top and bottom middle layers???

You'll have to be more specific. Winter in the desert southwest is a very different beast than winter in the Canadian Rockies.

What kind of temps will you be looking at? That will allow people to give more detailed and better recommendations for you.

sorry
well alpine extremes here (new zealand) are +5F
thats about as low as it gets since our record low for our country was -7F

so i have good bottom and top layers

but not quite sure on middle insulating layers???

i know some people only have 2layer for bottoms,i was thinking of maybe some kind of fleece trackpants?

not sure about best middle insulating materials for top half

i have a good warm polyester jacket-but on the tag it says
"main:polyester
trim:cotton"

so i am concerned about using this…what does it mean by a cotton trim???

please help! :)

HI there

Are you actually camping in alpine or just travelling though it and using the huts ??

Hi there
i will be just passing by, but i expect every now and then to have to camp for a day or two in the snow line

in adverse conditions i would not do a crossing and retreat to lower/sheltered level

dont really plan on huts at all

ive read fleece/wool/down is good for upper body insulation

i was thinking one of each?
not sure

and lower body i was thinking maybe some fleece trackpants?

(snow storms here are not that cold even on slopes)

also does anyone know about the "cotton trim" on my polyester fleece top?

bump

"Cotton trim" is typically the detailing. Without at least a picture of the garment, I can't guess better than that.

Wool is a poor winter insulating layer. It has to be heavier and bulkier than fleece to be as warm.

Fleece is the cheapest way to go for reliable insulation. For seriously cold, it takes multiple thick layers. Fleece is heavy and bulky, not very UL.

Down is the best insulating garment for a given weight. It comes with drawbacks, so some prefer synthetic puffy type jackets.

thanks for that
so no wool then?
stick to fleece and down?

also the other thing was leg insulation layer…
already have thermals and a outer weather shell (and zip off nylon outer shell for good weather)
but nothing in between :/
what kind of materials/pants should i look at?
just normal fleece trackpants?

there is not logo/detailing on this one
its just grey and plain…when i brought it it said fleece on tag, then got home and saw the materials and noticed cotton trim
it all feels like polyester to me…

thanks so much :)

Fleece and wool are both heavier for the same insulation value

Synthetic is much better

Down is a little better than that, but if you get it wet it's not very good

Above about 25 F, when hiking, I wear just a nylon shirt, nylon pants, Gore-Tex jacket, and fleece hat. I'll add synthetic vest and pants around camp or possibly hiking but I'll start sweating.

I don't go below about 20 F. If I did, probably the vest would be insufficient and I'd have a jacket instead, and maybe down.

okay,thanks,i think im all sorted with my upper body insulation

now with the lower body insulation…would fleece like trackpants suffice?
is this a piece of apparel hikers usually take?

if not what is a good type pants?

Most people like fleece pants, they provide some warmth, you don't need as much warmth on your legs so they would probably be fine

I have this bias against fleece because you don't get very much warmth for the weight. I made some that are 10 ounces, much warmer than fleece. Quickly glancing around, I didn't see a lot of choices that are insulated and less than a pound.

well i just want some incase i hit real bad weather really…
plus i could use them as sleeping pants also, would be nice and warm

but just wanted to make sure they can be used as a layer

what material did you make your custom ones from?

For pants in the mountains many people like a midweight softshell. They're pretty good about shedding snow and light rain and stay comfortable over a wide range of temperatures while active.

I've worn Nylon pant shells with a 100wt fleece leggings and a lightweight baselayer pants at rest in colder temperatures (20F) and was alright. However I'm now switching to a softshell pant (REI Acmes which use a Schoeller Dryskin fabric) for most everything. I'll add a long baselayer leggings if expected all day temps are very low and I'm planning on buying some down or synthetic insulating pants like MontBell produces to pull over when at rest. I think this system is far more versatile, comfortable, and easier to implement for highly aerobic winter activities.

If I made insulated pants, I'd use the 8D fabric from titaniumgoat.com and 2.5 oz Apex from thru-hiker.com. Pants are about 2 square yards. About 5 ounces total. Maybe I'd use more wind resistant (heavier) fabric on the outside.

Roger wrote an article on making pants. You could sort of use that. Make two pairs of pants – one inside and one outside. Put the insulation in between. Sew the insulation to the inner pants along the seams up and down. Sew the insulation, inner, and outer together at top and bottom.