View Full Version : Ultralight Winter Clothing List
I'm curious what the ultralighters wear in cold weather. I'm trying to decide what to bring with me for my late February Thru-hike next year.
Is lightweight Patagonia Capilene top and bottoms, Patagonia Capilene midweight top and bottoms, a Nano puff pullover, convertible pants, a Packa, an Eddie Bauer 800-fill down vest, 2 pairs of Smartwool socks, gloves, a beanie, and a short-sleeved synthetic shirt gunna be enough?
I'm trying to decide if a ULA OHM backpack would have enough capacity for a winter load.
I usually go with the following...
Socks:
2-3 pairs of varying thickness wool socks.
Choice depends on snow type and activity hike vs trudge vs ski etc.
Bottoms:
skin layer - weight depends on extreme low planned for
200wt fleece pants
quickdry breathable nylon hiking shorts
Top:
skin layer - usually very light, so my wool sweater can be heavier
wool sweater - weight depends on extreme low planned for
cheap light nylon wind shell
rain poncho/tarp with hood
Hats/Mitts:
hand-knit wool mitts of british type wool for wet snow
alpaca wool peruvian hat
alpaca wool neck tube
If its potentially really cold and windy, or freezing rain, then I might switch out the hiking shorts for hiking pants, or bring nylon rain pants in addition to the hiking shorts. Also might bring an extra fleece top, for over the wool sweater, but I try not to have too much extra thickness in one part of the body vs the other so I might switch down to a medium wool sweater if I add this extra fleece layer. Fleece works well over wool, as it breathes and sh
Also, might bring along my 16oz Stanfields long wool underwear combis, as an emergency extra layer and sleeping layer that can be worn in addition to everything else. They are a great thing to keep in the car all winter also as they can be added to whatever I happen to have on.
I was saying fleece works well over wool in wet and blowing snow, or when trudging and rolling around in snow. British type knit wool works well in snow also. In principle I like to try and limit myself to one shell layer, and go with a mix of wool and synthetic layers for insulation. If I bring any down or batt insulation it is only what is in my sleeping bag. Wool and fleece layers are more versatile and robust for clothing, for a mix of activity levels and wet and dry rain and snow and sleet and temperatures in the 20F to 40F range. Wool works particularly well when you are in woods, because it is wet in the woods and you can dry wool with a fire if neccessary and wool is fire resistant also so it is a natural fit. I still like to mix in some fleece. I particularly like 200wt for pants vs wool pants, but I keep experimenting with loose tweed wool pants. Better to keep the wool in the sweater and long underwear I think. If I did more in extreme cold and windy above the tree line or in the open, like arctic or alpine conditions, I might consider a thin long overcoat of down or synthetic batt that can double as an overquilt.
The Solemates
09-04-2010, 20:18
capilene shirt base
lightweight microfleece
heavy fleece jacket
lightweight rain jacket
capiline pants base
convertible hiking pants
lightweight rain pants
windproof hat
thick convertible mittens/gloves
bandana
1 pair synthetic wool socks
1 pair thick fleece socks
This is what I take in the winter, and what I took on my thru where I saw temperatures below 0F.
bigcranky
09-04-2010, 20:20
Is lightweight Patagonia Capilene top and bottoms, Patagonia Capilene midweight top and bottoms, a Nano puff pullover, convertible pants, a Packa, an Eddie Bauer 800-fill down vest, 2 pairs of Smartwool socks, gloves, a beanie, and a short-sleeved synthetic shirt gunna be enough?
Maybe. Depends on the year. This past winter was much colder/snowier than usual, but a couple of years ago it was in the 70s in January. Yes, in the mountains. (Go figure.)
For February hiking in the South, though, I want my winter bag (a WM Antelope), and it doesn't fit in my Ohm. At least not with room for food. So there's that to consider.
Also, I usually carry two pairs of gloves and two hats, a lighter set for hiking and a warmer set for camp/sleeping. And a full set of rain gear and some tall gaiters, too. And my Goretex overmitts might make the cut, depending on the weather forecast.
1 oz of clothing per degF below 85F is a good rule of thumb, not counting shoes and shells. That would be 4 pounds for 20F, and 5 pounds for 5F, 6 pounds for -10F. Things start to get very interesting below -10F though. Less margin for error. You make a mistake having a piss it can take a few hours to warm up again. Good to have something extra for that stuff, like extra clothes, extra warm sleeping bag, extra food, and maybe a few extra sled dogs.
