Cold Weather Layering Isn't This Simple... is it?
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- Опубликовано: 21 июн 2024
- In this video, I take you through the principles of my layering system, the layering I use for cold weather and some of the biggest mistakes people make when layering in winter.
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One of the best bits of layering advice I got is about outer shells. If you're hiking and comfortable in your base+mid layers, and you have to put on the outer shell because of rain, make sure to remove the mid-layer or you will overheat. Amazing how well a base layer + outer shell can work when you're active.
Shells with pit zips make a big difference as well.
@@ColoradoStreaming do they ever. Makes hiking in the rain a joy.
Yep and riiiight on! Tis true folks tis true.
Never thought about it before, but I automatically do this!
Depends on what shell and how on the limit you are with the base + mid-layer combo. My rain shell is kind of a heat conductor it seems, meaning it gets too cold if I swap middle layer to it when there is some wind. Also, one needs to be pretty constantly in movement and the position for the weather needs to be pretty constant too. When going through variable terrain, swapping from trees to no trees, up the hill with wind, then in the lower less windy parts... It tends to be tricky.
Merino wool base layering has changed my life.
Incroyable.
same i buy only Woolen shirts you can wear 1 for months without smelling thats amazimg
Is it itchy?
Mainly in the second month
It just makes you sweaty and is shit in the city at the Winter! Worst idea ever
Well done. You are the only outdoor/camping RUclipsr to mention live plucking of down. So many people promoting cheap Chinese bags/quilts. And even the certified stuff is not really trustworthy. Farms only checked once a year with it being an arranged visit. I bought a cumulus quilt, I trust the poles more and it's a smaller industry.
More needs to be done to raise this awareness
I'm sure I'm not the only one but I'm glad to be one of them. Thanks for your comment.
Yes I appreciate this too!!🌿 I was even nervous to use any form of merino or alpaca wool for cruelty reasons...but...I think?...those are available from truly not cruel sources and well-regulated? 🌿As for down its easy enough to pick a less cruel alternative. 🌿As for leather, that's a whole other conversation. Still thinking it through. A friend's child made leather shoes from roadkill deer. I thought that was kind of cool because it had passed away of natural cause, not hunted. I don't know if typical leather comes from some sort of deer factory farm or what?
Great vid! As a Brit, my waterproofs live at the top of my pack, not the bottom! 😉
Incroyable.
Hahah as a Yorkshireman my waterproofs live on me and not in my pack.
My outer layer is usually a house.
Hahaha hahaha hahahahahhahaha
A key point is that air pockets between layers are really important for staying warm when sitting still. The warm midlayer should not fit tight into the base layer. It allows for a better barrier between the heat your body are generating. You wannna percerve every little amount of heat when not moving.
but if there are lots of air pockets air will escape and re-enter with movement which is not optimal.
@@edh615 When you're moving you're producing a lot more heat. Some air circulation could also help keep you dry from sweat.
@@ablazedguy if you are sweating probably can remove some layers, when it's really cold you don't want any air moving.
Could you talk to us like we needed to stay warm in very cold conditions? I’m not looking for workout wear.
JSU's n Bhdjnfj, some people engage in aerobic output in very cold conditions (hiking, Nordic skiing, climbing, etc.). Expelling perspiration is also an important part of staying warm regardless of activity or lack thereof.
Chase, great video as always. I think it's particularly important to make the point that you can get away with a cheap or second-hand mid layer and saving your money for a better base or outer layer is the way to go. There's lots of places in the world where the climate has lots of rain throughout the year but it's not necessarily so cold that you'd require a mid layer when hiking or climbing, and so investing in both a quality base layer to wick sweat away and a quality outer layer that is reasonably balanced between breathability and waterproofing is really vital to enjoying the mountains whether you're in a hot or cold climate.
Yep, outer layer is essentially doing almost all the work in any challenging environment where you would need one. Base layer is important, but it's usually not that expensive and you can get away with not ideal materials. But if your outer layer sucks when you need it, you are going to be wet either from rain or sweat, and you freeze due to wind and cold.
