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Calling All Cold Weather Saddle Hunters - Designing a Garment for Us!

ImThere said:
If you make bibs please make the zipper on the inside of the legs. Where you can unzip them and fold them up the out side of your legs and walk around. Have them button to the waist somehow.
I’m not sure if any clothing line does this or not but I’m interested in something like this.


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I’m really liking this idea, would be nice for those that like to walk in with their bibs on and not sweat, one less thing to put in the pack meaning less weight on the back during the hike
 
EricS said:
That looks like a good design. An easier route would be to modify a normal set of coveralls with a cuff with either a drawstring or elastic end and just add a carabiner to one side of the bridge.
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True, seems like a number of guys are modifying garments like this. I personally don’t like having a removable bridge that uses a carabiner, it’s more weight and metal meaning potential for more noise. I’d like this design to not require a removable bridge for those that don’t like the extra metal. Thanks!
 
Homebrew454 said:
I forgot to add that I carry in my stuff and put my bibs in at the base of the tree. I climb up and then put on my jacket when I get cooled down.

I really like this idea. I'm thinking something similar to the arse opening (but in the front) on the first lite sanctuary that goes down the inside of the legs to the feet. This would accomplish the room for the bridge hook up.


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This is an interesting idea, I’m struggling to envision if this could work for those wanting to put it on once in the tree. Seems like you would have to slide the bib on from the bottom over your head if the bridge is under tension. At the base of the tree without the bridge hooked up putting it on normally would be a piece of cake.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
I've been thinking about this a bit this morning and it occurs to me that I really don't have much issue pulling my jacket down between the saddle and my hips. My biggest issue is that I like to sit with my hands in my jacket pockets and the bridge directly interferes with this. In the early season I keep my hands in the jacket pockets to keep the mosquitoes from feasting and obviously in the later season I do this to keep my fingers warm. The pockets also provide a comfortable rest point for my arms. In order to gain access to my pockets I have to pull my jackets forward as far as I can to allow my hands access. This pulls the jacket tight across my back reducing the effectiveness of the insulation.

I typically wear two overlayed jackets in the cold months, an inner Cabelas Wooltimate jacket with my Scentlok Full Season over it. I may look at just modifying my outer jacket with zipper closed slits so my pockets can lay where they normal would. I think some trials are in order. Thanks for starting me on that track.
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Yes seems to be a theme about having a functional hand warmer built into the front which is not blocked by the saddle bridge, I agree and have had this exact problem, I missed this on my original feature list
 
kmleach said:
This is an interesting idea, I’m struggling to envision if this could work for those wanting to put it on once in the tree. Seems like you would have to slide the bib on from the bottom over your head if the bridge is under tension. At the base of the tree without the bridge hooked up putting it on normally would be a piece of cake.
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I was thinking it would go on over your head like a sweater. Pull it down over you back and then it would go under bottom of the saddle. A double zipper would be required from feet to the hips. Have the zippers by your knee area to get left foot in. Then zip down to boot and up to left hip. Repeat on the right side. The center area by the bridge would either be a zipper, magnet flap, or something else to accommodate the bridge.

Option 2 would be an entrance similar to the heater body suit. Put right foot in to suit and then right arm. Swing suit under saddle to get left arm in then left foot/leg. Zip up left foot to your hip. Zip from groin area up to your chest. Center area would have flap for your bridge.

Only other option I can think of would be bibs or pants. I'll look for the post but someone had military surplus button up pants that could go over the saddle. Maybe it was something from Wiggy's I saw.

I think option 2 would be easier to make than my first thought, which is harder to describe due to its complexity.

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Cajunshooter said:
I like Denots don’t need this kind of cold weather protection often and I also like other have suggested prefer bib and jacket. I did hunt in 16 and 17 degrees last year. I know that’s not much for you northern guys but for this coonass that is an arctic freeze. BUT what would be the most beneficial to me would be something that I could pretty easily put on once I’m settled in up in the tree.

In my case it almost doesn’t matter what I wear. If I have to hike in and climb a tree with almost any amount of wind protection on, I am sweating like a pig once I get settled in. My preference would be to layer as needed, then once I’ve got settled in the tree and cooled down be able to put something on to protect me from the wind and cold. It doesn’t even matter to me if it fits really lose or you can easily rip it off like a stripper suit. As long as it can cover me over my saddle and stop the wind. I would definitely not like being wrapped up inside a heater body suit though. I want to be able to move my arms and legs without having to open it up.


