Winter clothes

[bczoom]

Well, winter is almost here. Thermometer currently says 18.

I'm looking for some outerwear for "really" cold.
I'm currently OK for about 0 degrees or higher. Any colder than that and I'm not doing quite so well.

I just ordered a pair of Baffin Impact Snow Boots. I heard those are good for very cold days.

I'm strongly considering the "Canada Goose Snow Mantra Parka" as a jacket. I know they're made for extreme cold conditions but I can't find the temperature range. Are they too warm to wear above zero degrees or -10 or ???

Any recommendations/advice on jackets, pants or gloves?

 

[Boondox]

Personally, I avoid putting all my cold weather eggs in a single garment. Our winters here in northern VT range from the balmy (20 to 30) to the wicked cold (-20 to -30), with most of it falling in the mildly chilly range of zero to 20. Given that range, no single garment works. Add to that the different activity levels and you begin to see the need for layers. Just a few layers on balmy days or even just a t-shirt if you're splitting wood at 25. Multiple layers if you're sitting on your tractor at minus ten and generating no body heat, or shed a few when you dismount for some physical labor. And let's face it, you don't want to be wearing something nice when changing oil, mucking your livestock, etc.

So I have multiple winter clothes. Polypro long johns and liner socks, fleece pants and pullovers, GorTex ski pants with and without insulation, and Carhartt bib overalls, GorTex parka, light windbreaker, and Carhartt jackets with and without overalls. Plenty of gloves (since they always seem to get wet) ranging from liner gloves to insulated mittens. Plenty of hats of different R values since much of your heat loss occurs thru your head. Wool socks that keep their insulating value even when wet or sweaty. Several pair of boots ranging from excellent hiking boots for snowshoeing to big rubberized insulated mukluks for working in slush. Quality ranges from mountaineering stuff that I keep and use for years...to junk I intend to work in and toss at the end of the season.

But most of the time, once my body is acclimated to winter, I spend my time in jeans and a sweatshirt. Hope this helps.

Pete

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue"> But most of the time, once my body is acclimated to winter, I spend my time in jeans and a sweatshirt. </font>

Pete,

I could not help but notice that we share a similar trait.

Once I start getting used to winter, I also spend most of my time in the house!

In my case sweatshirt and sweat pants... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

All seriousness aside, layers certainly are a good idea. It is nice to be able to add or remove some clothing, to compensate for the amount of internal heat generated by activity level at any time.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I'm with Pete. I wear layers too.

Right now we're looking at a day in the forties and fifties so I'm wearing a thermal shirt under my TBN shirt (red). If it gets a little warm I can pull the thermal and be just fine.

In the truck I carry different Carhart jackets for different temperature situations. I am going to have to get out a couple more of my Tillman denim welding shirts. I bought a ton of them one year because they were on sale at half price. I only wear them during the winter.

The bad thing about denim is it's rather fire resistant unless it's frayed. Then it's like it's soaked in gasoline. Yesterday I was welding some thin wall galvanized tubing overhead when I felt my chest and beard getting a tad warm. One Tillman ready for a rock star to wear so he/she can look like they've at least known a man.

Where do ya'll get a thermometer that reads below twenty degrees?

 

[alan40]

I have to agree with Pete. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Layering is the secret to staying warm and also not over heating. If your buying a jacket look at some of the 2in1 or 3in 1 types. Were you can remove the liner etc. Boots are my most important factor. Right now I'm in some Rockeys and love them. For the really cold though I guess you couldn't beat a rubber pac boot with a nice felt insulation. I layer everything and carry a back pack with me with extra winter gear or just to have the room to but in the layers I remove. It's a hold over from my days in Iceland. Never go anywere without cold weather gear. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Of course this is just my experiance and with all the high tech stuff out there it's still hard to beat a good wool garment for staying warm. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sneaky_pete]

I still have all the gear from 25 years ago, when I spent a winter living in a mobile metal-trailer camp on the Alaskan North Slope and Beaufort Sea, 300 miles above the Arctic Circle. If you eat enough calories and trap enough air, it is possible to stay warm in most any temperature. Out of all the various down parkas and etc., the most versatile and useful garment was a good pair of Carhart insulated coveralls. They zip open if you get too warm, and are easy and comfortable to work in.

Other than that, what Pete said - layers; wool if you're going to get wet and fleece otherwise. And be careful when you get acclimated, it's easy to get overconfident and freeze extremities. Frostbite hurts big time.

The other Pete.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I picked up a real mountaineering jacket from Lowes Alpine. It is so darn warm that I don't even break it out until the temps are at least in the low teens and it excels in below 0 temps. The material is some sort of nylon but is treated with what they call Triple Point Ceramic. It repels everything from wind to water. The cut is designed to allow free movement when climbing ice covered mountains so you can easily and freely move, despite the bulk. In addition to Lowes Alpine, I found similar coats from Mamut, Obermeyer and one or two others. Prices can be somewhat shocking, easily double the price of a good quality ski jacket. But in terms of cut, fit and warmth, there is no comparision, these things are worth it IF you can find one. Very few stores carry these types of coats.

I used to dress in layers. I found the freedom of movement of this coat is more comfortable for me to wear.

 

[bczoom]

I didn't qualify it in my original post but I too wear layers.

Going from zero on down, once I get the appropriate # of layers on to keep me warm, I feel like my 3 year old (so many clothes you can't move).

The boots and jacket I mentioned in the first post are items that are used in extreme environments. The person that gave me the info lives 150 miles N. of Fairbanks (70 miles south of the Arctic Circle). If he can can stay warm with these on in the conditions he lives in, I should be darn comfortable in them when it goes below zero and not need to wear so many layers that movement gets tough.

When the temp goes that low, I'll still need to get outside to do things but will keep the chores on the clean side. (or just go out and play /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

Pete. I'll check out some of the things you mentioned (e.g. Polypro long johns)

 

[hudley]

I'm in central Michigan and am a layer wearer.

My head is roughly the size of a watermelon and I find that normal winter hats stretch out on my head. Literally, the "one size fits all" hats are unwearable after three or four wearings.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me (that don't include surgery)?

Thanks,

Alan

 

[eee]

I wear insulated coveralls and a pair of Herman survivor insulated/water proof camo boots I buy a Walmart each year for about $40.00 .
These Herman survivors I do not even have to wear socks in them when it is 15 to 20 degrees and I can stay outside all day and my feet are warm and very comfortable.