Used?
good stuff, love wool base layers. I grew up in Manitoba and would cross-country ski in the winter at -20 to -30 plus windchill. cotton is definitely the worst. also love the simple 3 layer system: wool base, zippable mid, and wind-breaking outer.
fellow manitoban here! only few know the extremes we go through haha it is so crucial to dress properly
Norwegian wool sweaters are awesome for winter activities 🤗 It’s used often while cross country skiing 😝 You only need a waterproof layer over it if it is actively snowing but otherwise the sweater over a base layer is plenty warm enough 🤗
You don't ski with a woollen sweater.. It's too warm for anything than breaks. Thin wollen underwear is enough.
@@OmmerSyssel Depends on how cold it is, and how sweaty you are making your ski trips. I often ski in my Islender sweater. Talking cross-country skiing however, slow paced. Not alpine or slalom.
@@OmmerSyssel I can asure you I absolutely do ski with a very big woolen sweater. I would not even step out of the house with skis without my sheep wool sweater and my merino wool underwear. And I know what I am talking about, since I lived literally on a skiing resort mountain for 20 years.
@@tokarukora7272 that's good for you! I've met tiny women skiing full power in bikini like dress .. We are all different 😎
Have fun ⛷️👙☃️🍻
@@tokarukora7272 what letter does the town start with?
Many years ago I added a thin vest/windbreaker to the mix (the kind made for runners without arms and with breathable backs to compensate for the backpack). This is a game-changer. While active, it is often all I need over my base layer and leads to a less sweaty back and chest.
It is also suitable as a light mid-layer while wearing an outer shell and a base layer. They are usually relatively cheap, lightweight and versatile.
That's a great suggestion. Thanks I'll look into it.
If you are one who sweats a lot, like me, then look into Brenje fishnet base layer. I’ve found nothing that moves moisture better. It all I need down to freezing temps under a synthetic sun type shirt when backpacking. I soak straight Merino and once saturated it takes forever to dry out Merino synthetic blends are better option for me but not nearly as good as the Brenje. I also find Alpaca to be much better choice for me over Merino- has many of the same qualities but holds much less moisture and breathes better. If it’s a bit under freezing, wear alpaca hoodie with above layers. If it’s windy, a light weight shirt as a wind layer works great to slow the wind down. Alpaca is surprisingly warm- they claim the fibers are semi hollow. The downside is alpaca and Brenje is quite expensive but if your like me and need max moisture movement fabrics then it’s worth it to be comfortable.
Brynje
I went to the Brynje USA site and ordered a synthetic mesh shirt because I, too soak a merino base layer and then freeze if I stop for a snack or nature break. Thanks for the Brynje tip, I never would have found them without your comment!
thanks alot for the advice, this is why i love youtube. The comments are always the best thing about a video
Thank you for caring about animals and mentioning cruel practices. ❤️
Since I don't buy animal products and am an active caver/climber, I found it quite hard to find quality products that will keep me dry and warm. But there are more and more new materials that very successfully mimic down and real skin, and thrifting and buying second hand is also great, not just for the animals but also the environment.
You made me cringe
Vegan couple here! And while yes wool and down products are often still superior in clothing and bedding there are a lot better alternatives for vegans than the plastic and cotton clothes. I would advice for example tencel, bamboo, plantbased silk, hemp etc. Those are moisture wicking, sometimes have hollow fibers so warm when it is cold and cool when warm, some have antibacterial and fughi properties so they get less smelly and you will have to wash them less often, they are soft and strong.
You guys really won't buy wool? You know that sheep quite literally HAVE to be sheared right? If they aren't, then the coat becomes too hot in the summer and actually dangerous. When you see them romping around a field after shearing you can tell they love losing that wool.
@@Shrouded_reaperThe reason they have to be sheared is because we have bred them to produce much more wool than they would do in the wild. Wild sheep would naturally shed their winter coats.
Thank you so much for this advice. It's literally changed my entire view on cold weather gear and how to handle myself.
Hi Tasmania! it's PNW. Layers and "kits" (and the 'right' shoes) are the story of my life.
Current fave midlayer is thrift store cashmere :) Appreciate your videos.......
I’m so glad I found this video. So helpful to plan my Everest base camp expedition in 12 week. Thank you so much
Revisiting this video for the great advice given here. Trying to build a small wardrobe for 1-2 day hikes in Danish (rainy, high humidity all the bleeding time) weather, and this is so helpful, saving me time and money, picking out only what is necessary - and most importantly: something that works.
