Birding is for TUFF GUYS

Winter Gear

Did I post this before?:concern:

No matter, people log in and want something to read. Some of our most prolific readers who check in often, seldom contribute, just want something to read (shame).
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I will dedicate this to them and hope they soon post more often, and maybe even someday start a thread. Crap is good, see below :orange:


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I hate cold. It scares me. Southern born, I love heat and humidity. I used to tease racers on a hot day that I could drink from the air. (I believe that was true. A hot, humid day worked in my favor).

My Bride claims I have a glove fetish. She is a cold weather Yank. I don't have a fetish, just collect gloves like pocket knives as different types are needed at different times. I like hi-tech, so always searching for better.

Most people live inside homes and cars. Some work out side in the elements. I have the luxury of choosing, and I choose outside, sitting on my ass with my high end stereo and my expensive binos and camera. Sitting on my porch with my Beagle is my main hobby. I have a small freezer out here for beer as refrigerators I tried did not do the job of keeping the beer at 29 degrees:bull_head:. All know I have the best outdoor audio I can devise after years of trial and error (thanks for the endless help guys). I have an excellent computer out here. I don't take my gear in and out, it all lives here on the porch. Walk on my deck and Rosey will certainly sound the alarm. Then my job is to run out with a shotgun loaded with Hornaday ZOMBIE shells:grief:. So far, no gear lost.

Sitting here like now at 88 degrees is a joy. I a fan as Rosey likes them. I use the Dyson blade-less model to keep my Hummingbirds safe. Unlike the Al Gore crowd and their wind mills, I do care about about protecting critters. I can't help the EAGLES those kill, but don't want a fan chewing up my critters.
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I installed a misting system, but that is mostly crap in a humid environment and Rosey hates water. Misting is for guys out West with low humidity.

Winter is a different challenge, and I enjoy the challenge. Me and my girl are always out here on the coldest days. Our challenge is to be more comfortable here than inside. Heaters are cheating, but Rosey does have an electric polar tec blanket now that she is older:kiwi-fruit:.

I don't safari to the snow covered mountains, but I do search for the best gear to sit on my ass with. Gear must be activity specific. I have routinely hit the roads jogging at below freezing in just shorts. Mountain climbing or foot racing require different gear from sitting on your ass with a glass of beer.

To find the best gear for my hobby, I look to guys who fish on a frozen lakes. I want gear that brings a sweat if I move. I want it light, thin and high tech. The search is for comfortable gear that makes me more comfortable than inside by the fire inside. I have that, but the fun of the search goes on.:stupid:

I have about 20 years of expereince in my search..
Being a geeser, prefer old tech when possible.
That being said, the big discovery for me was back in the 90's with Polar Tec. That is great stuff. Every year I search for upgrades , but actually none have arrived as to wamth since Polar Tec 300. Why is there not a 400, 800, 1000??

Down is great. All down is not equal. The real stuff costs more. I have down pants, jackets, socks, hats, etc.

Wool is nice. I like wool and have/will invest there just because I like it.

Many synthetics are out there and I like them too, but most times will buy from the above materials. I have some "magic" Artic Shield bibs bought years back. I like them. Now I see an ugrade and see with my discount at Sportsman, can get them for $152, shipped/no tax. I doubt I can tell the difference in what I have and those. Like audio wires -- mental counts as we want the best in our hobbies. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=1311453
Anyone want my old pair (size large) let me know, they are great, have a tough cordura outer. I can ship for about $10 bucks and you send me a CD in return.

I have every glove known to man. I need them all. Actually, I have found what I need is better glommits. I have the best, but my search for better continues. On the porch I type and use my binos. To do that, fingers need to be able to pop out, and then return in an instant to a warmer place. 99% of glommitts are one size fits all. Like with hats, never buy those:stupid:.

Hats are important. It is a myth that most body heat is lost with the head. Warm head cover is hard to find. In my hobby search, $$ is no object. This section will require a separate post, in fact think I did one. What ever you have is crap, believe me, warm hats are hard to find.

Feet are just impossible. It is the only place where I sometimes cheat with battery insoles, and they are pretty much junk. Like in all parts of the body, layers are the key. Like with gloves, one must always buy over sized as any compression is too much. Feet crap you walk in not the same as feet crap you sit in. Layers are key. Those big heavy, clumbsy pac boots are out:grief:.

