I am looking for a quality cold weather wool coat. Have seen Sleeping Indian gear. What others do you like?

Filson Double Mackinaw

I guess I should add that I am looking for an extreme cold weather Coat for sitting those longs days during a Saskatchewan deer hunt.

Tracker I have been hunting Saskatchewan since 1988 and use both the sleeping Indian and Filson. I use the Filson for the really cold days...

Tracker, trust me on this one: wool is the LAST thing you want in Saskatchewan for a deer hunt. Unless you're going on an unguided hunt, there are much better options. Wool is perfect for hunting in situations where you may get wet, but it is far from the best insulator in -20 to -30 degree temps. I've been several times. I put on a thin pair of polypropylene long john underwear. Then I put on a heavy pair of polypropylene which will add to the wicking of body heat. A pair of fleece pants and a Wind stopper pull over sweather is worn. Then I wear a goose down jacket. I wear heavy mukluk style pack boots rated at -100 and a Windstopper cap. Then of course, you have to wear your white coveralls and orange cap. I wear one of the belt muffs sold by Cabelas with several heat packs in them and thin leather gloves.

If you REALLY want to stay warm with those long sits on stand, try this. A few years back I began to think what part of my body got cold first. Then I realized it was my lower back. Guess what organs rest against the skin of your lower back? Guess what every drop of blood that passes through your body passes through before going out into the body? YOUR KIDNEYS. I bought one of those back warming belts for sore backs. They last about 8 to 12 hours, just long enough to cover your day on stand. In between the thin poly underwear and the heavy, open one of these and strap it on. All the blood going through your kidneys will be heated by the pad and you'll find that your fingers and toes no longer get cold so quickly.

A client gave me one of the Weatherby wool coats several years ago and I've been really happy with it. But I'm never in anything that you guys would consider real cold weather (20 to 30+F).

Kyler

I've got a Filson I've worn for over a decade and its a hell of a coat. But... for reeeal cold weather its poly pro, fleece, and down.

I have a Filson Double macinaw, it is warm but heavy, When I hunted N.MN. I worn a Cabelas thinsulate-Gortex parka, with light poly pro long johns,then heavy poly pro, then heavy wool pants and wool shirt. then the parka. I have some Sorrel Ice King boots with 2 pairs of good wool socks. I could stay on stand most of the day in -15 to -20 weather and take a lot of snow also..I lived there for 30 years.

I'm not sure a wool coat is the way to go here even if that's all I ever used for stand hunting in NY State where the coldest it ever got was about 15 degrees with a howling wind.

At any rate, my vote is for the Woolrich classic wool field coat. It lists for $179 but you can certainly get it for a lot less at a Woolrich outlet (probably around $120).

The Filson is a great coat but it's a bit pricey.

I have hunted saskat' several times. the coldest was -42 f w/o the wind chill.

if you are hunting inside a ground box blind and have a portable propane heater you could wear just about anything.

i have for many years a woolrich coat and it would be dangerously inadequate for saskat.

most guys wear either northern outfitters or ravenwear. the canadians prefer the ravenwear.

i have the full set of ravenwear and it is quiet and has kept me comfortable in a exposed tree stand.

Thanks Cold Zero. I couldn't think of Raven wear to save my ass. I saw lots of it in Edmonton. I don't think I've seen it down here in the states but it is definitely quality wear stuff. And I had to chuckle at your remarks. You know it takes TWO trips up your way to get it right. I got lucky on my first trip by packing heavy enough. By the second time, I knew damned well what I'd need. And for you guys down here who think you know cold, when you get to Canada and it's -40, don't bother asking if that's Celsius or Fahrenheit. -40 is -40 on BOTH thermometers and you simply cannot breathe the air into your lungs direct. It is a deadly temperature that even the deer don't move in it. They start moving at about -20.

quote:

Originally posted by george roof:
I saw lots of it in Edmonton. I don't think I've seen it down here in the states but it is definitely quality wear stuff. And I had to chuckle at your remarks. You know it takes TWO trips up your way to get it right. I got lucky on my first trip by packing heavy enough. By the second time, I knew damned well what I'd need. And for you guys down here who think you know cold, when you get to Canada and it's -40, don't bother asking if that's Celsius or Fahrenheit. -40 is -40 on BOTH thermometers and you simply cannot breathe the air into your lungs direct. It is a deadly temperature that even the deer don't move in it. They start moving at about -20.

