# How Do You Keep Toasty?



## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

An article in F&S got me thinking. To sum up the article it was ideas or what methodology people use to stay warm while winter fishing ? Battery heated socks ? Layering ? maybe rubbing icy hot on your hangs ?

I myself don't wear anything cotton, Layer Fleece or wool and dont run the car heater to high on the trip. Oh and a shot of wild turkey keeps me nice and tosty :lol:


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## lunkerhunter2 (Nov 3, 2007)

I really like Icy Hot on my Hangs! If they are warm, no worries!
I dress in layers or atleast try to. If not, i have a nice tent with dual heaters.


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

A good friend of mine puts deodorant on his feet and claims it helps with hit feet from getting sweaty and cold.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

americanforkdude said:


> A good friend of mine puts deodorant on his feet and claims it helps with hit feet from getting sweaty and cold.


I'm not trying to be a nit-picker here, but you or your friend probably meant to say anti-perspirant - not deodorant. Deodorant just keeps you from stinking; anti-perspirant keeps you from sweating. Sorry about that - it's the engineer in me that makes me do that. 

My method is to layer heavily and keep the outer layers off while doing any work such as walking and pulling a sled, putting up the shelter, etc. About 10 to 15 minutes AFTER the work is done I put the outer layers on if called for.

Also, be sure to keep a wicking type first layer next to your skin. Cotton T-shirts ain't it. I usually wear Cabelas Thermastat or silk next to my skin. It gets the sweat away from the skin and evaporates it so you don't feel clammy.

I wear a pair of what most people refer to as Korean Boots or Mickey Mouse Boots. I can sit for hours on end and my feet never get cold. A good set of Sorrels will only keep my feet warm for about 3 hours max when I'm sitting on the ice. Smith & Edwards usually has a supply of the black version of the Korean Boot.

Also, keep a couple of those Sams Club/Costco throw away terry towels handy to keep your hands dry. Air drying your hands makes them harder to keep warm.

Now let's go fishing. :mrgreen:


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## americanforkdude (Sep 13, 2007)

Your right, my bad.


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## flyguy7 (Sep 16, 2007)

by staying in excellent cold weather shape. Also known as "not thin"!


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Good boots are my most important, if my feet are warm I am warm. Then everything in layers with the top being one that can break the wind...uhh I ment stop the wind.

I don't think I would put anythng on my "hangs" I want them dry... oh.... wait.... maybe I am thinking of something different


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

+1 Bowgy, my boots are my most important part. Then i layer with thermal bottoms, flece pants, shorts so i dont look like peter pat. :lol: Finish it with gortex pants. On top I wear a t-shirt, a hoodie, my down duck coat liner and a gortex shell. 

Another good tip is to wear all black or dark colors. My black shell heats up way faster then my white one.

Hands are the hard part for me. I HATE gloves so I usually have very red hands, or I have on thin gloves till they get wet from all the fish and then they come off.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

i know this may sound stupid to some people but i hate coats and alot of layers cause you get way to restricted and you cant move for the most part i will just have my levis and a hoody on but i will take a coat just to be prepared for the ride out on the ice and i never wear gloves also because you just have to keep taking them off and putting them on to do anything anyway i guess it just comes from working outside all through the winter any way but the cold is better than the heat 

you can dress for the cold but you cant dress for the heat


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## deadicated1 (Mar 17, 2008)

you forgot about the underarmor i gave you nor-tah!!!!!
i hate gloves too... i cant shoot with em, cant tie a knot with em. somehow my hands almost never get too cold though. other than that, i think the wicking topic that was talked about is ideal, and good boots as well


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

flyguy7 said:


> by staying in excellent cold weather shape. Also known as "not thin"!


This is also my approach, along with a tent and heater.

Layering clothing is the only way to go.
You just have to be sure that the clothing is loose and that it doesn't bind on on you.

I start with poly underwear and thick smart wool socks.
I then add some fleece pants and a flannel shirt.
Next, it's a sweat shirt, a hoody and insulated bibs.
The final layer is my parka and some type of hat.
I like wool gloves unless it's extreme cold. Then I wear waterproof ski gloves.
My boots are packs that have 800 grams of thinsulate or more and waterproof.
I wear what is needed and put on and take off, as needed.
This works very well for me.
I also carry some chemical hand warmers.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

Cold? What is this "Cold" you speak of. My body is like a furnace. I can go out in cheap boots, cotton socks, cheap longies, dungarees, cotton T, a sweat shirt and a jacket. I do have good gloves, but, before I have the first hole drilled I will be down to the "T" with sweat pouring down my face and my hair wet.
Dry is what's hard for me, trying not to work up a sweat.
If it is truly cold or windy, I set up the tent. If the heater is running it's for the kids or for cooking breakfast and then the down wind door is often wide open.
My feet sweat, my hands sweat, my head sweats and my back sweats. 
Most who see me on the ice can't figure out why the sled is piled high with warm clothes while I'm standing there with only the first layer and a jacket on.


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## fishawk (Aug 23, 2009)

+1 on most everything said. . . good boots, layers, hand warmers. One other thing I've found helpful is taking a scrap of carpet or door mat to put down to keep your feet off the ice. It's surprising what a difference it makes just having that layer between your boots and the ice.


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## sinergy (Mar 6, 2008)

Fishhawk - ++1

Originally I had a Frabil with with a plastic floor then switch to a Quickfish with no floor And Yes it does seem like my feet get colder with out that thin barrier. Will have to try your carpet idea thank you.


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## Packbasket (Oct 29, 2009)

silk.

we've always used a layer of silk to start with, then a union suit and wool bibs and wool jacket, last 20 years I have used a neck warmer from turtlefur, love them, wont go without them. and mittens.

boots are 400 gram, or 600 gram russells and a silk sock, then a cotton or wool over it, depends on how much walking I am going to do vs. standing. biggest thing for boot warmth for me is a inner sole of wool, Sorel used ot make them, not sure if they still do. the thick wool sole inset makes a big difference.

40 below zero I use vicks on my feet, then cotton socks, my brothers used to swear by heavy aluminum foil but I never liked it.

a pair of jonE hand warmers in the kidney pockets makes you warm all day...not even sure if coats today have kidney pockets, but I have a newer coat that I had them sewn in.


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

It takes a lot to get me cold.(Like Yellowstone in January) Although I am on the thin side I am like a furnace. I typically just wear a pair of thermals and jeans or Carharts and a hoody and a coat, but always end up taking the coat off when it gets too hot! Another tip for staying warm is making sure you have good blood circulation throughout your body. Also, study up on certain foods with warming/cooling properties! Trust me on this one, I am living proof, It works! Have fun ice fishing and be careful out there!


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

The only thing on me that gets gold really is my hands. The chemical warmers are nice but once the tent is set up and heater is going I usually have to peel off layers.


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## Petersen (Sep 7, 2007)

[youtube:k9wjtfms]http://www.youtube.com/v/tGPTCO4aNCw&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0[/youtube:k9wjtfms]


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