Vapor Barriers

[jrturkeycu]

Has anyone experimented with vapor barrier clothing? I am doing a winter hike in maine in january and am looking into VB options. Anyone with experience in this area?

[woodsy]

Gear guy says no to VB clothing

http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200201/20020124.html

I like the Gore-Tex breatheable outer garments for winter hiking.

Do a "vapor barrier clothing" google search for varying responses

[take-a-knee]

Vapor barriers work "well". The down side is potentially macerated skin (trenchfoot), fungi etc. You can't use them next to your skin around the clock. Vapor barrier socks are obselete now that Sealskin socks are available though. A vapor barrier liner in a sleeping bag is an option, but you can't sleep in your clothes 'cause they'll become quite "humid". It sucks getting out of the bag too. High altitude climbers use them to reduce water loss in order to save fuel required to melt snow. I don't consider them a viable plan for an AT hiker, they don't really start to shine until it gets well below zero, and some say not even then. Having said all that, there is absolutely nothing that works as well as army vapor barrier boots below zero.

[Shade]

I sewed a nylonVB into the legs of a pair of hunting pants. It worked as well as wearing a thin nylon (K-Mart elastic at the ankles) wind pants.

[JAK]

I think cheap light nylon is sufficient as a breathable wind layer,
and also sufficient as a vapor barrier if you need to use it as such.

I would not carry both when one item will serve as both.

[JAK]

For the record, I think, 4oz for pants and 5oz for a top is a good target when bargain shopping for wind layers / light rain layers / vapor barriers / whatever the heck you want to call them. $15 for the top and $10 for the bottoms would be a good deal. I've found cheap light nylon pants hard to come by though. I've found my jacket though. Bought two different sizes. Doesn't have a hood but I'm OK with that.

[1azarus]

I've used a stephenson vapor barrier shirt, worn directly against my skin, for two or three weeks of mid-winter hiking. Evening/nite temps have ranged from 40 to 5 degrees. I only put the shirt on when i stop hiking for the day, and it really helps. I do wear additional layers above the shirt, and I do sleep in the shirt. I take the shirt off before starting out in the morning. The fabric they make their shirts from is actually quite comfortable. I did try kmart rubbery sweat pants and they were terrible -- too heavy, uncomfortable and itchy after not too long. if you order a stephenson shirt, ask them to leave the pocket off when they make it!

[Tipi Walter]

I wore Sorel pack boots for two years and they were great in snow and cold, but like with a vapor barrier I developed a bad case of deep toe rot that didn't heal until I dumped the things and went back to regular boots. I also spent several nights out with a vb in my bag and I was miserable . . . clammy . . . too hot . . . sweat . . . get me out of this thing!

[soulrebel]

I have a cheezy golite vest ($12) that has coated sil-nylon in the back as VB for winter hiking, It's not bad when you sleep.
Got a pair of golite VB booties as well. ($3) note: these were on ebay clearance--no longer manufactured

On my thru-I made a vb vest out of a trash bag as insurance for a couple of days of snow hiking. It helps-moist-yes.
Used a trash bag for each foot as well pulled up to the calf and tucked in the sock-effectively making a wb "boot" for slush, snow hiking. warm and moist vs cold and wet-- everytime the trail was flooded with meltwater.

I haven't "tested" my store bought crap in winter storm conditions, but I have used the trash bags on many occassions.

<bleep>

[whcobbs]

jrturkeycu--
For five yrs or so I've used a winter body heat clothing sleep system for AT section hikes in mid Jan, in PA, NY, CT, MA. This is a lightwt system, based on use of a silnylon rainsuit (Carol Wellman, Dancing Light Gear) as the vb suit over lightwt polypro longjohns, with polypro bike tights as the next stretch layer, and homesewn insulated polyester fiber fill (Polarguard) pants, 2lb synthetic bag. Good 32 to 0 deg F, clothes dry in AM. Don't hike in the VB suit, use neoprene socks. The stretch layer is important, stops bellows effect.
Walt