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Sierra clothing list.


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  • #1303401
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    I'm trying to get my clothing list down for some Sierra trips this summer. I have very little experience in high alpine environments and I don't know what is too much or too little.
    The list is separate from my main worn clothes and will be used for camp clothing and cold/rainy weather. I normally hike in a polycotton shirt and I would change out of it into my icebreaker shirt with a windshirt or rain jacket layered over that when if it got cold or started raining.

    windshirt – 4 oz
    icebreaker long sleeve wool baselayer – 6 oz
    golite running tights – 8 oz
    fingerless wool gloves 1.6 oz
    wool sleep socks – 2.6 oz
    wool Peruvian style beanie – 4 oz (probably replace this with something lighter, but it's warmth justifies the weight)
    buff – 1.2 oz (worn as balaclava or scarf)
    C.A.M.P Down Jacket – 9.5 oz

    And then some kind of rain gear, I'm not sure what yet.

    Is this enough to keep me warm and safe?
    I don't know if I should bring a mid layer or not. Does it get cold and wet enough to need a mid layer like a light fleece?

    #1989895
    Bob Gross
    BPL Member

    @b-g-2-2

    Locale: Silicon Valley

    I was doing a five-day trip last August, and I was along the Great Western Divide at elevations to about 13,000 feet. It pretty much validated the clothing assortment that I had with me.

    I started with ordinary nylon trousers, a synthetic t-shirt, a thin long sleeve shirt for sun, and a baseball cap with bandana for sun. Shoes and socks got wet during stream crossings, and they would dry out incompletely during the day, so dry sleeping socks are important.

    As soon as I got into camp, I pulled on a 10-ounce synthetic fleece shirt. It rained on me each afternoon, so I then pulled on my 4.5-ounce hooded rain jacket. I don't need any wind shirt if I have a rain jacket. By the time I was cooking that evening, it was cooling off, so on went the down hat and down inner jacket. During the night, the down items were inside my sleeping bag. In the morning, the temperature had dipped to freezing point, so I everything was worn again. Halfway through breakfast, the down items were removed and re-packed. By the time I headed out on the trail, the fleece shirt came off as well.

    If I expect the weather to be colder, then I add a down vest to the combination.

    –B.G.–

    #1989907
    Aaron Sorensen
    BPL Member

    @awsorensen

    Locale: South of Forester Pass

    As long as you are a decent warm sleeper with a 30 degree bag, you'll be just fine.

    Of the two dozen or so times I have been in the sierra, I have encountered temps under 35 degrees every time while being over 9,000'.

    I usually bring my 34 ounce quilt that has no problem keeping me toasty warm. I can then carry a lighter jacket and ditch the long underwear, saving 10 ounces, but still think staying much warmer than with a 24 ounce bag/ quilt. I'm a cold sleeper so my bag is one thing that I will never skimp on.

    My first Sierra trip was a 70 loop. Reading the BPL forums and then proceeding to make a quilt for the recommended temp gave me a 15 ounce quilt with 9 ounces of down.
    I had 1 night about 30 degrees and the rest 35 or so. i froze my butt of on 3 of the 5 nights.

    I may have 10 homemade quilts and 1 homemade bag, but I still need to make one more. A nice nobul or m50 with about 13 ounces of down would be perfect in the sierras.

    #1989917
    Arn Aarreberg
    Spectator

    @aarrebea

    Locale: Northern Bay Area, CA

    My list is not much different than yours. I have stayed warm down to freezing with this setup. I rarely need to wear everything to stay warm. But I was glad to have all of it on a few night during a trip last year.

    For a little more comfort and warmth, I have added a full length 4 oz foam pad and I am considering adding an actual rain jacket, instead of my poncho, for another layer if needed.

    #1990021
    K C
    BPL Member

    @kalebc

    Locale: South West

    Where are you going and how high are you going to camp?

    #1990192
    Katy Anderson
    Member

    @katyanderson

    Add a driducks rain jacket and you're done.

    If you wanted to save a few ounces in the summer you could go with a lighter beanie, thinner weight long johns, and lighter sleep socks.

    In the colder shoulder season you would put those heavy woolies back on your list and maybe also substitute the 9 ounce jacket with something warmer.

    #1993959
    zorobabel frankenstein
    BPL Member

    @zorobabel

    Locale: SoCal

    On some overnighters (expected lows of 40F), I only brought a rain jacket in the pack and wore a midweight long sleeve baselayer + nylon pants. It works reasonably well when you set camp at sunset and don't spend more time than needed getting chilled outside the sleeping bag. You get cold for a while but you'll live.
    After I bought a down parka, it replaced the rain jacket (when I didn't expect rain).
    On Memorial Day weekend (with expected lows bellow freezing) I wore nylon pants, long sleeve baselayer and (at times) a light fleece (the Lands End ThermaCheck). As I expected to spend some time standing still and to complement my 32F sleeping bag I also brought the down parka (the Uniqlo ultralight) and bottom insulation (M65 liner pants – which I wear over the nylon pants).
    For the head I bring a wide brim hat, fleece beanie and maybe a fleece balaclava.
    I will use the groundcloth as a poncho for unexpected rain. I'll bring the rain jacket if I do expect rain.

    #1994011
    Jim W.
    BPL Member

    @jimqpublic

    Locale: So-Cal

    EDIT:
    On Justin's list I would add long wind resistant pants of some sort- this could be rain pants. Also if the rain gear top/jacket is fairly breathable (but not as breezy as a poncho) I would drop the wind shirt.

    /end Edit/
    My clothing plan for a 25 day "family pace" hike of the JMT this summer follows. Sorry for the lack of weights. My sleeping clothing is more about comfort and keeping the sleeping bag clean than need. Desire for insulation layers is more about comfort while stargazing or the like than true need. Generally if I'm hiking, I don't need much insulation, if I'm not hiking I can always go to bed. This will be a family trip so I will probably have more spare time in the cool morning and evening and may want a little more warm.

    Hiking:
    Prana Swim Shorts (haven't yet decided brief/no briefs)
    Long-sleeve button-down shirt (7.2 ounce/yard Sir Pendleton wool)
    Nylon knit gloves (black) for sun/trekking pole protection
    Montrail Mountain Masochist Shoes
    Mid-weight wool blend socks
    Dirty Girl lycra gaiters to keep pebbles out.
    Sun hat

    Sleeping/extra warmth:
    3 ounce powerdry long johns
    Merino 150 weight T or 200 weight polo shirt. Also acts as spare hike shirt.
    Socks
    Merino 200 weight beanie. Also works as sleep mask to block full moon.
    Old v-neck sweater vest or 100 weight fleece pullover. Also acts as pillow

    Weather:
    Marmot Precip jacket
    Rain skirt
    Lightweight nylon wind pants

    Extras:
    Bandana (pot holder, wash cloth, bandit mask as needed)
    Socks. 3 pair total- rotate hike and spare, keep sleep socks clean/dry.

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