Base layer for Stand Hunts

[Jerry D]

Well I'm always looking to improve my gear - clothing wise to be more comfortable. I'm looking for a good base layer. What do you guys wear?

I'm looking at some merino wool layers over the new synthetic styles of clothing but I'm open to any that work well. Anyone use Icebreaker or Smart wool?

[squamishmiles]

Love my Icebreaker gear, but any merino wool works well. I think MEC has it's own line and it's somewhat cheaper. will never where synthetic base layer again, wore it for years living in whistler and found it always stank even after a wash and using it on the hill all day, wool no stink even after a week hunting

[martyonthewater]

I use under-armour, throw my old itchy stanfields on over that then whatever else I intend to wear over that. When I'm all geared up I usually need to take a crap

[dawn2dusk]

I like the stanfield merino wool long underwear (merino is not itchy). I bought an extra set just last week usually run around $60 for up and down. I basically live in them up to a week at a time in the bush.

[huntcoop]

....When I'm all geared up I usually need to take a crap

Why is that? I'll get geared up take 20 steps and BOOM, shatner calls. Brutal.

[mountainman]

Why is that? I'll get geared up take 20 steps and BOOM, shatner calls. Brutal.
It's called Murphys Law!! Sh!t happens :-D

[Brett]

I bought Helly Hansen 1 piece from Mark's and some socks. Works REAL well and wicks away sweat like a hot damn. The t shirts I had over it were soaked after a hike and my undies were still dry. The lady at the store said all the guys who work outside all day buy the helly's and I know why. my $.02

[landphil]

When I'm all geared up I usually need to take a crap

That's why the old stanfields with the flap work great:tongue:

[huntcoop]

That's why the old stanfields with the flap work great:tongue:

It's all the other crap ya have to remove like rifle, pack, binos, jacket, suspenders etc..... and watch those hanging suspenders.........

[MichaelB]

I have the Base Slayers from scent-lok. They are a little thicker and seem to keep me nice and warm and still wick away sweat. However if I am stand hunting I don't seem to sweat very much. They also provide me with scent free hunting (lets not debate whether activated carbon clothing actually works or not), so I don't have to worry about the wind!:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[KevinB]

If you're just stand hunting and don't work up a sweat getting to the stand, it probably doesn't matter too much what your base layers are, as long as they're warm.

I like both synthetics(most brands I've tried perform similarly) and wool, they each have their place and I think which one feels best to you will come down to how quickly you tend to heat up and cool down and how much you sweat when you do heat up.

I tend to heat up and cool down quickly, sweat a lot when I'm warm, and have trouble keeping warm if I'm not moving. I find that wool tends to retain more moisture for a lot longer (even though you won't feel it) and since it takes longer to dry out, I get chilled by the evaporative cooling that continues even after I've cooled off. Synthetics, on th other hand, I find they dry quite quickly, as quickly as I cool off, and I don't get the evaporative cooling. So, I find synthetics will keep me a bit warmer, overall. But I think it's a personal thing and you'll have to try both.

Also, anything that provides warmth with less bulk so you don't end up like an overstuffed immovable pillsbury doughboy is good. For me that comes more down to having something wind resistant on top which lets me get away with fewer layers. I picked up some old MEC schoeller dryskin softshell pants from a used clothing store this fall, and they are way warmer than my traditional fleece pants, for the bulk, because they cut the wind much, much better and they still seem to breathe just as well. They're a bit stretchy too so they don't bind up like other pants. I'm currently looking for a softshell jacket to go with them.

sorry that was a bit off tangent!

[jml11]

will never where synthetic base layer again, wore it for years living in whistler and found it always stank even after a wash

Glad the hear this is a common problem with synthetics...guess I should stop blaming the wife for not washing them properly :tongue:

[SAVAGE300]

I use under-armour, throw my old itchy stanfields on over that then whatever else I intend to wear over that. When I'm all geared up I usually need to take a crap

Well there goes the morning hunt!!-------------but so true

[SAVAGE300]

And if you have to crap (like right now). How do you do that in treestand?

[huntwriter]

Most of my under layer garments are army surplus wool and silk. My thinking is that my taxes have paid to develop the best clothing for the army and that suits me fine. Never saw the need to purchased specialized, read expensive, undergarments. I own several set of various weights and adjust as the weather demands. I have sat in treestands for up to six hours in temperatures below 20 and was quite comfortable.

It does not matter so much what we wear as it does how we layer. Two heavy insulated layers will keep you less warm then several thin layers.

[jayrod]

http://www.justincharles.com/ Best you can buy!!! I have all layers including the gloves and the toque. I recommend it to everyone.

[MikeH]

Polypropylene underwear is what I use two piece top and bottom.

[LYKTOHUNT]

I use under-armour, throw my old itchy stanfields on over that then whatever else I intend to wear over that. When I'm all geared up I usually need to take a crap
I hate when that happens ,usually about two steps into the bush. A word of warning watch where your suspenders fall when you drop your gear, had a shitty smelling guy follow me around all day , could not get rid of him.:-D

[twoSevenO]

what the hell do u need a base layer for a tree stand? Unless your treestand has a built-in treadmill, you need one of these instead:

http://www.allworldwars.com/image/039/SmallUnitsRussia07.jpg

[Lucky77_]

icebreaker is awsome,the price sucks

[huntwriter]

what the hell do u need a base layer for a tree stand? Unless your treestand has a built-in treadmill, you need one of these instead:

http://www.allworldwars.com/image/039/SmallUnitsRussia07.jpg
Yep had one of those when I served as a sniper in the Swiss Army. These lamb fur coats sure were cozy when we sat all night perched in a tree or on a rooftop by subzero temperatures protecting government officials and VIP's on state events.