The Art of Layering

Staying comfortable and warm throughout your hunts

By Jennifer Pudenz

Hunting is unpredictable. But that’s what we love about it. However, how weather can be just as unpredictable is not so fun. Sometimes half the challenge is just being able to stay comfortable and warm out in the field, and as women, this is even more of a challenge for us than men. Ladies, it’s not just you – women ARE naturally colder than men – it’s scientifically proven and there are several reasons why.

WHY AM I ALWAYS COLD?!!!

A study done by the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that while body temperature does vary from person to person, day to day, women’s body temperatures are consistently higher than men’s. While that seems we should be warmer than them, when your body is used to being warm, colder air feels even cooler to your body. And to top this off, hormones also affect your body temperature (and we all know we have hormone issues), so depending on where you are in your cycle, you could be more sensitive to cold temperatures than normal. If you’re using hormonal birth control, you’ll be even more sensitive to the cold.

Many women first say their hands and feet are freezing. And also like many women, I get a fair warning to keep my feet off my husband when I climb into bed (laughs). Yes, another study found women’s hands and feet tend to be three degrees colder than men’s. 

And last but not least, men have a metabolic rate about 23 percent higher than women’s. Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn food to fuel your body, and this process heats up the body. So women’s bodies are also colder than men’s because our metabolisms are slower and not warming our bodies up as much.

So yes, as a typical woman, I am ALWAYS cold, and being an avid bowhunter, the odds can feel stacked against me even more because staying warm, but still flexible enough to pull back a bow, is yet another challenge. Through social media, I often receive questions on how I stay warm. Over the years, I have just had to learn from trial and error what works for me to keep myself in the game. The main thing I have learned during cold hunts is that you must have a complete system. One simple thing forgotten, whether it is a major or minor component to your system, can leave you too cold to function. I hope some of the following ideas will help you stay in the game as well!

Layers/Staying Dry

In my beginning bowhunter years, I saved up for the warmest coat I could find. It was a big deal for me because at the time, I didn’t have much gear or that great of gear. However, once I had my coat, I was soon unhappy with it. I only wore it when I absolutely had to – and even then, I found myself taping it tighter all the way down my bow arm. Being a bowhunter, bulk is your enemy and a slap of the bowstring on the arm of your coat is plenty to either warn a deer enough to react to your arrow or enough to throw off the correct path of your shot. 

Ever since, I have never trusted coats for bowhunting. But how do you stay warm without the bulk? Layering is a pretty common concept nowadays, but it used to not be so known. I naturally started layering just to keep warm enough to not have to wear that bulky coat. I soon realized how well this layering worked for me because it also solved another problem I had, which aside from getting cold easily was that I also get hot or overheated easily. If I walk to my treestand with all my clothing on, I’ll eventually be sweating. When preparing for cold weather hunting, wearing layers and staying dry are two main key points to remember, and these go hand-in-hand.

Under Layers

While women sweat less than men, women actually have more sweat glands. However, I am one of those ‘lucky’ women who sweat more than the rest, so my body is a double whammy against staying warm and staying dry! So I especially think highly of under layers. 

First thing is undergarments should wick away sweat, while at the same time keep the heat close to your body. This layer will help keep you dry so you can stay warm, otherwise you will get colder and colder as soon as your body rests. These need to be snugger-fitting leggings and long-sleeved shirts. This is the only layer that should fit tighter and be touching the skin, the rest should move freely and allow you freedom of movement. 

Have different under layer choices such as light-weight for warmer weather early season, mid- to heavy-weight for typical cool/cold weather regular season and warmest thermals for extreme weather late season.

I typically wear two under layers to stay warm. Right now, my first layer is Under Armour’s Extreme Base Top & Bottom that has thin cooling material in certain areas, such as down the sides/armpits of the top. My second layer is Under Armour’s Treestand Base Top & Bottom – I really love this set, and it is the warmest I’ve personally found so far.

For when I’m able to upgrade my under layer gear next, I would really like to try merino layers. I have read about the great benefits of merino wool, though it’s typically a more expensive material, so I haven’t been able to fully try it out yet. However, this summer, I did happen to try out a 100 percent merino wool active shirt and tank top from Woolx and was amazed how great it handled sweat and odor!

