What's your cold weather backpack hunt clothing?

This is when I do most of my backpacking. Late November. Wool is your friend. Especially wool pants, nothing else comes close. Leg gators are also nice. I just use a two man tent with no stove and a good sleeping bag and pad. One constant issue is water bottles/filters/creeks etc. freezing up. Hot chocolate or coffee in the mornings really helps too. Put simple, everything is ten times harder when there is a foot of snow and it's 10 degrees, but it has led to some nice animals for me.

DWR treated down:
Let me highly recommend down treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellant) like Dri-Down or DownTech. I have an Eddie Bauer DWR down vest and an LL Bean DWR treated -20 F goose down sleeping bag. They both seem to retain loft well when damp. My older Eddie Bauer down jacket looses a bit of loft after I get steamed up on a climb. Bot the EB jacket and vest use high quality 800 fill goose down.

According to independent lab tests most DWR treated down absorbs 35% less moisture than untreated down and dries 65% faster.

@ huntax, Wool is OK for an insulating layer but wind goes right through it, even heavy weight wool. And wool, despite feeling dry, holds a lot of moisture compared to polyester, making your garments heavier and colder. So yeah, wear wool if you like but for light weight and moisture transport a waterproof breathable (WB) shell of Gore-Tex or eVent over polyester base layer and a good synthetic like Climashield or a DWR treated down puffy is the best way if your are backpacking and must keep weight low.

Eric B.

What type of sleeping bag and tent are you using? Looking at tents now.

Thanks all for the info.

huntaxhunta said:

This is when I do most of my backpacking. Late November. Wool is your friend. Especially wool pants, nothing else comes close. Leg gators are also nice. I just use a two man tent with no stove and a good sleeping bag and pad. One constant issue is water bottles/filters/creeks etc. freezing up. Hot chocolate or coffee in the mornings really helps too. Put simple, everything is ten times harder when there is a foot of snow and it's 10 degrees, but it has led to some nice animals for me.

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The best thing about wool is it retains its insulating properties even when wet, down does not. Merino base layers are great and dry quickly. I always carry a down jacket and rain jacket. Those two items can get you through a lot of weather. Having a good insulating layer and a good hardshell outer are essential.

For bags I like to carry the extra weight of a synthetic bag. Down bags are lighter, but like I said don't insulate well when wet. Newer treated down is great, but will also be more expensive. As far as shelters, on backpacking trips floorless shelters are great. They save weight and you have the option of adding in a titanium wood stove which is great for drying out gear and warming up during colder weather. This year was the first time I used one with a stove and it was a game changer. Having the ability to really get warm in your shelter at night and thoroughly dry clothing was awesome.

My backpack has a down puffy and an uninsulated waterproof jacket with a hood in it and it never comes out. I don't care what time year it is, it stays right there. I then layer with different weights of merino wool. They are light, not very bulky and provide fairly good warmth. Then add or remove as temp and hiking conditions demand. If weather is cold enough (for me that is down around the 10 degree mark) I will wear a wool coat. To me a lot of it depends on the type of hunting you are going to do. Be on the move, sitting on a point, stopping often to sit and glass, etc.
For a tent I agree with Rifleman a good floor less shelter, tipi with the titanium wood stove can be the difference between really enjoying your trip and just plain being down right out miserable. I use a down sleeping bag. I am sure there are better. But it's light and packs down well and so far has served me well. One thing that I find helps me is a good sleeping matt that protects you from the ground not only hardness but the cold.
The unfortunate part of all these suggestions is that they are expensive and some you will like and some you probably won't. But I guess that's part of the learning process. Good luck and enjoy yourself.

I have some serious cold weather and if it is real cold I use my SnugPak Antarctica 2c sleeping bag which is the same as their Antarctia RE which is rated down to a maximum of -50*c but I know of someone who used it down to -60*f,

All my cold weather gear is rated lower than -40*f.

John.

Mildot1960, are you a Brit?
Snugpak items are British made. Heavyand bulky but warm and being synthetic fill they dry fast.

My warmest bag is an LL Bean -20 F. Dry-Down treated goose down bag. Hey, I'm a geezer and don't want to carry more weight than necessary.
I'm fairly sure I could push that bag to -40 F. with my polar weight polyester long johns, balaclava and puffy pants, jacket and booties.

@dogman, I use a Tarptent Moment DW solo tent (ripstop inner) for 4 season camping. It's very wind-worthy and can resist a heavy, wet snow load with its crossing pole which I altered to fit under the fly. (See the photo at Backpacking Light, "Gear" forum, Tarptent Thread. It's the first post in that thread.) This 1 person tent is just amazing for the weight. Two doors and vestibules.

Eric B.

Litehiker said:

Mildot1960, are you a Brit?
Snugpak items are British made. Heavyand bulky but warm and being synthetic fill they dry fast.

My warmest bag is an LL Bean -20 F. Dry-Down treated goose down bag. Hey, I'm a geezer and don't want to carry more weight than necessary.
I'm fairly sure I could push that bag to -40 F. with my polar weight polyester long johns, balaclava and puffy pants, jacket and booties.

Eric B.

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No I am an Aussie, I have never really worried about the weight of my kit, My coat has been tested down to -70 and below and my Boots are rated down to -148* and my Mitts are rated at -40*, Which might seem excessive but many years ago I nearly lost digits I decided that was never going to happen again, There is nothing winter can throw at me where I will feel the cold.