Anyone use them for stand hunting? Look like they'd be a good idea. Walk to your stand and don't turn them on until you get cold.

How about a brand name is one better than the other?

Bowmania

I use a Gerbings heated vest. Works great. Has different settings and lasts several hours on a charge

I just bought the camo Milwaukee jacket and love it. I get cold very easily and this jacket has kept me on stand longer and more comfortable than ever. It has separate adjustments for the back and chest heater and the handwarmer pockets. By far the best investment I've made for hunting.

I have been using a heated jacket for yrs and they are great. I wear half the clothing I used to and do as you mentioned....turned off when walking in and turn it on when I start to cool off. My hands and feet stay warmer and I fidget less. I have two, one for work and one for hunting. One is a Dewalt and the other is Ridgid. They both last around 2hrs on high with the small lithium battery or 6hrs on high with bigger 3-4ah batteries. I recommend getting one from a major tool maker (dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Ridgid) due to the accessibility to batteries...especially if you already have their tools. I also recommend getting a vest or smaller jacket. Where it with just a shirt underneath and a bigger hunting over....guarantee you'll stay warm.

I have Gerbing vest also and if you get the Cabela's Battery it has a remote control fob to turn it off and on, the one that comes with it, you have to unzip the pocket and pull the battery out and turn it off and on. The Cabela's Battery is larger and I think powers it longer. I recharge them with an inverter in the cigarette lighter in my truck since most of my hunts are multiple days

Looking at the vest from Pnuma Outdoors. Reasonable price, lifetime warranty.

Sold direct only, no price mark-ups.

I have the one made by Milwaukee and it works good down to about 30 degrees. I got two extra batteries and really like the hand warmer pockets. I had a Woolrich hoodie made with permaloft insulation that might keep the heat in if I wear it over the coat. It's supposed to get really cold the next couple days so I'll try it out.

Now, if only someone could make reliable electrical socks or boot insoles! I have a lot more trouble keeping my feet comfortable than my torso when the temps are bitter cold.

Hands and feet getting cold means your torso or core temperature is too low. The body begins to restrict blood flow (heat) to the arms and legs when the torso is getting cold in order to protect core temperature. The old saying goes “If your feet are cold, cover your head”. Up to 70% of the bodies heat loss when sitting is through the neck and head. So my first step is making sure I’ve got a good head and neck insulation. Next is good core protection. The electric vests sound great. I’ve gone with Sitka gear Fanatic jacket and bibs and have not tried the heated vests—yet.

Ollie, check out Thermacell heated insoles for your boots. I got a pair as a gift two years ago. The ones I have are Bluetooth enabled so I can control the level of heat with my iPhone. (Yeah. I’ve been accused of being a high tech hunter). They don’t get hot to the touch, but add just enough heat to keep the feet comfortable.

I find if I’m comfortably warm, I can sit in my ground blind for 3-4 hours when the temperature is in the teens. Key is being able to sit still. Since I got my good ‘warming’ system, I stay still and see twice as many deer.

Ollie, Have you tried the (improved) Thermocell heated insoles? I haven't, but they are blue tooth, so you can control them with your cell phone and they are rechargeable. I just got some new boots, but if they aren't warm enough next year, I may give the electric insoles a try. I don't like super heavy boots as they make for loud walking and make your feet sweat, so these things might be just the ticket for me. - John

I was looking for one with the side burner that you could fry bacon on while waiting for a deer.

Get the one with built in GPS and deer detector.

I like the one with christmas tree lights, blends right in with the trees on the lots where they sell them

forgot.. I like the blue tooth feature and sync it with my phone

Do they make one with realistic fawn bleat, buck grunt, snort- wheeze, crashing antlers, etc.....so I can opt out of the top-of- the-line FOXPRO?

Built in speakers stream the sounds via Bluetooth also drone controls built into the wrist.

My brother uses one made by Milwaukee. He loves it.

Thanks for your responses!!! Do you mean to say I could get by spending 200 bucks on an electric jacket instead of 800 on a Fanatic suit?

Bowmania

Check out thermacore base layers at tcaoutdoors.com , I have a set and it is an outstanding product. I have set in the stand with the temps in the teens and was as warm as toast

When it comes to maintaining warmth in the outdoors I don’t think there is a silver bullet solution that will work for everyone equally well. Our metabolism levels are different and, I suspect our basic tolerance to cold is different. I think there are a number of good ideas listed in this an other related threads. And I believe everyone is honestly reporting what has worked for their individual needs.

I also doubt any one idea will be enough—the best outwear still needs a good base layer for example. So the challenge is for each of us to figure out the combination of ideas that works best for our specific needs and issues.

Personally, I’ve found my ability to handle cold conditions has declined with age. The solutions that worked for me 10 years ago don’t get the job done today. So it’s possible there will be a need to look at different or additional solutions as one gets older.

I try to keep an open mind and try new ideas from time to time to see if I can improve things. I suspect a number of folks who have poked fun at new technology ideas for warmth in this thread have adopted smart phones as part of their every day gear. Why not see if some of this technology can aid in one’s comfort when hunting in cold weather situations.

Good post George!

My son-in-law has a Dewault(honestly!) he loves it,yes it uses those batteries.

