Hunting Washington Forum
Equipment & Gear => Power Equipment & RV => Topic started by: Huntbear on August 05, 2009, 05:49:02 PM
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I am one of those guys that just needs to think about taking off for a hike, and I break out sweating. I have been that way all my life.
During elk season, it can be 40 degrees out, I am wearing a T-shirt, under a Browning Gore tex jacket, and I look like I just took a shower with my clothes on(and I am just walking in, before daylight). Is there anything out there that breathes better? Lets more air into your body?
I normally take 2 extra shirts in my pack, and change out after hiking in, wring out the shirt I took off, and move on. I am hoping to find something before elk season this year.
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I get the same way in gortex, so unless its not raining, I wear an undershirt and a fleece vest. The fleece seems to breath a little better. I also wear thin merino wool socks because my feet sweat and get wet but the wool keeps them warm on cold days. I also wear a summer Boony cap not matter what the weather in order to keep my head from getting to wet. If its raining, my head will get wet anyway. I also bring a light stocking hat to keep my head warm when I stop to glass or stop to eat etc.. If anyone has some better idea's I would like to hear them myself.
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Huntbear, I have gotten to the point that a Nike dryfit t-shirt and REI's light windproof fleece is all I use while hunting/packing. And extra shirt to change into upon arrival to my hunting area. I take a good packable lite rainproof coat just in case.
I have not found anything Goretex that really comes close to breathable yet.
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I'll tell ya what.... over the years I've used about every breathable waterproof out there and I've never found any that breath enough to allow you to exert yourself without getting soaked w/ sweat. I've also never found a breathable that last very long with exception of my H/H fishing coat. It's the only product I've ever had that remained waterproof more than a year or 2.
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Year before last I was hunting the late season in knee deep snow and going up a super steep hillside. It was about 25 degrees but I was only wearing a long-sleeve UnderArmor HeatGear shirt, cotton pants with gaitors and long underwear bottoms. I got to the top and there were 2 guys wearing full wool clothing and sitting around a fire. I thought they were crazy and they thought that I was crazy (I'd watched them unsuccessfully stalk a cow about an hour earlier from about a quarter mile away - they didn't know I was there.)
Anyway, unless it's super cold, I just wear a UA shirt with a Sitka Celsius vest and have breathable raingear if the weather gets bad. If it's really cold or I'm going to stop and glass for awhile I'll throw a fleece shirt and stocking hat/neck gaitor (sometimes I'll wear those in the morning until I get warmed up.) I'm looking to change my pants setup when there is snow on the ground, though. Maybe some Gore-tex pants and just tie them around my boots. My gaitors caused my lower legs to get soaked with sweat - I might as well not have been wearing them.
Also, uninsulated or only insulated with Thinsulate 200 boots. I use the Meindl's from Cabelas for bad weather and late season. I have a pair of Danners with 400 Thinsulate if I'm not going to be moving around much or it's SUPER cold.
In my opinion, people wear too much clothing - I'm a pretty thin guy and don't have a lot of blubber to insulate me, either.
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I think the Mountaineering layering system has found the hunting world! The light weight layering system really works, I am warm blooded and know I will sweat pretty quickly. So I start out chilly, and have additional cloths in my pack, a Sitka vest, Traverse zip shirt and if its gonna be cold the 90% jacket. I carry gloves and a hat then wear them as needed. The Sitka shirts have that Silver stuff which reduces odor and it wicks moisture from your skin so you stay dry. Its pricy but very comfortable, I have used King of the Mt wool, and most of the rest, ASAT, Predator, but its cotton which works sometimes. Try the lightweight layering stuff for yourself and see if it works. Good luck, and for gods sake stay "downwind"!!
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I'm the same way, I sweat like a pig. The best thing I did was to finally abandon cotton on my upper body and base layer. I switched to synthetic underwear and wool/synthetic long johns. I still wear cotton BDU pants if it's not raining though. Wool and synthetics seem to breath much better and dry out faster, I stay a lot more comfortable. I also wear layers and stop frequently to put on on or take one off. Some guys don't want to stop, but 1 minute to stop keeps me a lot drier, and that makes a big difference in comfort and safety.
