Down Jackets

[MountainHunter]

Do any of you pack a light Down jacket with you when you are hunting in really cold weather? If so which one do you like?

[Yotehntr]

Curious myself. I’ve been thinking either down or primaloft. lL. Bean has some pretty good stuff.

[GrizG]

I did years ago but find that my current practice of layering wool combined with high tech underwear and tee shirts (e.g., Under Armor) works just fine. But then I'm no longer doing the overnight backpack deer hunting I did when I was a kid. 

If you're looking for down specifically, I'd take cues from the thru-hikers. They often refer to such jackets as "puffies" or "puffy coat." If ultra light weight and packing very small is important to you something like the Montbell Plasma 1000 Parka would be an excellent, albeit expensive choice https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?p_id=2301257

It would be worth looking into terms like fill power and fill weight to understand the balance between down and feathers and fill density and how they work together. Me, I have a Filson down jacket with 700 fill power that I wear as much for wind protection as I do warmth. It would not pack as small as something like the Montbell (fill power 1,000) mentioned above but then, as I mentioned, I'm not overnight backpack deer hunting any more so that isn't critical to me.

[KillerCrow]

I take all my cloths in a tote at least 24 hrs prior to opening morning, this includes boots, i literally strip naked and change in to my hunting cloths about 200 yards from stand after fully drying my self with a towel i have in the tote, i try to be fully clothed and in stand at least by 5:30.  This method has worked quite well for me

[Dougie]

I have Kuiu jacket and pants. These pack down to almost fit in a ziplock sandwich bag are very warm even when wet. Not the cheapest thing I ever purchased but have proven to work well.

Kuiu.com

[LouieM]

I've started packing multiple wool layers and extra socks when cold enough. If I am sitting a stand I will change my socks, top base layer and add jacket at the base of the tree before climbing up.  I also make sure to not wear my boots or top base layers in the truck to avoid sweating before starting etc.  I have a bunch of the first lite layers and I have the First Lite Woodbury coat (now renamed) that is great but on the bulky side.  I've had great luck with First Lite 

[MountainHunter]

Thank you for the replies.

[GrizG]

I've started packing multiple wool layers and extra socks when cold enough. If I am sitting a stand I will change my socks, top base layer and add jacket at the base of the tree before climbing up.  I also make sure to not wear my boots or top base layers in the truck to avoid sweating before starting etc.  I have a bunch of the first lite layers and I have the First Lite Woodbury coat (now renamed) that is great but on the bulky side.  I've had great luck with First Lite

Regarding sweating feet which turn into cold feet... When I took Game of Logging training the trainer told the trainees that as a feller it was standard practice for him and other fellers he worked with to spray their feet with anti-perspirant. The anti-perspirant stopped the sweating which in turn kept their feet warmer. The question then becomes, is there a scent free anti-perspirant that would be suitable for hunters?

[LouieM]

I've started packing multiple wool layers and extra socks when cold enough. If I am sitting a stand I will change my socks, top base layer and add jacket at the base of the tree before climbing up.  I also make sure to not wear my boots or top base layers in the truck to avoid sweating before starting etc.  I have a bunch of the first lite layers and I have the First Lite Woodbury coat (now renamed) that is great but on the bulky side.  I've had great luck with First Lite

Regarding sweating feet which turn into cold feet... When I took Game of Logging training the trainer told the trainees that as a feller it was standard practice for him and other fellers he worked with to spray their feet with anti-perspirant. The anti-perspirant stopped the sweating which in turn kept their feet warmer. The question then becomes, is there a scent free anti-perspirant that would be suitable for hunters?

I am going to have to try that! Thank you.  I run hot and always break a sweat.   As to scent, I have been using the tactic of trying to play the wind more than trying to control what I smell like.  I pay attention to the forecast but more to what the wind does in the areas I hunt and what time of day it is for thermals. Not always easy and some days feels like the wind is going 10 ways. I prefer that over being meticulous on what my clothes and body are smelling like. A tip I learned from the Hunting Beast podcast was to get dry milkweed pods in the fall, open them up and use the white-hair part for checking wind direction. You can follow it as long as you can see it and sometimes different land features affect your scent away from your immediate vicinity that chalk or a string won't show you. 

[Dougie]

Spraying my feet is what i do as well. You can get sent free antiperspirant usually in Rite Aid or something. Sure makes one that is scent free, so does Arid I think.

[KillerCrow]

I am tellin ya pack a tote in a few days prior with all gear and boots , as well as a large towel, place two earth scent dryer sheets in.  walk up mtn hr or so early, strip down to boxers or nude, stand on top of tote as you dry your self with towel and get dressed in the woods, no sweat, no odors, and most of all the cloths are cold so the minimal walk to your stand will warm em up for the day, with out sweat

[MUSKRAT]

Just the visual , made me laugh ...
My father put on his old woolrich hunting coat and grabbed his model 94 - 30/30 ..
But he did wear rubber boots ...😀😀

[Take Em]

I could go for a down jacket right now. It f’ing cold out 🥶

[Tippin'Scales]

I could go for a down jacket right now. It f’ing cold out 🥶

Us fat guys are liking this weather 😆