Photo & Packing Consultations

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If You’re Joining One of Our Trips

When you’re signed up for one of our trips, a reasonable amount of photo consultation is included for free. We’re glad to help you get camera-ready—whether that means advising on gear, image storage, or trip-specific needs.

Planning Other Travels?

We also offer paid consultation by the hour if you’d like help packing or prepping for a trip with another travel provider. From gear selection to photography logistics, we’re available to support your travel plans.

To inquire about rates and availability, please email us directly at info@cherylopperman.com.

A Note on Requirements

While we’re happy to share our expertise, we recommend that you always consult your own travel provider for their specific requirements. We can only be sure of details for the trips we operate.

Packing Information for Your Sandhill Crane Photography Trip

Below, you’ll find suggested items to pack for your Sandhill Crane photography trip in Nebraska, along with helpful tips to guide your choices. Use this list to compare against what you already own, and if there’s anything you need to pick up, convenient links are provided.

Some of these links are affiliate or dealer links, which means that in certain cases, we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no additional cost to you.

For select items, we are also an authorized dealer and can often match or beat advertised prices. If you’re interested in any of these products, feel free to get in touch directly for pricing and availability.

All of the links show up as yellow text or a picture/banner. Simply click on the link to be directed to the product page.

Some companies also offer coupon codes or special gifts that are listed near their link.

Any special offers or coupon codes are typed in RED.

To use our Amazon affiliate links, you may sign up for a trial membership if you are not already a member. With two day shipping, you have plenty of time to get anything else you need for the trip.

Prime also comes with their video streaming service that we use all the time at home. Some purchased videos can also be downloaded to your device so you can watch them offline while traveling. We try to pick out a couple movies to take along in case we get stuck at the airport longer than expected.

Your support of our small business is sincerely appreciated. Please feel free to email us at info@cherylopperman.com if a link does not work or you have a suggestion to add to the page.

Airline Baggage Size & Weight Restrictions

As you pack for your trip, please keep in mind the baggage policy of all the airlines you will use during your trip. Each airline’s baggage size and weight restrictions can be found on their website, but here are a few guidelines for common domestic airline carriers:

United Airlines

Carry-on Bag (for the overhead bin): 9” x 14” x 22” (including handles & wheels) No defined weight limit

Personal Item (for under the seat): 9” x 10” x 17” No defined weight limit

Checked Baggage: 62 inches total (length + width + height) 50lbs maximum

Delta Airlines

Carry-on Bag (for the overhead bin): 9” x 14” x 22” (including handles & wheels) No defined weight limit

Personal Item (for under the seat): No defined size or weight limit, but must fit under the seat

Checked Baggage: 62 inches total (length + width + height) 50lbs maximum

American Airlines

Carry-on Bag (for the overhead bin): 9” x 14” x 22” (including handles & wheels) No defined weight limit

Personal Item (for under the seat): 8 x 14 x 18 inches (20 x 35 x 45 cm) No defined weight limit, but must fit under the seat

Regional flights on American Eagle^® planes have limited overhead bin space. If your carry-on is larger than the personal item dimensions, you must valet your bag before boarding.* They will tag and check your bag at the gate for you free of charge. When you arrive, you’ll receive your bag on the jetbridge after exiting the plane.

Remove any batteries, electronic cigarettes and other restricted items from checked bags.

Checked Baggage: 62 inches total (length + width + height) 50lbs maximum

Denver Air Connection

Carry-on Bag: 50 linear inches total (including handles & wheels) 30lbs maximum

Personal Item (for under the seat): 41.5 linear inches total or 6″ x 13″ x 14.5″ to fit under seat. No defined weight limit

Due to limited space in the aircraft cabin, your carry-on bag will be checked at the gate and returned to you at your destination.

Checked Baggage: 62 inches total (length + width + height) 50lbs maximum

Camera Equipment

I use Canon camera gear and will list links to the gear I take to Nebraska below. Every trip is different, so these are the lens ranges that I use most often to photograph the cranes. You can use them as a guide to compare to gear you already own.

For new photography gear purchases, I always advocate that you consider purchasing Camera Gear from your Local Camera Store. In Colorado, I work with Englewood Camera. Englewood Camera has also been a big supporter of my photography workshops and tours, so your support of them is greatly appreciated.

If you can’t find what you need locally, I have listed some other affiliate links below.

