Keeping warm key to keeping on
Dec. 1—It can be hard to make yourself carry enough warm clothes for later when sweat is running into your eyes in the hot here and now. That's one of the many reasons pocket hand warmers and a portable heater can be best friends for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
In every case, those of us hunting, fishing or hiking are doing so just because we want to, and a loss of morale can be a showstopper. It's impossible not to remember, once relaxation deteriorates into mild suffering, you don't have to be there. It doesn't require a major piece of gear to make a difference though. Sometimes small comforts are just that. A ChapStick and a bottle of water often prove, beyond a doubt, small things conspire to make a big difference.
Staying warm outdoors addresses many levels of necessity. Just because you're in no real danger of hypothermia certainly doesn't mean you're completely comfortable. Whether you're looking for crappie in a cold lake's deep waters, waiting for one last chance at a buck, braving the elements to camp and hike the quiet places, or simply spending some time outside, a few small considerations for yourself can go a long way.
When it comes to keeping warm, there are lots of great options available at reasonable prices. During deer season's early weeks, hot afternoons give way to a sharp chill that arrives in the 60 minutes of the day that matter most. Pulling a jacket on in a shooting house or popup blind can be a real hassle that creates hunt-spoiling racket. Turning on a heater with the push of a button or opening a hand warmer as quietly as a packet of ketchup are ideal solutions applied with ease. Neither requires lugging bulky gear or making significant noise.
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Dry chemical hand warmers have been around for years and are cheap and disposable. They do often expire between the end of one cold season and the beginning of the next, though. Before you trust your hunt or campout to hand warmers that have been around for several months, open one and put it into your pocket. Carry it through the course of a half day to make sure its unopened brethren are still capable of doing what you want them to do.
Portable heaters that run on bottled propane can be light, quiet and very easily carried. Those sold under the brands Buddy Heater and Heat Hog are especially adept.
They're available in a variety of sizes, all built to be transportable hot or cold, so they can be operated in a boat, blind or shooting house until the moment you're ready to leave. Then they can be taken away with a minimum of care. They run on bottled gas that is available basically anywhere hunting, fishing or camping supplies are sold.
These heaters are affordable but not disposable. They range in price by size from roughly $80 to $180.
Advance afterthoughts
One of the best experience-inspired considerations is the neck gaiter. Effectively a tall, warm collar, this item is worn around the neck and then pulled up in the front or back — or both — as needed. It can be pulled up in the back to cover the ears while staying below the chin in front. It can be set in the opposite configuration, covering the nose and mouth and leaving the ears free, or it can cover both front and back at the same time, all while the gaiter's bottom edge remains tucked into the wearer's coat in every case. It's a neat way of conserving body heat, and a comfort well worth adopting if you've not yet given it a try.
The thin gloves shooters and fishermen often prefer are a compromise between warmth and function. The necessity to feel a trigger or tie on a hook limits how thick and warm these gloves can be, but a hand-warming muff worn around the waist can be an ideal solution. Better than pockets, this implement affords the wearer a greater range of motion and at a better angle in the cramped situations often found in deer stands and duck blinds.
Additionally, a few dry chemical hand warmers tossed into the deal can help keep things warm. Plus, if lake water, fish slime or anything else gets this item wet or dirty, it can easily be run through the washing machine without having to launder an entire coat.
Kevin is the weekend edition editor for the Daily Journal. Contact him at kevin.tate@journalinc.com.
