Pop Up Blinds in Cold Weather?
 

I have a couple of Primos pop up blinds that I use for turkey hunting and fall archery deer hunting. I left one up for our November rifle season as it was in a good spot.

The second weekend of our rifle season we had heavy rain most of the day. It then started to turn to snow. I had seen several deer that afternoon so decided to hunt the pop up in the morning as well. When I got the the blind in the AM, I couldn't get into it because the zipper was frozen! Ended up gong to a ladder stand I had near by.

So my question is this; is there a pop up blind on the market today that doesn't use zippers that can freeze in cold weather?

I was thinking about using a pop up blind during cold weather
 

But I was going to take it from a warm area and carry it into and out of the woods on the same day. Use it to continue to hunt for awhile and get out of the cold winds.

I had the same problem with my Ameristep blinds here in Michigan. I contacted Ameristep in Clio Michigan about putting little flaps over the zippers to prevent the problem. They basically gave me the finger and said they were pop up blinds designed to be transported out in the morning and back in the evening. I took one to a canvas shop with some camo cloth strips and they sewed them in place to keep snow and freezing rain out of the zippers. Since I had it done after the fact at a canvas shop It cost me $35.00 for the cloth and sewing labor. Told Ameristep I would never recommend there blinds to any one for fall winter hunting I am sure they could do the cloth strips over the zipper for less than $10.00 per blind done at the factory.


I don't know of any company that really cares about their customers and put a cover over the zippers.






:D Al

That's ridiculous to tell you to take in down each time you use it. The whole point of putting it out is so animals get use to it and are not spooked.

I see there are a few companies now using buckles like on back packs. I will have to check into those.

If it gets chunked up it is a real problem, but for normal frozen zippers and old military trick, rub the zipper down with a cheap candle.

I've used Kiwi Mink oil/wax shoe prep and I've used silicon car wax. The silicon car wax worked the best, i always have a candle around.

sportsmans guide has a blind that the whole back lifts up to make entry easier I have one like it very much

I use the candle was as well and it works great. My brother picked me up some kind of silicone/carnuba car wax that works pretty nice as well. I have 5 pop ups and LOVE them!!! I wouldn't consider firearms hunting here in Il without them.

I'm a bee keeper I have melted wax and let it soak in the zippers and that didn't help when a wet sloppy snow melted thru the day and froze in the evening be fore I would get out of the blind.
Tried dri slide and a Remington oil that dry's also and none of that stuff would work in those really wet freezing stuff. Had a friend said to buy a 2 quart thermos and fill with hot water to unfreeze the zippers. Why don't I just build some perment stand blinds? OH that's right I did and even made one portable I can move it with the ATV or pull it in place alone for a short distance.


As long as people keep buying those blinds with open zippers they will never fix them. I suppose that 40 of the 48 continuance states never get the weather we do during fire arm deer season.


:D Al

The muddy bale blind would probably solve your problem. It also has a steel structure that can support heavy snow.

iF I kept a zipper out in the freezing cold all night
 

I'd carry a can of heavy duty silicone spray. Use it to water proof winter clothing. I save on the cost of the water proofed clothing.

Alleyyooper, maybe you should check into protecting your idea. Someday a company will put zipper flaps on their blinds and you could get a royalty. Some folks have gotten rich from simple ideas. I have never been there but I bet rich ain't bad.

Perhaps this is over obvious, but in general it's really easy to go 'under' a pop up blind to get in them. If the conditions were perfect to hunt that stand, I wouldn't let a stuck zipper stop me.

Getting into the stand as you mention would be doable if it isn't staked to the ground all the way around and the 4 corners tied down to insure it stays put in a wind like I always do! However, what good does it do to get in the blind by going in under it if all of the window zippers are frozen solid and you can't open them to see out? You sure don't want to leave them open when you leave at night.

I don't believe the author of the thread was saying that all his window zippers were frozen (many models of blinds don't use zippers at all), it was the main zipper to get into the blind.

As for quietly removing a few stakes to be able to get under a corner of it, unless there is an issue of wind blowing very strongly from that direction during the hunt I wouldn't see it as a problem at all and would be my preference if hunting that blind location was going to be ideal for that day vs ending up moving to a completely different stand which may be less productive.

The windows were frozen as well.

Then yeah, that is a big problem and very unfortunate.

Perhaps a shield as one poster has done. Or try some of the other suggestions like wax. I guess this might be one of the reasons why many models don't use zipppers?

I'm thinking about ice fishing, and especially on windows zippers aren't used on most pop-up shanties...

Good luck!

Good winter weather blind
 

I live in Pa and Im looking for a really good blind that withstands winter weather. Im interested in Ameristep dominator blind and needs to be a hub design. Anyone have any feedback?

I would not waste a dime on a Ameristep blind if it still has exposed zippers in the northern climate.

Also if we stake down our blinds in Michigan many times the ground freezes during fire arm season and you can't pull the stakes.

My favorite potabale is this one with PCV frame corse covered zipper for the entrance and roll up windows or tie them closed.

I have had as much as 20 inches of snow on it too.




I normaly don't tie the cover to the fram if set where the wind can hit it as it will shake the PCV joints apart.



:D Al

I wax my zippers.

On hub style popups I will use a monopod such as a triggerstick, placed on my chair to help hold the center hub up in snow.
They will collapse so be aware of that.
I also use a Mr Heater......and can sit in below zero temps rather nicely.

I bought my Double Bull 360s in 2003 and then another in 2004. Both are in fantastic shape.

JW

I will not buy a blind with zip up windows or anything velcro anything any more. I know the thread is about a frozen entrance zipper as mentioned that can be an easy however minor detail. When all your window zippers are froze then you have trouble. The only zippr that should maybe be on a blind is the door the rest cause greif if you need another window and game is close. Double Bull probably makes the best blinds out there but they are more costly but worth the extra dollars in the end.

Pop-up blinds can still work in cold weather with proper precautions. Choosing weather-resistant materials, securing them properly, and ensuring ventilation will improve their usability in winter conditions. If you’ve used a pop-up blind in freezing temperatures, I’d love to hear about your experience! What worked best for you? For more detail study follow through my profile.

A little Buddy propane heater will keep the popup warm.