Camera Bodies

When traveling, I always recommend taking at least two camera bodies. If you don’t have two, consider buying a used camera as your backup. There is nothing worse than having your only camera body break down on the trip of a lifetime! (If you need a backup Canon body, I have a couple used bodies I am selling, so feel free to email me for more info at info@cherylopperman.com)

If you are considering the purchase of a new Canon camera for the Nebraska sandhill cranes photography trip, I highly recommend the Canon R5 Mark II. It is a full frame mirrorless camera with excellent image quality and very useful features. I can still use all of my EF lenses by purchasing an adapter. In fact, I almost prefer the EF lenses as I can use an adapter with a drop in filter that makes it easy to change filters quickly in the field. My filter recommendations are listed below in a separate section.

Lenses

The lenses I take to Nebraska:

• Canon EF 600mm f/4 The best lens for tighter portraits, single crane flight shots, and dancing cranes
• Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5 – 5.6 Good for small to large groups of cranes in flight, on the river, and at sunset
• Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 or Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 Good for dramatic sunsets with close cranes that fill the sky
• Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 An alternative to a 100-400 and a fast lens
• Canon EF 1.4x Tele Extender Good for extra magnification with the 600mm or 100-400 lens

RF Lenses worth considering in place of the lenses above

• Canon RF 600mm f/4
• Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1
• Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 or Canon RF 24-105mm f/2.8 or Canon RF 24-105mm f/4
• Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8
• Canon RF 1.4x Tele Extender

Third Party Lens available for Canon, Sony, and Nikon:

• Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Both are much less expensive with an excellent range
• Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3

The distance to the sandhill cranes can vary from day to day and is impacted by water level, weather, and wind direction. Longer focal lengths are very helpful to get tighter images, but you can still get beautiful photographs of groups of birds with a focal length of 300mm or less. Sometimes the cranes even fly close enough to the blinds to capture a single crane in flight with a 300mm lens.

It is best to have at least a 600mm lens for dancing cranes on the water and sometimes you really need something longer than that. A teleconverter is an excellent and inexpensive way to increase the magnification of the lenses you already own.

If you do not own a 600mm lens, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND RENTING ONE. It will make a difference on the tighter images and it’s a wonderful way to test gear before making such a big purchasing decision. Check with your local camera store about rental gear. If you can’t find anything, I can sometimes arrange for rentals through my sources.

At sunset, the longer focal lengths are usually more magnification than you want. Somewhere between 50mm and 400mm is usually ideal for sunset when the birds are landing relatively close. Anything wider than 50mm typically renders the birds too small in the frame.

It is impossible to predict exactly where the action will be each day, so sometimes thinking creatively to make up for equipment limitations is necessary. Also, keep in mind that the sensors are so good these days, you can crop quite a bit and still get a decent image or use software to increase the file size after cropping.

Batteries, Extra Caps, and Accessories

Be sure you take extra lens and body caps and extra camera batteries. Batteries generally do not perform well in the cold, so if you can keep an extra set inside a warm jacket pocket, you will be able to switch them out quickly. I usually take three sets of camera batteries per camera body. If you have Canon or Nikon Cameras, I’ve also found a really nice case to use for carrying my extra batteries along with my memory cards. It can hold 4 SD Cards and 2 CF or CFExpress Cards. I then put even more batteries in these soft battery holders.

Extra Camera and Lens Caps

Extra Batteries

It’s also important to use a camera strap when you are hand holding. I prefer binoculars straps as they help take the weight of the camera off my shoulders. If you don’t want a strap that stretches like the binocular straps do, this solid strap in the same style works well to take the weight off your neck. Most of the time we are using tripods in the blinds, but we do cut a small hole in the netting for handheld photographs with shorter lenses. I usually attach my back-up camera body to my shorter focal length lens.

If you like to experiment with longer shutter speeds or plan to take very early or late light landscapes, a cable release can be very helpful to ensure camera vibrations don’t impact image quality. In these cases, it is important to remember to turn OFF your image stabilization. I would suggest bringing a wired cable release rather than a wireless one. They are just more reliable and it’s difficult to troubleshoot wireless problems in the blind, in the dark, and with several people photographing next to each other.

Small binoculars are optional, but may allow you to help us spot Whooping Cranes in the distance.

