Merino wool...hands down.

 

Merino Wool....bottoms up!

They have an expedition weight which is their heavier materail.

Merino wool is one of the best suggstions anyone ever gave to me that has improved my confort hunting. Comfort = sitting still and staying out longer.

 

Merino is high dollar, grid fleece bases with silkweight under it can work.

It all depends on how much aerobic activity you will engage in before you will be sitting still.

 

Well I have the same stuff you are looking at.

I use Minus33 for my base layers. I have both mid weight and expedition and it is great stuff. I have the crew, turtleneck and zip top in both weights. I also use Underarmour Treestand, but not as a base layer. I am not a big UA fan especially when it comes to baselayers, but the Treestand is really nice stuff.

I layer Treestand over my Minus33 and that is an extremely warm combo. Do not walk out with it on or you will roast. The Treestand runs small and I got 2 sizes big and it works out great.

I highly recommend the Minus33 zip tops for the top base layer. It allows you to unzip for the walk in keep from overheating.

I am also making the assumption you are a stand hunter like me. If you are active this combo may not be for you, but the wool base layer still applies.

 

Russell Athletic has a great base layer that uses some form of heat retaining system very similar to Under Armour's Heat Gear and at a fraction of the cost. I picked up tops and bottoms at WalMart for around $15-$18/piece and they work great!

 

LOL I was trying to keep it a secret!
Hell last year Walmart was carrying Starter brand instead of the Russell. I bought one top and bottom to test out, figured at $15 what could it hurt. With out a doubt! Just as warm as my $70 UA Cold Gear. So I went back and bought all they had on the rack in my size. Now I have enough cold gear base layers I can wear a clean set every day on i a week long hunt. All for the price of my one set of UA and it works just as well.

 

Merino Wool base layers. I bit the bullet and bought some Minus33 Heavy weight wool bottoms this year. My only regret is not getting them sooner! I believe they were 400g knit.

 

UNDER ARMOUR 3.0 or 4.0 NO QUESTION

 

Ua 3.0 is junk. I bought one this year and just ordered some first lite to replace it. Under armour stinks after one wear and doesn't keep you warm for crap because it's traps all your body moisture. I do like under armour outer wear though.

 

I"m of the same opinon that UA traps too much body moisture. I like the Merino wool becaue it breathes and insulates when wet/damp.

 

Merino wool is excellent at wicking moisture but if you want to be warm spend your money on midlayers instead. I layer fleece over the merino followed by a puffy jacket, of course the puffy jacket is packed in and not worn to stand.

 

UA is garbage...merino wool anything.

 

I usually buy the cabelas polar ecws. Comes in tall sizes. Seems to transfer moisture better than the Ua 3.0. Compared the first light chamaz ( which I believe was mid weight) when it was in the 30s and the cabelas was much warmer . Bought a minus34 kobuk heavy weight short so will have to compare in the late season. Hoping people are not just saying merino is better because it cost more which is typical nowadays

 

Cabelas polar ecwcs here. Only layer i need

 

Tried Merino Wool only wool that was itchy for me I had been using ECWCS since 2013 and read these threads about how good it was and some posted about a deal so I thought for the price why not try it. Well worn it twice and both times I had itchy arms and legs. yet when back in the Army I worn their wool long underwear and never had any issue with it. So This year I went back to ECWCS and also have some Carhartt Force and both keep me warm . I have Cabela's Dry-Plus® Legacy Wool™ Bibs for outer layer but also use the same in just a regular pants, they are washable and warm and with a very old 20 year Cabela's Wool Jacket I am good to go in my Ladder Stand in Michigan in December just a hand muff with a portable means of heat to keep my release hand warm and polartec beanie.

LFM

 

The only wool I wear and found to be non itchy is First Lite Merino Wool.

pricey, but well worth the cost.

Kanab pants are unbeatable.

 

On a budget, try WalMart Rocky Heavy Thermal Fleece top and bottoms for about $30 total

hunting Missouri, I layer cheap WalMart thermals. I find Rocky brand Fleece Thermals more than adequate.

About $18(Rocky cotton) and $25(Rocky fleece) are my total thermals investment in the last 15 years. In MO, it is rarely below 25 F before November gun season. If I hunted colder climates like Minn, Wisconsin, Mich, Canada or New York then I would consider investing in First Light Marino Wool.

60 to 45 degrees F, I wear my lightweight cotton Rocky WalMart thermals.
45 to 40, I wear my medium weight WalMart Rocky Polar Fleece thermals.
40 to 30 I wear the Rocky lightweight and the Rocky fleece.
Below 30 I again wear both base layers but switch from a bdu cotton pant to a heavy insulated bib overall.
Below 20 I don't go.

Marino wool just way too expensive for me. Heck the Heavy Polar Fleece thermals at BassPro and Cabelas are too expensive.

 

Lose fitting merino wool

Do NOT use compression base layers.

 

the best thing is Merino wool, it is some of the best base and mid layering around.

i have the Minus 33 Denali expedition weight full zip top and the Katmai expedition weight bottoms that i wear as my base layer. my mid layer is Justin Charles expedition weight Merino wool top and bottoms i bought 7 years ago. then i wear my Artic Shield H3 bibs and coat. pack in my Ice Breaker Boot blankets and i am good down to zero degrees. when my JC finally wear out i will then switch to a Minus 33 mid weight base layer. i always get expedition weight and then dress around it. for mid fall days of say 40 degrees and up i just wear the minus 33 and my scent loc full season pants and jacket. once it gets down into the teens and lower, then both merino wool layers and the artic shield.

dont forget your neck.. the minus 33 neck gaiter is a must for cold weather along with the beanie for me.

UA base layer works, but you better have a wind blocking layer or it will freeze you, plus it stinks to high heaven when you sweat. i wore my UA camo base layer for an early season elk hunt. 50 degrees in the morning so all i put on was my camo UA base layer top. wore it all day and was very comfortable. got back to camp and when i took it off it smelled so bad i had to wash it out and hang it outside. you dont have to do that with Merino wool.

 

is this the correct stuff and if so do you know any good deals

 

Wool sweaters from good will or any other thrift store. 5 to 10. Bucks a piece. I went to Savers in madison and I found probaly 20 nice merino wool sweaters in my size. I also got some other wool/cashmere sweaters that are super comfortable and warm.

 

FL, Minus 33 and Icebreaker (best value overall) are my base layers and trust me, they work.

 

Looks as if I'm going to have to check them out.....where are yall finding the best deals?

 

I love my Minus 33. Get them from Supercasuals.com



Haven't found them on sale yet.

 

Might have to try some of the Minus 33 stuff myself.