Coats are fun. 99% of guys in the South (and maybe you) don't undertand coats. In my early days, a deninm jacket was enough, and a leather jacket was my goal. Neither are worth a damn in this hobby. I have the best examples of both, but neither provide insuslation --> leather does block wind.
The problem with coats is most think you put on a quality coat and they are "good to go". Nope. Being "good to go" is addressing all the areas above. Being "good to go" is about accessories. Then you top with a quality coat, not before. A coat is not a miricle worker.
I have a few, well according to the Bride - a lot.
My favorite is an over sized, quality shearling long coat that would go for maybe $1K+ these days. Maybe not the best tech, but extemely warm, and I feel like a millionare when I have it on. After many years, I have never worn it off the porch as it is too warm to walk with in SC. On the porch, it knows no equal.

All advice appreciated.

Lots of good info there. I have nothing to add but wanted to echo my approval~

A warm hat is hard to find. The trick of keeping warm is layering, so just wearing one layer has limits. We are of course talking --> sitting, not moving around. No need to post about your Wally World discovery, not what we are talking about here.
Once your ears, fingers or toes get cold, you are done for the day:cower:.

My favorite hat of a few years is a shearing trooper hat. The market is full of cheap trooper hats. Expect to pay around $100 for the real deal. Many are not fully lined with shearing, just on the ear flaps. Most don't use quality shearing. The most expensive styles are with exotic furs, but not sure they are warmer than shearing --> doubt it.
As with all gear, always buy too large. I am not about making a fashion statement, just being warm. Gear that fits is not as warm as gear that is too big.
On really cold days, I wear skull/toboggan type hats under my shearing hat. I have many, one is thin down, have polartec and wool models. On blizzard days, I put a down shell over it.


Here are a few:
http://www.furhatworld.com/sheepskin-hats-m-20.html

I may have more gloves than you. Gloves are fun and important to me. Like Imelda says about shoes, you need different models for different situations.

In my CatBird chair, I have found through trial and error that "glommits" are the cat's ass.
I need to be able to work my finger tips for the binoculars, keyboard and camera. Glommits let fingers play and then quickly retreat back to where it is warm. No gloves can do that.

The problem is finding quality glommits. The market is full of cheap ones. Trust me, "one size fits all" actually fits no one. You can find some decent glommet shells and underneath wear fingerless wool or WTF gloves for more insulation. The problem for me then becomes finding glommits large enough to layer under as I have big hands, big feet and a big ******:tears_of_joy:. So far, have found none as big as I would like. Tight layers compress, and nothing makes one cold faster than compression on the extremities.

I have last season's glommit from Cabelas
Attachment 1885
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cloth...3Bcat104005080

I used that last Winter and liked it. Underneath I found most days one of these was enough:
Attachment 1886
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cloth...3Bcat104005080

Attachment 1887
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cloth...3Bcat104005080

This year there is a new model.
Attachment 1888
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabel...h-All+Products

It looks like what I already have, but I may have to buy just in case as this is a hobby and I am an idiot.:apologetic:










Here is a previous thread on YC about my hobby.
http://yardcraphome.com/showthread.p...ull=1#post9298

Strange Hobby I posted about before

Does anyone have a strange hobby?
I have been a hobby guy since I was a tyke collecting marbles and later comic books. I have tried stamps, coins and later in life, beer trays and LPs.

Presently I have a few Hobby things. For a hobby to be fun it must be a learning experience. You have to become an expert. You can't just go out and buy a hobby. All the audio guys here know what I mean by that. It takes mental work. There is a learning curve. It takes time. It shows ignorance when one posts some flip remark on a hobby he has no clue about.

What are your hobbies? I know you guys are shy:courage:, so I will start.

One of mine is sitting in the cold and being happy.
How simple is that? It is actually very complex. It does not have to be, but I make it that using rules.
- Sitting on the deck I have to be totally warm, more so than inside the house.
- No heaters.
- light weight, not bulk is the goal.

I play my tunes on the deck and it gets cold out here. As a hobbyist, I never miss being here on those really cold or windy days. Last night it hit 8 and now out here it is 22. I am eager for strange weather. I understand here is mild compared to some of you, but that is a good thing. It don't count if it is 12 below there and you are inside at your TV:worked_till_5am:.

I like to test my gear, and my knowledge of what to put on depending on the present environment. Not over dressing or under dressing is the game. I now have years invested in the hobby of sitting in the cold (or heat) playing tunes and not being cold. I have a lot of gear. Mostly I search among the gear for ice fishing as mine is a stationery hobby.

