Clothing recommendation for Torres del Paine

[I’m Protik’s Alter Ego]

Hi guys

Finally flight booked for next March to South America; will be doing TdP W trek (staying at refugios only) and Inca Trail later on in May. Just need some advice with below clothing items at the moment:

– Glove liner: Arc'teryx Gothic Glove (wool) OR Phase Liner (polyester)
– Glove: Burton AK Guide Glove/AK Oven Mitt (current snowboard gloves) OR Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch OR Outdoor Research PL 400 Glove

– Beanie (hike): Smartwool NTS LIGHT 195 OR Mountain Hardwear Micro Dome
– Beanie (post hike): Outdoor Research STORM BEANIE OR Smartwool NTS MID 250

– Pant (post hike): Smartwool thermals + hiking pant (currently own) OR Montbell UL Tec Down OR Patagonia R1 Fleece Pant

Any other suggestions/experiences are welcome as well.

Cheers

[Max Dilthey]

Wool and synthetics dry fast, but I generally use synthetics for hiking in the winter, as I tend to have a hard time drying off while underway. I would go with the synthetic pieces for hiking stuff, and wool pieces for post-hike/camp situations.

Honestly, you can never have too many pairs of gloves in the winter. Choose a baselayer glove, then bring two or even three pairs so you can rotate wet gloves into your chest pockets for drying.

[Mark Daskilewicz]

Max, March is actually the last month of Summer at Torres del Paine (TdP).

[David Thomas]

I haven’t been but my wife joined a BP trip on her way back from Antarctica and experienced some of the windiest conditions in her seven continents of traveling.

So I’d caution your about any dangly bits – cords, straps ends, drawstrings – that might wap you in the face or make lots of noise.  And consider that loose-fitting layers will flap around a lot so more elastic or a waistband of thin tent-pole bungie cord could minimize that.

The lightest vapor barriers (kitchen trash bags for your trunk and produce bags between your gloves/mittens) would do a lot to retain warm air near your skin.

[Author]

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