Dave_V
Elite Refuge Member
Up here in interior Alaska it is cold...way below freezing. Ten tips for keeping warm:
1) I always have a thermos of hot water or hot coffee.
2) Most body heat escapes thru the head so I like a hood and mad bomber hat.
3) To avoid sweating, I strip down to a t-shirt if I have to walk more than 100 yards...even when its below freezing, then I layer up once I am in the blind. If its in the 40s I often walk in with no t-shirt, just bare skin above the waders to prevent sweat.
4) Also I always carry an extra t-shirt just in case I do sweat and switch to a dry t-shirt as soon as I settle down in the blind.
5) I camp out for 2-weeks so wear neoprene hip boots inside my size 15 breathable waders. That way my feet are dry for 2 weeks since I turn the stocking foot hip boots inside out to dry completely at camp.
6) When its super cold, my waders freeze at camp overnight so I put 2 chemical hand warmers in the bottom of the wader boots first thing in the morning and sleep with my stocking foot neoprene waders so they are near body temperature when I put them on then the waders.
7) Most of my cold weather layers are from Walmart...fast wicking polyester t-shirt, polarfleece shirt, polar fleece hoodie, swiss gear puffy, all under a windproof/waterproof shell with a hood. I do stay warm on a budget...
8) The second I start to feel that I am getting cold, I get up and move...go out and move a decoy for example, then drink some hot water from a thermos.
9) If the birds are working consistently from one direction and its super cold I wear XXXL mittens with chemical hand warmers that I can slip off when the birds are approaching. I sewed my super large mittens from an old pair of breathable waders...they are waterproof, and windproof.
10) I keep a reliable chainsaw and fire starter in the boat, just in case need to build a warming fire if someone trips and falls in the ice cold water.
1) I always have a thermos of hot water or hot coffee.
2) Most body heat escapes thru the head so I like a hood and mad bomber hat.
3) To avoid sweating, I strip down to a t-shirt if I have to walk more than 100 yards...even when its below freezing, then I layer up once I am in the blind. If its in the 40s I often walk in with no t-shirt, just bare skin above the waders to prevent sweat.
4) Also I always carry an extra t-shirt just in case I do sweat and switch to a dry t-shirt as soon as I settle down in the blind.
5) I camp out for 2-weeks so wear neoprene hip boots inside my size 15 breathable waders. That way my feet are dry for 2 weeks since I turn the stocking foot hip boots inside out to dry completely at camp.
6) When its super cold, my waders freeze at camp overnight so I put 2 chemical hand warmers in the bottom of the wader boots first thing in the morning and sleep with my stocking foot neoprene waders so they are near body temperature when I put them on then the waders.
7) Most of my cold weather layers are from Walmart...fast wicking polyester t-shirt, polarfleece shirt, polar fleece hoodie, swiss gear puffy, all under a windproof/waterproof shell with a hood. I do stay warm on a budget...
8) The second I start to feel that I am getting cold, I get up and move...go out and move a decoy for example, then drink some hot water from a thermos.
9) If the birds are working consistently from one direction and its super cold I wear XXXL mittens with chemical hand warmers that I can slip off when the birds are approaching. I sewed my super large mittens from an old pair of breathable waders...they are waterproof, and windproof.
10) I keep a reliable chainsaw and fire starter in the boat, just in case need to build a warming fire if someone trips and falls in the ice cold water.
