Episode 102 | Polartec Alpha Direct

I didn’t get to mention this in the podcast, but this winter I did experiment with a Mark Twight-style layering system with Alpha Direct in windy, cold weather:

• Brynje long sleeve fishnet mesh base layer
• Wind shirt (usually an Arc’teryx Squamish)
• Polartec Alpha Direct fleece hoodie
• WPB Rain Jacket

I liked it, it was comfortable and nimble. I just started to try this towards the end of winter, but was curious to know if others had any experience with this type of system (fleece between the wind shirt and rain shell layer) using AD.

I wear a base layer over the alpha. (Brynje) I’ll sometimes wear a very breathable R3 over that. While it doesn’t totally block wind, I believe by combining the different fabrics, there is no direct path. The wind doesn’t bounce off my skin, taking my heat. IDK. I do find it very comfortable under certain conditions. If it’s too windy, I might wear a tech face R1 instead. It all sheds water to some degree. Next or instead, I may wear a very light Pertex Shield shell (Luke’s), or perhaps a DAS (pertex shield) hoody.
As Mole said, “it pays to experiment and be flexible”. What I actually carry depends on the weather reports.

Yeah I’m the horse  who  doesn’t drink that water. Or maybe the mule…a windshirt over fleece or an R1 or  whatever layers you have blocks wind–hence,  the name–and provides protection from moisture. Meanwhile, the inner layer(s) is maintaining warmth and expelling moisture that the windshirt ideally allows to wick away. wind carries off warmth. cold  wind carries off even more warmth. I wear a layer to retain warmth. Synthetics are pervious to wind. A windshirt blocks wind. How is this backwards?

Acknowledging I did a little editing above to keep things on track.

Also, I’m a little bit confused about layering a windshirt under fleece too. Generally speaking, my understanding of AD is that it is a very breathable fleece which gives the user the ability to enjoy that breathability or to limit it with another garment over the top.

RJ suggests, essentially, that one could layer under and over an AD layer. I suppose that makes sense to me. It’s almost like making a jacket with a breathable but wind resistant inner, AD insulation in the middle, and a WPB exterior. Now that I have typed that out, I don’t have trouble accepting that this would be warmer than the fishnet baselayer + AD + WPB shell.

I can accept that if one was going to wear all four layers that the layering order can matter: fishnet + windshirt + AD + WPB sounds warmer than fishnet + AD + windshirt + WPB. In the latter version the outermost two layers seem redundant.

Yes agreed it seems to work well directly against skin.

I don’t think this is Ryan’s intention but it is certainly plausible that I would have all four of these layers present and that I would get cold and start putting everything on at once. Before I read this I would have probably gone base layer then AD then windshirt then rain shell. I don’t think the windshirt does much directly under the shell. Somehow I can see Ryan’s layering doing something more than that.

Or AD, windshirt, mesh, WPB.

Often my wind protection is my WPB. Then the idea of stripping down to my base layer to rearrange my clothing when I could simply put on a jacket isn’t that appealing. While the afore mentioned system may be more versatile in a variety of conditions, it seems rather unnecessary for singular conditions.

To Monte’s last point, and maybe more so Roger’s, what about carrying/wearing less overall layers and accepting a fractional amount of discomfort on either end of a shift in conditions? So long as you have the safety angle covered with protection from rain and cold (per Roger), there is value, and maybe skill, in knowing you’ll be OK with these more subtle changes in temperature. The body is pretty adaptable in this way.

I get this is an annoying position. I think about these layers every trip also.

So long as you have the safety angle covered with protection from rain and cold
This is where experience comes in, when you know your limits.

There have been a few times when we have both been shaking with the cold but not too fussed because we knew that we could be inside the tent very soon, out of the wind, and getting changed. Yes, that was pushing the envelop a bit, but we knew we could manage.

Although there was one time when Sue couldn’t get her wet clothing off: it was too sticky and she hadn’t the strength! That was soon fixed when I got into the tent.

Hum – maybe going solo means you have to be a bit more conservative? Could be wise.

Cheers

Good point, Roger.

Jack Stephenson argued that a vapor barrier raises the skin humidity and lessens insensible perspiration. In my experience something akin to that does occur. If so, that first windshell barrier near the skin may work to lessen insensible perspiration, thereby lessening moisture buildup in outer layers in colder weather. Think puffy clothing, ready to go limp when warmed; wool, ready to be wet; and me surprised when I thought I was buying a cup of coffee at a ski area on day 4 of a winter trip above 6000′ in Montana intending to drive to a different trailhead to continue. I was not wearing a near-skin wind shirt on that trip.