Layering help!

[darkage]

Having a layering crisis ... for early march thru hike ... silk turtle baselayer synthetic short sleeve on top ... marmot fleece 100, or 200 fleece i have ... i was sitting around in about 40f with only my short sleeve and montbell down inner and thought if it was 32f or less, i'd be pretty chilly ... what "extra" if any insulation layer's do you guys use on long hikes starting mid feb, early march in GA, i know from a section i did that those mountains can get cold! .... i fear mine isn't enough, and i don't wanna carry too much either ... catch 22, take the 200 and be done .. or find another light cheap option ... already got other gear to get yet ... or will the down inner alone without backup be enough ... i'm a late night camper sometimes so i need the warmth for what 11pm brings ... even after miles, sometimes i can't sleep ..

[Spokes]

You could go with a long sleeve mid or light weight base layer, short sleeve micro fiber top, then a 100 weight fleece jacket. If it's windy or wet out throw on your rain shell over it. Remember you generate heat when hiking so don't over do it.

I'd reserve the down jacket for camp.

[Del Q]

I am no "expert" but what works for me:

GoLite wind shirt, super light, versatile
Merino wool tee shirt, IceBreaker is expensive but tough, super base layer
Patagonia light capilene long sleeve
Mont Bell 8 oz synthetic jacket
lightweight rain jacket
merino wool long johns
hkiing shorts or kilt
rain pants

This is potentially 5 layers up top and 2 for my legs, easier to stay warm than get warm, when I stop walking I layer up, when done for the day in my sleeping bag and start eating ASAP when cold out. I have never gotten cold while moving and have been in sub 10 degrees many times.

Sleeping when its super cold can be tough, I make the mistake with not eating enough before I got to bed.

[Mango]

Here's what I took on the PCT. I carried a set of silk long johns and a mid-wt set also. The mid-wt was an Icebreaker wool top and Cap 2 bottoms. A Marmot windshirt. Silnylon rain gear. My daily clothes were synthetic tee shirt and boxer-briefs, an Ex-Officio nylon/polyester long-sleeve shirt, and polyster convertible pants. I carried a fleece balaclava and fleece mittens. That's all. At night, put on as much as you need and get in the bag (WM 25 deg down). I also carried a pair of loose wool socks for sleeping. On the AT (4 yrs earlier) I carried a lot more clothes (pullover shirts, heavier long johns, etc.). Most were unnecessary unless I wanted to sit around at night in the cold and talk, which I didn't do much.

A good test - take what you think you'll be carrying and camp out on the back porch or back yard when it gets cold. If you get cold, go inside. You will have learned what you needed to learn without undue misery. Keep trying different combinations on the backporch until you're satisfied.

Don't carry more clothes than you can put on at one time.

[darkage]

Don't carry more clothes than you can put on at one time.

Yup, thats the goal ... thinking a thicker base layer is what i need .... soaking up the info and looking into switching some things around.

[Spokes]

Don't carry more clothes than you can put on at one time.

...... or you'll look like Kenny McCormick

150px-KennyMcCormick.png

[darkage]

hehehehehe, true that! I'm trying to go as light as possible but teaching my brain i don't need a security layer is tough ... my experiance knows what i like to hike in in cold weather, but i've not camped lower than 30f or so nights ... but i was using fleece layers ... now i've switched to merino/silk and down layers i'm trying to find my just enough warmth for coldest possibility's ... just looking for advice from people who've been there so i can start this off without needing to send home gear or wish i had more. we've been hovering around the mid 40's at night right now ... soon as we dip into the freezing temps i'll be sleeping out back ... march can hit 20f easily on those georgia mountains in early march no ?

[skinewmexico]

You've got all winter to test various combinations in the back yard, so no worry.

[Spokes]

... march can hit 20f easily on those georgia mountains in early march no ?

Yep, but depends too on what the wooly worm (Pyrrharctia isabella) predicts. Count on some winter event to roll through Georgia and North Carolina every March.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrharctia_isabella

Cheers!

[lemon b]

What works for me up here in the north is walmart polypro, fleece, and goretex.