One thing I would like everyone to know is, especially with today’s gear easily being a costly investment, you do not have to spend a lot to start out. I’ve never had a lot of money, and I seriously started out my layers with cheap long johns and sets of normal sweat pants. If you do this, it’s just important that you designate them for ‘hunting’ to keep them scentless, as you would with any expensive hunting clothing.

‘Outer’ Layers

Next, my middle layer is actually one of my outer layers that is lighter in weight, so this layer needs to be camouflaged and able to hunt in as your outer layer, because it will be for warmer, earlier season temps, just not your the last layer during colder weather. 

For me, this layer is Kryptek’s Women’s Dalibor Jacket and Pants. To avoid overheating and sweating while walking to my hunting position, I wear my under layers and these pants, but usually pack the jacket and the rest of my layers in my backpack.

When it comes to material for this layer, stretch is the most important aspect for me. My previous camo had no stretch, so it made layering enough to stay warm very hard. For the last two seasons, I’ve worn the Kryptek Dalibor set and realized how much the stretch it provides helps me out. I can easily fit those two thick thermal leggings underneath my pants and they still fit. The pants also have a great built-in Velcro/elastic belt that I can adjust and still fit in my pants also without all the layers. This flexibility is really important to me. 

And the same goes for the jacket. I can wear my two thermal tops, and when things really get cold, I actually throw in a third layer, which is a hoodie, underneath the jacket and it still fits and I can still move for pulling back my bow.

See My Vest, See My Vest

I have been a huge fan of vests for years. They are truly a bowhunter’s best friend as they give you an extra layer to help keep your core warm, without adding any bulk to your arms or restricting any arm movement.  

Keeping the core of your body warm is important because if it gets cold, you will start shivering and it will be hard to stop it. I wear a vest on every fall hunt – even on warmer days because you still have cooler air early in the morning and late in the evening. Packing a vest takes such little space and makes such a big difference when you start getting a little chilled.

Extra Layers

Another layer I rarely go without is bibs. (Not to confuse this with coveralls, which include sleeves – as a bowhunter, you want to stay away from these as if you ever have to shoot while kneeling or sitting down, these can restrict your arm movement and possibly even make it where you cannot pull back your bow at all.) I’m a huge fan of bibs with adjustable straps over your shoulders because like a vest, they also add warmth to your core without bulk to your arms, but they protect your core even more since cold wind can’t reach the small of your back between your top and bottom layers. I also prefer bibs to have a full-length, double zipper along the legs so you can zip from the bottom for ease with boots and from the top for ease into layers underneath or leaving open if ever needing a quick cool down.

Then for when things get their absolute coldest for me during bow season, I have one more layer, which is Kryptek’s Women’s Aquillo Jacket. This is a very lightweight and packable jacket that provides a lot of warmth for just a little bit more material. This material seems to really keep your body heat in, providing warmth without being thick. However, I did find this type of packable material to make a bit of noise as a bowhunter, so I discovered if I just wear it inside my Dalibor Jacket, which is more of a soft-shell material, instead of on the outside, switching these two around still fit great and got rid of any little noise. 

If you are gun hunting, you can afford to have more bulk and noise, so you might want to go with a heavier coat and material. You can look for materials with properties such as waterproof and windproof to protect you on extreme conditions.

Backpack

If you’re like me and can sweat while hiking to your hunting position, it’s important to carry some of your layers so you don’t work up a sweat. With the right backpack, this is where layers really shine because then you can customize your clothing to every hunt, adjusting to the conditions by adding or taking off layers as needed.

However, fitting a lot of layers into a zippered backpack is not an easy fit that often turns frustrating. Instead, use a backpack with outer straps that adjust or stretch to carry some of the bulk on the outside of the pack. I use Slumberjack’s Wild-Her Pack, and absolutely love the function and fit as it is specifically built for women.

Another tip for not sweating is to be prepared and allow plenty of time to get to where you are walking, as a slower-moving hunter is less likely to get overheated. If you do arrive overheated or close to it, spray your face, neck, wrists and lower back with a scentless spray to help cool down quickly. I carry a travel-size bottle in my backpack for this.

Noggin

Lots of body heat escapes from your head if it’s not covered properly. This is why it is important to have warm headgear as well as to protect your ears and face from the cold and windburn. Instead of a facemask, I prefer to wear a warm neck gator that is long enough to tuck into the front and back of jacket layers. You can push this up to your nose or eyes when needing protection from the elements, and push it down out of the way when needing to shoot your bow. 

