Single Digit Temps Layout Boat Jacket/Layers

[bigbassin]

What are y’all wearing as an outer top layer in a layout boat? Booked a trip next season for last week of December in Maine sea duck hunting, and looking at the temperatures for the same date range a few weeks ago, looks like lows averaging 0, highs averaging upper 20s.

My first thought is I was fine in my First Lite Solitude jacket this past season whitetail hunting down to 15, but I’m figuring that might soak through real quick if there’s waves and the coldest day I hunted this season had no wind.

Layers I’m currently planning to wear are the following:

- Wool Socks

Bottoms

- Firstlite Furnace Long John
- Kuiu Attack Pants
- 3mm Neoprene Waders

Top

- Kuiu 145 Hooded Merino
- Firstlite Furnace Hooded Merino
- Kuiu Peloton 97
- Heated Vest
- Need Jacket/First Lite Solitude???

Head

- Firstlite Tundra Balcalva
- Kuiu Kenai Beanie
- Firstlite Tundra Neck Gaiter

Hands

- Firstlite Aero Wool Glove Liner
- Firstlite Rugged Wool Fleece Glove & Trigger Flip Mitt (while Shooting)
- Firstlite Alpine Glove (riding around/waiting)
- Firstlite Thermic Muff with electric hand warmers

Anything I’m missing for this style of hunting? Too much clothing, not enough clothing, wrong clothing?

 

[Irish Miner]

You're gonna be warm with all that.

I remember wearing my steel toed work boots with two pairs of cotton socks. I'm sure there was a hole in one or two of them too. Cotton long johns under a pair of Levis if I was lucky. It's all I had and could afford. Hands were always froze..

Boy we've came a long way. Sure is a blessing to have such great gear now days.

Have fun on that trip!

 

[ianpadron]

When i was a layout hunting fool I wore a Sitka Hudson Jacket with wool baselayer, berber fleece midlayer, synthetic or down puffy underneath. Waders with puffy pants underneath

 

[birdhunter]

Most of what you have listed will work fine.I used the Sitka blizzard parka or Hudson this year .Both work great.Alot of guides will also reccommend a heated vest for the boat ride itself.Did not bring mine this year and was missing it.lol.

 

[Kurts86]

I use a Sitka Hudson when it’s below freezing in a layout boat. The Sitka boreal or Blizzard would also be good hard shell, insulated use specific options. This is a use case where the waterfowl specific clothing really has no match.

I really like wader pants or bibs in cold conditions. The Sitka gradient bib would be my choice under those conditions.

 

[Jim1187]

I haven't done layout seaduck hunting but off periwinkle and seaweed crusted rock points they didn't seem too concerned over color or camo, but drab and dark colors and will suffice if you're fairly motionless. The guys I hunt them with are commercial fishermen in the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine so the outer layer is typically black or olive green Helly Hansen and/or Grundens, and Atlas gloves. Not as modern and feature Ritch as Sitka or other hunting designed clothes but goretex and similar breathable "waterproof" clothes have all eventually soaked through and waterfowling especially seaducks is when I usually experience that. Just make sure to practice mounting and swinging a shotgun some to dial in your layering system. I know that the technology has improved and I haven't really tried any new waterfowl apparel in about 15 years perhaps it's time to treat myself and try the new stuff.