Dealing with extreme cold is fun. Here it gets into the teens when I am lucky, and cold wind off the lake is common. Wind chill is a big deal! Lots of cold wind here off the lake. My search is constant for better gear as science improves it all.

I am cold matured. I get chilled on a 70 degree day. I have found that accessories are the "cat's ass" in this game. Better hats, socks and my favorite, gloves make the difference. I am always on the look out for better. Better than what I have is hard/impossible to find as I am cutting edge:emmersed:. (did I mention hobby?)

Of course out door heaters are cheating, but I have tested a few. The best for outdoors is Quartz, but I don't use one. I do use a warm Beagle for my lap. Last year I put in a fire pit on the deck, but the small flame is like a candle and just warms the soul -> very important!

The last big invention in my hobby was back in the '90s --> Polartec. I have lots of it and my Beagle thinks all of it is hers.

Keeping warm is different for all. Every "daily" runner knows what to put on as he exits the door depending on his run. Most warm gear is actually made for guys moving around, not sitting on their ass. Being active, the right gear is critical as sweat can freeze you. You might see a runner in a t-shirt, shorts gloves and wool hat running in the snow. He is OK. Hands and ears get cold as the body shuts the blood flow from extremities during exercise. On one day I might run near naked, on a slow jog the next day, might need more insulation.

Here on the deck, sit on my ass --> no movement like a guy in an ice fishing hut or on a turkey stand. If I sweat or chill, I dressed wrong. It is a science. It has become a hobby:nevreness:.

I long for days when it is 110 degrees or 10 degrees. Any heavy rain, any hint of snow, and I have to be out here with my critters and my music. Wind is tough to handle and common off the lake.

I recently got in a new down hat for this Winter. It is very thin and will fit underneath my Russian Shearling hat for an extra layer. It is filled with down, also got the down socks:beguiled:.

The pride of my collection is an over sized Shearling coat. I can put a couple layers of Polartec or down under it and be happy at -20 or -100. I don't mean "not cold", I mean happy and warm.

I would like better footware. I have several pair. I prefer them to be light, not big clunkers. Good footware in my hobby is hard to find. Heavy is out. They also need to be big at around size 15. The big deal for shoes and gloves is extra room so there is no compression. Plus, bigger shoes allow for more wool socks. Finding a big light pair is hard. today it is liners/polartec/wool/shearling slipper/Artic Shield cover. Light and warm!!

The Bride claims I have a glove fetish. I have more gloves than Imelda has shoes. I have every style. The learning curve has taught me that glomitts work best out here. I need to be able to slide fingers out to work my camera, binoculars, and beer mug. Like now, need to be able to type in harsh conditions. My hands get cold quick. Glomitts are the cat's ass for me, but finding good examples in XXXL is hard. I have gone the "mod" route. I layer my gloves today have in silk liners.

I have snow bibs of different types. One I like is the ARTIC SHIELD. . They are a little stiff and require a lot of break in, but VERY good value for the money. I have others including a Polartec one I got last year that is current issue to the Army -> a joke!

My legs are mostly OK out here as I have a hot Beagle who sits on them covered with her Polartec blanket. If I am out here, she will fight to join me:love-struck:. She likes Van Halen best, and I like the Dixie Cups. We manage.

I know it is a silly hobby, but over many years I have put a lot of thought and $$ into it.
I might be the world's best expert at sitting on my ass on the deck and being 100% comfortable no matter the weather.
It sounds simple, but is not.

It is a hell-of-a lot more fun than collecting stamps.

Working like I am in the current weather (work cancelled for tonight; low expected to be in the low single digits), I have to layer as I am between inside (hot kitchen) & outside routinely. I have to strip off 2 layers minimum when I go inside or I will start sweating & that is a KILLER when you go back outside.

I last worked Monday in the wee a.m. hours. It was 34 degrees & I was hot pressure washing kitchen hood filters. I thought I would freeze to death. I have to get a good waterproof jump suit for this stuff. My "waterproof" boots had me squishing in my socks within 45 minutes. Live & learn.

On a side note, AO sent me a Christmas package with wool socks & some fantastic mitten/gloves. The mitten part folds back out of the way to reveal tipless gloves, & the thumb has it's own little fold-back, too. Great for staying warm but nice when you need the dexterity you can only get with bare fingers......then back in the mitten! VERY warm, & like Bill said, LIGHT. No way will I be using these for work; they're too nice. I get covered in grease from the kitchen so all my work clothes go in the washer first thing in the morning when I get home.

