Snow layering

I feel like I was layered upside down… The layers I wanted to take off are buried.

Baselayer… check
–
–
Shell… check

personally not a fan of tight mid layers. I feel constricted and feel colder often. Or if it is warm, too easy to overheat, ventilate.
The between layers are tough. I like zippered wind stopper, fleece, softshell layers that offer variability.

For XC/BC skiing: baselayer, (definitely short sleeve to show off fore arms on a sunny spring day…) zippered fleece, shell. If it is warm, just unzip. If it is ludicrously hot, it won't be too uncomfortable to delayer down to the baselayer. For a decent or if it is cold, I can put a puffy over the fleece without getting too cold.

For climbing, I do similar, though I might want more layers available. Typically more alpine start, night time, early morning activity.

Pretty dependent on temps and conditions. 35 and Pacific Northwest sleeting, 20 and a rocky mountain blizzard, 10 and nucleating intermountain mist… Climb chilly. If you are comfortable when you start aerobic activity, you will sweat. And that's bad, mmm k. I have a layer available to warm up. Typically a puffy or a loose fleece in the top of my pack.

For me it depends a lot more on temperature than anything.

Cold weather (below 10 degrees) if I'm not going to be moving a lot or exerting myself I'll wear a good set of thermals, 1 set of mids, and possibly a vest, then my shell (coat and pants), balaclava and good mitts or gloves.

Warmer weather (above 10 degrees or I'm going to be highly active) I generally only wear my mids and the shells. I overheat too much if I have thermals on. I might ditch the balaclava in favor of a Buff or just bare face/neck, and I might go with windstopper gloves rather than a heavier layer.

My shell weight varies by temp and conditions. Heavy winds I've got a heavy cordura/gore-tex coat/bibs that works great but weighs a ton. Warmer conditions I tend to wear more of a "rain gear" type layer consisting of a very light WPB shell and pants. Boots likewise vary by conditions. In warming conditions with lots of slush or overflow I wear 100% waterproof boots (impervious, not WPB). In colder conditions I'm more concerned about the temp rating of the boot than its ability to keep moisture out.

One thing I "noticed" snowshoeing in the mountains overlooking Albuquerque or Santa Fe is that winter conditions change going over that ridge and the wind just cuts right through the layers, noticed like someone dumped a cup of ice down the shirt (and pants). Especially when that wind is backed up by a brewing storm. Baselayer and a thin shell works in some conditions but turn a corner into a storm, and I've dived into my pack for some extra layers.

Would zipping up an insulating vest over a couple articulating layers, then followed by a medium thickness windshell work better? Me and my credit card will be finding out in the next few days.

ed: it

T shirt
windshell

If hot, I take it off (while wearing the pack) and stuff it behind my back. Then put the sleeves and hood on if I'm chilled, while wearing the pack. Back and forth as needed.

Then gloves.

Then add hooded fleece over windshell. Under windshell if I don't think I'll overheat.

Then thin puffy jacket or vest.

Big parka when stopping.

Puffy pants.

Rain shell never goes on torso unless I'm getting wet. Shell pants go over thin softshell pants as needed.

Windstopper doesn't breathe well enough for me.