good bibs for cold weather hunting/ boot insulators too

what kinda bibs are ya'll using for cold weather............and im looking for something thats water and windproof too.

i have a pair of field and stream bibs that i got year before last at dicks sporting goods. they were decently waterproof the first year, but now..............not so much, and they arent warm either. i was looking at a set of the ewcws bibs and the bone dry bibs at bass pro, and im also looking at some artic shield bibs too. i need to get a better pair. these that i have are ok for the fall, but on days like today, when the temp dropped to 16 degrees when the sun came up, or a few days ago when it was windy as hell.......i damn near froze my ass off. im thinking a good set of bibs in mossy oak(love that scheme...always use it) with goretex and a good amount of thinsulate will probably be ideal. so..............whats everyone using, and whats the warmest stuff you have used????

also.....has anyone used a pair of boot insulators from artic shield??? i bought a damn pair from bass pro for $45, and used them today, and my feet were still like blocks of friggin ice. i cant stand having cold feet. i have tried different insoles.....ones that use the hothonds packets, and some new ones supposedly used by nasa, but they dont do alot. the ones with that you use the packets with have been about the best, but they only stay warm for maybe an hour at best, then they are done till you take them out and shake them again. i wanna keep my boots.........irish setter deer trackers, but i gotta keep my feet warm too. any suggestions??

 

Mine's packed up right now and the name escapes me, but I'll get back to you after this weekend when I use it again.

 

I have a set I use for fall turkey, they are from Gander Mountain, they are those Tec2 (I believe) they are really not insulated, but they are wind and water proof.
I have wore longjohns, pair of jeans and then put these on. With a couple of 20 degreee mornings before the sun comes up, I didn't get cold.
I am looking also...so can't wait to see what everyone else posts.

 

As for boots I wear Rocky's, 1200 grain insulation, full camo. With two pair of socks my feet more sweat than anything else.
Sorry should of added this to the above post.

 

rocky makes some good boots. the bear claws are nice. i love my irish setters....good grip, and they are 1000gram insulation...normally warm, but my damn feet get cold anyway.

 

those irish setters are some good boots!
I got a pair of LaCrosse's. 500 grams of tihinsulate but hey who needs more in AZ

 

yeah, i like them pretty good. i gotta get some mink oil and rub them down real good...havent done it yet this year. next year, i may get either a set of lacrosse alpha burly rubber boots, or a set of muck boots, and use them for when i bow hunt.

 

i really like the muck boots. i have a pair of the edgewater ones and they'll really keep your feet warm..i think it even said on the package that they keep you warm to around zero degrees

 

well, those boots look pretty good, and the insides are pretty nice too. the way my feet are though, i doubt there is any boot out there anywhere that can totally keep my feet warm. they sweat like hell, then when im sitting, they freeze like crazy! gonna look at those muck boots again later though definitely!

 

i always go for the Wall's 10X bibs and parka combo, for boots none other to trust then Danner

 

I use several combinations according to weather, but I'll try to be brief.

Start at footwear.

Socks:
Wore any 'ol huntin sock for years until I got tired of cold feet and bought some more expensive Woolrich brand Expedition series socks at Wal-mart. You can't always find them, but you MUST use 100% wool socks to wick away moisture and for warmth. Didn't know what I had been missing. I have some that are thinner for warmer weather. I only wear 1 pair of socks ever. I like the tall ones over the calf.
Something like these over the calf. You can find the same thing much cheaper at Wal-Mart....around 6 or 8 dollars a pair. And worth it. I would buy 1 pair every year for several years, and didn't feel the impact on the budget as bad.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000T8D8YS/ref=nosim/

Boots:
I have two boots, a Lacrosse 1200 gram thinsulate large pack boot (not made anymore) and a rubber boot, Alpha Burly by Lacrosse. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_65591____SearchResults

Had 1 pair of Rockys and since then have always had Lacrosse and I swear by them!
Now remember you can use different combinations depending on the weather condition. e.g. thin socks heavy boots or heavy socks and rubber unlined boots. For very cold I will wear the heavy boots and heavy socks. If its extreme then I bring out the secret weapon. BOOT BLANKETS!

