Layering for the hike up

[Deli]

What vest and which merino are you running?

Man, maybe with more experience I will learn to be more bold to start the day because I hate sweating out my gear early in the day. The 4 stops last year to take off layers felt super ridiculous last year and I knew I was in need of more experience with how to dress properly. Even turkey hunting this spring I got hot packing in my blind, 2 decoys, 2 chairs and my bow in just a kuiu 125 and the sitka hoodie. It is just about a mile and a half in and the snow was deep and I was sweating bad by the time I got there, only to freeze once I stopped moving. (Forgot my puffy, whoops)

I run a really light merino t shirt and maybe a kuiu 97 over that or a 190 kings camo merino long sleeve. I use a marmot wind vest or a kuiu kenei vest depending on condition. I have a mountain hardware kor wind jacket and OR ferossi jacket for windy damp days that still breath well. I don't bring all of these items every trip. Just check the weather and play around with what works. Never forget a puffy for stops. Also don't be worried to stop and shed layers. Hunting is rarely if ever a sprint.

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[mtwarden]

I have seen your posts about a windshirt, if you don't mind me asking what do you recommend?

Lesson learned on that last year... baselayer, fleece, puffy and softshell on to start day 1.... needless to say I got a little warm. Coming from whitetail hunting, I have a lot to learn. Lol

I like the Black Diamond Alpine Start- good breathability and pretty good water resistance (light precip). It's about double the weight (7-ish ounces) of the very ultralight wind shirts, but the fabric is more durable and more suitable to hunting vs the 4 oz ones. If you can find one (getting rare these days) Patagonia made one for the military that is in the same ballpark of performance of the Alpine Start- eBay is the only place I've seen them.

 

[5MilesBack]

Anybody run a light fleece over their baselayer, like the peloton 97 for the start of the climb? Does that get too hot?

I have a few really lightweight microfleece mock-T's that I'll wear over my lightweight merino base top sometimes. But even with those on I'll have to regulate my speed going up or I'll completely sweat it out. I find it best to just wear my merino base up top for hiking in.......even down into the teens. My furnace doesn't even kick on until I'm moving, but once I'm moving it's going full bore.

If I get to where I want to be and it's still dark, I'll throw on the microfleece and sometimes even my 12oz down puffy to stay warm until first shooting light. And for elk hunting I always wear my base merino tops and bottoms 24/7 during elk season.......hot or cold, because I'm almost always sweating and hate the sweat laying on my skin. I also usually remove my hat while hiking in, to let all that heat escape. Otherwise I'll sweat my cap out as well and it will start dripping off the bill of my cap.

 

[P Carter]

I'm really struggling with the idea of being that cold to start, so I think I must need more reps to feel comfortable with it. You ever run your puffy before you start climbing and just stash it in your pack right before so you don't spend quite as much time cold before you start making heat?

In camp, yes, I’ll have a puffy on until we start hiking. Out of the truck, no; I’m always ready to go and it cuts down on the puttering around at the truck.

I train outside year round, though, and I have a pretty good sense of what I need to be wearing given the temps. When I leave my house in the wintertime to run in the pitch black and I’m freezing my butt off, I know that I’ll be plenty warm 1/2 mile in because I do it several times a week.

I also know, from experience, that if I’m wearing too much and soak my baselayer in sweat, I’ll be chilled the rest of the day almost no matter how warm it is. (Not if it’s like 70, but if it’s in the 30s-50s for highs.)

 

[Erussell01]

In camp, yes, I’ll have a puffy on until we start hiking. Out of the truck, no; I’m always ready to go and it cuts down on the puttering around at the truck.

I train outside year round, though, and I have a pretty good sense of what I need to be wearing given the temps. When I leave my house in the wintertime to run in the pitch black and I’m freezing my butt off, I know that I’ll be plenty warm 1/2 mile in because I do it several times a week.

I also know, from experience, that if I’m wearing too much and soak my baselayer in sweat, I’ll be chilled the rest of the day almost no matter how warm it is. (Not if it’s like 70, but if it’s in the 30s-50s for highs.)

That is a big part of my issue, I just don't have enough reps with a better quality clothing system to feel confident in making the best choice for myself. I guess I have to hunt more haha

 

[Wyobohunter]

That is a big part of my issue, I just don't have enough reps with a better quality clothing system to feel confident in making the best choice for myself. I guess I have to hunt more haha

I believe you might be over thinking this a little. I can 100% understand the apprehension if you’ve never hunted the mountains but I think you’ll realize it’s not that big of a deal. I’m not saying that the clothes you wear/bring aren’t important because they are. Bring everything you have and leave most of it in the truck. Pack an insulation layer and a shell and wear base layer, pants, beanie and gloves. If you are a little concerned that isn’t enough bring a lightweight mid layer. If you find your first choice wasn’t adequate go back to the truck and change it up. Are you planning to backpack or hunt from a truck basecamp?

