cold weather gear

[Moose1am]

I bought a pair of overalls that have thinsulate in them. I got one size too big. XL size. Now I have to wear a belt to keep the bottom on the pants from dragging the ground. I am bigger around that I am long! 40 waist with a 30" inseam. These keep me warm when it's dry outside and cold. But they are not waterproof or even water resistant at all.

I picked up a nice parka with a thinsulate liner that buttons inside the waterproof outside camo jacket. I can wear just the thinsulate liner which is camo on one side and brown on the other and it's reversible. Or I can put the thinsulate inside the parka and wear them both together when it really cold outside. Or I can wear just the Parka without the liner. I am OK for the top part of my body in cold wet weather. Now I have to find some bottoms that work with this parka. I am thinking of buying some Bibs or just some camo insulated waterproof pants.

I do have a pair of thinsulate camo jeans that keep me nice an warm when it's cold and dry. But these jeans are not waterproof or water resistant.

I fished KY lake one Nov and wore these jeans under the coveralls and felt like I was the pillsbury dough boy that day. But I was not cold that day.

For my feed I have some thinsulate lined boots that really do keep my feet warm. Those and some of the new moisture wicking synthetic socks work well. I have a thinsulate sock cap to cover my head and thinsulate lined mittens or gloves.

Thinsulate does keep me warm and cozy without a lot of bulk. I use to wear a down jacket but it would not cut the wind so if it was windy I got cold wearing the down jacket.

What is needed is not only waterproofing but wind proofing outer material that can keep the moisture out but let the sweat get out. Something that breaths.

All layers need to breath. If you put fleece over that cold gear underwear how does the moisture escape though the fleece?

I would think that each layer that you wear will have to breath in order to allow perspiration to vent out.

Regards,

Moose1am

[DYNATRAK]

i fished all of last winter and was looking for the same thing, something warm. for christmas my parents picked me up a set of camouflage coveralls at ####'s for around 90 dollars. you step in them and zip them all the way up. they also have leg zippers. i think the brand is Winchester. Anyway, they're waterproof and will BURN you up. there were many a day i was opening those up to get some cool air in. Now granted the winter was not as cold as previous years, but i'd put those coveralls up against any of those $500 750MPH goretex suits from basspro. just my 2 cents.

DYNATRAK

[bassin101]

I don't think the 100mph rain suit from bass pro was ever meant to keep you warm. It's not a cold weather rain suit. If you guys have noticed the 100 mph suit doesn't have any lining for cold weather. It's just a quality rain suit that will keep you dry in any condition. It's a great rainsuit for early spring and fall fishing. If you want warmth and dry you can't beat the guide wear.

[elnutsmalljaws]

You skinny fellas sure do have a BIG advantage when it comes to cold weather gear and rain wear. For a fat fella like myself, it takes 2 pairs of heavy socks, thinsulate boots, 1 layer of insulated underwear bottoms, 2 pairs of sweatpants, 2 layers of insulated underwear tops, sweatshirt (sometimes 2), then sweatjacket, plus if it is windy I put my bigcamo.com rain suit over all of it for wind protection. They just don't make good cold weather gear in my size. I bought a "insulated" coverall set last winter and the size that I bought, which is 2 sizes larger than my pant and shirt size was smaller than my pants and shirts. They just don't make this stuff in my size and I wondered why until a very wise person (My Wife) once said "Guys your size does not get out and do the things you do, for most of them are sitting in the house where as you are climbing in the boat to go fishing in the middle of winter". I thought about it and can honestly say that I can't remember seeing 1 single fisherman larger than me on the water in my 3 years of fishing. Even after the fact that I have lost 180 pounds since March of 2004, I am still the biggest guy that I have ever seen out there chasing the swimming creatures. You skinny fellas defineately have the advantage in this area.

[Danny]

Elnut... come meet me!! You just might meet someone larger...LMAO

But, I don't fish in the winter. I just don't like the cold!!

I was going to buy some BPS rain gear a while back, but the largest they carried was too tight. I knew I would rip the shoulders out when casting, not to mention the backside of the pants. Then to think of having to layer some clothes for that early in the year fishing, you know when the highs are in the 40's...LOL and well, I was just plain SOL!!! and no, that is not spanish for sun.


Tight lines and God Bless

Danny

[elnutsmalljaws]

Danny,

You know what I mean when I say it is hard on a big man to find any clothing or rain gear for us. I had the gastric bypass surgery a couple of years ago and I believe it saved my life. No more high blood pressure or any other co-morbidities that comes with being big. I am still losing but not at the rate I was (mostly because I am not doing what I am supposed to but plan to get back at it). With my frame, the doctor said that I will not be much less than 275 when all the weight is off but I would more than carry that weight well. Even at my biggest, 560, I carried it pretty good and most people never knew or could guess my weight then and some have a problem guessing it now. I bought a Deep V 17 boat just because it was very well suited for my size. I can sit in a regular height seat behind the wheel and it is very stable. You are more than welcome to fish in my boat any time.

Elwood

[Old School 21xd]

TYhe very best suit is called a Chiller Killer made by Saf-T-Bak. It is out of production and can be bought on Ebay. If you cannot find one, get a Walls.