I always get cold on stand no matter what partly because I have bad circulation..runs in the family! What do you do to stay warm on those sub 30 degree days without wearing excessively bulky cloths? Obviously layering is a big one and using hand warmers...any other suggestions?
There's two proven techinques for your situation. These: ...and these: Personally I'd prefer she keep her hands warm.
Adam, I also have bad circulation so I understand your pain. I have found that wearing fleece material seems to help the most. Also remember, most heat escapes through your head so wear a good fleece skullie when you hunt. Hope this helps.
Your core should be able to keep up if you have enough layered. Feet and hands get you. If you keep them warm you should be able to tough it out a little longer. It also doesn't hurt to eat a decent meal before you go hunt. That way your body is creating more heat digesting the food. Don't forget about staying dry either. Getting to the stand and not being a ball of sweat never hurts. Good luck
Actually, the blood rushes to your stomach to help digest, so eating a good meal is NOT recommended. Light snacks, water, and keep your hands and feet warm with hand warmers and 9v powered socks. Stay hydrated!
I also have poor circulation. I found that working outside here in WI for 12 years may have toughened me up a bit. So I say spend as much time outside as you can to try to get used to the cold.
Look up the thermal effect of food stupid_rope. Your body generates more heat while it is breaking down calories from the food you eat, more so with high protein foods. So, it may not hurt to take a high protein snack with you into the woods to squeak out more time on the stand. You still need to take extra care keeping your head, hands, and feet covered and warm no matter what you do.
My friend hunts a platform with one of http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=14710768&findingMethod=rr these under his seat in the cold stuff. Hasn't kept him from taking deer every year. Jim
I hunt in some really cold temp here. BASE LAYERS. Start with a light base layer. By looking at it you wouldn't think that it would work but it does. Rocky thermal underwear. Then get a thinker base. Finally your shell layer. I use Field and Stream No Scent and it is made out of a fleece material. Those 3 base layers are the key. There not thick and bulky but the do way better than wearing the crappy old school white underwear and sweats. For the super cold days ill bring a pair of bibs to put on when I get to the stand. I keep most of my cloths in my backpack and put them on when I get to the stand. The biggest killer is sweating in your clothes.
I wear mostly UA gear and layer up as well...I'm going to try my luck with those thermacare heat wraps and eat a larger breakfast it that doesn't work it might be time to invest in a heater body suit or warm bag as some have said! Thanks for the info and tips everyone!
The human body loses its heat from its extremities. Heavily protect these areas, and you'll roast all day. For my hands, I use a heavy-duty hand muff for sub-20 days. Icebreaker makes a great one. It's too bulky for everyday use, so I only break mine out in the extreme cold. I have a lighter muff that I use for everyday hunting. Load it with 4 chemical handwarmers before you even get out of the car. It'll be roasting by the time you climb. For my head, I wear a heavy watch cap, along with a balaclava. Don't ignore your neck. Cover it. For my feet, I wear a single pair of wicking socks and plain jane alphaburly boots. Walk in with your pants tucked into the boots, then pull them over the boot tops once you're in the stand. My key to success is the IceBreaker boot blankets. Yeah, they look ridiculous, but I'd swear on a stack of bibles that they are the single greatest product on the market for foot warmth. Toss a chemical warmer in each toe, one in each heel, and zip those puppies on over your boots. Your feet will cook all day long. After 4-6 hours, you'll need to swap out your handwarmers. Sure, you'll burn through some handwarmers doing this, but you'll never be run out of your stand by the cold. The way I figure, you only get so many days to hunt, and you spend god knows how much money on gas to get there. Why ruin it because you're too cheap to spend $3 on a handful of handwarmers? Using this method alone, I could hunt in just about any weather north of zero. One of these days, one person on this site is going to listen to me and buy a pair of those icebreakers boot blankets. They were the single greatest purchase I've ever made on a "gimmicky" looking product. For your core and legs, just layer correctly with moisture-wicking base layers (UA Cold Gear or something similar). Base-Mid-Outer. Not rocket science, and you can stay warm with just about anything you find laying around the house. So many guys get wrapped-up in expensive coats and pants, but that's not where you make your money in terms of staying warm. Focus on the extremities and not getting too sweaty. Carry your jacket in with you. Don't put it on until you're up the tree.
Just take a waif of uncles toms cough syrup and you'll warm up fast. Joke, its not cool to drink in a stand. Buy some Waterfowl clothing. They are designed for very cold weather. They aren't the quietest stuff, but you won't get cold in them.
Milwaukee Tool also make a jacket that has a heater in it. http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=2331 Also comes in camo I believe.