 

[5MilesBack]

That is a big part of my issue, I just don't have enough reps with a better quality clothing system to feel confident in making the best choice for myself. I guess I have to hunt more haha

I will literally only use my lightweight merino base top and bottom, microfleece mock-T, and my Microtex Lite shirt and pants for 95% of every Colorado September archery season. Then as needed I have my lightweight 12oz down puffy in my pack, a heavier fleece jacket in camp, and my rain jacket if I want to take it with me. All of that has covered 100% of Septembers for me the last 16 years. Of course.......liner socks, merino socks, boots, FL beanie, my camo jersey gloves, and baseball caps as well. I do have multiples of each of those items though to change them out to when needed, except the merino beanie. I average 20-22 days in September each year.

 

[fngTony]

Here’s what works best for me, I have a 4 mile hike that I frequent during summer and fall ranging from 10-13k ft. Just me but I’ll start with my down jacket for a short period then switch to my rain jacket to block wind. Using accessories to moderate my temperature as needed, those insulated mittens add a ton of warmth with no additional sweating from my core.
Base- champion (yes the target brand) ss 100% poly similar to kuiu 118
Mid- kuiu 97 hoodie
Insulation- golite 800fp down jacket (no hood)
Shell- black diamond storm line

Accessories
Beanie- something cheap I found at a gas station
Gloves- primaloft mittens (my glove system is a whole nother story)
Neck gaiter-kuiu 97

Bottoms
Pants- either the wrangler outdoor nylon or king’s preacher pants (similar to attack pants)

Maybes
Kuiu 97 zipoff bottoms
Rain pants

 

[Bighorner]

There is a lot of good advice on here. Be bold start cold is pretty much a maxim. Just remember to have a something for when you stop going hard or get unexpected weather. I have a puffy in my pack always. Most of the time it never comes out, but the other maxim growing up in Montana was "take a jacket even if you don't think you'll need it". That puffy has saved my bacon a few times.

 

[Wyobohunter]

There is a lot of good advice on here. Be bold start cold is pretty much a maxim. Just remember to have a something for when you stop going hard or get unexpected weather. I have a puffy in my pack always. Most of the time it never comes out, but the other maxim growing up in Montana was "take a jacket even if you don't think you'll need it". That puffy has saved my bacon a few times.

Agree. With the exception of my insulation isn’t always a puffy.

 

[mfllood3800]

I hunt at 10K feet and even in Aug it is in the teens or low 20's to start the day. I usually wear a super light packable puffy and a reg packable puffy both from First Lite. Under that I have my 2 base layers. A long sleeve FL Merino and a short sleeve Merino. I have about a mile of constant vertical to get to my spot. I heat up quickly. If I sit to rest and get chilled, I pull out the rain top to seal me up and it helps.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

What are you running for a baselayer? From what I hear the r1 is a really great piece that people seem to love

I wear Smartwool lightweight merino or firstlite lightweight merino. Firstlites wick hoody probably sees the most use.

I get cold much easier than most and don’t get overheated very easily. So I almost always have the R1 on even in tough climbs.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I hunt at 10K feet and even in Aug it is in the teens or low 20's to start the day. I usually wear a super light packable puffy and a reg packable puffy both from First Lite. Under that I have my 2 base layers. A long sleeve FL Merino and a short sleeve Merino. I have about a mile of constant vertical to get to my spot. I heat up quickly. If I sit to rest and get chilled, I pull out the rain top to seal me up and it helps.

This illustrates the most important point. It’s roughly the same elevation and can/does occasionally get down to those temps when/where I hunt. I wear way less. Each person will be different and you’ll need to experiment to find what works for you. I’ll accept some occasional mild suffering. I’m also prone to cussing myself every now and then

 

[Bighorner]

Agree. With the exception of my insulation isn’t always a puffy.

Certainly, I just prefer them for how light and small they pack up, but there is always something in there as a back up.

