How to Assemble a Strategic Late Season Layering System

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As I parked at the trailhead, my truck read the outside temp was -15 degrees without windchill. No surprise, I was the only truck at the gate and I briefly questioned if I should even get out and start hiking to my usual glassing point. The thought of having the entire drainage to myself was too tantalizing, so I strapped into my pack and began working my way up the trail, knowing I was dressed properly for the conditions.

When temperatures drop below freezing during late-season hunts, many hunters choose to stay indoors where it's warm as they likely don’t have the proper gear to entertain the thought of hunting in these temperatures. Selecting a simple layering system can extend your hunting season to include a variety of weather conditions that you will face while hunting the western states.

Over the years of hunting Montana’s backcountry, I have fine tuned a clothing system that works very well for me as a glassing hunter which keeps me comfortable all day so I can be ready when the opportunity arises.

Base Layer

When constructing a layering system for cold weather, it all starts with your base. This is the first layer of defense in building your system to keep body heat in when you need it and release heat when you don't. Choosing the correct base layer that is comfortable and fits properly is key. Be sure that the length and fit is perfect. If they are too short or too tight and ride up your calf you'll be fighting them all day. I prefer to find “boot top” length base layers as these tend to ride up less and can be kept in place with tall hiking socks to ensure they work in unison for maximum comfort when hiking up and down the mountain.

Base Layers come in a variety of materials but I tend to avoid synthetics and have had the best results with Merino wool blends. Merino wool is well known for its excellent warmth, odor-resistant nature and reduced shrinking after washing and drying.  Merino tends to be more comfortable on the skin and reduces chafing compared to other fabrics that don’t wick moisture away properly when you start to break a sweat, which is inevitable when you're on the go. My first choice base layer is Stone Glacier’s Chinook Merino Bottom and Chinook Merino Hoody in a large size. I am 6’5” and weigh 200 lbs, with a lean frame. This pairing fits me great and has held up very well after seasons of use.

Mid Layer

For most cold-weather hunting a good base layer and softshell pants can get you through most hunting scenarios. When it comes to really cold active hunting/hiking coupled with static hunting, sitting and glassing motionless for hours on end, you're going to need a versatile mid-layer that can be taken off easily for going mobile hiking to a new vantage point to reduce overheating and sweating. Full-length side zippers on the bottoms and a ¾ zip chest on the top help with easy on/off in the field. This is the most crucial part of my late-season layering when the temps drop below zero and the snow is getting deep. As you start to build your layering system, sizing becomes important as each piece needs to be slightly larger but not a full size larger like going from L to XL. Buying these layers within the same brand usually helps in this area as they built their clothing line around this concept. I run the Stone Glacier Helio Zip Off Bottom and Helio Hoodie in a Large size for my mid layer and it fits perfectly over the base layer without adding a ton of bulk. Extra bonus, the Helio Hoodie makes a great early-season hoodie when you need just enough to knock down the morning chill but know the sun is going to warm up soon. The hoodie packs away easily in your pack and serves double duty for layering and as outerwear.

Pants

The modern hunter has more options for hunting apparel than ever before and can choose from a variety of clothing lines to find what fits their specific requirements. Early-season clothing is obviously thinner and breathes more than late-season clothing, so finding pants that do both isn’t an option. I prefer to find pants that layer well over my base and mid layer without being too restrictive and that have full-length side zippers to help bleed off excess heat when active. Keeping consistency with the same brands helps in this area even more at this point in the layering system to ensure the right fit and all-day comfort.

A quality fleece-lined pant helps with added warmth when coupled with a supple soft shell type material to help with an articulated fit for active hunting. Often cold weather pants are too thick with insulation and not sized accordingly to have proper movement and often lead to blowing out seams after a few outings. Whatever pants you select, be sure they have an active cut and fit best with your selected base and mid layer, when you’re trying on clothing. Avoid purchasing large bulky insulated pants for active hunting in cold weather as they will always lead to overheating and sweating.

I run two different pants for late-season hunting depending on the weather. For cold drier climates, I will wear my Stone Glacier Dehavilland Pant as this is my everyday pant. From early fall through Spring I live in these pants every day and have a pair with over three years of nearly continuous use and hundreds of washings. They fit perfectly and have zero signs of wear on the stitchings which is an amazing testament to the clothing line's durability and quality materials.

When the weather calls for cold and wet, I switch to the Stone Glacier M7 Pant for the fleece lining with a hydrashield softshell exterior that keeps me dry when wading through thigh deep snow all day. The Contour Waist in the Stone Glacier pants allows for the waistline to be adjusted in and out which helps account for layering. These are the ultimate late-season, cold-weather pants. If you're going to own one pair of pants for the season, these are the ones to own.

Puffy Coat and Pants

Every hunter needs a high-quality puffy coat in their packs at all times. The weather can change quickly out west and being prepared is vital not only to success in the hunt, but also your survival. Many times I have had to bail off a ridge and seek cover from high winds and rain with dropping temperatures and quickly reach for my puffy jacket and rain gear to stay on the mountain and ride out the storm. I have run the Stone Glacier Grumman Down Pant and Down Jacket for all my late season hunts regardless of the weather forecast. They stuff into a small sack and live with my raingear inside my pack for every hunt. The DWR Treated Goose Down fill in both garments gives great loft and warmth even if you down get a rain jacket on fast enough and get a little wet.

The Grumman Down Pant is an excellent choice for sitting all day in the cold atop the mountain sitting on my glassing pad keeping me extra warm when thrown on over all my layers. They are sized accordingly and fit great as the final layer to my late-season layering system and are a crucial piece of my gear list for keeping me on the mountain despite Mother Nature's best attempts. With full length side zippers, I can throw these on over everything without taking my boots off and take them off just as easily when I spot my target and need to move quickly to a shooting position.

Final Layering Thoughts

I have found a great system with Stone Glacier hunting apparel after years of trying just about every clothing line before finding this system with their unique Contoured Waist and Stratum Layered Zipper System. The fit and all day comfort I get from these features keeps me on the mountain thus increasing my success in the field. Now is the time to start sourcing a new layering system that works best for you, not once your late-season hunt has began. I can not emphasize enough to start with trying on as many brands as you can find and be sure to try them all on with each layer underneath to get the proper fit. Building a system similar to what I covered here will prove invaluable over the years and investing in quality gear will just extend the life of the clothing for season after season of warm hunts and punched tags.

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