The thing about Gore Tex is it's only breathable when it's dry, and it's only waterproof when it's wet (I know that sounds weird but it's true). It can't do both at the same time. It's just down to the properties of ePTFE and nothing can change that.
Ever since cuz got killed and the company was sold Outdoor Research ain't what it used to be. Sad cause he believed in made in USA but its just Chinese junk now. Get the same crap at Wal-Mart for a third the price
"You sweat, you die" in the winter is what I was taught on my military winter indoctrination instructor course. You take off layers until you stop sweating.
in the Marines, we embrace a concept we affectionately refer to as being 'comfortably cold.' which, essentially means wearing one layer less than what would you probably describe as comfortable. especially once you start moving, especially under heavy loads, that extra layer may quite literally kill you - either from heat stroke while hiking or hypothermia once you stop.
I think I've been using this system instinctively I work outside all day, I take off my jacket and wear two hoodies while I'm working and let my body heat keep me warm, and I put my jacket on when I stop to keep my temperature from fading
I was about to say something like this . In survival training up in WA or snow trips to Colorado (USAF), I’d typically wear warm pants and Goretex pants, but only wear my dri blend tshirt . My body always gets hot moving around and like you said with a ruck; I’m sweating within an hour .
I’m a flatbedder, drive a semi and train people. Have a kid from Mississippi, made sure he was layered right and handed him about 8 hot hands (different kinds) so he could manage where he was putting extra heat where/if he needed it. I had just the toe version of hot hands in my boots. To describe both of our gear - he had a stocking, I had a trapper hat. Insulated bibs, carhartt jackets (his had a hood, mine didn’t) long sleeves, sweatpants (he had long john’s also, I didn’t need them) wool socks, and steel toes because we have to, and -30 rated gloves (his stuffed with hot hands). It’s about -10 in Montana at this point, but windless. 20 minutes in he’s back in the truck trying to get warm. I go to find him. ‘It’s cold!’ Lord give me strength. 😂 I made damned sure you were dressed well enough for any cold to not threaten life, limbs, fingers or toes. You’re going to be cold, it’s -10! That’s why you have so many clothes on! 😂 He hadn’t done anything to work up a sweat at that point. That’s just how long taking bungees off the tarps took. About 60 minutes later I finished, ready to shed my hat and jacket both. These younger kids really tend to not handle the slight bit of discomfort. Tl;dr: Mississippi kid can’t do cold, and isn’t going to make it with this company very long after he finishes training. 😂
I beat meat in the winter and tend to work up quite a heavy load, and I sweat a bunch on top of that. My wife's boyfriend told me to do it in the tent he bought for our kids and that concept is all the knowledge you need. Semper fi leatherneck.
I’d recommend using the norwegian standard that we teach to any American troops who come here for winter training. You never start a hike warm. You start cold, and then you get warm when you start moving. After 10minutes you stop, adjust your clothing to remove or add layers before you start moving again. Also, I wouldn’t bother with this as a civilian to much. Just stop and change clothes as needed. Removing a jacket, a second layer, or adding clothes and so on doesn’t take more than 30-45 seconds from you stop until you have your backpack on again and you’re ready to move again.
You didn't mention the other big key in winter dressing--tucking in your base layer. It makes ALL of the difference in keeping freezing air away from your sweaty skin!
I'm from Minnesota and went to college with a lot of international students from tropical locales. Local advice was always: 1. Layer, don't suffocate 2. A scarf does more than you think it will 3. Drop your biggest dime on good boots and socks. Your chest will survive some cold and your hands can be stuffed in your pockets or armpits. Your footsies have no line of defense.
Growing up in MN taught me so many things about the cold that I value to this day. Going on backcountry ski trips in the PNW has really made me have to pull out all the old tricks I learned snow camping in Minnesota as a kid. There is one big difference out here though, which is just how wet it is, even in the winter. You really learn the hard way that nothing is truly "waterproof", so even if you do a good job of managing sweat, water sapping all your heat can still be a real threat.
Sweet advice if you're in a warm place like Minnesota. If you're above 3000 m without decent gloves, you better hope you can get down without any fingers.
“Be bold, start cold.” Something that I can share with my scouts to keep their mind set on the winter hiking ahead. Great video and I’m going to pass this along to my two troops. ❤
Another tip. Put it on at the camp. Just the other day I got distracted before going on my evening walk and spent some time inside with the heat on. Halfway through my walk that little bit of sweat was freezing me inside my layers. Better to wait until you're at your destination and out of the heater to put on more than the base layer. Or in my case, put on the sweater and jacket after stepping into the cold.
@@altitudeiseverything3163 maybe it's just because I mostly go on day hikes and my only backpacking trip was in febuary and it was 16°F, but I dont agree with this. I'd rather have to carry warm clothes than not have them.
This advice only applies to people who are doing physical activity outside. If you plan on being outside for a long time in cold for something that isn't physical, dress warmer than you think you need to. You will only get colder.
"Starting cold" doesn't actually help you. It's an old myth, that if you get too warm inside you'll feel even colder outside. This is not the case, your body is working to keep you warm, when you shiver or tremble, it's because your body is straining to keep you warm. Starting warm before you go outside is much more efficient than Starting cold, That's why I don't agree with things like boyscouts, , having to listen to someone without disagreements, the moment you want to have a different opinion you're told no
As a Caribbean-born and raised immigrant who moved to the Northeast, I’ve been doing it wrong for 18 years - cotton all over. It’s about time I follow my fellow coworkers who ski and know how to dress in winter.