 

[Erussell01]

I believe you might be over thinking this a little. I can 100% understand the apprehension if you’ve never hunted the mountains but I think you’ll realize it’s not that big of a deal. I’m not saying that the clothes you wear/bring aren’t important because they are. Bring everything you have and leave most of it in the truck. Pack an insulation layer and a shell and wear base layer, pants, beanie and gloves. If you are a little concerned that isn’t enough bring a lightweight mid layer. If you find your first choice wasn’t adequate go back to the truck and change it up. Are you planning to backpack or hunt from a truck basecamp?

This year I'm going in for 3 or 4 days and I want to save myself the extra miles in and out. Last year we truck camped and we did so many more miles than we needed to just going back and forth. Unbeknownst to me my buddy was afraid to sleep out there and he wanted to be off the mountain before dark every night. This year, I'm going in and staying in.

And yes, I really do overthink but this stuff is on my mind every single day

 

[Erussell01]

I believe you might be over thinking this a little. I can 100% understand the apprehension if you’ve never hunted the mountains but I think you’ll realize it’s not that big of a deal. I’m not saying that the clothes you wear/bring aren’t important because they are. Bring everything you have and leave most of it in the truck. Pack an insulation layer and a shell and wear base layer, pants, beanie and gloves. If you are a little concerned that isn’t enough bring a lightweight mid layer. If you find your first choice wasn’t adequate go back to the truck and change it up. Are you planning to backpack or hunt from a truck basecamp?

This year I'm going in for 3 or 4 days and I want to save myself the extra miles in and out. Last year we truck camped and we did so many more miles than we needed to just going back and forth. Unbeknownst to me my buddy was afraid to sleep out there and he wanted to be off the mountain before dark every night. This year, I'm going in and staying in.

 

[Erussell01]

I will literally only use my lightweight merino base top and bottom, microfleece mock-T, and my Microtex Lite shirt and pants for 95% of every Colorado September archery season. Then as needed I have my lightweight 12oz down puffy in my pack, a heavier fleece jacket in camp, and my rain jacket if I want to take it with me. All of that has covered 100% of Septembers for me the last 16 years. Of course.......liner socks, merino socks, boots, FL beanie, my camo jersey gloves, and baseball caps as well. I do have multiples of each of those items though to change them out to when needed, except the merino beanie. I average 20-22 days in September each year.

That sounds like heaven. I hope that in time I can be dialed in for what I really need and have enough experience to put it to use.

 

[Erussell01]

Here’s what works best for me, I have a 4 mile hike that I frequent during summer and fall ranging from 10-13k ft. Just me but I’ll start with my down jacket for a short period then switch to my rain jacket to block wind. Using accessories to moderate my temperature as needed, those insulated mittens add a ton of warmth with no additional sweating from my core.
Base- champion (yes the target brand) ss 100% poly similar to kuiu 118
Mid- kuiu 97 hoodie
Insulation- golite 800fp down jacket (no hood)
Shell- black diamond storm line

Accessories
Beanie- something cheap I found at a gas station
Gloves- primaloft mittens (my glove system is a whole nother story)
Neck gaiter-kuiu 97

Bottoms
Pants- either the wrangler outdoor nylon or king’s preacher pants (similar to attack pants)

Maybes
Kuiu 97 zipoff bottoms
Rain pants

Sounds dialed in. I have some off brand pieces that I really love too, but got bit by the camo bug haha. I use all my 100% poly clothing for working out or training hikes, scouting etc then save my camo for in season work. I wore gloves last year until a critter stole them from camp. Gotta find a new pair that works for what I need.

 

[Erussell01]

I hunt at 10K feet and even in Aug it is in the teens or low 20's to start the day. I usually wear a super light packable puffy and a reg packable puffy both from First Lite. Under that I have my 2 base layers. A long sleeve FL Merino and a short sleeve Merino. I have about a mile of constant vertical to get to my spot. I heat up quickly. If I sit to rest and get chilled, I pull out the rain top to seal me up and it helps.

Do you ever feel bunched up with 2 baselayers? I run into issues around my shoulders it seems

 

[Erussell01]

This illustrates the most important point. It’s roughly the same elevation and can/does occasionally get down to those temps when/where I hunt. I wear way less. Each person will be different and you’ll need to experiment to find what works for you. I’ll accept some occasional mild suffering. I’m also prone to cussing myself every now and then

Afte rthr first day last year I was cussing myself for plenty lol. Too much gear in the pack, not enough break in time on the boots. (Another story in and of itsel)

I don't mind being comfortable. I just really don't want to be pushed off the mountain if I make a mistake and don't think things through. This is my first completely solo elk trip, and I'm going hard to kill an elk. I didn't enjoy the tag soup and the humble pie for dessert wasn't great either.