First Lite Furnace - How warm? / What to pair with?

PorkrollEgg&Cheese

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Just ordered a FL Furnace. It seems like it is going to be an incredibly warm piece. If worn as an outer layer with a light base underneath what temperature would you feel comfortable sitting in? (Only talking tree stand hunting as this will be the main use for my Furnace). Pretty much asking how low of a temp JUST the furnace can get you down to. It's May so obviously I cannot test this.

If I wore a FL Corrugate Guide Jacket over top of the furnace to block wind and bust brush on way to stand do you think I would be OK to sit in, let's say, 35 degree weather with 10-15 MPH wind? Or would I need a heavier jacket for this system? I have also seen people say that they pair the furnace with the saw tooth vest down into the 30s as well.

I live in New Jersey where I bow hunt whitetail from mid September to mid February. Temps here range from about 70-20 during that time. Last year temps rarely dropped below 20.

Any advice or input on FL layering with the Furnace would be awesome.
 
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I would say get a heavier jacket. The corrugate jacket does NOT block wind very well. You might be able to get away with the catalyst jacket over the top
 

McD18

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Yea I'm a wuss when it comes to sitting in a stand, so I wear the furnace underneath a heavier jacket when it gets into the 30s. I like the corrugate guide jacket a lot but it's mostly to protect my fragile wool layers underneath from getting ripped up rather than blocking wind or keeping me warm.

Hard to answer this question, YMMV. You have to base it off past experience with other clothing you've worn IMO.
 
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PorkrollEgg&Cheese

PorkrollEgg&Cheese

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Yea I'm a wuss when it comes to sitting in a stand, so I wear the furnace underneath a heavier jacket when it gets into the 30s. I like the corrugate guide jacket a lot but it's mostly to protect my fragile wool layers underneath from getting ripped up rather than blocking wind or keeping me warm.

Hard to answer this question, YMMV. You have to base it off past experience with other clothing you've worn IMO.
Any idea on how the furnace would hold up for hikes to the stand. I know it's thicker than most merino so that should help with durability. If I have to Id get a vest or other midlayer for hikes in on cold days for protection before putting on an outer layer.
 

fwafwow

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FWIW, I do not have any of the Furnace tops, but I have the Furnace long johns. Personally I would not consider the Furnace top sufficient alone, or even with a vest, at the lower end of the temp range you quoted. To put things in perspective though from my aversion to cold sits, I have often gone with the Furnace, plus at least one or two more layers (top and bottom), and finish with the Sitka Fanatic or Incinerator. (Neither of those is packable, unless you have a big pack!) If you are warmer blooded, you could get by with just the very warm outer coat. For me, when in doubt I wear and/or bring more. And on wearing, I'm more likely to wear an extra layer if there are zippers. I've never regretted being a bit warm and venting.

As for hikes, it all depends on what sort of stuff you are walking through and whether you mind snags, burrs, etc., but you are right that this stuff is pretty thick and would not likely tear as easily as some thinner merino wools.

Finally, my Furnace LJs are the most comfortable piece of clothing I own. If I could, I'd wear them in social settings.
 

McD18

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Central Valley, CA
Any idea on how the furnace would hold up for hikes to the stand. I know it's thicker than most merino so that should help with durability. If I have to Id get a vest or other midlayer for hikes in on cold days for protection before putting on an outer layer.
Yep, as fwafwow said it's much thicker, almost like a sweater. If you aren't going through thick brush you'd be fine, but I really try and protect my merino layers because they're so expensive. I definitely would not be busting through briars and such with just a furnace on, but I generally don't do that hiking to a tree stand anyways. You could get something like a corrugate guide jacket or equivalent to protect the merino on the way in then swap it for a heavier jacket once you get to the tree. Or if the brush isn't too thick skip the corrugate altogether.
 
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Furnace is a great layering piece but definitely not an outer layer. I wore the solitude jacket with furnace, kiln and wick shirts and could still get cold with a stiff wind in the low 30s.
 

Not Vegan

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Jan 25, 2020
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Base and furnace I'd take to mid 40s with no wind. Everything FL has breathes great.....in other words it is not warm. That being said the furnace is my favorite shirt by far, its stretchy and comfortable.
 

Scooter90254

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May 7, 2018
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I run my furnace as an outer layer all the time. I run a base layer then a Chama hoodie. If its in the 30's I will put on my furnace Henley and I'm fine down into the single digits or if it gets real windy. I always have my puffy in my backpack just in case it gets real bad.
 
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