Lens Covers & Alignment Stickers

If you are using lenses that are white or light colored, it is very helpful if you can use a black or camouflage cover. We do allow you to stick the lens out of the window slightly in order to have full panning ability for the birds in flight, but we also need to make sure we are concealing the lenses as much as possible. Even if you have a black lens, the covers can help protect the body of the lens from scratches. I recommend form fitting neoprene covers specific to your lens. My favorite brand is “Chasing Birds,” but be sure to match your lens brand and version exactly before you order so the covers fit properly. The Chasing Birds covers have wrapped edges for a more durable and cleaner look than other brands in my experience.

I don’t necesarrily use all of the pieces. It’s most important to cover the hood and any major front sections that will be sticking out of the blind. If the hood is black, most likely you don’t need the cover unless you want it to protect the lens against scratches. I only use the pieces further back if they don’t interfere with anything. I do like protecting the lens from scratches as much as possible, but some section pieces can be more trouble than they are worth.

In order to replace the dots so that I can line up and attach lenses in the dark, I place glow in the dark stickers at each connection dot or line on the lenses, hoods, and/or covers. If you do this, you just have to be careful not to accidentally knock one off into the camera. If they come off in the bag, it’s not a big deal, but if they come off and land on your sensor, it could do damage so please PROCEED WITH CAUTION. If they don’t stick securely, you may need to use some super glue to make sure they stay in place. There are raised glow in the dark stickers or flat glow in the dark stickers and both work well depending on where they need to be placed on the lens or cover.

Tripods & Tripod Heads

I do take a tripod on every trip! To photograph the Sandhill Cranes, a tripod is really a necessity. If you don’t already have a good one, some suggestions are below.

Really Right Stuff Tripods

There are a lot of tripod options on the market, but my favorite brand by far is Really Right Stuff. It is well worth the extra money to buy a good tripod. Unlike cameras, a good tripod will last your entire photographic career. If you buy cheap tripods, you will likely end up having to continually upgrade. One of my clients had a great quote: “Buy a good tripod and cry once, or buy cheap tripods and cry many times.”

I’ll provide links below to the Really Right Stuff tripods I use. (I do NOT earn commissions on links to the Really Right Stuff website, so they are provided for your convenience. Sometimes their gear is available on Amazon, where I will earn an affiliate comission)

I always suggest choosing the “long” version. A tall tripod allows you to extend one leg down a hill so that you can keep the overall height at eye level (the most comfortable position for tracking birds in flight). I also suggest you avoid center columns. Raising a center column for additional height severely reduces your stability and also gets in the way when you want to use your tripod at ground level.

It’s also game changing to add a leveling base to your tripod if you will be using gimbal style heads (discussed below). Leveling bases ensure faster set up as you no longer have to painstakingly adjust each leg to make the tripod level (for straight horizon lines). You can ball park the leg heights and then make one final adjustment with the leveling base to ensure the tripod head is level to the ground. The leveling base for each tripod type is listed below.

For really heavy lenses, I recommend the Series 3 Tripod with the Integrated Leveling Base.

For lighter lenses, the Series 2 Tripod will be more than sufficient with the Universal Leveling Base (Platform with Stud Version).

Leofoto

I also recently became a dealer for Leofoto. They make good tripods and accessories that are an excellent option if you can’t afford RRS. I can order any of their products for you, so please just email or call with the item number. I can also offer a special discount on most of their products to my clients.

Gimbal Style Tripod Heads

For wildlife photography, and especially when tracking birds in flight, a gimbal style head is the best choice. In fact, I use gimbal heads for all of my landscapes as well. They make composing and stitching multiple frames extremely easy.

If you are going to use a short lens that does not have a tripod collar on the gimbal style head, you will need a plate so that you can attach the camera facing forward. I like this Plate made by Really Right Stuff.

All the tripod heads I use fit Arca Swiss style plates. I sell plates for lenses, but recommend L-style plates made by Really Right Stuff for your camera body.

These are the only 3 tripod heads I use:

Camera Rain Covers

We can have some rain and/or snow on the trip, and while the blinds do ofter quite a bit of protection, you still might want to cover your camera gear as the lenses do stick out the windows slightly. I use very inexpensive Camera Rain Covers that are lightweight and compact, but can be used over and over again. You can purchase something fancier, but these do the job and take up a lot less space. They come in small, original, and Mega sizes, so a mix of sizes is a good idea. The original size will work well for most lenses. The Mega is really for super telephoto lenses, such as the 600mm f/4.