Boot blankets:
Bought my blankets years ago and love them. Have sat for hours in 0 degree weather with the wind blowing. You carry them with you, they are not to be warn while walking. When you stop to hunt they cover everything on your feet including whatever boots you are wearing. If your feet still get cold you can lay handwarmers inside right on top of your feet and they will not be smothered and start to get cold. These can make the difference between hunting and sitting in the house for me.
Gave $50 for mine 15 years ago and the price is still the same. Well worth the money! All covers are not the same......I recommend these!
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0006712810623a.shtml

Will, I have tried different techniques, but if its real cold out I've found its best to put them on over my boots before my feet get cold. If I wait till my feet get cold I can't seem to get warmed back up as easy. If needed throw in 1 handwarmer on top of each boot and pull the drawstring in tight, but I have to be careful, my feet sometimes will start to sweat...
Weatherproof suit:
For a Gore Tex suit I have a Suit made by 10x. Shikari cloth with a little Thinsulate lining. Can't find much info on it, may not be made anymore. But I only wear Gore Tex down to about 30 deg. After that if I hit a bunch of snow I just put plenty of warm clothes on. I mainly use Gore Tex in rain or high winds down to 30 degrees.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/article/Gearfinder/10X-Shikari-Cloth-Gore-Tex-Jacket-and-Bib-Overalls

Bibs or Coveralls:
As far as bibs and coveralls, I think any good quality outfit will work. The ones I wear aren't made anymore.These sure are nice....$$$
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...ct&cmCat=Related_IPL_931886&id=0009892930709a

I do always like to wear a Jacket or parka with bibs. I don't care for 'coveralls'. Main thing is the proper layers. Many thin ones if possible. This all varies on weather condition.
I have some insulated polypropelene I wear for base layer but I would go with the merino wool when I can afford to buy again.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0058118980879a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=insulated+polypropelene+thermals&Ntk=Products&sort=all&_D:hasJS=+&N=0&_D:sort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/search/search-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1
Didn't get to hats and gloves but oh well, this was enough...
So much for being brief...........
This made me realize I need some new stuff, lol, I'm kinda outta date....

 

good write up man!! i bought a pair of the artic shield boot blankets friday, and when i got to my stand on saturday morning...i put them on. my feet still froze. even with feet warmers in there. i know they are good though. im gonna get some wool socks and see if that helps. and im like you....im not big on coveralls....but i love bibs and parkas. my parka that i wear....4 in 1 field and stream hydropruf...........good and warm man!!

 

Are your blankets just like the ones I posted? And did you get them plenty big? Do they have the draw string around the top edge? I'm just surprised even with warmers your feet still got cold... .....Like I said they are not all alike. There are some that are thinner....more like a piece of cloth. These are almost 2 inches thick all around.
Maybe your feet are sweating on the way to the stand, if that is the case then the wool socks will help to wick it away and help keep from freezing out.

 

no......i got some thin ass artic shield boot blankets.......didnt see any of these at bass pro....dont reckon they carry them.

 

shewww....I was scared for a minute......I know some guys that have some like yours and they aren't near what the ones I posted are. You may have to order some online down the road.

 

ya know, im actually probably gonna do that in a little while or tomorrow!!! i wore these artic shield blankets once.....so im taking them back to bass pro for a refund. the ones you posted, i'll order a pair of them(gonna order a seat cover and floor mats from cabelas too...so i'll go ahead with this.). until i get them......i think im gonna take me a fleece throw blanket in when i hit the woods and wrap it around my feet and see what happens. gotta get good socks too.

thanks for posting the link to the good boot blankets!! its much appreciated!!

 

your quite welcome, it was like hitting the jackpot for me.....just want to spread some comfort! Glad you'll be able to take the others back.
The fleece blanket should work well.
Which reminds me.............I always thought this would be the berrys:
http://www.heaterbodysuit.com/
just never did jump in and buy one. It says if you get cold you get your money back...

 

yeah....i saw jim shockey advertising that big goofy suit. they say it works well though..................but i think i'll stick to what i use now....or the new bibs that i'll get later on.

 

yep, I catch yer drift man, a redneck gettin out of a suit like that could be as entertaining as him gettin a huntin blind set up fer the first time......... hehehe

 

....hey man.....i dont mind making myself look like a clown sometimes. i would use the heater body suit, but around here.........movement of anykind aint good.....you get spotted, then you are left deerless.