George:

your welcome brother. you touched on several things that are important.

true that it is no place to play around and you can get frostbite very easily by wearing the wrong gear.

i wear a thermometer on my zipper so that i can monitor the temp as it falls during the day.

true, when really cold you need a neck muffler or balaclava over your nose so you can breath. the hairs inside your nose will freeze w/o it and that is painful. i wear a h.h. wicking hat, then balaclava then a large windproof fleece hat then my hood. that is like 4 layers on the brain housing group.

the first trip i thought i could get by and save some coin by wearing my n.f. windproof shell (which is noisy) and by buying a 700 goose down fill liner for the coat and 6 other layers under it. i got by that year because it was not a cold year. i quickly learned that you must have the right gear and what is used at home for cold weather deer hunting is inadequate for saskat.

the last time i went it was a cold year and i was glad i had the right gear so that i was able to really concentrate on watching for deer and not thinking about how cold the -42 was. it was windy my tree was swaying back and forth in the wind. when it gets that cold you can hear the tree sap freezing and the trees spliting it souds like the tree is exploding. loud cracking.

i was advised by my friend who had already hunted there 7 years and was a pro who took 6 deer over 150 pts and was quite serious about it and knew his business.he taught me several other tricks for when the cold is extreme, -20 or lower.

you can get similar good advice here and avoid the suffering.

good luck.

In that case gentlemen, I'll opt for a Canada Goose Parka. )

I'm not sure it's the best wool coat, but I have a red-black checkered Woolrich quilt-lined coat that my parents gave to me for my 16'th birthday that I still wear once in a while if it's cold enough--33 years later and still keeps me warm.

quote:

Originally posted by jackfish:
Filson Double Mackinaw

Is the L.L.Bean Cruiser jacket similar or the same loke this one? Prices are in fact quite different, $149 the former, $298 the latter.

A goose down parka is part of the answer. You must layer and layering with pp and wool blends.

But the coat must be a goose down parka.

quote:

Originally posted by DUK:

quote:

Originally posted by jackfish:
Filson Double Mackinaw

Is the L.L.Bean Cruiser jacket similar or the same loke this one? Prices are in fact quite different, $149 the former, $298 the latter.

The LLBean Cruiser uses 15.5 Oz. per yard 85% wool fabric while the Filson uses 24 Oz. per yard 100% virgin wool fabric. So, yeah, half the coat should be worth half the price. I'd look at the Cabelas Woodsman 27 Oz. Coat for $150 on sale right now.

Thanks for the clarification. It seems that the devil is liek always in the details...

I have the L.L.Bean jacket and am quite happy with it. Quality is something I appreciate this brand for. However, the jacket is not really for VERY cold weather.

And I believe that is why the Woolrich is less money as well: 16 oz of wool.

I would have bought ravenwear, but when I started buying cold weather clothing the two heavy hitters were Sleeping Indian and King of the Mountain. Ravenwear didn't exist back then.

Since I have so much invested in KOM I don't want to reinvest in Ravenwear, but its good stuff. We had the owner at our SCI banquet in Sept.

But for what its worth, this works for me.

I start with Under Armor Cold gear. Over that I use Ullfrotte wool long underwear. It comes in 4 weights 200, 400 600 and 800...They have socks as well that your feet simply do not get cold.

Over the underwear, I use a KOM wool pull over shirt called the Trapper. For really cold days you can add a wool sweater with wind block.

For pants I wear KOM pants and bibs if I need to.

For a jacket I use either the Rancher with Beavertail Vest or the 10 Ring(discontinued)

A good neck gaitor is essential, wool or poly pro hat. If your gun hunting you can get away with a balaclava, but as Im mainly a bowhunter I need to hit my anchor so I just wear the hat.

I use chemical hand warmers in my boots(1200gram Rocky's) and in a muff that ties around my waist.

Hugh

l.l. bean, woolrich or for that matter filson are not for stand hunting in saskat'. i don't beleive any $149 coat will suffice up there.

a goose down parka while warm, is not wind proof. i feel windproofing is one of the keys to staying warm in that environment.

while i have not seen any guys wearing the above, the king of the mtn. is used up there and can work, likewise sleeping indian. those are basically the best of the lot in wool hunting clothes. significantly more expensive than the ones listed in the first paragraph.

staying comfortable up there is not something to be taken for granted, it must be planned out well in advance and worked on. m.h.o.

I use a Filson Mackinaw in the winter up here ice fishing and it's plenty warm, even on windy days. As long as you have the proper base and mid layers and hand/foot/head gear, which goes for just about any jacket, you will stay warm.

The Filson is as good as Sleeping Indian or King of the mountain (lost both in a fire) if not a little better. The Mackinaw and the Double Mack are both knocking on $300.00 not $149......The weave in the Filson coats is tight which helps it buck the wind. Filson also has heavy whipcord wool pants (very tight weave) that will keep your lower half toasty too.

Cloudveil makes a down jacket that has Gore Windstopper as well as pit-zips for ventilation while hiking.......Offered in white too. For $300.00. Check out their gloves, they are excellent!