ThinkTank™ makes some good rain covers that can be found under the accessories tab on their website if you want to invest in something a little longer lasting.

In inclement weather, it’s also important to cover your camera bag on our walk to and from the blinds. Most camera bags these days come with rain covers, but if you need a replacement or an extra, check out these rain covers. Be sure to use either black or camouflage covers, as bright or light colors may scare the cranes.

One of the best options for a camera hanging around your neck instead of inside a camera bag is to use a large stuff sack. Be sure to get one that is large enough to easily fit over your lens and camera body and is a dark, camo, or earth tone color. I buy several for each lens/body combination. The 20 liter works well for a 100-400mm. When I’m just walking around or if it is just misting slightly, I slip the bag over the lens and camera (while wearing the neck strap or binocular harness) and cinch it down tight until I’m ready to photograph. It’s fast, easy, and lightweight to pack.

It’s also a good idea to have rain gear or a good poncho to keep yourself dry!

Filters

There are two types of filters I never travel without. A polarizer and neutral density. Both are available as magnetic filters for the front of the lens or as a drop in filter for lenses or adapters that have that option.

Here are links for magnetic front filters and drop in filters for Canon cameras. If you have filter questions, please just give me a call at (303) 829-9453 or email me at info@cherylopperman.com. There are a lot of options, so it’s best to make sure you are ordering the correct filters for your needs.

A polarizer is good for eliminating reflections, darkening the blue sky (at certain angles to the sun), and enhancing the colors of rainbows.

Neutral density allows you to slow down the shutter speed for creative motion blur effects. If you shoot with a mirrorless camera, you can create a magnetic variable neutral density with two linear polarizers which works extremely well as it is easily adjustable to block out just the right amount of light.

Lens Cleaning Supplies

Your lens may get dusty, so it is important to clean it often. While the dust on the lens will not show up as distinct spots in your image, a large amount of dust on the lens can soften the image much like a diffusion filter and can also cause problems with the autofocus. It’s best to keep the lens as clean as possible for optimal performance and image quality.

If it is just loose dust, an air blower works well. It’s best not to touch the lens surface any more than necessary, but a soft brush also works well for dust.

For fingerprints, water drops, or larger smudges, a microfiber cloth works well.

And then, if all else fails, using a liquid cleaner (that you spay on the cloth, NOT directly on the lens) is helpful. Zeiss makes a great kit that includes many of the items in one compact set, or you can just buy the cleaner. Optical is also a great liquid cleaner.

Photography Bags & Backpacks

ThinkTank™

ThinkTank™ makes my favorite general backpacks – the Backlight™. There are 3 styles from which to choose based on how much gear you will carry. To carry my large 600mm lens (detached from the camera body), I use the Backlight™ 36L, but for a smaller mirrorless system, that may be bigger than you want.

When I fly and don’t have to bring the large 600mm lens, I use a very unique roller bag that fits around my favorite photo backpack for smaller gear, the Think Tank 26L Backlight™. I pack my camera gear into the backpack, then fit the 21″ Roller Bag around it (by stuffing the waist straps of the backpack to the side). The roller bag linked above is currently out of stock, but here are a few other options: alternative roller bag 1 or alternative roller bag 2.

Normally, this combination will fit in the overhead bin of almost any plane, but if it does not, I can just remove the backpack (which will fit in the overhead bin without a problem) and gate check the outer roller bag.

If you prefer to pack your backpack and use a roller bag through the airport, they also make great international sized roller bags. I personally like the “Airport Advantage” or “Airport International” bag.

I’m a ThinkTank™ affiliate, so you get a free gift if you order through my link.

Long Lens Bag

On days when I will only be carrying my 600mm f/4, I prefer to use a long lens bag that is tall enough that I can keep the camera body attached. The less you need to change lenses in the field, the less likely you are to accumulate dust on the sensor. The best bag I have for just this combination is here. Think Tank also has a new long lens bag as another great option.

Wandrd™

Wandrd™ also makes great bags and their PRVKE 15L is the bag I like to use as my personal item. It is the under the seat bag I use for ALL of my international trips now as it adheres to most airlines’ size limitations (be sure to check your airline for weight restrictions as well).

