Help me buy my next Layering piece for winter camping/Backpacking.

Where do you plan to hike? That is probably far more important than any other info. Winter is not the time to test theory. Only experience with cold will accurately help you gauge your BMR and your perception of cold (the latter is often far more variable and important to warmth).

You mention a lot of rain and there's obviously the advantage of having synthetic over down if most of your time is spend with liquid precipitation. You already seem to have some decent gear for that (down vest + generator should easily get you to freezing).

The frostline has almost 7oz and box wall construction so it should keep you warm enough in most conditions in the US.

Richard's research is solid but remember that each person is affected differently, with a lot of variation. Winter is not the time to test theory by pushing the envelope. It doesn't take much for mild conditions to turn considerably worse. I've had my own fair share of hypothermia brushes and let me just tell you that it's not fun hiking 12 hrs to force heat generation until you can find a dry and warm place. So don't rely too much on calculations, get a warm jacket (the frost line should fit the bill) and just be cautious until you get a few trips or seasons under you. The UP and Montana folks should have plenty of advice for you too on specific temps.

Dustin Thank you for your keen insight.

I hammock camp for starters so I try to stay closer to tree lines. I tend to hike in areas close to me in Maryland. So generally speaking I don't go too much north outside of Pennsylvania and south of Virginia/ North Carolina or West of Tennessee. This is all currently until I obtain better gear and more experience.

I completely agree that winter is not a forgiving time to test anything especially when humidity or precipitation enters the equation. I am blessed with a decent back yard that feels often like the areas I am hiking in. So most of my cold weather test is done there before going on an overnight or weekend trip.

I definitely chose the generator as piece because of my concerns with liquid precipitation. I have bad luck with rain and it seems like every trip for me this year came with at least some percent of my weekend dealing with rain. This is fairly common the closer to the Appalachians you get in shoulder season (in my experience). Temperatures like to teeter here just around freezing and only in deep winter lower than 20's and the higher elevation you go. I will more than likely not be out in less than the teens , but I want to plan for 0 degrees as a safety margin.

I have never had Down garments (down quilts yes) outside of my vest before and I constantly read about them turning to mush when wet, but have not experience with it. It is a concern, however I plan to test it out at home before I go out.

I definitely believe in having more than the minimum and I agree it is better to have more insulation than less provided that you are not sweating because of it. I have learned that lesson already. I have seen too much information on frostbite and hypothermia to take it lightly. Which is why I want a health margin of safety in warmth.

I think the MB Frost line parka fills that need for me as I think it already is a very warm piece which should provide me with a little safety built in on its own (based on what others have said about fill amount and construction vs temp ratings/ conditions). With the other gear I have I think it will give me the variety I need for my trips to extend further into winter. I am hesitant to take a less insulated parka.

Please correct me if I am wrong. I am open to other hooded options.

What works for you is going to be entirely dependent on how well you tolerate the cold, how active you are when you're on the move, the amount of money you want to spend, weight you want to carry, materials you like to wear, etc. For me, I've worked out a layering system that I can customize depending on the temperature and environment. It consists of a handful of layers:

Base: Synthetic t-shirt. Quick drying, comfortable, cheap, and since I don't have a terrible sweat odor, I can wear it for a few days before having to change. Over or in place of that, I have a thin wool Patagonia running shirt. Aside from the fact that it's incredibly warm for its weight, it has mittens built in to the sleeves, giving me something to tuck my hands in to for a few minutes when I'm not moving to warm up, without having to reach in to my bag for gloves.

Fleece: Patagonia R1. I have well over a dozen fleeces in my closet right now, and have probably been through a few times that over the years. Love this jacket; performs well, fits well, stands up to a good amount of abuse. Isn't too expensive, and you can wear it walking around town and not look at all out of place.

Insulation: Arc'teryx Cerium LT / SV. I have both jackets, the LT without hood, the SV with. I'm a huge fan of Arc'teryx gear, mostly because climbing is my main sport, with backpacking being secondary, and they make some of the best kit for that around. They stand behind their warranty like none other, and I've generally found them to be more than well worth the price. They LT uses an extremely lightweight fabric, while the SV uses a slightly more burly one, both with 850+ fill, the latter having more than double of it. I've found that while actively backpacking, the LT over an R1 fleece is more than warm enough for down to around 10F for me. The SV, while I haven't pushed the limits, negative numbers for sure.

Wind / Rain: I'm going to get a lot of negative feedback on this but, Arc'teryx Alpha SV. The Arc'teryx shell line is broken down into two main groups, Beta and Alpha, the former being an all around item, the later being climbing specific (surprise surprise). They have a number of different models in the range, including SL/LT/FL which are lightweight, AR which is an "all-around" and SV which is intended for severe conditions. The higher up you go, the more bells and whistles, tougher fabric, etc you get, increasing weight and cost. SV is at the top of weight and features, but I've dragged it across rock and ice faces that I was awe struck it stood up to, all while keeping me dry. Any good GoreTex shell will do just fine, but if you can spare the change, I'd go for something quality.

Again, it's a really personal thing. When it comes to cold weather, I always suggest to dress warmer than you think you'll need. Sure you may be carrying an extra lbs of weight, but while you can always take it off, you'll never be able to transport it from home if you need it.

Insightful comments from the previous posters, so I'll keep mine brief. Good choice on the MB Frostline! It's affordable and not sewn through construction; however, I'm saving my money up for the Mirage…same warmth category but only 12 oz (less weight = more money). Also, check out the Patagonia Capilene 4 EW hoody, it's super light and super warm. BPL did a review on this one and it's definitely head and shoulders above everything else out there…it's a permanent part of my kit now.

The other thing is: Be Outside. As much as you can. The more you are outside in cold/inclement weather, the more you will acclimate and the more you can tolerate. I'm outdoors on weekends and bike commute to work every day, even during the below zero Montana winters. Try it, you'll like it!

Happy Trails!

Thanks for the tips and pointers guys.

I definitely like the grid pattern Patagonia products so I will be keeping my eyes peeled for deals on them. I am also going to be doing more cold conditioning to test out what comfort level is for my garments which will help me decide how much more insulation I need. More than like will still get the frost line but I will check out other options