Anyone carry bibs in the backcountry?

[123efd2]

Hey guys,

Curious to hear others thoughts on this. I have some late season December/January backcountry/backpacking elk hunts coming up where Temps can be in the single digits during the day and in the negatives at night.

Does anyone have any layering system recommendations for that kind of cold especially for someone that gets cold easily?

Specifically, does anyone carry bibs on a backpack hunt? Its seems taboo from my research but I can't find a better solution for those kinds of Temps.

Thanks for the insights.

 

[madcalfe]

insulated bibs are heavy and not water proof for very long....
look into stone glacier M7 jacket and pants then run a puffy jacket under it for the top
and some heavyweight base layers and pants.

in Canada for late season white tail hunting at -30*C temps I can usually get away with running kuiu yukon rain pant and jacket with my puffy jacket under it and my 1 piece Helly Hanson thermal onesie and some jogging pants and that sitting still whereas your going be moving for late season elk hunting

 

[123efd2]

insulated bibs are heavy and not water proof for very long....
look into stone glacier M7 jacket and pants then run a puffy jacket under it for the top
and some heavyweight base layers and pants.

in Canada for late season white tail hunting at -30*C temps I can usually get away with running kuiu yukon rain pant and jacket with my puffy jacket under it and my 1 piece Helly Hanson thermal onesie and some jogging pants and that sitting still whereas your going be moving for late season elk hunt

I already wear more than that and it only keeps me warm when I am glassing down to 20 degrees or so. I wear a lightweight thermal bottom, Heavyweight thermal bottom, insulated pants, puffy pant, lightweight base layer shirt, heavyweight thermal hoody, vest, puffy jacket, and rain gear on top. So I need to add something else to get me comfortable down to 0 or so.

 

[madcalfe]

I already wear more than that and it only keeps me warm when I am glassing down to 20 degrees or so. I wear a lightweight thermal bottom, Heavyweight thermal bottom, insulated pants, puffy pant, lightweight base layer shirt, heavyweight thermal hoody, vest, puffy jacket, and rain gear on top. So I need to add something else to get me comfortable down to 0 or so.

lol jesus.... uhhh i dunno check out kuiu gale force lol. but i think in your case your probably better off to just wear straight up winter gear lol

 

[Elkhntr08]

I don’t even like packing my bibs out to the tree stand when whitetail hunting, I can’t imagine packing them on a elk hunt.
I’d be looking at a better layering system and a ground pad to use white sitting and glassing.
Is your concern more about daytime cold or sleeping in the cold?
Are you sweating during the day, then getting cold? Get a system that you can add and remove layers easily.
Nighttime, get a better bag and I added a lightweight quilt for those really cold nights.
There’s better ways than dragging around heavy bibs.

 

[yfarm]

ECWCS Level 7 pants, full zip, carry in your pack put on when you stand hunt or glass. More expensive versions of the same thing are available from mountaineering companies. Amazing to me people will pay 2-3x more for a product from a hunting clothing company than from a reputable quality outdoor clothing company.

 

[123efd2]

lol jesus.... uhhh i dunno check out kuiu gale force lol. but i think in your case your probably better off to just wear straight up winter gear lol

Yeah, it is annoying but it is what it is. Any recommendations on actual winter gear? Thats the direction I'm heading in but can't seem to find any good information on where to start.

 

[123efd2]

ECWCS Level 7 pants, full zip, carry in your pack put on when you stand hunt or glass. More expensive versions of the same thing are available from mountaineering companies. Amazing to me people will pay 2-3x more for a product from a hunting clothing company than from a reputable quality outdoor clothing company.

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll look around at some surplus stores around here to find some to try on.

 

[123efd2]

I don’t even like packing my bibs out to the tree stand when whitetail hunting, I can’t imagine packing them on a elk hunt.
I’d be looking at a better layering system and a ground pad to use white sitting and glassing.
Is your concern more about daytime cold or sleeping in the cold?
Are you sweating during the day, then getting cold? Get a system that you can add and remove layers easily.
Nighttime, get a better bag and I added a lightweight quilt for those really cold nights.
There’s better ways than dragging around heavy bibs.

Do you have any suggestions for my layering system? And no. I almost never sweat and if I do I'm stripped down to bare minimum and putting on dry clothes when I get there.

Lightweight thermal leggings
Sitka heavyweight bottom
Kenetrek heavyweight socks
Sitka timberline pant
First lite uncompaghre puffy pant
Hello Hansen Impertech bibs

Sitka Lightweight LS shirt
Midweight thermal shirt
Sitka Core heavyweight hood
Sitka Jetstream Vest
First lite uncompaghre puffy jacket
Helly Hansen Impertech jacket

Wool gloves
First lite mittens

Two Beanies

I am mostly concerned about pre and post sun around camp or on the mountain and daytime glassing in extreme cold/exposure. And yes, I use a 2in foam sitting pad.

 

[carsonkeys]

I find nearly every other puffy from (hunting brands) warmer than the uncompaghre, with the exception being the Kuiu SDU.

I’d personally start there there and forget the idea of packing bibs.

