What dries best?

[khart_6882]

Trying to get everything dialed in for mid-late October mule deer. Forecast is looking like mid teens-high 20’s at night so pretty chilly.
My camp is about 1 1/4 mile from where I hunt and it’s fairly steep uphill. The way I hunt this area is hike up in the dark and I’ve got a few different spots I like to sit at first light where I can watch some deer travel corridors.
Planning on hiking in wearing the bare minimum then layering up when I’m close to my spot. My question is what shirt would be best to wear on the hike in and get sweaty, that will dry quickest. Midweight merino base layer? Grid fleece? Would it be worth bringing a merino t shirt solely for hiking in then just stuffing it into my pack?
Also, I have terrible troubles with my feet freezing whenever I’m sitting. Even with 400gr boots. I’m considering changing socks also when I get to my spot, or just bringing some toe warmers for when I’m sitting still. The weight penalty of the toe warmers seems like a good trade off if it guarantees I’ll be able to sit as long as I want without freezing.
Thanks!


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[shwacker]

Synthetic definitely dries much much faster than merino, but some of the blended ultra thin layers do fine. If you'll be pouring sweat, you could consider changing base layers. I think that circulation is everything with cold feet, and the foot warmers are a worth it if it makes the difference for you.

 

[manitou1]

Merino takes forever to dry but does maintain some warmth even when wet.
Synthetics generally dry quicker. You may be best served wearing a synthetic up then switching to a dry layer and laying out the sweaty one to dry while spotting.
Kinda what I do at times.

Arctic Shield has some boot covers that fold flat and do not weigh a lot. I use them in cold weather when stationary. Makes a difference. Also some puffy pants to keep the legs warm does well for helping keep your feet warm. You can buy military surplus puffy pants (cold weather pant liners) CHEAP! No, they are not down filled but are lightweight and plenty warm.
I bought several pair online a couple of years ago for around $8 a pair.

I haven't had to resort to the booties and puffy pants until the highs are below the low 20's and a bit breezy if I am stationary for long periods.

 

[khart_6882]

Thanks for the intel. I might see what I’ve got for a synthetic long sleeve


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[Amos Moses]

Merino takes forever to dry but does maintain some warmth even when wet.
Synthetics generally dry quicker. You may be best served wearing a synthetic up then switching to a dry layer and laying out the sweaty one to dry while spotting.
Kinda what I do at times.

Arctic Shield has some boot covers that fold flat and do not weigh a lot. I use them in cold weather when stationary. Makes a difference. Also some puffy pants to keep the legs warm does well for helping keep your feet warm. You can buy military surplus puffy pants (cold weather pant liners) CHEAP! No, they are not down filled but are lightweight and plenty warm.
I bought several pair online a couple of years ago for around $8 a pair.

I haven't had to resort to the booties and puffy pants until the highs are below the low 20's and a bit breezy if I am stationary for long periods.

Another recommendation here for puffy pants. I’m a recent convert and it’s amazing what warm legs will do for my overall body temp when stationary.

 

[khart_6882]

Another recommendation here for puffy pants. I’m a recent convert and it’s amazing what warm legs will do for my overall body temp when stationary.

I guess I should’ve said that when I said I plan on layering up. I’ll be putting on those first lite zip up mid weight merino long Johns and puffy pants. I’m a cold blooded feller


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[Thinkingman]

I agree that synthetic dries fastest.
It's what I wear next to my skin.
Regarding cold feet, it is most likely circulation that is the issue.
Try re-lacing your boots after you climb to allow more blood flow.
Also there's an old saying that is true, if your feet are cold, put on a hat.

 

[canyonhunter47]

Hike in synthetic or merino/syn blend (and a wind layer if windy) and then (thick) puffy up top and bottom as soon as you stop to glass. That will capture your heat generated from hiking to keep you warm and dry your base layers.

For your feet loosen your laces and put your feet on a pad. If your socks are wet I’d probably change them. Hand warmers are nice and the weight isn’t much for a 1 1/4 mile hike.

 

[khart_6882]

Thanks for the replies. I believe I’ve got a light long sleeve synthetic base layer around here somewhere…I’ll have to dig it out.
I’ve tried the loosening up my boot laces trick to keep my feet warm and no luck. I’ve googled how to improve circulation a bunch of times and didn’t find anything I’m not already doing.
I forgot to mention, my camp is 5.5 miles in so in theory I’d be bringing enough toe warmers for the entire season (10 days). It’s been fairly warm at night around here, mid 40’s as a low, but I still might try to go for an early morning hike behind the house where I can get my feet a little sweaty, then change my socks and sit for a while to see how I fair.
Thanks again


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[AttackMode]

The absolute fastest drying base layer shirt I've used has been the Eberlestock Airbase. It's a polypropylene fishnet and no longer being made. I'm not sure if they have any left on their site but they were marked down to about $20 if I remember correctly. They dry so well that even coming out of the washing machine spin cycle they are about 90% dry.