Need assistance with winter layering

Could you be, like, a lot more specific than that? For instance, what temperature will it be during the day (for figuring out what active insulation you need), what temperature will it be at night (inactive insulation), will you be depending on all your clothes in your sleeping insulation, etc? Do you like to feel hot, or do you like to feel a little cool? What kind of precipitation will be involved? Are you wanting to prepare for temperature changes due to ascending or descending in elevation? How warm is your sleeping bag? How much time do you like to spend around camp? Last, but not least, exactly where in the country are you going to be backpacking? A guideline to be warm down to -10 or -20*F could be more meaningful if we knew you'd be either a) comfy in your -20 degree sleeping bag when it got below 0*F, or b) still hiking or in the midst of setting up camp when it got that cold.

One man's winter layering system generally is NOT another man's ideal winter layering system… For instance, I like to be a little cool while hiking and while sitting around camp, so as to avoid perspiring into my clothes. If I start to shiver, I'll put on one more layer. My girlfriend, however, likes to wear usually 1 more layer than I'm wearing at any given time. I have a friend that often just takes his shirt off when he's active, or else wears a tank top when I'm wearing a longsleeve shirt–this is in the winter in the daytime while active, as long as it's not cloudy.

For extreme cold weather layering, I'd go with a thin synthetic or wool base layer (top and bottom), then a power stretch fleece insulation layer (top to be worn, bottom to be kept in reserve for sleeping), a windshirt, a pair of mountaineering softshell pants (this is your active insulation), and carry a big puffy down jacket like a Feathered Friends Frontpoint or Volant for rest stops. If you run a little cooler than average, add 1-2 layers to all that. And, carry a sleeping bag rated to 15 degrees cooler than the forecasted low temperature for your trip. That system has its limitations, though. If the temperature gets above 40-50 degrees, you'll be pretty hot.

I always wear as a base layer the Capilene silkweight top and bottom. Outdoor Research Novo watchcap for my noggin and OR Airfoil gloves for my hands.

For my upper body I will wear either my R2 of R1 Hoody. If R2 I will bring my R1 balaclava or if really cold my Windstopper OR Balaclava. Over that goes my Ready Mix Jacket and then over that my Nunatak Skaha plus or my DAS.

For my legs I wear my Guide Pants or Simple Guide Pants and then over that Micropuff pants.

I had the OR Gore-Tex overmitts with pile liners but they were always to bulky and did not feel warm, just cold or barely comfortable. I bought a pair of the RBH Vapr mitts and they are wonderful. They give me that "warm" feeling to my hands.

It has taken me a while to work out this layering system as well as waiting for sales.

I like the synthetic insulated pants versus down. The pants seem to get more wet than jackets and the insulation seems to hold more value when crushed under my butt sitting on snow or rock.

There are lighter insulators than the R2 but it breathes so well combined with a wind shell. I can open the main zip and pockets on my shell and literally feel the excess heat being sucked off my body.

When I wear the R1 Hoody it also takes the place of the balaclavas.

Brett,

When it gets to near and sub-zero weather you can't go too light and still be safe.

That said I'd recommend Cabela's or other good expedition weight polyester long johns for a base layer. I have four sets of three different weights. (Did I mention I'm a gearhead?)

For the middle and main insulation some kind of poly fiber filled tops & bottoms, say in Thinsulate, Thermax Sport or, least durable, "Primaloft". (But British-made Softie Snugpak military insulating garments are very the best and not too expensive.Check Brigade Quartermaster.) Yeah, 300 weight Polartec pile, especially the hollow fiber type, is good but certainly not as light as poly insulation.

And for the shell either a cycling windshell of "rain resistant" fabric – or eVent if you just hit the lottery.
I use my GTX PacLite suit and it breathes enough for light snowshoeing.

Feets? I'd go with TWO pair of light ploypro liner sox and some thick acrylic or poly & wool blend over sox OR a pair of thin neoprene sox over one pair of polypro liners if keeping your boots' insulation dry is important. Why 2 pair of liner sox? After years of Nordic ski patrolling in bitter Lake Erie weather I've found that extra pair of thin liner sox does wonders for warmth. Go figure.

Gloves – Possum Down under a GTX shell. Better yet carry an extra pair of Possum Down liners for when the 1st pair gets too damp, and maybe a thin poly liner glove for dexterity in handling metal objects like cameras or just that extra warmth on night hikes.

Eric

This would probably be a better situation,

Top: SEKRI lvl 1 longsleeve / R2 / WPB Shell / Down Jacket
Bottom: Pat lightweight / convertible pants/ wpb shell / Pat Micro Puff pants
Hands: Seirus All Weather / OR PL-300 / MLD Rain Mitts
Head: MH Micro Dome / MH balaclava / Nunatak down balaclava
Feet: light liner socks / heavy liner socks / wool hiking socks

I know alot of people use a soft shell for their top but I really never saw the need to if I already have a wpb shell. I can always put on the ss wicking t I have along with me to sleep in also.

I've found anything but an uncoated shell to be inconvenient all the way to dangerous in sub-zero weather. While active, untransmitted vapor accumulates as frost against the membrane, then all melts at once. Not good.

As for clothing when that cold, build a fire. I've never been comfy standing around at -20 F unless I was by a fire or in my sleeping bag.

I mainly need to cut the wind rather than the precipitation when it gets cool because here in the plains it can get fierce. I probably could just use my DriDucks on occasion for that purpose and let everything else breathe out through the synthetic and down.