View Full Version : suggestions for cold weather wear?
jsstewar
11-26-2010, 19:03
What are some suggestions for clothing early on? Is it important to have a wind resistant mid-layer? or just a fleece sweater under a raincoat? or should I get the zip-in fleece-raincoat combo? I'm leaning to the second option since I'll be.. well, hiking most of the time. but I wanted to get some other perspectives, thanks!
StormBird
11-26-2010, 19:43
what I wore:
tshirt
patagonia capilene 3 long sleeved shirt
lite weight primaloft jacket
*I had a rain coat that i wore instead of the jacket when it rained and i kept my jacket in a waterproof sack until i was in camp at night. you stay pretty warm while you are walking, but I would definitely make sure you have a warm jacket in the beginning. I found that a fleece wasn't warm enough for me in the beginning, so I chose to have a warmer light weight jacket instead.
Hope this helps.
Happy trails!
what I wore:
tshirt
patagonia capilene 3 long sleeved shirt
lite weight primaloft jacket
Basically the same:
Wicking tshirt
Wicking long sleeve shirt
UA light weight hooded fleece jacket
Rain/wind proof outer shell
I also take nylon pants with the zipper to remove lower half.
Before you get warm, start removing layers. Hike a bit chilly so you don't sweat.
Check the weather forecast before you head out so you can be prepared.
You'll learn what's best for you as you hike and try different combinations, this is just what works for me.
Cookerhiker
11-26-2010, 20:54
Basically the same:
Wicking tshirt
Wicking long sleeve shirt
UA light weight hooded fleece jacket
Rain/wind proof outer shell
I also take nylon pants with the zipper to remove lower half.
Before you get warm, start removing layers. Hike a bit chilly so you don't sweat.
Check the weather forecast before you head out so you can be prepared.
You'll learn what's best for you as you hike and try different combinations, this is just what works for me.
I would echo this in its entirety.
If the forecast is for nights below 20, I'd probably also bring my fleece pants and my thin wool sweater as well to wear while in camp.
Don't forget a good hat and gloves.
Lastly, I'd bring an extra pair of socks. My feet sweat very easily so when I get to camp, I like to change into both the wicking long-sleeved shirt and the dry socks.
Raul Perez
11-26-2010, 21:02
Everyone gave great recommendations. If you check out my signature you'll see the hiker 101 series. Chapters 1-5 are dedicated to clothing and can give you some ideas.
jsstewar
11-26-2010, 21:35
Thanks so much you guys! this makes me so happy because I was actually thinking of a very similar combo.
Oh and p.s. do you find it good to have two pairs of pants?
Oh and p.s. do you find it good to have two pairs of pants?
A lot of people only wear shorts over long underwear. One pair is enough.
Cookerhiker
11-26-2010, 21:50
...Oh and p.s. do you find it good to have two pairs of pants?
Speaking for myself, I'd want to make sure I had something dry before I retire for the evening in the event of freezing rain. My rain pants aren't too effective.
If the nights are cold, keep the sleeping bag dry, stay hydrated, eat candy bars, have dry thermal underwear, and don't resist the urge to pee, even if you have to go out there and freeze for a bit... amazed at how bright your head-light is. When you get back in the bag it will be heaven (well heaven in hell) that's winter hiking, and life at its best!
swjohnsey
11-26-2010, 22:57
You can be comfortable in freezing weather sitting still with a Gortex outer layer, 100 weight pile pants and top over your t-shirt and shorts. Maybe add a pile watch cap and gloves. Use the pile to sleep in. Strip off the pile to hike in freezing weather.
... Maybe add a pile watch cap and gloves. Use the pile to sleep in. Strip off the pile to hike in freezing weather.
Is this like a wool ski hat? I'm not sure what a "pile watch cap" is. I'm still a bit of a geek hiker, but still learning.
Serial 07
11-26-2010, 23:40
Oh and p.s. do you find it good to have two pairs of pants?
one pair of convertible pants is fine...not including thermal bottoms of course...depending on how early your starting, a rain pant may be helpful, but not necessary...in the summer, i changed to athletic shorts and a pair of dry duck bottoms...those were light weight, rain/wind proof...great for nights...
Lillianp
11-27-2010, 01:36
I hiked in long underwear, shorts & rain pants in march in the south. Had fleece pants that I wore in camp (but couldn't sleep in, as it was too warm/sweaty in my 0deg bag for that).
Top was long underwear, long sleeve shirt & rain jacket. Complete extra set of tops & long underwear bottoms for camp + montbell down parka.
Looking back, I think I'd probably spare the fleece pants unless blizzard/really really cold weather was called for.
I was almost warm in the snowstorm in the smokies this year in this get up. Couldn't have asked for more.
"What are some suggestions for clothing early on?"
Seems to me some background data would be useful here --- perhaps it's safe to assume a NOBO hike of the AT and not some other trail or direction (!), but even then it's helpful to know how "early" is early. Some folks start in January, some start in May. Significant difference in suggested clothing. The warmth of your sleeping bag is also a potential factor --- you can opt for a lighter bag and warmer insulating layer clothes that you wear inside it, or vice versa.