It’s also a great small camera backpack that can be used in the field. It does not fit mirrorless bodies with a battery grip or a DSLR very well, but it is perfect for the Canon R5 without the battery grip. I usually carry my back-up Canon R5 (without the grip) attached to the 100-400mm lens and my 24-70mm lens in this bag. I can also fit a couple of additional small lenses in the upper compartment, but it does not have padding in that section, so those lenses need to be protected in a protective wrap. It’s also helpful to buy the WAIST STRAPS for more support.

For Nebraska, be sure to order a black bag if you intend to take it to the blinds. We need to make sure all clothing and gear is dark, so that we don’t scare the cranes. As a side note, they make a tan colored bag in all of their styles which is what I prefer for warm destinations such as Africa (it stays cooler as it reflects more sunlight). I take the gear that is best for the trip and often switch bags.

Wandrd™ also makes handy accessories.

I am an affiliate for Wandrd™ and they have great sales on some holidays.

Luggage & Packing Cubes

Any style of luggage will work well for this trip. I usually just bring a regular roller style bag or rolling duffel bag.

I use packing cubes inside for all of my clothes and other items. It helps keep everything together and more compressed for travel. Any lightweight packing cubes will work well to keep you organized. I prefer compression packing cubes to maximize space.

Image Storage & Backup

I use Sandisk for my image storage and back-up.

I try to buy fast cards (which are more expensive), but can make a difference if you have a high end body and are shooting at fast frame rates. It is also very helpful to have a fast card if you are going to shoot video. I usually buy 256GB cards (The number of Gigabytes determines how many images the card can store, which varies from camera to camera depending on the megapixel count, RAW/jpeg settings etc).

My camera, the Canon R5, uses SD Memory Cards and CFExpress Cards, but you will have to check your own camera body to find the right type of card. Many DSLR’s take Compact Flash Memory Cards. The fastest SD cards available are 300 MB/s. CFExpress Cards are typically much faster at 1200 to 1750 MB/s. Keep in mind the camera has to be able to write at those speeds to take advantage of the faster cards, so if you have an older, slower camera, you may be fine buying the slower, cheaper cards.

The number of memory cards you should take really depends on your own personal shooting style and how many good opportunities you end up having on the trip. I personally put both a 256GB CFExpress Card and a 256GB SD Memory Card in each camera body. Then I carry a card case with two additional 256GB CFExpress Cards and four 256GB SD Memory Cards. This is usually more than enough to get through a trip. If you are extremely heavy on the shutter, you may want to take an extra case with a few more.

I use the following card readers for travel:

• CFExpress Card Reader
• SD Card Reader

I also use Sandisk external drives for the backup of my images. I always make 3 sets of backups and keep each in a different location during the trip.

• If you take enough cards and don’t erase them, that can serve as one backup.
• The hard drive of your laptop can also serve as a backup
• Personally, I take 3 portable drives and one drive is in a pocket with me at all times.

I use Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD Drives or the older generation Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD (a bit less expensive) that are very small and easy to carry. They come in 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB capacities. I would get the largest size you can afford as it’s easy to take A LOT of photos of the sandhill cranes and other birds and wildlife on this trip. SSD (Solid State Drives) are the best choice because they don’t have any moving internal parts (other drives spin). This makes them more durable and not susceptible to magnet damage either.

At home, I use larger capacity spinning drives to store and back-up my images. I use a RAID (redundant array of independent disks) so that I can make two copies of the images at the same time (called mirroring). Most drives have to be configured in order to mirror, so be sure to read the instructions carefully when your drive arrives. I use a 40TB G-RAID drive, but they come in smaller capacities as well. Keep in mind if you are mirroring, that you will have half of the listed space (i.e. 40TB = 20TB when mirroring).

Computer Equipment & Software

I do recommend taking a laptop Computer on the trip. I think it is important to be able to at least look at your images to check for sharpness and make sure everything is working properly. This could also be done on a tablet. A laptop will be a better choice if you want to do a lot of editing or work on processing techniques.

It’s also important to make sure you have the software you want loaded onto the computer. I’ll provide affiliate links below to the software I use so that if you want to purchase it before the trip, you can.

Adobe

My primary image processing software is Adobe Photoshop. It’s a very powerful program that is really the industry standard. They have a very reasonable subscription package for photographers that you can find through my affiliate link below.