This video changed the way I see the clothes in my wardrobe. Now not everything is a “layer” and merino wool has became a staple. Thank you! 👍
Love the practical advise and in person comparison in these. Experts paying forwards spreads the joy
Brilliant. I live in the Rockies in Colorado and layering is key. Sunny, cold, thunderstorms, wind... I still have have not got it down, so thanks for this video!
thanks probably the most useful discussion on layering for adventure sports I've seen on youtube, and really appreciate actually calling out specific items of clothing you've found best
You cover a really important point in that you can layer up base layers ,ive not seen many other people discussing base layers cover this , so thanks for that
Thanks for the clear explanation! We normally wear thin wool in hot weather, but we’re new to layering wool for cold weather. Your video helped us prepare for our trip to the snow! 🌺✈️ Heidi
Merino wool is my favorite. It´s cold in the Scandinavia countries in winter. Great video, thanks Chase.
First time on your channel, I enjoyed the content. Lots of good insights, and it's nice that - unlike so many - you're not trying to push overpriced products to the viewer.
One thing I'd say is that I've often hiked in a pair of thin comfortable Goretex hard shell pants (Arcteryx) in cool weather, wearing just boxer briefs underneath, and found that they kept me warm but not hot, and were lightweight but were an effective wind barrier.
I prefer that to a soft shell pant, especially if the weather is unpredictable.
Hi! I’m on the Arizona trail now and have been remembering your tips for going downhill! I’m nearing Flagstaff and it’s getting colder and windier so this was a timely video. Happy trails!
Comon Chase be real with us, you didn't get the Salewa mid because it was cheap. You got it because it's the most banging mountain drip 🔥🔥🔥 nice video ❤️
banging drip AND cheap. it was a fucking steal! a piece of history even
That thing is rad! I wish I could pull it off like him!
Watching bc I live in Florida & going on my first snowboarding trip ever. I get cold so easily & I can’t even handle it when it’s less than 65 degrees outside. I feel like the clothing has a lot to do why im so miserable in the cold climates. Very informative, thank you!
Great video, really appreciate you emphasizing the need to avoid unethically sourced down! 🌱💚
I concur with how useful rain pants are. They keep you surprisingly warm in winter and can be great in summer. I took mine as a last minute impulse on an August bike packing trip. It rained cats and dogs every day and I was wholly comfortable just putting them over my shorts when necessary.
The best hiking gear and guides channel there is. No question, best of all of youtube mate.
Great video, one of the best explaining layers, especially in winter. Watched a Documentary of two hikers, one son and mum. They were hiking to a bothy station in winter conditions, high altitude, in snow! The mum died on the way, she froze to death and one of the contributing factors was she was wearing cotton bottoms which got wet, and removed essential body heat from her! Clearly cotton a no no in Winter high altitude snow conditions!
I like the Merino wool socks from Darn Tough Socks based out of Vermont. They keep the feet warm and easy to wash/dry. I think I have 3 or 4 pairs for this winter, so I can rotate them out when necessary.
And if they break down with a hole or something you can send them in and they'll send a replacement for free. Stink free too. All I wear.
I heard a good saying in regards to outdoor clothing which helps alot when helping customers in a outdoor store, "Cotton kills" it retains moisture really good and if it gets wet you lose 85% of your heat.
Even more applicable out on the water!
Thank you, that was super helpful! As a beginner it's so confusing when people throw around all those terms you've never heard of. Now I get it.
We love some of the Polartec base layers that contain silver as it really keeps the smell down. I also like Polartec Power Wool, which has the merino against the skin and synthetic knit to the outer layer, to add durability and assist in drying. We specialize in performance fabrics for home sewists.
Hi chase …I’m from the islands and don’t know how to dress for winter …thanks for the suggestions..keep up the good work, I’m sure lots of people appreciate your time , and money for helping us out…you and fam have a great day..
Fantastic video. Very thorough, detailed presentation.
Thanks.
Thanks for this vid! I live in Costa Rica by the beach and will soon be going to the Argentinian Patagonia, where weather can change multiple times a day. Such a contrast 😆 Its been hard for me to understand how to layer properly there considering the ever changing weather there. However this vid helps a lot 😊
Outstanding! You just saved me a lot of money on setting up my mid-layer.
Like you said it depends on your activity. I was winter camping when it got down to -18C at night last February and large down pants and down booties sure were nice when sitting outside or even in the tent before lighting the stove or getting up in the morning. You have to be very careful though, I accidentally cut mine without knowing and wore them to bed inside my sleeping bag. Woke up with all this down coming out of the bag and floating around the tent. Ahhh. Good thing they were cheap.
