View Full Version : Insulated fleece pants
Percival
12-03-2003, 11:35
What type of cold weather pants do you wear? Looking for something that would be good for hiking in some snow as well as keep me warm in camp at night.
Percival
12-03-2003, 11:45
I'm looking at two Campmor things. One is a Hot Deal! Polartec 200 fleece (13 ounces). The other is a High Peaks Pinnacle II Grizzly fleece (1 lb. 8 oz.). Which of these is better?
The Pinnalce pants are the most "technical" with leg zips and the nylon patches. Neither are going to be really good at blocking the wind or water. I use plain polartec pants under cheap windpants for most days in the snow but switch to rain pants as a shell for really wet days. Layering makes the combination more versatile to both hiking in the snow and keeping warm. The less expensive Polartec 200 would be my choice for layering...
I have a pair of campmor 300 wt. fleece pants that I've used for a couple of years when it gets really cold out. They are two sizes too large now, heavy, and bulky. I'm looking for something else for the future. However, they fairly warm, and when paired with thermal underwear (underneath) and regular pants (over), have provided me with adequate warmth from the Smokys to the Himalaya.
Alligator
12-03-2003, 12:18
I stay pretty warm while hiking, especially in winter with a larger pack. But I think that hiking in 200 wt fleece would be too hot for most people. Avoid sweating at all costs.
I hike in shell pants (waterproof, breathable, but not goretex) when trudging through snow. If it's really cold, I have lightweight polypro long johns that I wear underneath.
I do bring 200 wt. fleece pants to wear in camp, along with a pair of microfleece pants from MEC.
Don't own anything made of Grizzly fleece. For better warmth to wt, you might want to look into some PL1 or Polarguard 3D pants. Sometimes these can be found cheaply as clearance. I just got the Golite Coal jacket for $60.00 (have catalog at home). It weighs the same as a 200 wt jacket I have, but is far warmer than my 300 wt. Haven't had the bucks to switch out to lighter pants yet, I was working on other gear first.
I like wool pants for winter hiking. They can be found in various thicknesses, are reasonably windproof, come with pockets, and have all the great properties of wool. Snow on the outside of the pants doesn't melt and wet them. Rainwater on the outside generally doesn't soak through - the outside can be damp and the inside perfectly dry. I can wear 2 pair of long underwear underneath and goretex pants overtop if necessary in camp. Wool pants are easy to find at Goodwill stores and Army Surplus. When I started winter hiking in 1975, everyone wore wool. Guess I got used to it and don't see any reason to change.
Percival
12-03-2003, 13:01
I like wool pants for winter hiking. Snow on the outside of the pants doesn't melt and wet them.
How heavy are those wool pants? Weight is a critical issue to me, especially since a winter pack is always heavier. And do wool pants never get wet? I"ve heard wool is very heavy when wet.
How heavy are those wool pants? Weight is a critical issue to me, especially since a winter pack is always heavier. And do wool pants never get wet? I"ve heard wool is very heavy when wet.
I haven't weighed my wool pants, but it would depend on the thickness of the wool. You can get anything from thin wool dress pants to heavyweight pants. Since I'm always wearing my wool pants rather than carrying them, the weight isn't that critical to me within reason. As long as the temperature stays below freezing, I haven't had my wool pants get particularly wet (except for the time I fell in a stream). The outside may pick up a little snow or ice, but that ablates without causing the pants to feel wet. If they do get sopping wet, yes wool is heavy. And it has a strange odor as well. But fleece sops up water much faster and wicks it through the fabric. I have switched from carrying heary wool shirts and sweaters to fleece and only one wool shirt because of the weight and bulk of the wool, but I always wear a wind shell over top anyway. Wool pants just seem to have the perfect combination of loose fit, windproofness, and breathability. If I didn't plan to hike in my wool pants, but only use them in camp, then fleece covered with windpants might make more sense.