The Solemates - Did the Rain pants come in handy?
bigcranky - You think a 20 degree down bag with a good liner would fit alright? I plan on sleeping in extra layers of clothing to stay warm.
1 oz of clothing per degF below 85F is a good rule of thumb, not counting shoes and shells.
I think I'm around 57oz not counting my Packa. :-?
I guess I'm gunna have to wait and see what the weather is gunna be like.
Now I am 6 feet, and so someone 5 feet would get by with less. Also, it depends alot on what average activity level you can maintain. Some folks can do more. Some folks can do less. 57oz of clothing, not counting shoes and shells, should be good down to 20F, even being able to sit around for a few hours doing light activity without having to dive into the sack. Definitely worth testing out. Develop your own rule of thumb.
bigcranky
09-04-2010, 21:25
bigcranky - You think a 20 degree down bag with a good liner would fit alright? I plan on sleeping in extra layers of clothing to stay warm.
Is the bag large enough that the liner and the extra clothing (I assume the down vest...) can loft up inside without compromising the loft of the bag? Might work, probably into the low teens with a good 20-F bag. But sleeping warmth depends on so many factors...
I bring a 5F bag in the winter. That way I know deep down that I will be warm no matter what happens.
The Solemates
09-05-2010, 10:14
The Solemates - Did the Rain pants come in handy?
yes, definitely. they double not only as rain/snow gear, but also an extra layer of warmth. we had snow drifts in excess of 3 feet in some areas on our thru. the rain pants are paramount when hiking in these conditions. even if it was not snowing, some days we saw temps where the high was around 20-degrees. on days like these I wore my convertible pants and my rain pants to hike in.
additionally, while hiking the rain pants are so much easier to put on for extra warmth when compared to long underwear. for long underwear, its a hassle to take off your pants (not to mention freezing) just to be able to add another layer...then put your pants back on.
i also wear them to bed on many occasions for extra warmth, even though I carry a 5-degree bag in the winter.
bigcranky
09-05-2010, 10:31
Totally agree on the rain pants.
my winter gear consists of rain gear, down jacket & pants, wool shirts & sweaters, gloves, hats / balaclavas, down booties (for warm feet in the hammock). I have used plastic trash bags for vapor barriers in my shoes. Trail runners are enough to keep my feet warm in wet snow with them.
Whats a good, cheap, and UL pair of rainpants I can just throw out when it gets warmer?
Kerosene
09-05-2010, 15:31
Whats a good, cheap, and UL pair of rainpants I can just throw out when it gets warmer?DriDucks (http://www.amazon.com/DRIDUCKS-RAINSUIT-DK-GREEN-SM/dp/B0038Z4FUK/ref=pd_sim_dbs_sg_3) for about $15. They won't last long, but they should get you through to the warmer months. Note that they tend to run large.
Are they really breathable? And do you know how much they weigh?
Thanks
The Solemates
09-05-2010, 18:22
i like marmot precip rain pants for their durability yet light weight. 'breathable' rain gear is a bit of a misnomer in my book, but I usually do not care when it is 15 degrees out - i dont have a problem layering so that i do not sweat.
Feral Bill
09-05-2010, 19:59
I like a nice wool scarf. Adds a lot of warmth for an ounce or so.
The sweater is Ralph Lauren, and I'm not wearing any pants.
300winmag
09-25-2010, 01:20
As a former Nordic ski patroller (NSP) and U.S Army ROTC cadet winter survival instructor I can say the "UL" and adequate winter clothing often don't mix. LIGHT, perhaps but not UL.
It's a matter of safety. And in winter ther is far less
margin for eqipment error than summer, as you all know.
Err on the side of safety at all times as you try to pare ounces from a winter pack - and that includes your food as well.
YEs, you can use a wood-burning Caldera Cone Tri Ti stove to save on fuel weight and use down insulation as winter climbers do but not much else can be pared down unless you REALLY like single wall pyramid tents W/ the floor dug 2 ft, into the snow. I prefer domed double wall winter tents with good vestibules for "storm cooking" - or a nice quinzhee or snow cave.