Humble,down to earth and informative you are. Thank you
Thanks for this movie. I would fully agree that the most important thing is to check the setup by yourself!
Great video. Everything you say is exactly what i do.
I also make sure my underpants are polypropylene. The body heat simply dries it out if it does get wet.
If i know its going to be dry weather I'd put on a cotton tshirt under the base layer just to stop that clammy feel.
Good advice, I concur. It doesn't have to be complicated and most people overdress in cold temps. Keep the shell off if you're at all active and the wind isn't howling, or else you'll be in a pool of sweat. I don't think you mentioned gloves?...thin liner gloves are always a minimum part of my kit when its cold enough to think about layers. Often when hiking in above freezing temps.
Yeah I glazed over gloves pretty quickly. I could probably do a whole video on ‘extremity base layers’ like gloves, hats, socks etc
I use very lightweight gloves even if it's really hot to keep my hands out of sun (less weight than constantly applying sunblock) and I notice the only times my hands get real dirty is setting up/breaking down a tent. I bring actual warm gloves if I'm going up really high altitude or freezing temps, more for crazy cold winds or wearing around a cold campsite. Unfortunately i've yet to found lightweight cool gloves that are also durable. Seems they all last a year or so before they fall apart. I hiked over Mnt Whitney once with just light gloves and nearly paid the price for it when we hit knock you off your feet winds, since then I always bring some legit gloves in high altitude in addition to the lightweight gloves that are more for the sun/dirt/dryness.
@@ChaseMountains I have a windbreaker fleece skull cap under my bike helmet and it's a game changer.
I've used my rain shell/rain pants to fight off high altitude cold winds about 50 times and only against rain about 10 times. That's in mostly Sierra Nevada mnts in western US, rain just doesn't seem that common but cold winds are especially at 8k ft and higher. When I get done with a 4-8 day hike I like to head into some town and eat a real meal before I even get cleaned up...if my wool base layer shirt is a nice looking shirt I can usually wear that in and at least have one piece of clothing that doesn't smell bad sitting next to people at a restaurant. Whatever lightweight cool synthetic shirt I have always smells pretty bad by then.
The only additional information I would add is the poly-wool blends are often harder wearing and easier to wash than pure wool base layers. They really tend to be the best of both worlds.
The other is that fashion sweaters like the fine thin Marino wool and cashmere sweaters meant to be used in more formal attire are some of the best thin mid layers a person can buy if they are being active. When I cycle commuted for school that was usually all I would wear between my outer and base layer and that was down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit ( -10 degrees Celsius). Sometimes it rained enough to soak through everything and even at 25 degrees F (-4degrees C) they tended to comfy.
They are low bulk, and super breathable and the Cashmere is very warm for its weight. AND it’s soft. AAND AND They are also pretty easy to find second hand.
(Warning, apparently the Cashmere sweaters may have issues with durability as the fiber can be brittle. One could ware holes in the clothing using it for hiking.) Edit made for information. See comments below.
Cashmere is very brittle so they are going to get a lot of holes in hiking use
@@jonnenne interesting, never had that issue. I guess I never wore mine enough?
Like a said, my experience was mostly cycle commuting.
Thanks for the input, I’ll make an addition to the op comment.
@@jonnenne are you washing as prescribed? Wool doesn't take more than 30-40°C, and suitable soap!
on the bottom layer, wool pants over a thin baselayer are excellent for really really cold weather. Your perspiration will crystalize on the outsize of the pants where it can be just brushed off.
If you gonna be working, like hiking with a backpack, just use brynje base layer and a windproof on top, like gore tex. If you stop for a break or will be stationary a bit just throw on a good wool sweater. Love from Norway!
Your Salewa fleece is the most beautiful retro fleece i have ever seen. Want it. thanks for the informational video- Good job brother !
Great informative video... exactly what I was looking for to prepare for my everest base camp trek (especially if you come from a very hot country)
Best video about the subject that I have seen ... Thank you!
Watching this from my London flat preparing for winter 2022.
Godspeed my friend
That vintage mid-layer fleece is incredible
they dont make em like they used to that's for sure
Most 90s thing I’ve seen in 25 years!
Love the simple explanation. Thanks!
Well, that was the BEST Winter Layering Video I've seen. Now I don't have to post one. I'll just share. 😁Thank you!