Wear a stocking hat, and when it’s really cold, I layer two. No matter how cold it is, I still pack a regular camo ‘baseball’ cap hat with a bill in my bag as you can still have very strong sunlight during cold weather that affects your view, and will wear this under a stocking hat.

Hands

Hands are definitely one of the first body parts that scream at you once cold. It can be especially hard to keep your hands warm while bowhunting since you can’t wear thick gloves, as you must be able to feel your release. The best way I have found is to wear a thin pair of gloves, a second pair thin glove when needed and wear a hand muff. Hand muffs attach around your waist and have holes on each end so you can put your hands inside with fleece and add heat from hand warmers. This way you keep your hands ready until a deer approaches, but can still feel your release and not torque your bow once ready for a shot.

Even with the gloves and hand muff, one of the problems I always had was from the metal on the front of my bow handle. The chill from the metal seemed to immediately go through my thin gloves and freeze my hands when I had to stand ready with deer around. If you have this problem, there are LimbSaver Insulator Strips for bows that not only help against bow vibration, but also insulate your hand from the cold. This product has an adhesive backing that simply sticks to the front of the grip directly to the riser. I have hunted with it for years and it’s worked really well for me.

Another idea is Better The Hunt’s Insulated Bow Mitt. As it’s named, this is a big mitt for your bow, fitting directly around the handle, protecting it with insulation and waterproofing to keep you from freezing your fingers while holding it.

Feet

Just like the rest of your body, your feet need to stay dry to stay warm. I double up with two pair of socks. For your first layer of socks, choose a pair with the ability to wick away moisture from your feet. For the second pair, choose one solely for insulation, such as thick wool socks. When needed in colder temps, I also stick an adhesive chemical foot warmer to the bottom of my socks before putting them inside my boots. 

For boots, I have two pairs of rubber hunting boots to chose from – one lighter pair for milder temps and one heavily insulated pair for cold temps. I am a fan of Lacrosse, and have pairs similar to their newer versions of 4XALPHA 16” rubber boot with 3.5mm of neoprene and AEROHEAD 18” rubber boot with 7mm of neoprene.  

Years ago, I stumbled upon LittleHotties Thermal Insoles and have worn them inside my hunting boots ever since. They are a thick padding insole that provides another good layer between your feet and a cold metal stand or the frozen ground. They also have a foil-like layer that reflects your body heat too to help with warmth.

Another idea to help your feet out when temps are at their worst is by using boot covers. These covers slip over your boots and help to give you even more insulation. These are not for walking in – only for while in the stand or blind. You can also add a chemical foot warmer inside these, if needed.

The Little Things

There are other things that can be done to help ensure your body stays warm in cold weather. Although they may seem small and unimportant, they really do make a difference.

Remember that metabolism we talked about earlier? When your body is breaking down food, it’s heating up your body, so you don’t want to go hunting on an empty stomach, especially in cold weather. Eating a protein-rich or high-fiber meal before your hunt is a good idea to keep your body working so you have energy and warmth. However, I don’t know about you, but waking up very early for morning hunts, I never have time to eat breakfast, as well as usually need another snack when heading to the woods a couple hours after lunch, so I usually eat one or two granola bars and have a small drink (juice box size so I can last the hunt without having to go to the bathroom) while driving to the hunting property. Granola bars often have good fiber, as well as some protein, and will stick with you for the next few hours of hunting. And the colder your body gets, the more dehydrated you will get, plus water actually helps to temporarily boost your metabolism, so stay hydrated.

After just 15 minutes of sitting still, your body actually starts to shut itself “off”. So during slow times of your hunt and when you could use a warm boost, stand up, stretch a bit and concentrate on working on your body from head to toe through flexing. These small movements can be undetected while in the treestand, but help provide circulation and keep the blood flowing. It also helps to take your mind off the cold while you’re doing it.

Now for the outside of our bodies, during cold temperatures, moisture is robbed from our skin, and to protect it, put a layer of scentless hunting lotion on after a shower and again on your hands and face before/after a particularly harsh weather hunt. Skin is actually an organ, and just like all of our other organs, it has needs to properly function. Just like a coat, skin is our body’s way of having an outer shield of protection to keep us healthy and dry, and cracked skin allows foreign things to get into our body. When overly exposed, hands can especially dry out, crack and bleed as well as your face can become windburn and inflamed. Having these problems in the field and avoiding to prevent or take care of them will only make your skin even more sensitive to cold and windburn. This season, I used Southern Racks’ Scentless Huntress Moisturizing Lotion for hand and body, and found it to be the best I’ve tried so far. 

