Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

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Mort&Linda
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Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by Mort&Linda »

Obviously a bit of a contradiction and also a matter of personal choice, we know. Still we're old, our gear and clothing is old and worn, and we want to take a 6 night backpack in an area comparable to Boulder Pass or Gunsite. We need to take fewer clothes to lighten the pack, but stay warm. We're not crazy-just want to reenact our pre-wedding backpack of 30 years ago, so we would appreciate your advice on your favorite warm but light clothing. Reply off line if you want. Thanks very much. Mort and Linda
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by PeteE »

Hi Mort and Linda:

My memory isn't what it used to be, but...
Did I meet you two one day up in Preston Park at the Siyeh Creek crossing?
I think I may have been hiking with Todd(Toddnick)

I apologize if I'm mistaken! :(

Hi again:
That video idea that I thought would work turned out really dumb.

I'm with daschmit regarding the importance using "performance gear" for base layers.

Beginning at the head...I usually wear my ball hat for better sun shade.
I can wear it over the hoodie on my Nike Pro Combat 2nd layer.
Too windy I add a fleece balaclava and fleece hat.

I'm a SmartWool fan as well, mostly for socks now days.
For saving weight backpacking I usually take my "heavy weight" SmartWool PhD's. Also have "medium weight" PhD's
Wear one pair, 1 spare. I carry some crew length medium weight SmartWool socks for sleeping/lounging in camp.

1 pair of light weight polypro long underwear for sleeping. Too hot for me to wear hiking and carrying a heavy pack.
If my legs get cold walking, I'll slip my Patagonia rain pants over my Columbia Mountain nylon hiking pants.
I don't own any down pants. I have have some packable light weight fleece long underwear I suppose could carry, but haven't yet.

Upper body:

What you see in this picture is pretty much what I wear every day through much of the winter.
I had this stuff on today when I was out at Lake McDonald. Windy and temperature was in mid 20's.

And I wear the very same items all year in the park day hiking and backpacking as well.
The bottom three shirts go on virtually every day I expect to be working outside in cold weather.
What goes on over those three varies widely according to the temperature, wind, and what I'm doing.

Starting at the bottom:
Nike Combat Pro spandex long sleeve compression shirt. I have three of these. They weigh 6oz each.
Fits snugly and wicks perspiration to the next layer. (Today I had on a a very light weight polypro long sleeve shirt for 2nd layer)

Normally this would be 2nd layer. Nike Combat Pro Hoodie.
Close fitting but not a "compression" item. Heavier material with a "brushed" interior that quickly absorbs moisture.
The under arms and sides are well vented (the grey parts)
The hood zips up for colder conditions and is vented as well.
I LOVE this piece of gear. I wear it all the time and hike in it a lot.
Weighs 12 oz.

3rd layer is a medium weight long sleeve poly pro T-shirt of which I have many variations. 4-6oz each.

4th layer is a fleece shirt like the Columbia Mountain one pictured--8oz I have several and all weigh about 8oz.

I have had as many as 6 layers of varying weights on excluding whatever shell/coat I wear.
I find for me....that wearing multiple lighter weight layers is less "binding" and more comfortable.
Multiple layers, if I get it right, keep me drier and at a more constant temperature.
The multiple layers keep the moisture sort of evenly distributed as it travels to the last layer and vents away.
If that makes any sense!! 8)

I carry a very light weight windbreaker for shell in better weather-4oz
Bad weather brings out my North Face rain jacket--13oz I think.

Mont Bell down shirt that weighs 8 oz. I can't hike in that down shirt. It's too warm.
Great though for around camp. Packs down small too.
Same with 3 nice SmartWool long sleeve shirts I have. Too warm for for my hiking.

pete :wink:
Last edited by PeteE on Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:02 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by Mort&Linda »

Pete your memory is--fine that meeting was about 4 or 5 years ago--actually July 2013. Later on that visit we again ran across Todd when we were on a backpack in the Belly River area. I think you took a photo and I'll try and send it to you in a day or two. A local person says Mt. Hardware has some really warm (down) jackets that are very light It was 88 here in Tucson today--its very hard to buy cold weather stuff. PS I don't see your video but my tech skills aren't too good. Mort
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by Sue Z »

Here are the layers that I use for warmth - probably overkill because I have no cold tolerance:

Top:
Smartwool light or medium weight long sleeve top, depending on forecast temps.
Lightweight fleece 1/4 zip sweater.
Lightweight down jacket or apex synthetic jacket - Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer down or Rab Xenon X synthetic, depending on precip forecast - synthetic if lots of rain.
Another, warmer ltwt. down jacket if it's really cold - Western Mountaineering Hooded Flight Jacket.
Rain Jacket

Bottom:
Smartwool light or medium long johns.
Ltwt. fleece pants
Rain pants

Feet:
Extra pair of medium weight wool socks kept dry for sleeping.

Head:
Light to medium weight fleece hat

Neck:
Buff neck gaiter

Sleeping bag:
Down sleeping bag or quilt rated to the temperature and your needs. I use a quilt rated 20 degrees warmer than conditions, because I am an icicle.

(List does not include hiking clothes: shorts, pants, tee, socks, wind shirt.)

These things can get very expensive. You can join this facebook group to get used and/or discounted gear (Gear Rat Outdoors https://www.facebook.com/groups/6814412 ... 8/?fref=nf). Also, Backpackinglight.com will allow you you purchase from their Gear Swap without joining (https://backpackinglight.com/forums/for ... gear-swap/).
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by daschmit »

Mort & Linda, the advice provided above is extremely sound. Allow me, however, to offer another perspective on base layer selection. In terms of quality, you will NEVER go wrong with Smartwool. If, however, you place great value on a base layer’s ability to not only provide warmth, at minimal weight, but also effectively wick moisture away from the skin, you may want to give serious consideration to UnderArmour’s line of ColdGear products.

Anyone who exercises intensely or has sweaty, clammy feet is aware of the fact that all it takes is a thin layer of moisture directly against the skin to make your feet or other body parts feel cold, whether clothing per se is particularly wet or not. I have not personally used ColdGear products, either in the form of compression garments or looser fitting varieties, but I routinely use UnderArmour gear for workouts. You can be drenched in sweat, but the moisture-wicking ability of UnderArmour undershirts is so effective that you simply do not experience that unpleasant sensation of soaked, clingy underwear next to your skin that otherwise wicks body heat away from your core.
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by Jay w »

I do a lot of skiing and cycling, so I own quite a bit of that type of clothing. I've found that the base layers sold by "Farm and Fleet" or a Target are about as effective as the expensive stuff, but Craft fits and feels better. It's also about 3x the cost. I like to have the option of a thin silk layer (both top and bottom) and that came from a Fleet store.

If you have a chance to try a pair of Koch pants, those are warm, light and comfortable, but they tend to shrink when you wash them (and hang dry). If you throw them in the drier, I think it would ruin them, but they're warm. Loose fit cycling pants are my choice for hiking because they easily go over a pair of shorts, but they're not particularly warm.

My local big box home improvement store sells some lightweight gloves with a rubber front and stretchy back and they're about $7. They're perfect for a little extra warmth but offer excellent dexterity and handle some water. If it's cold or windy,

I highly recommend a stocking cap.

Jay
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Re: Your favorite really warm and really light clothing

Post by daschmit »

I haven’t shopped for clothing with this feature in quite some time, so I don’t know whether it is now pretty much a standard feature or not, but I also place a premium on outer garments with underarm vents, whether it be in mesh form or a zipper that can be used to open and close the area. This feature helps to dissipate the accumulation of moisture next to the skin, particularly on long uphill slogs.
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