Thanks, Bill~

Layering and activity level are key. Experience to make use of those is necessary, just reading is no good as we all differ.

Racing a Marathon at 30 degrees meant just a pair of silk gloves.
Just "running through" one meant adding a hat, sleeves and tights.
Sitting still afterwards for the awards meant dressing like a puffman.

Experience is the key.

It is a balmy 40 out here right now.

In Fall this would require down, but in Feb, we have acclimated and less is needed.

In the off seasons I hunt for bargains. In Summer I hunt Winter gear. This past year I used a sale and a coupon and picked up these:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabel...cts&Ntt=glomit

Attachment 3530
The first rule of glove hunting is "one size does not fit all".
I move on if there is not at least an XL. My hands are not giant, my fingers are kinda long. More important is the fact that any compression is a bad thing as to warmth, and for some applications, the ability to layer gloves is the best option, so bigger is most times better.
I have others, but seem to be the best of my lot.

I have been able to try these glomitts out now as the temp has been near 40 here on the porch. I use a wool/silk glove liner as finger has to pop out for binos, camera, and to type this. These are the same thin liners I used when running marathons below freezing. I throw that in to "example"(verb) that the gear must fit the activity.
My need is for warm, flexible, fingers. You can't get that with normal gloves.

These have a place for "Hothands" packets. I have never gone that route, but ordered a few. They are cheap if you buy a case.
They do seem to work. I will need colder weather to really test them, but so far - OK. I also will be trying them in my shoes.

If the apparent "no interest" continues in this thread as with all my posts:neglected:, will still be updating as it interest me.
I have new booties to test.
I need some cold weather. If obamma is right, I will not be getting it.

My latest purchase for work was a pair of these rubber, steel toe boots. ESSENTIAL for working in water, grease, chemicals, etc. These have a FANTASTIC non-slip sole that works like a miracle. They are big enough for 2 pair of socks if needed.

https://www.shoesforcrews.com/sfc3/index.cfm?changeWebsite=US_en&route=c_store.viewDe tailsOfProduct&partnumber=2060&searchstring=autosu ggest-2060-steel%20toe%20rubber


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AO, You have a way with birds that is almost magical !

Maybe it's the way you look / dress?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by AgentOrange

Strange Hobby I posted about before

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by AgentOrange

I know it is a silly hobby, but over many years I have put a lot of thought and $$ into it.
I might be the world's best expert at sitting on my ass on the deck and being 100% comfortable no matter the weather.
It sounds simple, but is not.


Not over dressing or under dressing is the game. I now have years invested in the hobby of sitting in the cold (or heat) playing tunes and not being cold.
Here on the deck, sit on my ass --> no movement like a guy in an ice fishing hut or on a turkey stand. If I sweat or chill, I dressed wrong. It is a science. It has become a hobby:nevreness:.


It is a hell-of-a lot more fun than collecting stamps.

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I do like to watch them. They are individuals and do the unexpected.
In my best of days I always had Rosey with me. Rain, snow, cold, heat, WTF, --> Rosey had to be with me. It was not an option for her. Where go I goes "She" to protect and amuse me

Today in the rain my cat Percy came over and sat in my lap to get out of the rain and cold.
The birds paid Rosey no mind. Today the Chickadee was screaming constantly to warm of the cat.
How do they know that?

Back on topic, this year is the year for new under garments.

"Warm" does not start at the heavy coat, but at the base layer.

Clothes do not produce heat, just the body. The deal is trap that.


On the inside of the "extreme" is a pattern fleece to better capture air pockets I guess.

I got in a set of the new Under Armour back in July and it is impressive.
Later I hooked to the Cabelas version which is cheaper and better in every way. The inside lining seems to be identical. The Cabelas outer lining is superior and it is cheaper.

I got the underwear with the hood in both cases. That makes a huge difference. It warms your neck and head, just put your hat on top. This is underwear, but if active, outer wear.

This is the 'cats ass' as to this year.
Buy large. Buy the largest size. Take my word, buy large. If you are sitting on your ass - buy large. If you are jogging, you don't need this.

Maybe they have better as some cost more, but I have this and it is ~

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cloth...3Bcat104036580