View Full Version : Lower Body Insulation
Hey everyone
I have another question for everyone. What do you recommend for your lower body camp clothing when in colder temperatures? Here in PA, temperatures begin to dip closer and closer to the freezing point and I am curious if I am in need of some insulated pants. Right now, my theoretical cold weather system is as follows.
From skin out...
1. Terrarmar Body Sensors Tights (not sure of exact weight, got them at Marshall's for very little!)
2. EMS Hiking pants
3. Columbia Rain pants
At the moment, this is my idea of a colder weather layering system. As you may notice, there isn't a whole lot going on in insulation. I've debated just getting heavier tights, cheap fleece pants, or perhaps some sort of packable puffy pant.
Any suggestions? I am trying to keep the cost down, but need something that will allow me to meet my goal this winter of being able to get in some overnighters on the trail.
A few pants that I have considered:
White Sierra Asz Baz II Fleece Pants
Northface Surgent Pants
Montane Prism Pants
I am open to any considerations! Keep in mind, I consider myself to be a warm sleeper, where I tend to throw off a lot of heat. Normally, I do not need to layer up too much. However, I would hate to be out in the woods with my legs freezing!
Thanks so much.
ChinMusic
10-31-2012, 18:04
Legs for colder times at camp:
Light weight down pants and rain pants.
Wise Old Owl
10-31-2012, 18:18
what happened to freeze your ass off? I thought that was the norm.
Back in the day of well not so long ago .... it was called a elephants foot by ULighters... ya jump into the bottom of the bag and sit... just dont pull it all the way up! wear a less than down jacket and you have a super keep ya warm pair.
I used expedition weight polypro bottoms and full side-zip goretex pants. I also carried medium-weight polypro, which I wore on many hiking days.
The side-zips aren't worth much in camp, but they allow you to ventilate when hiking through snow. Gore-tex helps keep you dry, but you will need a good insulation layer. If I were to start in Georgia again today, I would consider capilene too, but polypro seems to be a bit warmer, or perhaps it just never wears out.
I had knee high gaiters and on warmer days I would skip the goretex pants entirely and just use the gaiters to keep my calves dry and warm. Sometimes, I wouldn't bother changing anything except my shirt when I made camp; I would cook dinner at noon and do a dry supper so I wouldn't get cold before heading to the sleeping bag. In the mornings though, I almost always started out with more clothes and would start to shed layers after 15-30 minutes of hiking.
Hosaphone
10-31-2012, 18:25
I have another question for everyone. What do you recommend for your lower body camp clothing when in colder temperatures?
Your sleeping bag ;)
Kerosene
10-31-2012, 18:38
After a few days in the woods my body thermostat starts to adjust. If the wind is light I will walk in shorts down to the low 40s. At camp the layering system you have (long underwear, long pants, rain pants) gets me down to freezing, with the sleeping bag as my safety net. Rather than go with a pair of insulated pants, I would look carefully at down pants (7-8 oz), which should be half the weight and twice the warmth (at probably 4 times the cost!).
bigcranky
10-31-2012, 19:38
Light wool long john bottoms, or Powerstretch fleece tights in colder weather, covered by rain pants. That's good for me down to freezing or a little below. If it gets colder, I drape my sleeping bag over my legs.
Thanks guys. Sounds like I may be able to get away with what I currently have. If the legs start to freeze, I can always bust out my sleeping bag to cover them up. That works just fine for me.
I appreciate the advice! I guess I was over thinking it!
I just picked up my 1st pair of Smartwool leggings. (Merino, not at all scratchy) and wore them on a morning run the other day, it was near 32 degrees, and they were surprisingly warm. the come in 3 different weights I believe.
http://www.rei.com/product/819337/smartwool-tml-light-tights-mens
What you have is fine. As long as you have a sleeping bag. That's what I use.
shelterbuilder
10-31-2012, 21:21
Luke,
I agree with 10-K - you should be fine with your current gear. I do not consider myself to be a warm sleeper, but unless the temperature dips well below freezing, I am usually comfortable in lightweight poly-pro and a lightweight wool pant. When I start to get chilly, I just crawl into my sleeping bag.
And I hope that one of your wintertime overnighters will be at the Rausch Gap Shelter!!!:) We missed you at the dedication.
ChinMusic
10-31-2012, 21:26
What you have is fine. As long as you have a sleeping bag. That's what I use.
I have never used my bag for warming my legs but my legs rarely get cold. My upper body always gets cold first.
I see some are talking about temps in the 40s. My regular hiking pants are fine with those temps. I was thinking we were talking more along the lines of the teens.
garlic08
10-31-2012, 21:46
I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "If your feet get cold put on a hat." I don't own any insulation for the lower body other than polypro long johns. I don't think I lose much heat through the legs. I pay close attention to torso and head and I generally stay warm that way. If I'm loosing that battle, I remember another old saying, "The best way to stay warm is to never get cold." Then I get moving or get in the bag.
Luke,
I agree with 10-K - you should be fine with your current gear. I do not consider myself to be a warm sleeper, but unless the temperature dips well below freezing, I am usually comfortable in lightweight poly-pro and a lightweight wool pant. When I start to get chilly, I just crawl into my sleeping bag.
And I hope that one of your wintertime overnighters will be at the Rausch Gap Shelter!!!:) We missed you at the dedication.
Thanks!!
I'll definitely have to get over to the shelter sometime soon! Thank you for the opportunity to help out here and there. I really enjoyed that day.
I have never used my bag for warming my legs but my legs rarely get cold. My upper body always gets cold first.
I see some are talking about temps in the 40s. My regular hiking pants are fine with those temps. I was thinking we were talking more along the lines of the teens.
40* about the perfect hiking temp. Well... the range between 35*-50* is my favorite temp to hike in. That's cool enough not to sweat a lot and burn up but not so cold that your hands turn blue without gloves or mittens and you don't need to carry a lot of extra gear beat the cold.
Agree.. only need hiking pants in the 40s, though I"m partial to tights and shorts because it makes a cool fashion statement. :)