SG puffy pants as warm as they get, with side-zips, without going custom as I can find. If you like FL I’ve heard great things about the Chamberlin, but haven’t personally touched one.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

No, I do not wear bibs for fall or winter, or spring hunting.

 

[123efd2]

I find nearly every other puffy from (hunting brands) warmer than the uncompaghre, with the exception being the Kuiu SDU.

I’d personally start there there and forget the idea of packing bibs.

SG puffy pants as warm as they get, with side-zips, without going custom as I can find. If you like FL I’ve heard great things about the Chamberlin, but haven’t personally touched one.

Interesting! Thank you for the idea. I hadn't heard that before so I will look at upgrading and see what the other brands feel like.

 

[Jethro]

Carry a down quilt with you to slide into when you are stopped and glassing. That be much lighter than carrying the clothes necessary for stationary hunting in single digits. When you get cold, move to a new spot and warm up from the hike.

 

[Poser]

I believe I would consider a heated jacket before I considered carrying bibs.


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[Conrad101st]

I wear technical bibs that were made for alpine mountaineering. They are fantastic when it’s cold. Mountain Hardwear synchro bibs. During the day, they unzip to let air in. I usually wear nylon running shorts under them, but if it is below 20 degrees I put on a light pair of merino long-handles underneath.quite well.

 

[Poser]

I wear technical bibs that were made for alpine mountaineering. They are fantastic when it’s cold. Mountain Hardwear synchro bibs. During the day, they unzip to let air in. I usually wear nylon running shorts under them, but if it is below 20 degrees I put on a light pair of merino long-handles underneath.View attachment 429755quite well.

I have a similar pair for skiing, but I only wear them on the deepest, coldest powder days and only for resort skiing (downhill). Wearing them uphill in any temps we get in CO is impractical. If you’re wearing a tshirt and shorts under them, would it follow that they are an excessive layer?

 

[Conrad101st]

Excessive is relevant. I would never wear them during bow season. During rifle they are just great. Seems like the last few years the temperature never got above 35 degrees. They don’t weigh much. Stay super dry, no draft, wind doesn’t cut through. Can vent if it’s a little too warm. I move slow when I hunt and I don’t overdress. Only wear a light puffy when I move and then put on down parka when I glass.

The other outfit I wear are the insulated guide pants from Eddie Bauer with gators. That works great for more moderate days.

Either way I add lightweight merino bottoms underneath when the temperature drops.

 

[123efd2]

I took and did a quick compare of bibs vs upgrading to a higher insulation puffy set per the recommendations above and the below is what I came up with.

Any thoughts, criticisms, etc.? After looking at it; I don't quite get the pushback against the idea since the weight is almost identical in either scenario?

Sitka Merino Core Ltwt Boxer Pyrite	2		Sitka Merino Core Ltwt Boxer Pyrite	2
Kenetrek Canada Midweight Over the Calf Sock			Kenetrek Canada Midweight Over the Calf Sock
Sitka Merino Heavyweight Bottom	9.15		Sitka Merino Heavyweight Bottom	9.15
Sitka Timberline Pant	29.6		Sitka Timberline Pant	29.6
Sitka Core Light LS	5.1		Sitka Core Light LS	5.1
Sitka Core Heavyweight Hoody	14.8		Sitka Core Heavyweight Hoody	14.8
Sitka Jetstream Vest	15		Sitka Jetstream Vest	15
First Lite Chamberlin Down Jacket	25		First Lite Uncompaghre Puffy Jacket	21
Stone Glacier Grumman Puffy Pant	16
Helly Hansen Impertech Jacket	25		Helly Hansen Impertech Jacket	25
Helly Hansen Impertech Bib Pant	28		Sitka Incinerator Aerolite Bibs	49.5
Kuiu Yukon Gaiters	12		Kuiu Yukon Gaiters	12
Zamberlan 1014 Lynx Size 12	53.6		Zamberlan 1014 Lynx Size 12	53.6
First Lite Brooks Down Glassing Mitt	3.5		First Lite Brooks Down Glassing Mitt	3.5
	238.75			240.25

 

[Poser]

Your original post referred “carrying” bibs which suggests you don’t intend to wear them throughout the day. Unless you are going to wear them all day, they are going to require a considerable amount of pack volume to carry vs. a puffy jacket and pants which will compress and pack better separately.

Also, if you are going to “carry” them in your pack, that suggests that you’ll be wearing another pair of pants when it’s too warm for bibs. And You are still going need a puffy jacket regardless.

 

[Conrad101st]

As for layering I think the trick as K1 says is to keep it simple but really insulate it up with good air layer. I use a subzero down jacket when it gets Uber cold. It only weighs like 1.5 pounds and you can sit for hours in brutally cold weather.

Legs:
Bibs or insulated EB guide pants.
Merino bottom (lightweight)
Gaiters if it turns messy.

Top:
Wicking t shirt - orange
Merino top (lightweight)
Midweight puffy - orange
Thick down jacket
Shell (marmot rain jacket) - orange

Head;
Balaklava
Poly watch hat
Goretex boonie hat

Take 2 pair of sock liners, ski gloves, light glove inserts, neck warmer.

That’s it for a week.