Clothing for -10 Degree Hunting

[hoshour]

What would you guys buy for hunting MT in -10 degree weather?

I am planning to hunt MT this fall the week before Thanksgiving and was told it can get -10 with a stiff wind. I'm not currently equipped for that other than:

Frist Lite base layer
Expedition weight base layer from Minus 33
Mont Bell Alpine Light down puffy
Patagonia Houdini
Kryptek Cadog jacket
Wool balaclava

I don't have a super cold weather hat. My boots are only 400 gms of Thinsulate and I probably need to do better than that.

 

[ScottR]

Are you going this year?

 

[hoshour]

Lord willing. That's the plan anyway.

 

[ScottR]

Dave, the cadog is pretty thick, if your hunt is going to be active this may be a bit too warm. When does the season run?

Eastmans' Staff- Digital Media Coordinator

 

[hoshour]

Dave, the cadog is pretty thick, if your hunt is going to be active this may be a bit too warm. When does the season run?

Eastmans' Staff- Digital Media Coordinator

Good point. The puffy and the Cadog may be overkill but I think unzipping or removing the jackets will take care of my upper body all right and the puffy is extremely light to carry.

My concern is more for my pants and boots. I need to get a set of outer layer pants for those low temps. I was thinking of getting the Cadog pants for cold weather hunts or maybe Filson Mackinaws even though they weigh more.

Also, if my feet get uncomfortably cold now in my 200gm Danner Pronghorns and heavy Smartwool merino socks after an hour sitting in a stand at 20 degrees they're going to be really cold when it's below zero, so that's my other concern. I probably need more heavily insulated boots.

MT deer season is October 25 - November 30.

 

[ScottR]

Call me on Monday, we can talk through boot choices and expected terrain.

 

[Musket Man]

The times I hunted MT it was not as cold as I was expecting and I found myself overdressing alot. It can get really cold though so be prepared. A good layering system is important so you have options. Depending on the weather your 400 gram boots might be ok but I would want to have some around 800 as well. Good luck on your hunt!

 

[wolftalonID]

Wow...my clothing of choice is sweatpants, fuzzy moccasins, cup of coffee, and a fireplace when its that cold. Shoot my archery season weather is perfect...sunny and 65! Lol

 

[Apparition]

I carry arctic shield boot blankets and wear 500 gram thinsulate boots, they weight less and are alot less bulky compared to say 1000gram, when I stop for any length of time, I slip the boot blankets over my boots. They take up next to no room in my pack and I never get cold feet.

 

[hoshour]

They're on sale at Cabela's - mixed reviews. Common complaint seems to be they don't fit over big boots. I wear a size 12.

I think I might be OK on the boots. Originally, I was thinking about last winter sitting still for a 2-3 hours in a tree stand in December. After an hour, I was constantly moving my toes to try to get them warm. But, when I eventually got down and walked my feet quickly warmed up. I don't expect to be sitting still for that long out West so with a couple pairs of Smartwool socks I think I'll be OK.

 

[ScottR]

Bear in mind that if your boots have goretex you will sweat and the more insulation you have the more it retains water. Water freezes and that is what will get your feet cold. 400 gram is probably plenty IMO.

 

[mcseal2]

I would have to adjust layers to the weather, but one thing I know I'd have in the pack is the HPG mountain serape. If I stopped for any length of time I'd get that sucker around my legs and feet for extra insulation even if I didn't use it on the upper body.

I agree on the boots, if my feet sweat much they get far colder than with less insulation. When I stand hunt in cold weather I leave a piece of old thick neoprene saddle blanket in my stand to insulate my boot soles from the cold ground also, really helps. If I'm walking a moderate distance and taking it slow I sometimes wear 1200gram Cabelas 12pt boots, I can really reduce sweating by not tying them until I reach my blind and my feet cool off, just leaving them loose but not loose enough to fall off on the walk in. My pants over the top keep snow out. Cabelas wooltimate clothes are great for stand hunting too, but I'm not sure I'd want to walk in wearing the upper layers, to hot.