Topaz Labs

I use Topaz Labs software a lot. They have several options and they are all excellent. I primarily use the individual legacy programs that are no longer available as I feel I have more control. If you are having trouble with noise reduction and sharpening, I do offer processing services by the hour.

Topaz offers a variety of AI driven software to help improve your images. Any software results are very image dependent and require some experimentation, but Topaz offers a lot of great tools to perfect and enhance your images. The new Topaz Studio Subscription app is the best comprehensive option for still photography.

Skylum

Skylum also makes very useful software. I’ve been using it for years and they’ve added a lot of new features and AI.

Luminar Neo has lots of fun features like sun rays, sky replacement, background removal, focus stacking, HDR etc.

DxO Software

ON1 Photo RAW MAX

ON1 Photo RAW MAX is a full featured program but well worth the purchase price as I have found some of the features to perform better on some images. Follow this link to purchase the entire suite including the plug-ins.

I particularly like Resize (which can also be purchased as a standalone) and it’s always good to have multiple options for taking out noise. If you only want to purchase plug-ins, follow the link below:

Headlamps & Flashlights

We have to be very careful using light anywhere near the cranes or in the blind, especially when it is still dark outside. Cranes in Nebraska are very skittish and are frightened easily by bright light. It’s very important that we do everything we can to make sure the cranes are unaware of our presence. Scaring them off the roost is obviously very bad for the cranes, but also very bad for photography, so taking extra precautions to protect them is a win all the way around.

We will go over etiquette during orientation and turn off anything that emits light on your camera. Flash photography is not allowed at all.

Because we enter and exit the blinds in the dark, having a little light can be helpful when used properly. For this reason, only red light is allowed. You will be able to use a red light only headlamp (pointed down at the ground and not worn on your head) or flashlight on part of the path. Please be sure that if your headlamp also has white light, that you WILL NOT accidentally turn it on. In order to eliminate that possibility, a red light only light source is recommended. You can find a few good options here:

Red Light Headlamp

Red Light Flashlight

A Red Pen Light is a great option for inside the blind as it produces very little light, but enough to see in your bag.

Laundry

There is a washing machine and dryer available in case you need to do some laundry during your stay.

EarthBreeze Laundry Detergent Sheets

Earthbreeze makes environmentally friendly laundry sheets that I use at home as well. It’s basically compressed soap that does not require plastic bottles. It lathers up extremely well and is easy to carry in a ziplock bag to use in a washing machine or in the sink for hand washing clothes. It does not take up much space and you can cut the sheets into smaller sizes when only washing one or two items at a time.

Travel Laundry Line

I’ve been traveling with this simple travel laundry line for years and it works very well for small items like underwear, plus it is easy to pack.

Clothing

Please don’t feel like you need to go out to buy a new wardrobe for this trip, but I am often asked what I wear to stay warm, so I’m providing the following section. The most important thing in Nebraska is to make sure you layer and wear dark or camouflage colors. Light or bright colors can catch even the moonlight and be another source of disturbance to the cranes. We want to blend into the environment as much as possible and wear quiet fabrics when possible too.

LL Bean Jacket

My favorite heavy winter jacket is made by LL Bean and can only be purchased for the winter season (it usually shows up on their website in late September and is sold out by spring). They only make a men’s version, but the small fits me just fine. It has a lot of great pockets that can be used for accessories (batteries, filters etc) and can even hold a camera body or small lens if necessary. They give you 10% off your first order if you sign up for their mailing list. Men’s Maine Warden’s 3-in-1 Parka, with Gore-Tex

Make sure whatever jacket you bring will perform well in wet conditions (snow and rain) or bring a poncho so you can cover it if necessary.

Camouflage Clothing

If you have any camouflage clothing in a dark or earth tone pattern, it works extremely well. Camouflage clothing is usually very warm and made out of very quiet fabric. I buy most of my camouflage clothing from Cabela’s.

To keep my upper body warm, I typically layer as follows: 1) a camouflage tee shirt, 2) a smart wool or similar turtleneck, 3) my heated jacket (see below), and 4) my outer jacket (either camo or LL Bean Jacket above)

To keep my lower body warm, I typically layer as follows: 1) long underwear or leggings, 2) down pants when it is really cold (Amazon affiliate link), 3) snow or rain pants

Cabela’s has some excellent clothing options for Women and Men. (Cabela’s Affiliate Links)

Venture Heat

Under my heavy winter jacket, I like to use battery heated clothing. I’ve had very good luck with the Venture Heat down filled or puffer jacket. A heated jacket or vest is well worth the money if you do not own one. I can just turn it on and off as needed and it does a great job. I find I don’t need a lot of heavy layers under this combo to stay warm. It is a good idea to buy extra batteries.

