definitely a tougher cat to skin!

 

[*zap*]

^yes, but if your planning to be aerobic the whole time it might pay to pack some light outerwear for emergencies. Getting gear/clothing dialed in correctly is not as e-z as it might seem to be. the 97 hoodie does rock thou.

 

[5MilesBack]

Agreed. If I'm snowshoeing, trail running, bc skiing etc, I'm pretty much going the entire time so you can get by with a lot less on. Hunting it's usually some higher aerobic stuff, followed by glassing or slow still hunting and them maybe some more higher aerobic stuff and repeat. Definitely a tougher cat to skin!

There are times even during September that get pretty cold in the mornings (20's) regularly in the high country. I always start out with minimal layers because I'm going to climbing for the most part and hoofing at a pretty good pace in the dark to get to where I want to be by first light. Sometimes I'll get there early and have 1/2 hour until light. So I just throw my down puffy on and wait until light. Then it goes back in the pack and I'm ready to roll. I'd do the same if I was glassing. I generally don't have to worry about my legs much. They can take a lot of heat and cold without making me uncomfortable.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

First lite klin or furnace depending on what I am doing...late season whiteail deer and water fowl I will add my electric vest to under my furnace layer.

 

[cubdriver84d]

I tried fish nets last winter and am never going back.

Fishnet base layers. They work, and you want them.

A current thread brought them up, so I thought a discussion might be good for those that don’t know about them. I have been using netted base layers for the last couple of years. I was turned onto them by some Scandinavian dudes. They look silly (think 80’s fishnet), however do everything...

www.rokslide.com

 

[jd1006]

Tree Stand sitting - Nomad Durawool top with a FL Furnace bottom.

On the move - the SG Helio bottom with a fishnet top.

 

[vorfield]

Alpha Direct layers are also popular worn next to skin. Somewhat similar to wearing the fishnet mesh layers

 

[Hoopleheader]

Depends on the activity but if you are very active the entire time a take your pick light base layer and a breathable fleece vest. Works just fine for busting Cattails in late season MN pheasant hunting.

A light bottom base layer over cabelas microtex pants.

If I am going to be sitting, that is where things get complicated and packing in layers comes in.

For whitetail hunting I go heavy on the bottom base layer along with bibs. Any base layer +top + a good parka. Depending on how cold, a full sleeve fleece or other mid layer (FL furnace) + as many vests and needed to stay warm. This way you can still use your arms.

Early season (like teens in April) MN run and gun turkey is the most difficult for me. Lots of moving and sporadic sitting for potentially extended periods, and it gets old peeling off layers and adding them back. I tend to just go with as many synthetic layer as needed while sitting layers and potentially sweat on the move.

 

[anw0001]

Just bought the First Lite Furnace top and bottom because it was on a Black Friday sale and the thickest I could find. Extremely warm and great quality. Even has a small fleece layer next to skin.

 

[justinspicher]

I’m pretty simple, so a light baselayer from minus33 under a Patagonia quarter zip hooded jacket (thanks mtwarden) for most situations. Once I stop, puffy top and bottom go on.

 

[Seeknelk]

The fishnet merino top makes the game all stop for a second look I find. Especially if I flex my gut. Going to try bottoms only next.

 

[Seeknelk]

On a serious note, the merino fishnet under a sitka fanatic hoody just works for me in almost any normal cold weather, sometimes put another smartwool on but the 3 layers plus a snow camo cotton coverup(hate that thing, someone please make silent snow camo again!! I see the Forloh but$$) I digress, the fishnet, mid weight smartwool shirt , fanatic and cotton thing, were too hot yesterday at about 20 degrees and still, when plodding uphill gated roads or really anywhere in a foot of snow, had to shed the smartwool.

 

[Seeknelk]

I will say , when I DID hike until I was too hot and actually feeling sweaty under too many layers, I was concerned when I stopped , but I never thought about it again, so it apparently moved the moisture and kept me good and dry.

The combination of just fishnet and then grid fleece seemed to work much better than putting another layer of wool in between to slow down the moisture moving.
Or maybe I was just too hot and I'd just sweat more so hard to know for certain but makes sense that plain merino would get that moisture and then hang onto it as wool kinda does .