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For the most part I keep my legs pretty stationary on a platform but if the closure are on the bottom was magnets you could easily just spread your legs apart and it would open. If this happened and you needed to close it back up after a shot and you were going to continue hunting it would be easy enough just to bring the fabric back together in the magnets would reclose it. And yes it is absolutely essential to not wear anything like this into the woods in the south. The middle of January and at 6 in the evening it's still a very mild 60° here. Supposed to be in the twenties this weekend, we'll see. But to be honest there's no perfect solution for everybody's situation that's for sure.
 
denots said:
For the most part I keep my legs pretty stationary on a platform but if the closure are on the bottom was magnets you could easily just spread your legs apart and it would open. If this happened and you needed to close it back up after a shot and you were going to continue hunting it would be easy enough just to bring the fabric back together in the magnets would reclose it. And yes it is absolutely essential to not wear anything like this into the woods in the south. The middle of January and at 6 in the evening it's still a very mild 60° here. Supposed to be in the twenties this weekend, we'll see. But to be honest there's no perfect solution for everybody's situation that's for sure.
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I agree. If I need to suddenly move my feet/legs and the suit will come apart without a struggle I’m good with that.


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There are some good ideas here but I found that if you adjust tether height really low, down to chest level at least or low as you can go, then all the clothing issues go away and I've found it more comfortable too. If you're a platform hunter it works better but you can still go pretty low and still get around the tree using ring of steps. The key to keeping your tether low is to have an adjustable bridge because you can only go so low with tether on a fixed bridge. To test it out just make a Whoopie sling bridge out of amsteel or just clip your linesman belt with ropeman on the saddle loops and play around with an adjustable bridge and tether height. This way also lowers the tether down so you can easily draw your bow without tether hitting your elbow.
 
Navigator said:
Homebrew454,

@Allegheny Tom used military pants that had openings for the bridge to go through. Search for his posts. He bought his overpants from SportsmanGuide.
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I love those pants.
Pros: Extremely light, warm, and inexpensive...~$20 for 3 pair.
Cons: probably not very water repellant...may need a DWR treatment??
And certainly not for wearing in briars. I think they would be torn to shreds.
But very light, compact, and easy to put on in the tree.
For 7 bucks each...well worth it.

Actually, I used the reach thru pockets for my LB, not my bridge. My tether just comes out the top of the pants. Works very well. I assume the reach thru pockets would work with a detachable bridge...but my bridge is not detachable, so I put my LB thru the pockets. I think SOMETHING should go thru the pockets to act as "suspenders", so to speak. The pants do have a shock cord waist on also snap tabs that can be used to hold them up, but I like using my LB.

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This is all great feedback, here's what I'm gathering for general consensus of what is most desired in something like this:
  • Most prefer Jacket and Bibs combo over coverall option, more versatile, can be used for other activities equating to more value for $ spent
  • Zippers on inside of legs for ease of access - Include option to roll up pant legs and snap in place near the waist for those that want to wear while hiking
  • Evaluate feasibility and tradeoffs of magnet closures vs. zippers in multiple locations for ease of putting on garment while up in tree
  • Easy to put on once settled in the tree with a fixed bridge
    • some want this, others want to walk in with bottoms on or put on garment at base of tree
  • As light and packable as possible
  • Windproof, waterproof, breathable
  • Built in handwarmer or Napoleon pockets that are easily accessible around bridge
Other features like built in knee pads would be of value it seems. I think to start, figuring out the way in which the bridge is passed through the garment is the most critical feature, the other items can then be determined. For that, I've spun up a couple basic sketches to illustrate the ideas presented here. I did not include all features or pocket locations, the goal is to strictly get your feedback on the bridge pass through "mechanism." Also, please disregard the lack of a hood on the jacket sketch, that component of the design will figured out later on. Let me know your thoughts, thanks!

Bibs A.jpg

Jacket#1.jpg

Jacket#2.jpg
 
kmleach said:
  • Windproof, waterproof, breathable
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Unfortunately there is no such thing as windproof, waterproof and breathable. Using a tight knit fabric will greatly knock down the wind. Using a DWR (Durable water repellent) coating will make the fabric water repellent. Using any membrane will make the wearer clammy and become cold due to moisture build up. No waterproof membrane is breathable. Most membranes become noisy in cold temps too.
 
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They shouldn’t zippers should be inside a Little “pocket” or covered some way. The only time I would fold them down is in the tree I literally burn up walking in the woods no matter the temp


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CZMark said:
Whith the zippers on the insde of the legs, will the bibs be noisy while walking if your legs rub together?
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It’s possible and certainly worthy of testing. They could be covered by a storm flap with buttons but that adds extra weight/bulk. As ImThere mentioned, the zippers located on the inside of the legs is primarily to allow them to roll up and snap in place on the outside of your legs/hips for hiking without over heating. I plan on targeting people who are mobile and hunt a significant distance off the beaten path, it won’t be meant to be worn while hiking with everything zipped up and in place.
 
^^^^^
The old scentblocker Dreamseason jacket has the perfect for this! The chest pockets were key to being comfirtable with your hand in them.
 
Natgear camo has a wintercepter fleece jacket that doesn't have any liners and it's a tight weave fleece that blocks wind good and is weather resistant.. If the pockets were higher on the sides IMHO I would consider it the perfect jacket.
 
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