Winterish.. Gear advice

[Garrett]

4 season amateur here, looking for gear advice on mild southwest winter conditions. Temperature being low teens and highs in the upper 40s with the possibility of some snow on the ground.  Advice needed on the following:

• Footwear – Unlined or GTX; Shoes or boots; Microspikes?
• Gaiters required?
• Gloves required?
• Active top layering – Currently 150g wool + 100wt fleece and OR helium jacket (unusual wind).
• Pants – Rail raiders eco mesh pants, softshell, or hardshell?
• Rain pants – OR Helium pants or rain kilt?
• Tent – Currently YMG Cirriform

I should be good on everything else, but would appreciate any additional feedback.

 

[Bruce Tolley]

did you see this thread?
https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/outer-layer-for-winter-hiking-backpacking/

Are you expecting it to snow while you are moving?

[jscott]

Rain kilt…with pants on underneath, right? Even then, no…but I’ve never used a rain kilt. But why would you let your lower legs be exposed to winter conditions that you don’t want your upper legs and hips and butt exposed to? No.

[Garrett]

Thanks Bruce for the link. I don’t expect it to snow while moving.

Jeff, I tend to find that protecting the femoral artery in my thighs is more crucial than my calves in regards to warmth loss. That said, I wouldn’t use a rain kilt with a GTX liner boot. I’m expecting rain pants with liner boots to be the obvious answer, however I thought I would ask just to make sure.

[Bruce Tolley]

If you are able to keep your layers dry while active, and there is no snow or rain falling from the sky, I think your kit would work.

I myself would not be able to backpack with an OR Helium rain jacket in those conditions. I would choose a windshirt.

There have been multiple threads about wearing mesh non water proof trail runners in spring and winter snowy conditions here at BPL, which lead to articles like Ryan Jordans one on managing wet feet and skin maceration.

I am not seeing the utility of a kilt. I use one in summer and spring during Sierra thunderstorms since you can put get it on and off quickly. A thin base liner under a lightweight softshell pant would give you more protection and greater breathability over a wider temperature range. But for the first trip, you could just go out with your RailRiders plus the rain pants. In the end you just need to experiment and it is always frugal and prudent to start with using gear that you already own. If you expect any rain at those temps, you need to have the rain gear in your pack anyway to manage the risk of hypothermia.

[Mark Verber]

 

• Footwear – Unlined or GTX; Shoes or boots; Microspikes?

Unlined trail runner.  If there is a good amount of snow will recommend rocky gore-tex or neoprene socks. They can be dried out over night if you sleep with them.

• Gaiters required?

Only if snow is above the top of your shoes/boots.

• Gloves required?

Require… no.  Nice/useful, yes.

• Active top layering – Currently 150g wool + 100wt fleece and OR helium jacket (unusual wind).

I would check out Patagonia Thermal-Weight (what use go be Cap4).  Combined with wind shirt has a huge range of comfort.  I find perspiration accumulates too much for me with the helium.

• Pants – Rail raiders eco mesh pants, softshell, or hardshell?

Love softshell in these conditions.

• Rain pants – OR Helium pants or rain kilt?

Either nothing or the pants.  I would go with the rain kilt only if it was warmer and I needed the extra ventilation,

• Tent – Currently YMG Cirriform

should be fine if you are comfortable using it.

 

[Bruce Tolley]

RE: Microspikes
I just got back from 6 days in Utah where conditions were similar to what you said you will expect. There was snow, rain, snow and nighttime temps dropping into the teens, day time highs in the 40s

I carried the microspikes but only used them once, on a trail in Zion NP where there was lots of foot traffic which caused the snow to melt, which froze at night so there was one short section of icy descent where I did not want to slip.

So if you are backpacking in areas where there is little or no foot traffic or walking on fresh-fallen snow, you probably don’t need them. But if there are ascents or descents where the snow-covered path could melt during the day, and then (re-)freeze at night, you could need them.
Cheers

[Author]

Posts