How are you staying warm?

[Pinoyfisher]

With the onset of winter, how are you guys staying warm while fishing for grinners? Other than bad conditions, the cold keeps me off of the sand.  I know most pack on layers of clothes to keep warm, any other methods?

Here's a list of what I've employed and if it successfully kept me warm or not:

Costco 32 Degrees Base Layer Top and Bottom
Worn under clothing like thermals. It's supposed to trap body heat like a wet-suit. I think it works pretty well once temps drop to the low 60s. They've even made me sweat a bit. A must have for layering on warmth!

HotHands Hand Warmers
I get these at either Big 5 or Walmart. I like them in the felt lined hand warmer pocket of my waders. Great for warming my hands and keeping them warm especially after a quick hand washing in the skinny after handling bloody bait or slimy bat rays. They add some warmth to the chest area throughout the night. I've also put in each pocket of my sweat pants to add some warmth to my legs. Every little bit helps. It comes in handy.

Neck Wrap
Got my neck wrap from Big 5 and it's great! Combined with a beanie and then a hoodie, everything from the neck stays pretty damn warm the whole night. It's basically a turtle neck sweater without the sweater that you can pull all the way up to over your nose and just have your eyes exposed. A must have!

Wool Snowboarding Socks
Also from Big 5. I found the snowboarding types to be thicker than the regular wool socks. Helps to have all the extremities be nice and toasty. Very helpful.

Additional Heat Source??
This is something new for me. I recently purchased a Highland Portable Tank Top heater from Amazon. It was a little less than $30 with free shipping from Amazon and a 2pack of 1lb disposable propane bottles from Home Depot for $6. The heater comes with 3 settings; Low, Medium, and High. Depending on the setting you use, will determine how long the propane will last you. It only adds a little over 2lb of additional for me to carry from the car the to beach and the heater and 1 tank fits into my cooler along with my bait and other essentials I need for a night of fishing.

I've used it 2x and I haven't gotten the heating capabilities I was hoping for. I set it up and prop it on top of my cooler, so that it is to my body level as I sit next to it in beach chair. Even at the high setting, it just doesn't give off enough heat unless it's just several inches from me. It warms my hands really well if I put them right in front of it. I'm guessing since it's being used in an open area the heat isn't contained  around me. I'm sure it'd work well if I was trying to heat up a very small enclosure like a duck blind.  I'm looking into other options. Fail.

I know our winters aren't really winters, but I'm at that age that I don't want to fish uncomfortably. Shivering while fishing just sucks the enjoyment out of it.

[sasquatch]

Wool socks from Costco.
Jeans. Could go for something warmer.
T shirt, flannel shirt, hoodie, jacket. Usually stop adding before the jacket, but I like to have it.
Baseball hat. I have a hood/beanie, that I can pull over my neck and face but I don't like the way it fits on my face so I usually just use it as a beanie.

The wash tub fire pit was great for certain spots until the man banned them.

Tom and I were just discussing the cold.

[Pinoyfisher]

Wool socks from Costco.
Jeans. Could go for something warmer.
T shirt, flannel shirt, hoodie, jacket. Usually stop adding before the jacket, but I like to have it.
Baseball hat. I have a hood/beanie, that I can pull over my neck and face but I don't like the way it fits on my face so I usually just use it as a beanie.

The wash tub fire pit was great for certain spots until the man banned them.

Tom and I were just discussing the cold.

The banning of fire pits sucks.they do a lot of propane fire pits but that's too much crap to carry now.

[spideyjg]

Hot hands, Flannel lined jeans, super long over the calf socks, Goretex jacket and hat. Wool fingerless gloves.

Key item I think is the Goretex or other fabric that is windproof.

[Eric H]

Beanie

High end thermal long sleeve from REI

Sweater

Jacket

High end thermal tights from REI

Pants

Wool socks

Waders

[FISH86R]

Elmer Fud Carhartt hat
Hoodie
Boardshorts

[vdisney]

I know our winters aren't really winters, but I'm at that age that I don't want to fish uncomfortably.

I can relate Mike.  I was a diesel mechanic for the State of California for 32 years.  Over twenty years in Mammoth and 10 years up on Donner Pass, all in the snow and sub zero temps.  Now that I've been in 'sunny' Southern California for a few years I bitch when it's 60 degrees.  I don't dig being cold and the older I get the less I like it.   


Here's my list:
Silk socks under wool socks, Flannel lined jeans, hip boots (us old guys gotta pee a bunch, no waders), heavy long sleeve T shirt, heavy sleeveless T shirt, light wool vest, Charhartt sweat shirt and a Fleece lined wind breaker.  We bring a 'bi fuel' Coleman lantern (uses regular gasoline), puts off light and a surprising amount of heat.  I'd bring some "liquid heat" but my luck with drinking and driving ain't been so good   

[Pinoyfisher]

I need a wind breaker. That cold a$$ wind goes right through my clothes. Been looking at a propane firepit, but not too keen on carrying that down to the beach especially ones with stairs.

[xjchad]

Are you really that cold?
I think I'm older than you Mike (but not you Verne  ) and I just fish in board shorts (they dry quick) with layers on my upper body.  Tshirt, long sleeve, flannel, and if it's really cool, a sweatshirt.  Beanie and surfer booties are nice, but sometimes I forget them.

I wouldn't say I'm WARM, but not cold enough to stop fishing.

[Kam_Walsh98]

I personally think it's about time for me to upgrade from the jeans, sneakers, and long underwear but they work for now.

[Pinoyfisher]

I personally think it's about time for me to upgrade from the jeans, sneakers, and long underwear but they work for now.

Youngins don't get cold!

[Latimeria]

LOL, No kidding Mike.  To be young again!  LOL

I just try to keep from getting wet and wear a few hoodies with my waders. 

[skrilla]

Socks and a 6 pack.