I was sitting in one of my tree stands yesterday and I remembered some posts from last year where people had trouble staying warm while hunting. Thought I'd share some things I've found in the 55 years I've been deer hunting that allow me to stay comfortable in below zero temps, no matter what the wind chill factor. Your hands, feet, and head are the fastest ways to lose heat and get uncomfortably cold if not taken care of. Ideally you'll have several pairs of boots, from ankle high hikers to heavily insulated boots and a pair that's in between those two options. I want 1600 -2000 Thinsulate for my heaviest boots, and I wear wool socks. If it's below freezing I'll add toe warmers that most big box or sporting goods stores have, or you can get them online. They have adhesive on one side and you reach in your boots to get them to the very front of the footbed. They help a lot. Same goes for hand warmers. Put them on the backs of your hands inside your insulated gloves. Pull them out at the end of the day. If it's really cold use a hand muff. You can pull your hands out in a second when it's time to shoot. Plenty of different hats will keep your head warm, just make sure they'll cover your ears. You'll be giving up some hearing ability but at least your ears aren't getting frostbite and you're still out there hunting. Thinsulate garments will keep you warm if you've put enough layers under them for the temps you'll be in. To stay warm it's critical not to heat up to the point you're sweating. When it gets well below freezing lash a goose down jacket and a warm vest to your backpack and put it on when you cool down from walking to your stand. I'm heading out now to get in my stand, good luck!

Man that's a great write-up you sound like a really hard core Hunter.

It's different for everybody..
400g thinsulate boots perfect for me..

But I don't sit my stand all day.. there maybe 3 hours the rest of the day I move around. I have 5 stands within a mile of each other.

This is grossly inaccurate.
In an attempt to maintain your core's temperature, the body restricts the capillaries in your hands and feet. Hence, this is why those 2 areas get cold sooner. Not because heat is being lost.
Also, the head loosing the most heat is a huge myth. It makes up such a small percentage of your body's total surface area that it would be impossible to lose an exaggerated amount. There've been several test trials, complete w/ thermal imaging, of exactly what's leaving the top of your head.

Bottom line: Good layering, staying dry, and keeping your core warm are paramount.

Use plastic bags in your boots to keep the insulation dry. The bags newspapers come in work well. I wear a regular cotton sock with a bag over that with a heavy wool sock over that with Iceman pac boots. Make sure you wash your feet good after hunting.

Tip I got from F+S/OL/SA many years ago.

I learned something new today. I manage to stay warm and comfortable no matter how cold it gets so I whatever I'm doing is working.

I am freezing my ass off right now. I left my gloves in the truck

Still advocating the use of cotton socks in 2020?? Thats new.

Similar to what I do. I wear cotton socks as a liner sock under a set of heavy wool socks, stuffed in a set of muck boots. It keeps them comfortable, warm, dry, and wind guarded, perfect for stand setting.

Keeping your core warm is important to maintain warm blood flow to the extremities/digits.
I like these, 8 to12 hours of more than you expect heat, Velcro band is wide keeping it in close contact with your body if you get out of the stand or are stalking.

They come in sealed packages, most Walmart or pharmacy stock them,I keep 2 in the truck.

Sure, why not? What would be better?

A pair of boot blankets can be life changing. Just throw them on once you get to your stand. Avoids getting sweated up during the walk in with too many layers.

Any one of the million things other than cotton, that socks are now made out now?  

Cotton socks and plastic bags?  I feel like I am in elementary school again and wearing moon boots.... I am picturing the kids in the Christmas Story walking to school.

It is basically the same concept as the mickey mouse boots currently in use by the military. Keep the insulation dry by putting a layer of rubber between the dry insulation and the sweating foot to keep the insulation dry.

My feet are hot and sweat profusely. I've tried some of the space age fabrics. They are too thin and designed to wick and/or not hold moisture. What happens is all the moisture pools in the bottom of the boot. Then you basically slosh around in a pool of water in the bottom of the boots. Cotton on the other hand holds the moisture fairly uniformly and distributes it fairly evenly around the whole foot and up the calf.

I searched high and low for solutions - electric socks, neoprene liners from a scuba store, pac boots, etc. Then I found the simple solution of plastic bags.

Chastise me all you want but don't knock it until you've tried it.

I have "tried it". Cotton is easily the worst fabric around.  But you do what works for you I guess?  

From your first post: "Tip I got from F+S/OL/SA many years ago."

Those same "many years ago" was the last time anyone I know advocated ever wearing anything made of cotton, let alone on your feet.  If you like cotton and bread bags, good for you.  I will stick to what I do.

Ok. Since this is a thread to help others, and maybe I missed it, but what is it that you do?

Ive tried everything.  First lite merino wool, toe warmers, expensive boots, over boots, everything.  Ive come to the conclusion that after 3-4hrs in really cold temps, say 25 and below with a wind chill, i just have to move.  

We get temps close to zero during late season, i just hunt a few hours and either be done or move around.  

Ive dealt with it all my life.  Even last weekend when it was high 30's, but the wind was blowing 10-15 in my tree stand, i was froze after 3hrs.

When it gets crazy cold, I get out of the tree stand and into a ground blind with a buddy heater.  No sense torturing yourself.

I used to do the bread bag thing for warm and dry feet.  Then gore tex was invented.