Venture Heat Jacket for Men

Venture Heat Jacket for Women

15% off most items year round (if the code does not work, please email me):  OPPERMAN15

Gloves

Keeping your hands warm while still being able to operate the camera buttons can be challenging. I have found solutions that work pretty well, but nothing is perfect. Sometimes I just have to take a break and warm up my fingers with the hand warmers. It is a good idea to bring 2 sets of gloves, just in case one pair gets wet and needs time to dry out. I’ll share what I use below.

OVER GLOVES

For an over glove, I use Cabela’s Gloves (to be used in combination with glove liners – men’s, but they work fine for women too!) I’ve been using these for years and they work really well for me.

Cabela’s Glommitts

GLOVE LINERS

I like open finger liners like these convertible finger gloves. The fabric is thin, but I can also expose the fingers I need for focusing and the shutter release if it is warm enough outside. The key to using thin glove liners is to have a good over glove!

Boots

We have to walk up to a half mile each way on uneven grassland terrain in all types of weather and poorly lit conditions, so be sure to wear comfortable hiking shoes. The trail can get wet and muddy as well, so its a good idea to have boots that wash off easily.

I have a very narrow foot and have had very good luck with Oboz Shoes & Hiking Boots. They have different widths in men & women’s styles. Rubber boots that fit well are also a good choice. The taller boots will work better for staying warm. Irish Setter Insulated Boots are also great for colder weather.

Make sure you bring comfortable and warm socks as well. I use thick wool socks.

A pair of sandals and/or room slippers may be nice to have as well for walking around inside as we leave our dirty boots in a mud room. I also always wear shower shoes.

Hand and Foot Warmers

My hands and feet get cold easily, so I take along warmers. For my hands, I am now using mostly rechargeable hand warmers that take up less space and are less waistful. These must be put in hand luggage as they contain a battery. I can’t find the exact brand I have anymore, but here are some Handwarmer options. Be sure to look for a 5 star rating. You can always use the traditional disposable hand warmers as well. I like the MEGA Warmers as they are bigger in size than traditional hand warmers.

I put the warmers inside this hand warmer muff which makes it easy to warm up my fingers when needed.

To keep my feet warm, I still use the air activated disposable kind that can be found here. I pack two pairs for every day and that usually gives me plenty.

Earplugs for Sleep

If you are in a shared room and do not know your roommate, you might also want to consider taking some earplugs just in case they snore. You can always get the foam kind at your local drug store, but I like to take Smart Sleep Earbuds that are noise blocking with soothing sounds (ocean waves, chirping birds, white noise etc).

Restroom Supplies

There are no restrooms in the blinds, but we do allow you to visit “nature” outside the blinds or use a provided bucket toilet. We do provide toilet paper, but you might just want to bring your own Travel Toilet Paper and some small disposable bags to pack it out. And don’t forget hand sanitizer or wet wipes! I also like to have some Bamboo travel size tissues that are better for the environment (but more expensive than traditional tissues).

Women’s Only Items

This section is only for the ladies. I found great underwear that can be used instead of pantyliners, pads, or bladder control products. It is on the expensive side, but more environmentally friendly, easy to hand wash, and more convienent than the disposable products. They can also be used with a disposable product for an extra layer of protection, which is especially nice when traveling. Speax is for bladder leaks and Thinx is for that time of the month. Click on the product you want on the top left of the site. There are many different styles from which to choose.

You will get $10 off if you order through my link.

If you prefer pads, but want something more environmentally friendly, these cotton reusable pads are comfortable and better for sensitive skin.

I also found a great supportive bra after pulling a muscle and it has improved my posture and well as reduced my back pain. It is on the expensive side, but well worth the investment in my opinion. I chose the Revive Bra, but there are several different styles. They can be a little challenging to get on and off if you are on the busty side, so be sure to order up for adequate space.

Click on this link to get a discount off your first order.

This Foldable Female Urinal can come in handy in the woods for women who have difficulty squatting.