Thank you Chase.
Very wool.
Thanks! That actually helped so much!
love wearing sleeveless moisture wicking compression under my thermal base the range of motion and ease of movement alone is huge
A gamechanger for me was a rainskirt for hiking. It breathes so good, is easy to put on/off and packs really small. And it has dual use as a tarp for sitting or a small emergency shelter. You'll find some starting from 15$ online.
Hi chaotx thanks for the tip, just tot be sure: do you mean a poncho?
@@joyceleppers Sure! No, really a waterproof skirt. If you tipe "rain skirt" in your search engine/online shop there will come multiple recommendations. Altho I use the 3F UL Gear one. I use a big poncho tho, if I know I will be hiking in rain all day. But for a multiple day/thru hike setup I use the rain skirt as it's really lightweight, packs compact and is multi use.
Ha, I have a plastic bag in my bag for eating lunch in town on a wet bench, wet grass etc. It also doubles up as a bag :)
Thank you thank you for this educational video!
I’ve found a good base layer, a good fleece mid layer and a quality soft shell that has good wind protection effective during hiking, if it’s going to rain you can spray polyurethane on it or put a good rain jacket over it
Great ! Greetings from the tropical Costa Rica 🇨🇷, where sometimes you'ld be cold at some hills. Pura Vida ✌🏽😎
I have a northface altier down jacket and honestly it's amazing. I can wear the down midlayer by itself in well below freezing (15-25f) and still be comfortable. The top layer it comes with has never let water in either
I have a down mini skirt that I wear in cold weather often. It goes over my hiking pants or jeans to keep my bums warm. I agree with all your points and follow the same system of dressing. I can’t leave home without wool socks (i wear two thin pairs), gaiters, buff, beanie, glove liners, bandana, sunblock :)
Despite never wearing skirts, this sort of convinces me that getting a down skirt may be a brilliant idea. Hm. Also SO with you on the wool socks. And the sunblock. Nothing ruins your day as much as getting a sunburn, however slight.
Hey man, whatever floats your boat 😂
Yeeesss mate softshell is the ONE.
Had a pair of jack wolfskins that lasted 5 years, months at a time in Scotland or Welsh winters. Absolute beasts, it was such a sad day throwing those away.
Merci pour cette vidéo très intéressante, qui m'a beaucoup appris. Je n'avais pas imaginé que le sujet soit si complexe.
Really useful advice, thanks!
At 80 my body is pretty beat up. I'm now limited to biking. On a winter ride below freezing 0C - 32F, over my inner layer I wear a tight wind proof weave wool pullover shirt that covers my butt, that I designed in 1973. I wear the shirt on the outside, untucked. The base layer wicks moisture away from my core and the heat is trapped, and the moisture can exit through the bottom. My neck is protected by the stand up collar. The shirt also has a 6 inch open at the neck that can open to exhaust excess heat. I have switched to a poly wool blend base layer, since I can no longer find fish nest in the States. I have become a big fan of alpaca, socks, sweater, head cover. The alpaca wool is antibacterial, the fibers are hollow and keep you cool or warm depending on the temperature. Since first writing this 8 months ago I have found a source for Fishnet base layer. It is Brynje USA The original fishnet from Sweden also Brynje Canada and Sweden.
Ayy! Great norwegian, you nailed it. That saying is probably the most popular one here in Norway and we're taught it from a very young age. Cool seeing it pop up here.
Here in Tasmania the saying goes - Never let the weather decide what do, only what you wear.
Excelentes videos Chase, un abrazo desde Argentina.
Great video thanks
I ended almost never using rain pants, but i always have alpine gaiters in mountain scenarious at the bottom of the pack. I also moved from goretex to dermizax shell, my alpine 40d one that i use with rope and harness weights just 300g, and im a huge guy. It works unbelievably good.
I went from almost necer using them to using them quite often (in specific situations) They worked wonders on keeping snow-mud slushy away from my legs (walks moxed with crawling in snow. Also kneeling in snow a lot)
This was a very lovely and informative video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I learned a lot...
Löffler Transtex is one baselayer to mention. It feels great, warm and dry and I can use one set for at least 3 days of high power skiing and it is still far from the smell of pure polypropylene. And you can wash it in the machine.
Good information! Glad to see I'm not far off in my layering. I love my merino by ice breaker. They wash with evrything else in cold water. I was even able to score a few pieces in a second hand store! What is cause for trouble is pants lenght. No one seems to carry extra extra long pants.