I started in late Feb this year, and had (and wanted) significantly more warm clothing than most previous entries mention; perhaps if you're starting in April these would be about right. Certainly by the time I hit Damascus (March 31st) it was plenty warm enough to get by with significantly less clothing.
Lillianp
11-27-2010, 02:17
I should point out that I had a fleece hat/balaclava type thing and fleece 'glittens' (Fingerless gloves + mitten flaps). I was pretty happy with my combination-but I'm not sure I would be now. I seem much more sensitive to the cold. :-\
swjohnsey
11-27-2010, 02:26
Is this like a wool ski hat? I'm not sure what a "pile watch cap" is. I'm still a bit of a geek hiker, but still learning.
Yeah. Watch cap is just knitted wool cap you can wear down over your ears or turn up like a beanie. The pile ones work as well and are much lighter.
jsstewar
11-27-2010, 08:04
Seems to me some background data would be useful here
True. NOBO march 1st :)
Not that different than me this year then (ditto Crash Course, we ran into each other along the way in March).
I had a Montbell Alpinelight down Parka and loved it; about a pound, but a lot of warmth for that pound, and it significantly beefed up my 20 degree rated (WM) sleeping bag. Ditto feathered friends down booties, I loved having these in camp and to sleep in during the early part of the trip.
I also brought my Montbell thermawrap vest, doesn't add that much to the parka, but does add a little, and most significantly in the coldest/windiest times (it was pretty windy the first weeks out) I wore this over a windshirt while I was walking (could never wear the parka and walk) and that felt about right, I think with a capilene 1 shirt under the windshirt. I also liked earbags for the wind, combined with just a sort of baseball hat.
I had rain chaps, didn't wear them too often, but quite lightweight. I had capilene 1 longjohns, and wore those to sleep in, I'm not sure now if I ever actually wore them to walk in; I'm guessing not.
In cold weather I like to layer two warm hats; a thin balaclava (nice to be able to cover the nose when it's really cold at night), and a kind of peruvian style synthetic cap to layer over that. Getting started in the morning, it's nice to start out with the peruvian style hat over my baseball cap and then just stuff that in a pocket when I warm up.
I suggest are warm *mittens*, not gloves (or perhaps on top of very thin gloves), and note that if you lose a mitten along the way (as I did) absolutely none of the outfitters down south seem to carry warm wool mittens, no demand ("not stylish") I suppose. A nice mitten shell is a good idea too, if you can find and afford something lightweight (I liked my MLD eVent shells).
During the cold times I wore:
-While hiking:
---top: a wicking short or (lightweight) long-sleeve t-shirt and rain jacket (Marmot precip). I just got too hot to wear anything more than that while hiking, even if it was very cold outside. I did carry a Montbell lightweight synthetic insulated vest which I would start out hiking in, but take off very quickly.
---bottom: shorts and rainpants or 1 pair of mid-weight long underwear
-While in camp:
---top: Smartwool zip long-sleeved turtleneck, Montbell synthetic vest, down jacket
---bottom: mid or heavy-weight long underwear and rainpants if very cold
nitewalker
12-02-2010, 08:24
u want to start hiking with a little bit of a chill to your body and then adjust layers as the day warms up. i usually start with a thin tight base layer[ltwt] underneath a 2nd wicking layer[midwt] and thirdly would be a heavier fleece or even a wind jacket if cold enough. most occasions i use just the two layers. it warms up rather quick when hiking. wind, rain and snow will alter everything i said above.
This Mountain Crossings gear list (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4) (ignore pop-ups) contains all the "cold weather" clothing you'll need. Tweak for summer.
kayak karl
12-02-2010, 12:00
This Mountain Crossings gear list (http://www.backpacker.com/november_08_pack_man_/articles/12659?page=4) (ignore pop-ups) contains all the "cold weather" clothing you'll need. Tweak for summer.
what crap are they feeding you? they just want sales!!!!. way to much gear. test your gear. advice for winter hiking from WB is USELESS. i learned that:rolleyes:.
I didn't go for the gear review there, but did talk to one of the people that do them, and was favorably impressed. Of course they are selling gear, but my sense from talking to them and to other hikers is that they do not at all tailor their advice to generating maximal sales, rather to what they think is best for the individual. Perhaps there are exceptions, I was just there for an overnight and didn't talk to everyone there, but ... I definitely did not get the impression that "they just want sales".
That doesn't mean I would necessarily find every one of their recommendations optimal for me personally, but I think it's an excellent idea for folks that haven't done a lot of backpacking already (on long trips) to accept the offer of a gear review by one of their folks that have completed a thru-hike.
what crap are they feeding you? they just want sales!!!!. way to much gear. test your gear. advice for winter hiking from WB is USELESS. i learned that:rolleyes:.
Wow. That's a thread killer.......