You guys make fun of them, but I promise you would love them if you tried one. My dad was the same way, poking fun of me for wearing one. I bought him a heated vest for Christmas last year, actually gave it to him couple weeks before Christmas so he could wear it with a few weeks of deer season still in. Well we have lows in the 20's coming up and I asked him if he had his batteries charged for the weather...he said heck yea lol. I'm a tall skinny guy who has trouble staying warm so I'm betting you guys making fun have more "natural" insulation than me ;-)

Seems to me it's a lot more environmentally responsible to recharge a small battery for 5 years vs throwing away 20 pounds worth of used-up chemical heat packs.

I think a pair of battery heated boxers would be superb. But then again...a short in the shorts (while conductive) would not be conducive to sitting quietly.

And speaking of battery-powered comfort: There was a time when I would have paid $150 easily to have a rechargeable 18v fan inside my 120 degree antelope blind.

Battery-powered garments are going to become a LOT more prevalent as years move along.

Just depends how often you'll use it. I don't get out much, so the back pain relief heat packs work pretty well for me. Mostly, though, I just need to spend more time outside and get acclimatized to the Real World instead of acclimated to the Orifice. Problem is that I get PAID to show up at the latter...

Guess I shouldn't raise the added weight of the batteries as an objection if one of the reasons I need a little extra heat out there is the fact that I'm not carrying around an extra #10-#20 around my mid-section....

Well said George Vernon. I currently spend equal amounts of time hunting in Maine and New Mexico. I think my ability to tolerate cold weather has increased with age (so far), but it certainly helps to be acclimatized to the weather. In a discussion of cold weather boots with my hunting buddies in Maine, they explained that their feet are more sensitive to cold because they have had frostbite injuries in the recent past. Everyone's different and while I wouldn't want to completely rely on battery powered clothing, it can help keep you comfortable & in the woods longer and might prevent injury.

Bowmania's comment caused me to look up Fanatic hunting apparel. Wow! Spending that kind of money on hunting clothes is over the top (but to each his own). I plan to buy some 100% merino wool long underwear when (if) it goes on sale. Anything poly-based makes me stink more after a few days at camp and since I fly back east to hunt, I can't bring a lot of clothes. I learned about the heated Thermacell insoles from one of the top wildlife biologists in Maine. I imagine he knows how to deal with the cold. - John

Though not for hunting I bought one for the wife as a Christmas gift last year. She should be a dealer/distributor for them. Tons and tons of people inquire about them. The red operating light on the front prompts questions. If you need to earn a few bonus points with an always cold spouse I highly recommend them. She loves it. Matthew

Interesting that some of you like your Thermacell insoles. I looked into buying some a few years back but did not do so based on bad reviews from friends who had tried the product. Just went online to Amazon and read lots of reviews...most of them bad. Was hoping maybe the reliability of the product had improved since I last checked into them. Don't want to spend nearly $200 for a product that so many people have trouble with. Glad it is working for some of you.

Ollie, I have NOT tried them yet myself. I researched them online and read that they have made improvements. I plan to see how my new boots do next year first. I agree, $200 is a lot if you don't really need them. - John

OK, I've come up with another question. Looks like the heating element on a jacket is located just on the back and front of the chest?

Due to coming to full draw I don't need more 'stuff' on my arms. Is a vest the way to go? Electrically it would appear that a vest would give off as much heat as a jacket and you just have to trap it with something over. Don't need another layer on my arms.

I'd guess fleece is without question the way to go.

Bowmania

Regarding Thermacell insoles....

Two points. One is many folks charge up the batteries, put them in and turn on the heater in the insole apparently with the expectation the insole will get as warm to the touch as the air activated hand warmers. Wrong. The insoles are designed to work in a shoe. Far less challenging environment than handwarmers see. So it does not take as much sensible heat to keep the feet comfortable. This also means the batteries will last longer.

Second, I have found a number of users who wait to turn the insoles on until their feet begin to feel cold. I gues they are trying to conserve the battery. But playing catch up is a hard task for these small wattage heaters. The better strategy is to turn the insoles on after you get to the hunting location and your feet have been warmed up by the walk. It’s far easier for the heaters to maintain existing warmth vs. trying to warm up already cold feet.

My experience is I can get 8-10 hours of battery life with the heaters on low. 6-8 hours on medium. And 4-6 on high. This is with the improved lithium-ion batteries that come with the smart phone compatible insoles.

Maybe I’m lucky, but I’ve put some hard miles with the insoles in various boots. So far no mechanical failures. Mine were purchased by a family member on sale at Cablea’s for $120. End of season sales are already underway so check your favorite outdoor equipment store and see if you can find them on sale.

I have the Cabela's jacket and love it. I only wear a thin undershirt, the heated jacket, and my heavy hunting jacket over it. The less between your body and the heated jacket the better, and with something over it, it helps to keep the heat in. I have a couple batteries, including a larger one. The large one can keep me warm almost all day on stand if it is above 0 degrees. The jacket has a thermostat, so it you can keep the jacket warm, it will use less battery power. I wish they made pants! Good Luck!!!

Somebody makes pants.

Bowmania

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