Check out FjällRäven in their raw length models.
Cold Weather Layering is Simple. very nice on you! great!
That was seriously helpful
I have base/mid/outer layers from Ortovox. Wool is their sole insulation. Brilliant designs
Glad you actually mentioned the dark side of wearing down.
Amazing explanation! Thanks
In regards to the wool being more high maintenance, I don't own a single 250 weight Merino wool piece that hasn't been absolutely tossed in the wash (on cold) and then tumble dry low'd without issue thus far -- 3 or 4 years on most pieces. I would definitely echo your sentiments about wearing each piece as long as you can prior to a wash though -- I went 9 days in 250 weight Merino through both active and sleep phases and by day 9 it was getting to that dicey point. However, 100 weight Merino (like base layer pants) I would let air dry more frequently (had some crotch blowouts on at least one pair, probably tumble dry low'd them to death). Great video!
Merino wool, cashmere, and even silk at the thrift stores.
yup thrift stores are awesome! do you use silk, how does it wear hiking?
It’s reasonably durable and low stink. I’ve lucked out finding long sleeve tops.
@@nmarbletoe8210 silk is quite durable and warm. Mixed clothing are often very good.
Intensely use a liner for my sleeping bag. Follow washing instructions!
@@nmarbletoe8210 I only use silk for sock liners but my 2 cents is it gets a little sticky when you sweat, and it's not that warm, compared to wool for a base layer I'd pick wool every single time.
Great video, thank you. I’d love to see you do a video on summer hiking, including sun protection. I do a lot of high country hiking where it’s hot and exposed during the day and cold and pretty much anything at night. Thank you
Hard to say, some technical shirt with short or long sleeve, something against rain and wind (i like jackets with membrane, but for wind and light rain some light cheap waterproof vest might be enough (i use it on bike with fleece vest, hands can survive some cold or rain shower). For night it's more about sleeping bag and insulation from the ground. And woolen hat.
So for any weather I usually go with polypropylene t-shirt, then long sleeve polo neck which keeps me warm and not the light nor heavy jacket with membrane. When it's cold I can add some thick fleece jacket, but it's for temperatures like below -3C (cross country skiing, uphill), or +5C when staying still. When it's even colder I take skiing jacket and reject fleece.
But I don't know what climate you have, in Alps or High Tatras or alike, you have to be prepared for the worst all the time, it can be nice weather and then thunderstorm whole afternoon even if chance is low. Extra 3kg of weight won't kill you. And usual recommendation for preventing storms is to wake up very early (yes, 4:30 is rough) and finish your trip at 3pm - or at least leave highest parts.
Shorts or long pants is a choice depending on trail, if it goes through raspberries, blackberries, nettles or tall grass I prefer long ones or that can be detached using zipper.
Good job on the Norwegian pronunciation 🇳🇴 Anyone who’ve spent time in the mountains here would understand the meaning of that saying. Expect the unexpected.
Awesome guide bro. Thanks so much. We noobs need all the help we can get :))
Thanks for the great video.
Just a heads up. KUIU is dumping their old line of merino base layers on their outlet site. Its $65 for a long sleeve and $55 for a short sleeve high performance merino which is a pretty decent deal. The long sleeve has really long sleeves though so keep that in mind.
This is the perfect video explaining this stuff. Literally there is no other video on RUclips that gets it this well explained.
The one thing that I will alter for myself, however, is needing a thicker outer layer (not North Face but that vibe) instead of a mid and outer layer. Weather depending of course, but the claustrophobia I would get wearing that many layers is intense. But that is exactly what I love about this video, it teaches everything you need to know and breaks it down so that you can make your own decisions and adapt it to how it suits you.
Informative and beneficial video
I recently got a jacket made with Dermizax... was also really impressed with it. Another base layer option is synthetics treated with polygiene. I was fully sold on merino but I tried some microgrid base layers from a local brand treated with polygiene and was blown away. Significantly less smell, much lighter, more comfortable, warmer, and dries super fast. Similar price, so not cheap.
You're not aware of the most important advantage of wool is the ability to keep you warm, despite being wet. No synthetic brings you that ...
Not necessary for a base layer. The main issue with synthetics is the smell. Even then that's not a practical issue just a comfort one with most militaries supplying synthetics despite the smell. No synthetic really needs to be water resistant.
