Hand warming and external heat source technology 2017 update - share your thoughts

[Desk Jockey]

So I had found this bucks bedding area and was sitting on his approach route one morning this season. Well he snuck in the back door and bedded down about 80 yards behind me and up a wooded hill that I could not stalk or shoot him on. I didn't want to blow the spot so I decided to stay quiet and try and wait him out. The next 4 hours and the weather in the high teens gave me some time to contemplate my cold weather set up.

One of the areas I resolved to address was hand warming technology.

Hot hands are good and I used a fhf Molle muff usually (although I didn't have it that day). I bought a few of the body warmer versions which are bigger and give off more heat.

For stand sits, I sometimes fill a Nalgene with hot water and put it in my jacket inner pocket.

I just bought one of the zippo warmers but haven't tried it yet.

What else is out there?
What do you like and use?

 

[Desk Jockey]

I will kick off my own thread by saying that I like hot hands.

However, I think their packaging can leave something to be desired. I have a few I keep in emergency kits in my truck and elsewhere that are a few years old. I pulled a few out this year to find the plastic packaging was delaminating and they were hard as a rock. Apparently the packaging failed and they were no good. I also had 2 occasions where I opened two warmers and put one in each pocket. After a while it was obvious that one was much warmer than the other and I had some hand envy.

I bought a couple of boxes of Costco hand warmers around the same time and have not had any issues with those from packaging or otherwise.

 

[oldgoat]

Gerbing makes a line of battery operated heated clothing, I bought my dad a vest last year as he really liked it so I bought myself one this year and it worked great! Rechargeable Lithium battery and I was able to recharge them via an inverter in the cigarette lighter in my truck. Hands and feet are another matter that I haven't figured out yet other than the hot hands. But a warm core helps keep them warmer too

 

[N2TRKYS]

Most of the time, I don't even wear gloves. I've worn thin cotton glove and use a hand muff while bow hunting in Illinois a few times. On gun hunts, I've worn the wool gloves that have half fingers and a mitten that can be folded out of the way.

Both setups have proven to be warm for me. YMMV

 

[snowcamoman]

I do a lot of winter predator hunting, but don't sit for hours on end in stand. The best non-external warming setup I've used is a pair of fingerless Gray Wolf Woolen's fingerless insulated mitts along with a fleece liner. The ability to keep my hands completely inside the fingerless mitt and easily slip a shooting finger out when needed is very handy at -30 and -40 temperatures.

Hunting Clothes, Stands, Camo - Gray Wolf Woolens :: Northwoods Line :: Hand Gear :: Wolfskin Mitts

 

[Jerry P]

Tried the toe warmers late this year, I'm sold! I doubt I will ever tree stand hunt in cold weather again without them.

 

[Hunter6]

I just started using normal hand warmers. I used to make fun of people that used them.

Well this year duck hunting it was in the teens and the wind was blowing 20 mph. The ducks were flying so it was a good day except I don't like to hunt in gloves and my hands were freezing.

I dug into my bag and found a pack of hand warmers from a couple years ago.

Long story short my mind was blown. I actually got on amazon while in the field and ordered a forty pack. I was so cold I would have pd for delivery to the blind. So now I'm a user. I'll never hunt without them if it's below freezing.


Follow me on Instagram @hunter_hindman

 

[jpuckett]

The hand, toe and stick on back patches are incredible. The back patches are a life saver. Keeps your core warm which helps keep everything else warm. Before they were selling those we were going to Walgreens and buying the ones for menstrual cramps but we are hunters so it's still manly


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[Brendan]

The Sitka Fanatic is the best piece of tree-stand hunting gear I own. I'll throw one hand warmer in the front kangaroo pocket - I will wear fingerless merino gloves, and my hands didn't get cold all season long. Other than that - clothes big enough to wear puffy jacket and pants underneath, If I have to hike any distance to get there - I've been known to go in in my long underwear and a light pair of pants carrying everything else (including a change of socks and boots) in my EMRII and quickly change at the bottom of my stand. Bunny boots make great tree stand boots if you get them big enough.

 

[Dennis]

Tried ThermaCell Heavy duty Pro heated insoles and pocket warmers with Bluetooth and their hand warmers last fall. I used all of these during a Alberta whitetail hunt and found they worked well and especially liked the heated insoles. I wore them in the off position most of the day, but could turn them off and on using my smart phone as my feet started to get cold. Pocket warmers with Bluetooth can be used in pockets in my coveralls in my kidney area. They don't seem to create the moisture that chemical heaters do and you can turn the on and off for walking to and from stands. Hand warmers also worked well in a muff. All three items have three levels of heat which was nice. My review is these were a nice addition to my cold weather gear.

 

[Stid2677]

The Sitka Fanatic is the best piece of tree-stand hunting gear I own. I'll throw one hand warmer in the front kangaroo pocket - I will wear fingerless merino gloves, and my hands didn't get cold all season long. Other than that - clothes big enough to wear puffy jacket and pants underneath, If I have to hike any distance to get there - I've been known to go in in my long underwear and a light pair of pants carrying everything else (including a change of socks and boots) in my EMRII and quickly change at the bottom of my stand. Bunny boots make great tree stand boots if you get them big enough.

I agree, Sitka Fanatic jacket with a Thermacare back heat pad, one on my back and the other worn in front. The hand front pocket allows hands to be held against front heat pad. Jacket is nice for having a range finder pocket.

 

[tim tarras]

I do a lot of winter predator hunting, but don't sit for hours on end in stand. The best non-external warming setup I've used is a pair of fingerless Gray Wolf Woolen's fingerless insulated mitts along with a fleece liner. The ability to keep my hands completely inside the fingerless mitt and easily slip a shooting finger out when needed is very handy at -30 and -40 temperatures.

Hunting Clothes, Stands, Camo - Gray Wolf Woolens :: Northwoods Line :: Hand Gear :: Wolfskin Mitts

Same here, except I use fingerless wool gloves. I have not needed handwarmers since then.

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[jjrgr21]

check out Clickheat

they last a pretty good while and are reusable

 

[stx.dead.I]

check out Clickheat

they last a pretty good while and are reusable

I've got a couple sets of these and have different experience. I've used mine probably a dozen or so times and now the heat won't last more than 20 minutes

 

[ezmorningrebel]

i buy the hot hands warmers and toe warmers in bulk before the season. cold hands and feet will run me off the stand faster than anything. i put the handwarmers in my muff and put toe warmers on top of my socks. key to making those things work is having some space in your boots so they can get air on them. i've yet to get a pack that didn't work but i always carry 2 pair in the pack just in case.