Clothing critique

[Kevin Schneringer]

My biggest weight struggle is on clothing carried/worn. Please critique this list for upcoming trip.
I am very cold sleeper and warm slowly while on the move.

Night time temps 25-30
Day time temp 50-55

List excludes MH nylon pants wearing anyway. Pad Synmat UL 7, Zpacks 10* quilt.
Total clothing- carried/worn.
R1 hoody – worn until temp gets up to 45-50
Cap1 long sleeve -sleeping
Houdini jacket
UA3 bottom base layer
Fleece. Beanie daytime
Black rock down hat for sleeping
Marmot quasar puffy
FF down booties
Fleece gloves
Zpacks WPB shell
Sil rain pants.

I know from experience I can take the cap1, R1 and Houdini down to 30 in 5-10 mph winds while moving.
I used this system last year and had fairly good luck. Just seems like a lot of stuff.

Edited for rain shell and clarification

[Steven Paris]

Your list doesn't seem much different from my list, if that helps.

I wouldn't worry about the hats & gloves; they are necessary. So that leaves:

TOP: a LS base-layer, a mid-layer hoody (breathable warmth, can be used while moving), an insulation jacket for stopping and in camp, a wind shell (something I always take b/c I find it useful but some people just use a rain shell). I don't see a rain shell in your list, needed here in the PNW, but I'd take one there, too.

BOTTOM: base layer tights, hiking pants. Again, you might need some kind of rain shell for the legs.

All that seems like a very reasonable kit to me!

[Andrew F]

Also very similar to what I bring, except I don't bring a down hat or booties. I also use a Cap4 instead of an R1; the R1 was always too hot for me on the move.

Is the Cap1 worn during the day too or just for sleeping?

[Andy F]

Kevin,

I'm a fairly warm sleeper, and I often feel heat loss through my Synmal UL7 at about 35F. I use a 1.7 oz 19" x 16" piece of 1/4" thick CCF under my hips to torso. It's a piece of military surplus sleeping pad. It's also my sit pad, and it would work well for a backpack back pad or to add stiffness even though I don't use it for that. I generally keep it where I can get to it easily for breaks.

Also, use some type of inflator rather than lungs to inflate because that adds heat-draining moisture.

Consider using either a sleeping bag or light bivy to hold in heat.

Sleep under the best tree/brush cover you can find.

Are you sure you really need a 10F/2 pound quilt? I think you might be able to eliminate the down hat and booties. Do some backyard testing, or carry them without using them unless really necessary.

At those temps with a low of 25F, this is what works for me in wet conditions:

* Synmat UL7 with sit pad on top in hips/torso area
* Montbell #3 Super Stretch UL sleeping bag (800 fp down, 21 oz, 32F rating)
* thin polyester short sleeve t-shirt
* thin micro fleece jacket
* synthetic 70g jacket (Golite Cady, used for breaks, sitting around, rest stops, sleeping if below 34F, pillow otherwise)
* maybe thin polypro base layer pants for sleeping, but I could use the fleece jacket around my legs
* fleece beanie
* warm, dry synthetic or syn/wool blend socks
* wool or fleece glove liners
* DriDucks rain jacket, maybe eVent Packa (integrated jacket/pack cover)
* probably no rain pants, although I plan to make a pair of silnylon chaps soon

I just used this combo minus the synthetic jacket down to 35F last month with rain, light wet snow, breezes/shifty blowing both under my tarp, sometimes getting my bag and pad wet in spots. (The bag's awesome DWR kept the down dry!) I was plenty warm and had a blast sleeping out in these conditions!

Lastly, if an item keeps you warm and comfortable, don't cut it. It's worth the weight!

[Edward Jursek]

I would ditch the Houdini. The Zpacks jacket can easily do double duty as a wind shirt. I would also experiment in the yard with a 20 degree bag. Mine is a Feathered Friends bag that is 22oz that I have tested to 18 degrees in the yard in just my merino sleep cloths and down balaclava.

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