Problem Solving

Sewing might not seem like a crucial skill for hunters, but I actually think it’s something every hunter should know how to do. I modify my hunting clothes and gear quite often to better fit my needs. If you have a trouble spot for cold, sew an extra layer of fleece there. After taking care of all the normal problem areas, as weird as it may seem, while sitting in the stand my knees are the next thing to get cold. If I have to stand up for deer, my cold knees really get to shaking and then it’s hard to stop. So I sewed in an extra layer of fleece at my knees on the inside of my bibs. In the past, I’ve also sewed in fleece pockets to place hand warmers.

With all my layers, a problem arose with my binocular harness and rangefinder strap going over my clothing and around my shoulders. Not only did they like to bunch up my top layers, these took too much noise and movement to put on and take off anytime I needed to add a layer. I conquered this problem by sewing a string loop near each armpit area of my jackets. I then created my own binocular straps of thick string that I feed through my jacket loops and clip on at my binoculars with small carabiners. I’m very happy with how this has worked, and it’s very quick and quiet when changing layers. You can also buy binocular straps with clips to clamp on any clothing, just make sure the clips aren’t sticking out in the way of your bowstring when at full draw.  

For my rangefinder strap, I replaced it with a retractable rangefinder tether that I can attach to a belt loop. This keeps my rangefinder out of the way, but even handier than my previous shoulder strap. Don’t be afraid to adjust and create your own solutions for any hunting gear problems you may have. 

Try Something New

While my system of staying warm is something I developed over years from hours upon hours of hunting, I think it’s important to mention I am also still always trying to improve it. Today’s technology and hunting gear is outstanding and continuously improving, so each year, I try to buy one new piece of gear that can help me even more. For example, in the past, I upgraded my seat pad and found that helpful with keeping warm and, of course, more comfortable in the stand. Last year, I decided to try a battery hand warmer, and loved it so much, I soon bought a second so I have a pair for my hands! I have Celestron Elements Thermocharge Power Pack/Hand Warmers. This year, I hope to upgrade my bibs, and maybe next year be able to try those merino layers.

While I’ve always been a treestand-only hunter for deer, I have also realized over the years that no matter how prepared you are for the cold, when it comes to bowhunting, there are some limits with extreme temperatures. I’ve found once you get below around a 10-degree wind chill or so, things start to get tougher with pulling back a bow, but also the treestand starts creaking. So new for me this year, I’ve set up a ground blind that I plan to give a try for late season bowhunting.

Ground blinds and tower blinds are definitely a concept that is currently booming in the deer hunting industry – Tiffany Lakosky especially comes to mind as she’s used ground blinds in corn stalks for many of her aired TV hunts, and you see the Kisky’s, Drury’s, Shockey’s – most any professional hunter on TV using them nowadays. So don’t forget these can especially be great for a cold hunt!

Dressing for the cold is definitely a lot of work. It takes planning ahead, extra time and more effort. Taking these steps and finding what works best for you will make these cold hunts more pleasant and worth your while. A warm hunter is quieter, more mentally focused, on the hunt longer and more likely to be successful. I do what it takes to be out in the field, and believe me, sometime guys tease me about how many hand warmers I am using or how many layers I have on, but the truth is I’m usually out there even longer than they are. I’m the first to head afield and the last one out.

However, also know your body’s limits. Don’t forget about safety while hunting in extreme conditions and always let someone know where you are. And depending on what stage of life and what stage of hunting you are, don’t be afraid to set limits for yourself either. 

 Whatever you do to stay out in the field, one last, but very important tip, is to make sure you practice shooting in your gear. Extra layers around your arms, chest, neck, head and hands can all throw off your shooting for both bows and guns. Practice so you can make adjustments long before that moment of truth. 

And don’t forget these ideas can be used for other types of hunting and ice fishing too – or really any outdoor activity! Good luck out there, and stay warm!

Jennifer Pudenz is the owner and editor of ADVENTURESS magazine. 

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