Any of you guys tried the under armor cold gear ?

yes , and worth evry penny you spend !!!
buy a size larger then you normally wear , they tend to run a little small.

 I have some and really like them. Haven't figured out why I need Mossy Oak print longjohns, but never the less they work like a charm. When it gets really cold I use the Under Armour as a base layer and then pull on the fleece long underwear over it. I found I can stay out for a lot longer and still be comfortable. They aren't cheap, but they are worth it. My $.02. Bob Beal

I haven't used the UA stuff but I've been using the Patagonia Expedition Weight fleece long jons for years and absolutely swear by them. In fact, I've had 3 pairs since the early 90's. One pair, my wife and I figured, suffered a long life on my butt about 1500 times before the crotch wore out! That's washed hundreds upon hundreds of times and they still worked. The pair I've been wearing are on their 4th year and they work pretty darn good.
http://www.anglinoutdoors.com

Yep

I prefer the fleece stuff far better than slippery feeling sausage skins. Loose is more to my liking. I tried the UA stuff but went back to fleece. It's all personal preference.

Extremely over priced, over hyped and over rated IMO. Great for outdoor sports or if you are mud humping a flooded farm field. For extended hours in severe cold I'll take natures miracle fabric, wool any day. Smartwool and Marino wool are itchless, wick moisture and insulate extremely well even when wet. There really isn't any cost savings, but if you want ultimate cold weather performance, there it is.

I absolutely agree with Rick. Merino wool can't be beat. Feels like cotton but NOTHING keeps you warm like Merino wool. Plus it doesn't stink after a day of use like the so called "miracle' fabrics. Try it, you'll never go back to second best again.

Brands: I've got Filson and Icebreaker and both are great. The Filson waterfowler sweater is fantastic. I've got the longjohns from both companies and give the nod to Icebreaker at the moment. Just heard that Cabela's has Merino wool longjohns also but I haven't used them so can't comment on their quality.

Pete


Pete


MOLON LABE [mo 'lon la 've]

Technology has it's place, hunting isn't it.

Life's a blink, never have to say ....... "I should have"!

"That human optimism & goodness that we put our faith in, is in no more danger than the stars in the jaws of the clouds." .................Victor Hugo

i have the UA cold gear - not very happy with it - it sits in the hunting clothes closet awaiting a trip to the salvation army store

Pete, I forgot to mention the anti-odor qualities, well put. Check out what's on my Christmas list (actually in Mrs Santa's hands I believe). It's the only source I know of for a Merino wool union suit. I've got a heavy knit black wool union suit that I wear over smartwool for severe cold heavy artillery. Can't wait to try a union suit in Merino wool under it. A union suit really keeps heat traveling up and down one's body and has been used forever by people who know a little about funcitoning in the cold, Canadian loggers.

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/...word=wool+union+suit

I don't know much about UA. I have a couple of their t-shirts and they are okay, just okay though, not great. Their material doesn't wick moisture as well as some others and that is the key to a good base layer in any weather I experience here in VT.

I've had nothing but the best of luck with Patagonia Capilene. No other brand I've used works as well, sounds kind of snotty but it is true. I've tried a ton of brands and in the end it was "penny wise and pound foolish". Spend the money on a good set of capilene and you won't regret it.

Yes, wool is a good insulator, but it is not a base layer. You need a wicking layer to get the moisture away from your skin. Wool gets wet and continues to insulate but it stays wet. You don't want that against your skin in really cold weather. I have a smartwool shirt that I use as a second insulating layer when it cools off. Even then, I've found out fleece works better most of the time.

Here in VT I always use a base layer and add layers (insulating, breathable, wind stopping) as necessary over that - unless it is the middle of summer - but even than I have capilene T-shirts.

Capilene comes in a variety of "weights" the light stuff is great in warm weather and up to pretty cool stuff. You might want to spring for expedition weight if you go out in really cool stuff.

I think the key is to treat hunting like any other outdoor activity and use technical clothing to its best advantage. The weather doesn't care what you are doing and layering with good technical fabrics makes sense whether you are mountain climbing or duck hunting.

Charlie

PS. Added - If you want to get rid of the stink in polypro clothing use a detergent called Techwash by Nikwash. It is expensive, but you only use a little each time. The stuff also helps restore water repellency on DWR fabrics.

PPS. Also, there are no better socks than Smartwool.

PPPS. Do I sound like an advertisement yet? Maybe I can get a job in a hunting rag .... "then I took my Remongton model 700 SSP rifle, coated in non-reflective Stealthtech coating, and aimed my 3-9x40 Swarovski scope at the trophy buck provided by Buckslayer Outfitters and shot it with a Wincester Supreme bullet coated in Lubalox...." LOL

Get you some poly prop's, it's what the militarty uses and you can pick them up at most army/navy surplus stores. I'll never use that underarmor stuff when the poly props, are a lot cheaper and work a lot better too.

I have an underarmour cold gear shirt and it helps to prevent your from getting hot then sweating and then freezing a little while later. I got one last year half off at the end of the season and am glad I bought it.

I will say this though, you have to wear a warm shirt over becuase the under armour doesn't do much to keep you warm. It does keep you dry though and that is huge in and of itself.



______________________________________________
A serious reduction in the population of black ducks would mean the end of waterfowl hunting for the majority of the New England sportsmen.

Rachel Carson, 1947

Mike,

You hit the nail on the head.

The underarmor cold gear, miltary poly propelene, generic polypropelene or Patagonia Capilene stuff is all designed to be a wicking base layer - to pull moisture away from your skin.

Polypro, unless is is super thick stuff, is not supposed to be the insulating layer.

That said, some is better than others and you'll know it once you've used the good stuff.

Charlie