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LW Windshirts for Winter Mountaineering


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Home Forums Off Piste Mountaineering & Alpinism LW Windshirts for Winter Mountaineering

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  • #1219192
    Jonathan Ryan
    BPL Member

    @jkrew81

    Locale: White Mtns

    Does anyone here have any experience using a LW windshirt for winter mountaineering. I mainly climb in NH for the winter where some parts on average see 60-100 mph winds and -20 degree temps above treeline. Even with these cold temps it is still rather easy to build up a sweat. With appropriate clothing underneath (ie. exp. Weight wool base layers, some light fleece, hoodless softshell and a primaloft vest) I am thinking a windshirt would be a great add-on in place of my goretex jacket that builds up rather large amounts of sweat on the inside (then of course turns to frost when the temps are right). Currently I own a Patagonia Houdini which would be perfect in terms of fit, but I wanted to see if anyone had any good/bad or indifferent experiences with this.

    #1360434
    John Schafer
    Member

    @jdshiker

    I am interested about this myself. I also hike in NH, but am fairly new to winter hiking. In the past I have used a patagonia MW base layer with a Marmot windshirt below treeline. Above treeline, I add a gortex shell. This works ok if it is really cold (below 0), but otherwise I overheat easily. I am thinking about experimenting with the following:

    1. Replacing the Marmot windshirt with a lightweight windshirt.
    2. Replacing the Marmot windshirt and gortex shell with a soft shell (not sure which one) and a windshirt.
    3. Going to a LW, or silkweight, base layer.

    #1360437
    Jonathan Ryan
    BPL Member

    @jkrew81

    Locale: White Mtns

    Depending on where you are in the Whites you have a good system going, but once you get up in the Washington area, this would not be warm enough.

    The system which has worked very well from the car to the summit of Washington on -20deg days is as follows

    -Icebreaker wool T and Ibex Long Johns bottoms
    -Marmot Driclime + Patagonia Houdini bottoms (adds valuble wind resistance)
    -Ibex Icefall jkt and Backcountry pants
    -Patagonia MicroPuff vest and Arc Teryx Sirrus SL jkt (this is what I want to replace with a windshirt)
    -Top it off with Patagonia DAS and Wild Things EP pants for sitting around on the summit.

    Starting off I do not wear much of this, but by the time I get to the top my pack is empty.

    #1360439
    John Schafer
    Member

    @jdshiker

    Yes, I haven’t been up in the Washington area in the winter yet, but I hope to go this year. I was up on Moosilauki last year with below 0 degree temps and 40 mph winds – I didn’t stay long ;).

    Thanks for posting your clothing system. It’s very helpful. I forgot to add that I also carry a primaloft jacket and pants for rest stops, and marmot precip pants for wind.

    I didn’t mean to hijack your thread. I hope somebody else chimes in…

    #1360449
    Jonathan Ryan
    BPL Member

    @jkrew81

    Locale: White Mtns

    Funny you mention Mooslauke, that is the first winter climb I used a windshirt. I found it to work really well and it snowed alll day. While it was pretty darn cold, there was not more than a 40 mph wind so I guess that is my one reservation about hitting strong winds with the Houdini. If it does work for this kind of condition it will definitly hands down win the award for my most valuble and best year round piece of gear.

    Good luck starting up your winter adventures in the higher Whites. Hitting some of those peaks for your first time in the winter is a truly amazing experience.

    #1360530
    larry savage
    Spectator

    @pyeyo

    Locale: pacific northwest

    I’ve kinda been getting away from the goretex and using activent, microfiber, or a patagonia houdini. I can work up a pretty good sweat even in winter and I’m finding the more breathable my outer jacket is the drier and warmer I am. The other piece that never seems to left behind is a powershield salopette.

    #1361490
    Jonathan Shefftz
    BPL Member

    @jshefftz1

    Locale: Western Mass.

    Given that we now have three Jonathan/John posters who often frequent NH, I’ll put in a plug for this NH company:
    http://www.wildthingsgear.com/index.html
    Their products are very popular among ice climbing guides in the Mt Washington Valley.
    I have the pullover version (no hood) of this:
    http://www.wildthingsgear.com/epic_hooded.html

    #1361875
    ROBERT TANGEN
    Spectator

    @robertm2s

    Locale: Lake Tahoe

    I fear Wild Things may have gone belly up, I haven’t been able to get into the web site for weeks and weeks.

    #1361893
    Mark
    BPL Member

    @mlarson

    Locale: SoCal

    The WT website worked for me just a minute ago. Some good sales right now. Looks like they’ll be on vacation for a week in September 10-17.
    -Mark

    #1361894
    Jeroen Wesselman
    Member

    @jeroenman

    Locale: Europe

    There are no problems getting on the WT website, actually they have a clearance sale going.
    I live in Europe but have family in Vermont and we go at least once a year to Vermont and NH. I love to hike in the White Mtns. especially in Winter. In December 2005 we climbed Mt. Washington which was a great experience.
    My favorite clothing set up for NH Winters is:
    wool (or synthetic) base layer
    RAB Vapour Rise Trail Smock (with hood),
    when it is really cold (Mt Washington!) I add a Cloudveil Icefloe softshell jacket or a Patagonia Ready Mix jacket.
    For summit pictures (?!) I have a Patagonia DAS Parka (when it is really cold) or a Wild Things EP Hooded Jacket (when it is less cold).
    When conditions are not so severe and cold I leave the softshell jacket at home and just take the EP Jacket and use that as a belay jacket over the RAB.

    For the legs I use Mammut Chamonix Schoeller softshell pants. For most conditios this is enough, if it is colder I like to layer a pair of merino wool bottoms under the pants. If conditions are wet I use my Patagonia Drop Seat Pants over merino wool bottoms.

    Next winter (December) we going to Vermont and NH again, I hope to do some climbing in the Huntington Ravine or maybe a good winter traverse. Has anybody some good winter trip suggestions? Thanks.

    #1361895
    R K
    Spectator

    @oiboyroi

    Locale: South West US

    Robert,

    Try using a different browser. The site doesn’t show up in Firefox. It does work with IE though.

    Roy

    #1361897
    Jonathan Ryan
    BPL Member

    @jkrew81

    Locale: White Mtns

    For some great winter climbing in the Whites I would recommend King Ravine up Adams. It is a difficult route, but is less technical and requires less gear than Huntington.

    That is a good gear setup you have. Insulated windshirts are def the way to go in the winter

    #1361898
    Jeroen Wesselman
    Member

    @jeroenman

    Locale: Europe

    Hi Jonathan,

    that sounds like the perfect trip, I will look it up in my WM guide book.

    I never use anything waterproof anymore in winter, for me windproof is all that matters.

    Thanks.

    #1361909
    Jonathan Shefftz
    BPL Member

    @jshefftz1

    Locale: Western Mass.

    Another great resource for King Ravine & Mt Adams is the Randolph Mountain Club, e.g., helpful website, year-round huts at treeline, helpful guide book and map. (I can also sell you the previous edition of the guideback for cheap – but not the map.)

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