If you hunt in cold weather, having the right gear to stay warm is critical. And "cold" is different for every person. In upstate NY, "cold" for me is 25 degrees and below. When I factor in wind chill and real feel temperature, it is common for me to experience these temperatures in mid-to-late November and December.
After several years of getting by with the cold-weather hunting gear I had collected, I finally invested in the Sitka Gear Fanatic Jacket and Fanatic Bib. The company introduced this series in 2013 and has been improving it ever since. A few of the best features include:
high-loft Berber fleece face which makes this outerwear very quiet in the woods or tree stand;
100% windproof insulation to keep you warm
pockets on the jacket and bib that can be easily accessed while in a tree stand or hunting saddle
full length zippers on the bib to vent while you hike to you stand or to remove this layer without removing your boots
strategically placed pocket for a range finder or call
There are pieces of this system that are designed "by women, for women" including the Jacket, Hoody and Bib.
Other pieces of the Fanatic system include:
Hack: Accessing the pockets with heavy gloves was difficult, so added DYZD Zipper Pulls which added about 2.5".I purchased a pack of 10 from Amazon for about $6.00.
The Jacket and Bib are $449 each, so these two pieces set me back over $900 after shipping and tax. This investment enables me to comfortably sit in a tree stand for 6+ hours in 20 degree temperatures, so I consider it money well spent.