View Full Version : Layers in 3 season ...
Ok, Wife's telling me i'm carrying way too much clothing even tho she hates hiking but thinks i'm going alittle overboard ...
I think she may be right ... June 1st thro 14th i'm doing that 2 weeks from erwin tn to marion va ... i've never done more than 4 days so my lack of experiance might be telling me to carry more than needed ...
2 wicking tshirts
2 wicking long boxers
1 long sleeve wicking shirt
1 micro fleece marmot reactor vest
1 merrell sprint rain shell
1 underarmor guide convertable pants
1 marmot driclime stretch pant "wind and water resistant - can i use these for rain pants?"
4 smartwool or other merino light hiking socks "I change socks often cause i sweat alot"
This is currently what i wear up top, Do i need to add a 200 weight fleece for absolute worst conditions, or is the extra weight not needed am i over worrying?
Ok, Wife's telling me i'm carrying way too much clothing even tho she hates hiking but thinks i'm going alittle overboard ...
I think she may be right ... June 1st thro 14th i'm doing that 2 weeks from erwin tn to marion va ... i've never done more than 4 days so my lack of experiance might be telling me to carry more than needed ...
2 wicking tshirts
2 wicking long boxers
1 long sleeve wicking shirt
1 micro fleece marmot reactor vest
1 merrell sprint rain shell
1 underarmor guide convertable pants
1 marmot driclime stretch pant "wind and water resistant - can i use these for rain pants?"
4 smartwool or other merino light hiking socks "I change socks often cause i sweat alot"
This is currently what i wear up top, Do i need to add a 200 weight fleece for absolute worst conditions, or is the extra weight not needed am i over worrying?You should be fine with the long sleeve shirt and raincoat to keep warm. I wouldn't worry about rain pants, too hot.
Revised your list
1 lightweight wool hat
2 wicking t-shirts (sleep in one)
2 wicking long boxers
1 long sleeve wicking shirt
1 micro fleece marmot reactor vest
1 merrell sprint rain shell
1 underarmor guide convertable pants
3 smartwool or other merino light hiking socks
Alligator
01-07-2009, 22:27
I would have a similar list, but I would have a microfleece top instead of the wicking long sleeve, microfleece pants and swimtrunks instead of the the convertible pants, and rain pants not the stretch pants. One pair of skivvies for in camp.
You could get away with not having the rain pants, but a hat like Egads added.
Ahh yes, my head ... I normally wear bandanas .. and when needed a booney "gotta buy a new one" ... from the sun ... for wind i have an underarmor beanie that i find works well ...
Blissful
01-07-2009, 22:53
Probably can skip the rain pants, but that's your call.
I wouldn't bring a vest. I would bring a polartec fleece top, esp since you are doing Roan Mtn. and bald areas. Maybe microfleece pants or the like for camp.
Convertible pants are better for changing weather patterns, which you are sure to have.
Smart to bring the socks.
Bring a fleece hat too. I never go anywhere without a fleece hat on the trail.
bigcranky
01-08-2009, 14:33
2 wicking tshirts
2 wicking long boxers
1 long sleeve wicking shirt
1 micro fleece marmot reactor vest
1 merrell sprint rain shell
1 underarmor guide convertable pants
1 marmot driclime stretch pant "wind and water resistant - can i use these for rain pants?"
4 smartwool or other merino light hiking socks "I change socks often cause i sweat alot"
I don't think you're carrying too much stuff, really. I would take only one s/s t-shirt to hike in, and one l/s t-shirt for camp and sleeping. I would ditch the driclime pants -- they will not work as rain pants -- and just wear the legs on my convertibles in camp if it's cold. If it's raining while I'm on the trail in the summer, I just wear my shorts and get wet. The vest is not a bad idea. Under a rain shell it will provide a lot of warmth if the temps dip down toward freezing overnight.
Socks. Hmm. I usually take two pairs of hiking socks and one pair of sleeping socks. I rinse out my hiking socks and alternate them, using a safety pin to hang the wet pair from my pack to dry. The sleep socks are kept clean and dry on purpose. One more pair won't kill you, if you think you need them.
I carry a second pair of shorts to change into at the end of the day, so my primary hiking shorts can dry overnight. These are very light running shorts, around 5 oz for the pair. I can also hike in them if needed. In June I might take my light long john pants for sleeping -- depends on which sleeping bag I take, and the long term weather forecast.
Ok, Wife's telling me i'm carrying way too much clothing even tho she hates hiking but thinks i'm going alittle overboard ...
I think she may be right ... June 1st thro 14th i'm doing that 2 weeks from erwin tn to marion va ... i've never done more than 4 days so my lack of experiance might be telling me to carry more than needed ...
2 wicking tshirts
2 wicking long boxers
1 long sleeve wicking shirt
1 micro fleece marmot reactor vest
1 merrell sprint rain shell
1 underarmor guide convertable pants
1 marmot driclime stretch pant "wind and water resistant - can i use these for rain pants?"
4 smartwool or other merino light hiking socks "I change socks often cause i sweat alot"
This is currently what i wear up top, Do i need to add a 200 weight fleece for absolute worst conditions, or is the extra weight not needed am i over worrying?
As a rule I don't carry more than 1 of the same item. Even socks can benefit from variety. This rule will make it easier for you to mix and match layers, and also think harder about what you will do when stuff gets wet. I find with extra layers everything eventually gets wet, then your carrying what you have on, plus wet stuff.
I don't know how cold and wet it might get where you are hiking, but for 2 weeks in early June I think there would be good opportunities for getting wet, but also good opportunities for drying stuff. I like wool as the layers I keep on, and synthetics as the extra layers I need if it gets colder. Another thing you can try is to have enough layers to dress evenly everywhere, but hike most of the time dressed unevenly, so your wool stays dry, and you can wear more without getting overheated, with only thin skin, wind, and rain layers filling your pack.
I won't revise you list, but I would suggest that whatever you bring you should be able to wear it all at once, for the worst conditions you might get. This might involve 2 pairs of socks on your feet and 1 pair as mitts. A fleece or wool hat is always worth its weight, but either your rain layer should have a hood, or wind layer with hood plus sun/rain hat.
Here is a generic list for summer...
Feet: Trail runners, thin poly liner socks, thin wool socks, medium wool socks, spare socks in first aid kit as dressing
Bottoms: Hiking shorts, Boxers, Long light skin layer not too tight, Long loose fleece layer, wind pants if really light
Top: Light loose merino wool sweater, Long light skin layer not too tight, light wind shirt, rain jacket or poncho
Hat/Mitts: Light wool or fleece hat, Brimmed Rain Hat or hood on rain shell, socks as mitts if hands get too cold
Don't think you always have to wear skin layers. Sometimes better to just let wind blow through your sweater. I am not sure about long sleeve vs short sleeve top skin layer, but I think you only need the one. If long, you can roll them up. As a rule I think skin layers should be loose enough to be able to roll up. I don't get the slippery stretchy spandex thing for skin layers, but silk is ok. I prefer wool or silk or a flannely finished polyester. Some sort of compression and slippery action might be good in the crotch area though. I think you should have at least 2 different underwear modes. I use my flannel boxers and hiking shorts on some days (or just the boxers as they are plaid and buttoned and modest), and on other days my skin layer and shorts, or skin layer and boxers, or the fleece layer alone or with some other stuff. The hiking shorts need to be very breathable nylon, not just quick drying. Sometimes they need to get worked in a bit to be breathable enough. Running shorts can be a good option, usually alone.