Cotton is nice against skin. Polypropylene less so and wool tends to be itchy.
The best advice I've ever gotten on layering is from Marc Twight's book 'Extreme Alpinism'. He dispels the industry model of increasingly thick layers under a shell. When you're expending a lot of energy, you want minimal insulation that is windproof and have a warm puffy to put on over all of it when you slow down or stop.
Hi this is where I’m getting stuck. I currently purchased USGI(ECWCS) tops and bottoms level 1 polartec silks and tops and bottoms level 2 polartec grid fleece to start building up a layering system.
I’ve tested the above in my back yard in mid 20F with no wind doing light - moderate labor work with a very light jacket I had laying around in the house “to trap in the heat”.
I was skeptical at first if would keep me warm. In fact I had to take off the very light jacket because I was getting too warm. There was hardly any wind. I probably could have just worn the level 1 and the light jacket and skipped the polartec grid fleece. I believe in temps were high teens low 20’s wearing the grid would have been good.
Where I’m getting stuck is I’m not sure if I need another layer over the level 1 and 2 that will be under an outer layer as a just in case. I’ve seen some wear a puff vest over their level 1 and 2 then an outer layer.
Ok now the other thing I’m stuck on is the outer layer. For bottoms I don’t feel I need anything special. My Carhartt duck pants over a level 1 and / or level 2 seem to work. I’m not sure what I need when it’s windy. It can get windy where I live which results in wind chills that make it “feel colder”. Also if it’s around 35 degrees there rain, if it’s below snow. So I need something to protect me from the rain and snow. I don’t mind purchasing 2 separate pieces. The only caveat is it needs to be rugged, tough and durable material that could take rubbing up against stuff in the bush.
Any suggestion? Thanks!
I was going to say. I was getting very frustrated watching this video and seeing Chase describe down and synthetic insulated jackets as midlayers. They are never supposed to be midlayers! Any downproof or ripstop calendered shell fabric used for insulated jackets is going to be nowhere near breathable enough for that purpose. If it's really, really cold, maybe a really thin synthetic layer. Never a down layer. You will sweat into it and decompress the loft. That is a static insulator.
Amazing… great video… Outstanding Review ….thank you sir… stay safe
Wool. WOAL! I do want to say something interesting about polypropylene... I used to wear a black polypropylene shirt every day doing landscaping. I was made fun of because everyone thought white made more sense. They wore white cotton shirts then... They got sunburned because they translated the light through the clear/white fibers and then also did not dry very quickly at all. Then the wet clothing (covered in dirt) would irritate you until your skin bled. I could pour water down my back with a black polypropylene shirt and be dry so fast that it cooled me off. I also saved my skin from the sun. Some of the things that I learned were counterintuitive, like when I watched the landscaping teams that would use long sleeve shirts even in the sun. Of course that makes sense in a long term but it took a while to figure out why they liked to sweat that much! Lol.
Today it's 27° in Denver and I have a wool skull cap under my hard hat with a down bubble jacket and I use a high quality raincoat as a wind layer. There is a long sleeve flannel underneath that. My boots are insulated and have composite toe caps instead of steel to translate less cold to my feet. I use a cheap cotton long sleeve shirt under the flannel. I have a polypropylene short sleeve shirt under that. I also wear a gator around my neck made of stretchy cheap material. It needs to block the low speed wind only. It's a key to this temperature in my opinion. I have other layers with me and I take them off and put them on often to remediate sweat (like another thicker skull cap made of thick woven wool). In negative temperature I feel too hot. This system is tested every day.
Thanks for the video!
Thank you for this.
It is possible to get down Jackets with down treated with water-proofing compound. Montane and some other brands use Hyperdry down, which is treated with a wax compound to repel moisture.
Good vid. A lot of knowledge is passed on.
Great informative vid, thank you :)
Fishnet base layers avoid the need to wick since most of the sweat is able to move to the next layer as vapor. If they do get wet, they dry super fast. They're great for higher activity levels when sweating is more of a concern.
On the flip side, vapor barrier base layers are good well below freezing. They prevent your insulating layers from getting perspiration. They keep your sleep system more dry and reduce the insensible perspiration generated at night keeping you warmer and more hydrated.
And they look super kinky for when you're on a night out!!
@@JoeZUGOOLA You don't want to be in a position where you need Search and Rescue wearing those.