I wear merino wool socks, 1 pair, then gore tex and thinsulate boots.  Usually 400-1000 gram depending upon walking or sitting.  Did this 2 weeks ago in Colorado when it was -12 all day.  wore my 400 gram boots as I did a lot of walking.


Gloves,  haven't worn them since about 1975.   I cannot stand to wear gloves.  Hunted in every weather condition possible without them.  I throw about 4-6 of the hot hands in my hand warmer muff or just my pockets to keep hands warmed up.  Only time this is an issue is in 33 degree rain, once wet nothing helps.

In my stand if I get cold I stand up and do deep knee bends for about 5 minutes, that warms things right back up.  Just be careful not to fall out.

I do like a thinsulate hat.  Just seems to keep a warm feeling all over the body.

Wear good wicking layers on your entire body as a base. Most will say Merino which I agree with, but I am also a huge Kuiu Peleton fan.  Do everything in your power to not get sweated up on the walk/climb in, or change into dry clothing (of a non-cotton variety) if you get wet? Use a hand muff.  Utilize "hothands" warmers all over if necessary.  Hell, I have taken the heaters out of an MRE and put them on my head/back to keep warm.

I haven't worn insulated boots in at least a decade, but have no problems keeping my feet warm with good WOOOOOOOL socks and liners.   I have posted before about boot "blankets".  If I am stand hunting for extended periods of time I will take my boots off and put my feet inside the boot blankets with, or without "hothands" warmers.  

Here is a tip I will give you for free................ BLOCK THE WIND.  Stay dry and wind-free, and it not that hard to stay warm, even when sitting still for hours on end.

Ever heard the very simple saying "cotton kills"??????

I have several wool military surplus blankets.   I wrapped them around my kids I ce they get into a stand.   Seemed to really help keep them warm.

55 years! Man, that’s incredible. Do you have any idea how many deer you’ve killed in that time? Has your hunting style changed a lot from the 60s and 70s?

Shocking as it is, I used a single layer of cotton socks for nearly all hiking while growing up, and .mil duty.  Now granted, this was in the mountains and about 20 was the lowest it got.

I have maybe 5 pairs of wool socks.  NEVER do the two sock thing.  Even here in WI.

Cotton doesn't kill. It just complicates things a little. Everyone wearing regular ole Carhartts or surplus BDUs is in cotton.

I had one of my hunting mentors tell me one time:
"Don't leave the cabin dressed for the sit. Leave the cabin dressed for the hike"

Sage advice that I have heeded for many years.

I typically have all of my outer gear lashed to or in my pack. I set out from the cabin in a set of light sweatpants, a base layer top and light gloves (no jacket, no insulated bibs). Depending on the hike in I may sit for a bit to cool down before I get to my stand to ensure that I have stopped sweating. After that I change into a new base layer top and pair of pants followed by the rest of my cold weather gear. The sweated stuff goes in a ziplock freezer bag and gets put in my pack. The name of the game is staying dry....bone dry. Any moisture at all in your layers will cause you to get cold.

Boot blankets work awesome. They allow me to wear a lighter set of boots for the hike in and not have my feet sweat due to too much insulation.
I have a muff that comes with me on just about any hunt. I pop a couple of hand warmers in and it keeps my hands plenty warm even in lighter gloves.
I still get cold on occasion however I tend to sit in my stand for 5-6 hours at a pop.

I'm used to layering and I do a lot of still hunting so the cold didn't used to bother me. Now I am on stands more and as I get older I get cold more.

Any recommendations for a warm, waterproof coat? I'm used to wearing my goretex over a puffy jacket, but that is kind of awkward to wear all day.

As far as socks I like silk liners inside wool. Warm, dry and no blisters if I walk all day.

Also, Raynaud's syndrome sucks for hunting and fishing. I have been suffering with it the last few years and it can ruin the whole season.

You might consider one of the battery powered heated vests. Keeping your core warm will help with the cold extremities associated with Raynauds.

One thing I figured out over the years is no glove will keep your hands warm, the muff things work the best. I have a nice thick one I throw one or two of those shake up warmers in and my hands are good all day. If you don't have one spend the 15-30 bucks and try it out. I wear a really thin pair of under armour gloves that help retain heat while walking/when I need to take my hands out.

Another thing is a hoodie as one of your layers to keep the cold air off the back of your neck goes a long way. Also bibs somewhere in your layering helps keep cold air off the small of your back. I’ve tried the toe warmers in the boot and it seems like they die out quick, lack of oxygen maybe?

I usually sit in a stand or will go sit in a ground blind that I made with fallen branches and logs. I can usually sit for 4-6 hours and usually its my feet that get cold first. I have tried the large Sorel winter boots but those are just to bulky. The heat packs work well but have been hit or miss while using them.  This year the wife got me some Ororo heated socks and vest for my birthday. The Vest is similar to the Milwaukee Tool heated Jackets but the Ororo stuff had better reviews. Man oh man was it nice sitting in the tree stand this year. When I felt chill I just clicked on the vest and heated up. The socks were the best though. On a single charge I was able to sit all day with warm feet and only turning the vest on when I needed it.

I try to be a minimal list when it comes to gadgets for hunting but the heated socks and vest will be part of my gear for Wisconsin gun season.

Insulated pants or bibs are critical to keeping your legs warm.