Secret to Keeping Warm
 

What is your secret to getting to your stand and climbing up into it and then sitting their for hours without getting overly hot walking and climbing or freezing in the stand.

The only thing I can think is there must be electric vests and socks or maybe using a bunch of handwarmer packets with light clothing.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I don't hunt from a stand, so I do not experience the precise conditions you cite. By the same token, there is nothing exceptional in your specific situation.

The fact is, if you walk any distance and exert any physical effort climbing into your stand, your body is going to heat up and when you sit still for hours your body is going to cool down. Clothing with a wide comfort range is probably a good idea. Wool has a pretty wide comfort range. Additionally, using clothing layers and walking in with the outer layer removed might be a good idea. Finally, on an elevated stand it may be the case that you will be exposed to winds and will need to wear special clothing that sheds wind well. I don't know what will work in your case, but when I backpack in the Colorado rockies -- above treeline and near passes there can be a lot of wind -- I use light wind shell parkas that have the purpose of shedding wind, so my body warmth is not robbed. These garments, however, are not camoflage. Maybe there are similar camoflage wind shells, but I'm not familiar with them. For your feet and/or legs, I have heard some people suggest pulling a sleeping bag up to your torso.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I like to wear little on the top when walking to my stand, I personally seem to get hotter and perspire in the upper torso when I have alot of clothes on. So if its cold, I will not put on my fleece jacket or heavy weight jacket (depending on how cold it is), I will tie them to my pack and haul them up with my pack once Im in my stand. I have found this to be effective for me. As for staying warm on stand, I dress in layers and will put a body warmer on each leg and one on my chest, then put a hand warmer in my hand muff that is around my waist for my hands. I will alos wear two masks if its really cold, my bowhunting mask which is just a half face mask and I put it around my neck to help keep warmth in and then my full hood mask and then a fleece hat to help keep my head warm. If its really cold and Im wearing my heavy jacket, i will tuck a small towel around my neck thats rolled up and what helps too. Always remember, keep your feet, hands, and head warm, and you will stay on stand longer. Sounds like alot but it really isnt. If you have a good size pack you can carry the extra things with you to your stand with no problem.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I agree. If you sweat you will freeze. I would rather even be a little chilly walking as long as I can layer up when I get where I'm going. It's harder in a climbing stand because climbing is even harder than walking. I have some insulated coveralls. I wear a belt overthem for holding my canteen and flashlight. I take the top off and let it hang behind me when walking or climbing. My legs and feet stay warm. Depending on how cold it is, I may have only a t-shirt on my upper body with gloves on my hands and my ears covered.

I used to run half marathons. One of my favorite races was in April. In order to run a half marathon in April you need to start seriously training in December or January. I liked to run before breakfast. On weekdays I would get up at 4 AM to run 5 miles or more. My rule of thumb was I wouldn't run if it was less than 20 F outside. That was because of what it did to my lungs. If there was no wind I could run at 20 F in some light sweat pants and a long-sleeved t-shirt as long as my hands and ears didn't get cold. I would wear some cotton work gloves and a headband that covered my ears (also bandaids on my nipples to prevent them from being rubbed raw). The trick to comfortable physical exertion in cold weather is to keep your torso cool and your extremities warm.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

Shockey pushes the Heater Body Suit thingy that looks like it would be warm.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I use the layered apprioach and when it gets to be dep winter i do use a few handwarmers and double up on the socks . I use two pair one to keep moisture away from my feet and one layer to insulate

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I usually walk between 3/4-1.5 miles in the morning before dark. To keep from sweating I pack fairly light, I wear 1 very thin wicking baselayer top and bottom. If I start to sweat I realize I'm walking to fast, I slow down a little or even break for 2 to 3 minutes. When I get to my tree I attach my climber to tree or hang on if I'm using it. Then I take about 5 minutes to "cool down" and dress with all my layers except my outer layer. Once I'm in my tree and its been 30 minutes or so, I pull over my outer layer, place 2 toe warmers in my boots, and put on my warm hat. Reverse it when I pack it out.

The only time I wear more than the thin baselayer is when it gets very cold, then I wear the next thinnest thing I got. Sure, its cold wearing a metal stand on your back when the shirt has holes in it and its 30 degrees, but I do not freeze because I sweated.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

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I would push it to if I got a check from them;). I actually use some of those shake handwarmers and then I'll use those back wraps and neck wraps that stick to the body. I think they are Icy Hot, not sure though. For relief of back pain but they surely keep me warm.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

I'm getting it. I think I'm going to try to get my wife to make a special vest which holds lots of handwarmers to keep my core warm. I find that when my core is warm, my hands and feat stay warm.

Anybody stick a hand warmer in the top of their hat? Does it get too warm? Also, I think I will try to start walking in cold on top to keep me dryer.

RE: Secret to Keeping Warm
 

Just posted this in "Deer hunting"

I have battled cold feet for 15 years of deer hunting.
I had rubber boots with 3 layers of socks,
I had "OK" insulated hunting boots,
I had batt socks,
I had "hot hands" pocket socks.

Nothing really worked when sitting in a stand on a 20 deg morning,
Till I picked up a $10 kids camo sleeping bag at D!(k's.
Now I wear any $59 hunting boot, and once I am in my stand I step into the sleeping bag, drop 2 hot hands in, and sit down.
The sleeping bag comes up to My arm pits, so I can put my hands in if needed.

Now I do not get into my cover-alls till after the climber is on the tree and I am cooled off from the walk in,
This is like a "Poor mans heater body suit" and it REALLY works, and cost $10, not $300

Slack