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Earl Grey
12-19-2008, 10:12
This weekend I plan to hike in the mountains of NC above 6000 feet. According to some forecasts the temps on Sunday and Monday could hit 0 on the summits of these. I feel confident in my sleeping gear but not too sure about my clothes. This is what I have now.

-Patagonia top and bottom midweight baselayers.
-Long sleeve wicking shirt
-TNF paramount hiking zip off pants
-Patagonia micropuff vest
-Heavy fleece zip up jacket
-Fleece mitts
-Balaclava
-Smartwool beanie
-Marmot precip top and bottoms
-Vasque boots, ankle high

It wont be 0 during the day of course but it will be cold.

Marta
12-19-2008, 10:20
Blackmath--

I never wear the Micropuff while hiking, no matter how cold it is out.

I think you've got a good system going. While walking, a base layer plus a breathable fleece layer plus a windproof layer is what generally works for me from zero to twenty. Problems can occur around the edges--feet, hands, neck, face, and head. I think you've got that covered with the balaclava, etc. So you have something windproof to go over your fleece mittens, if you're using hiking poles?

Lyle
12-19-2008, 10:48
Looks pretty good while somewhat active, may be kinda cold for just sitting around in single digit temps.

Some light liner gloves for camp chores where some dexterity is needed? My favorite combo is ragg wool gloves and nylon shell overmitts. This gives a lot of versatility and the combo is very warm. Often while hiking, the shell mitts alone are all I need. If it's cold but dry and still, the gloves alone, for an all out blizzard the combo has kept my hands very warm. If something more is needed around camp, I would just add a pair of socks to my hands. The ragg wool gloves gives good protection for camp chores while active.

Extra wool socks? I carry two pair for three season, three pair for winter. One pair stays dry at all costs.

Down Booties? Real nice in cold camps.

Consider another warm bottom layer. From what I see, you only have one mid-weight skin layer, nylon hiking pants and rain pants. If the skin layer is damp or wet from hiking (probably will be) you will get pretty chilled when you stop without a dry insulation layer.

mudhead
12-19-2008, 11:59
Blackmath--

So you have something windproof to go over your fleece mittens, if you're using hiking poles?



Extra wool socks?

Sunglasses?

Pre-planned bailout route?

tuswm
12-19-2008, 13:04
Insulated layer for your lower half? I found fleece at walmart for 10 bucks.

I do only winter hiking because of my job. I have found that anyone can stay warm hiking its when you stop at night and get up in the morning that you get cold. In camp I put on all my layers before I get cold. Then I don't sit directly on cold rocks, the ground or even trees. I sit on my foam sleeping pad if I am going to sit at all. In the morning I put on my down jacket while getting out of my sleeping bag. If at any point you are uncomfortably cold do some physical activity like push ups or a small jog, just try not to soak your clothes. Oh yea and lots of food, much easier to get cold when you don't have fuel to burn for warmth.

Alligator
12-19-2008, 13:21
I have a pair of shell pants with a full leg zip that I use in the winter. I would be hiking in those in the temps you describe. I might have a base polypro layer beneath them, but it would depend how long I was at the coldest temps. They are probably thicker than your Precip pants. I wouldn't have a pair of hiking zip off pants, they aren't much help at night as a layer. You could have better options with shorts and baselayer pants for the same weight. For instance, you discover that the shorts/base layer pants aren't quite warm enough, add your shell layer to cut the wind. Hiking pants have very little insulative value.

I too think you could use a pair of insulated pants, fleece or other type. That would be for in camp so you are not stuck in your bag. It seems like you might be counting on your Patagonia pants to hike in. Shell mitts for your hands.

Also, I like to have boot protection to avoid slushy holes in the winter. This could be gaiters or if your shell pants have some sort of collar near the boots.

Windblocker fleece materials are a great feature in winter clothing, in particular for hats, balaclavas, mitts, and gloves.

In the future, I'd suggest switching out the fleece jacket to a down/synthetic one. Lighter and warmer.

