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winter clothing advice/critique


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  • #1322930
    Uncle Luke
    Spectator

    @elboe805

    Greetings all,

    All of my backpacking thus far has only been three season. I have an opportunity to hike the Knobstone Trail in Indiana with a friend in mid December and I need some advice on clothing. I would say I'm "normal" in regards to cold tolerance. I usually find the EN rating on sleeping bags accurate for me with a base layer. Average high/low is 45/30 but nights in the low teens and daytime highs near freezing are possible. We may encounter some rain/snow, but if the weather forecast is not looking good I will probably not be going. Let me know what I need to change, please bear in mind I don't have a lot of money to fork out right now to outfit.

    sleeping pad: Ridgerest solar (and a torso length prolite 3 for comfort)

    sleeping bag: Marmot helium 15 degree

    base layer: paradox merino blend top and bottom (cheap Costco brand, but works.)

    long sleeve: nike synthetic running/wicking

    mid layer: 100 wt fleece bottoms and top

    pants: Outdoor research nylon convertible pants

    synthetic jacket: 60 gram north face blaze 1/2 zip pullover (replace this?)

    rain gear: dri-ducks ultra light 2 top and bottom

    beanie: z packs fleece

    gloves: not sure yet, need suggestions. have about 60-80 budgeted for these.

    socks: darn tough wool x2 (sleeping pair)

    shoes: salomon trail runners or goretex keen boots, depending on weather

    Advice appreciated… I don't want my teeth chattering the whole time we're at camp.

    Thanks,
    Lucas

    #2150966
    Andy F
    Spectator

    @andyf

    Locale: Midwest/Midatlantic

    "We may encounter some rain/snow, but if the weather forecast is not looking good I will probably not be going."

    But that's when all of the winter fun is! :)

    Looks good overall. You might need to add another foam pad if camping directly on frozen ground or ice, but try not to do that.

    Use a good DWR on your pants. I like Granger's wash-in. I always wash outdoor clothing in a sports detergent which doesn't degrade DWR like most detergents do.

    You'll probably want a warmer jacket, although you could slide by if you don't take long breaks and sit around a campfire in camp. Or, you could stuff your sleeping bag inside your shell layer jacket. I have a similar jacket I use down to around 30F. After that, I use a cheap down jacket I found at Meijer for around $25 a few years ago. That's good down to around 10F with other layers.

    Waterproof gaiters are a good thing to have in the snow, and they keep legs (and thus feet) warmer.

    For gloves, two pairs of military surplus wool liners are great and cheap. Keep one pair drying in your jacket/shirt. Slap them against a gaiter, leg, or smooth tree to give them a fast start on drying. This usually works well enough to make them feel warm again. This works well for hats and socks. For a shell, I use a pair of leather insulated Wells work gloves which I cut the liner out of and sprayed with a silicone-base water repellent.

    You'll likely want a fleece or acrylic balaclava below 20F for sleeping and around camp.

    Non-waterproof trail runners should probably be used with GoreTex socks. That's what I use down to around 15-20F. Below 20-25F, consider using large size oven bags as vapor barrier socks under your wool socks. Wear a polypro or polyester liner under the VB. This will keep your socks dry and your feet warmer from both the dry socks and from no evaporative heat loss.

    Make sure no clothing fits tight. Blood circulation is what keeps your hands and feet warm, so work with it.

    #2150999
    David Chenault
    BPL Member

    @davec

    Locale: Queen City, MT

    Lucas, aside from a warmer jacket for camp and breaks I think you're all set. Something with 4-6 oz of quality down (ex the Montbell Frost Smoke or Frostline coats) would be a good option.

    No need to get fancy with gloves. On almost all my winter trips I bring two pairs of light liners, a pair of fleece mitts, and a pair of shell mitts sized to go over everything. This generally does the job well below zero.

    #2151036
    Uncle Luke
    Spectator

    @elboe805

    I appreciate the insight, thank you guys very much.

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