JAK
12-19-2008, 13:23
I suggest dressing evenly when you need it all, but undressing unevenly when you are moving and don't need it all. Also, as a rule, wool under fleece rather than the other way around, and for the upper body wool over wool is good also if you have a knit wool sweater. Wool long underwear under 200wt fleece is a way to go, and then some sort of wind layers, but don't use the wind layers when moving, only when stopped, or when it is really cold and windy and you are moving slow to conserve energy. Wool mitts and wool hat and wool neck/face tube. Wind layer should have a hood.

To keep from sweating you can remove layers as follows.
1. Remove either or both wind layers first, even if its windy.
2. Add/remove hat and mitts for quick adjustment, but not risking frostbite.
3. Open neck , and blouse up pants and sleeves.
4. Remove skin layers from under main layers to dry your main layers and keep them on.
5. Consider just skin layer bottoms and shorts, to keep wool sweater on.
6. Geeze, if your still sweating after all that, maybe just slow down a little.

I don't think you need any down clothing when moving in 0F and above.

JAK
12-19-2008, 13:27
Fleece over wool is good for hands and head also, but fleece over wool, not the other way around.

JAK
12-19-2008, 13:34
I used to poo poo windblocker fleece in favour of plain old fleece and separate wind layer, but windblocker fleece in high winds will allow you to save the windlayers for when you are stopped, and this will dry out better. Depends on how breathable your windlayers are, and how windy it is where you will be hiking. You want the wind gusts to penetrate a little when you are hiking, to help dry things out, but not too much.

JAK
12-19-2008, 13:49
You want enough wool close to your body to hold some of your water vapour and convert it into heat, so that some of your active heat is recovered and stored for when you are less active, and for cold wind gusts, but you don't want so much wool that you can't keep it all dry. Wool sweaters should stay on, but on a warm day you can leave your skin layers off, even if they are wool. They are thin enough to put on even if they got wet or frozen. Wool sweater at night? If you don't need to wear it, or if you don't want to wear it because it is too damp for your pillow, you can hang it to sublimate dry, or you can use it as a pillow inside a stuffsack. Just don't leave it out in freezing rain.

daddytwosticks
12-19-2008, 17:12
Baaaaaaaa.......woooooool. :)

Bucky Katt
12-19-2008, 17:55
whatever you decide to do, I'd definity take like a pair of fleece pants for camp, and make sure that whatever I plan to sleep in at night I did NOT hike in. It is amazing to me how the smallest amount of sweat can make your clothes damp and make you cold! Extra socks is big too. Having wet feet on winter trips sucks.

I would ditch the down vest, personally, and pack a down jacket or something like that for camp.

Have fun dude! Wish I could be on the mountains this weekend!

TwoForty
12-20-2008, 00:07
Sounds solid. Could be lighter, but I don't think that is the point of this post.
Bring at leas 2 pairs of fleece gloves, with more liners (extra thin) if possible. Make sure you also have a shell glove/mitten for wind a rain.
Goretex gaiters will save your sanity in snow.

Wags
12-20-2008, 10:42
you may consider checking out wool army 'trigger mitts'. they're like gloves w/ an extra finger sown in for your index finger in case you need some dexterity. they're very warm and like $5 at your local army/navy. they'd be a nice combo w/ fleece liners, and safer around the campfire

Tinker
12-20-2008, 12:38
Try using some disposable vinyl examination gloves inside your gloves or mittens. They will keep your perspiration out of the insulation (vapor barrier) and make them warmer. No, your hands won't feel wet. The biggest problem you'll have is keeping the snow and rain from wetting the outer surface of the gloves.
One more thing. I'm experimenting with using a wind shell instead of a second upper body base layer. Sometimes I can hike wearing the wind shell alone. I use an old cycling wind shirt with nylon panels front and back and lycra stretch panels on the side. It has a zip neck opening but no hood. It works for now, but is heavier than my Marmot Ion which has a hood. The Marmot isn't really comfortable against bare skin, though.
Did anyone mention to carry a lightweight and medium weight stocking cap? If you lose one you'll have the other. I noticed someone mentioned multiple pairs of glove liners - good idea, 2 anyway.

Blissful
12-21-2008, 00:22
I really liked having my down jacket for camp. Micropuff vest is not warm enough (my hubby owns one and likes it, but not in winter).