Curious how cotton was not mentioned. Worse yet is how cotton blend waffle knit underwear is usually the only winter type available at stores of inner city neighborhoods. Manufacturing waffle knit with cotton is wasteful and pointless.
@@davebauman4991 The cotton blend waffle knit underwear are often referred to as "thermals". In general (always exceptions) "thermals" are meant to retain heat. "Base layers" are for regulating heat. If you don't plan on sweating too much, thermals can keep you warmer. If I'm sitting outside at a football game, I'd wear my waffle knit thermals, if I was playing in the football game, I'd wear my base layer.
In northern Scandinavia locals do wear cotton in winter, but only as a outer shell in very cold and dry weather. minus 10 celcius and below. When working in cold and wet weather you better stick with combi wool/ polyester like fabrics as baselayer. And waterproof outerlayer that can ventilate.
Having grown up in Michigan I always found the best way to keep warm and not be miserable was to simply self regulate the heat you end up building up. When I’d reach the point where I knew I would begin to sweat soon I’d simply open up my jacket, and honestly once you get that hot the freezing air actually feels quite nice.
Yes. It's often a hassle taking layers on and off -- plus stowing them. Often, simply tricks such as opening jackets, taking your parka hood off (and having something for your head), a scarf you can easily wrap/unwrap, gloves under your mitts and strings so you can take your mitts off, etc. can all help regulate build-up of heat. This is also true of you are in and out of the cold -- a tour, in and out of vehicles, in and out of windy/sunny areas, etc. Just taking your hood off, unzipping your parka, etc. for a few minutes is often better than trying to get layers off and on. Another good idea is just to take frequent breaks -- stop, enjoy the wilderness, take some pictures, have an energy bar, etc.
Yes, it's called common sense. That's how we did it in Finland when I was a kid. No-one ever heard of any "layering" which is a modern marketing thing.
@robowenmikels Layering wasn't really a technical concept as such. We simply put a wool sweater underneath a thick jacket if the temperatures dropped. Heat regulation is done by opening the jacked a bit.
@@avatarion "We simply put a wool sweater underneath a thick jacket if the temperatures dropped" I mean that's just layering. Are you mad that it has a cool word for it now? Please don't. Although if you are moving fast enough to break a sweat in bad winter weather, thick winter jacket just doesn't cut it. Thin outer shell is just objectively better with well considered under layers.
If a time machine ever gets invented, I'm taking this video back to show my mom, so she would understand that making 7-year-old me wear so much heavy winter clothing that I was always sweating profusely in sub-freezing temps was, in fact, suboptimal.
The -20 and below blizzards were so much harder being told to layer up with snow pants, boots, toque, jacket 5 sizes too big, and scarf, when now I can handle them in a somewhat basic windbreaker and stuff I wear in -5. And I don't look like the Michelin man which is a plus.
The importance of the shell shocked me once. Almost twenty years ago I bought this wonderful cape and immediately treated it with Scotch Guard. Come winter, we finally had some bad weather so I threw my new/treated cape on over a sweater. It was nice. Imaging my surprise when I later found out I'd been happily tromping around with a wind chill of roughly -3*F!
Merino wool has proven to be a great base layer material from my experience; excellent breathability and wicking properties and is antimicrobial which removes odours. My base layer is an 80% merino wool and 20% polymer blend and has been serving me well for months.
It isn't actually "anti-microbial". There have been some studies done on this. Rather, it fosters/faciliates growth of varied microbes which are not the odor causing type--sort of akin to the concept of a healthy gut microbiome with plenty of probiotics that keep the opportunistic ones in check. Balanced and varied. But when you look at the fibers under a microscope, you will find plenty of microbes--hence not "anti-microbial". Synthetics on the other hand--particularly polypropylene, and then also polyester to a lesser extent, foster the growth solely or mostly of the odor producing microbes. There seems to be a direct correlation to the materials degree of moisture regain to the above microbe factor. The lower the moisture regain (polyester and especially polypropylene) the more odor producing microbes grow on it, and the higher the moisture regain, the less they do. Sheep's wool has a very high moisture regain--the highest of any everyday/common textile. Interestingly, in one study, rayon was shown to be truly antimicrobial. It was not ascertained whether this related to moisture regain and/OR possibly the strong chemicals used to manufacturer rayon/viscose type cellulose based fabric.
My issue with wool is that it holds onto moisture for a long time. Once it wets out, it can get sopping wet and take a long time to dry (because of that very high moisture regain property). It's also fragile except in the form of Darn Tough socks. I don't mind a relatively small percentage of sheep's wool as long as the majority is synthetic so that the piece dries faster. Wool fishnet is also fine, because there isn't a lot of surface area covering skin that needs to dry. My ideal baselayer fabrics would be a blend of more hollow fiber animal fibers (like alpaca, yak, etc) blended with silver treated polyester. In a ratio of 25 to 35% natural to 75 to 65% silver treated polyester (preferably also hollow fibers). Higher warmth to weight factor, tougher/more durable, and faster drying while keeping down funk.
@@justinw1765 If your wool is getting that wet, you may be doing something seriously wrong that has nothing to do with fabric choice. btw, maybe not all polypropaline is the same, but my experience is that it is the absolute worst fabric for holding on to foul odors, which I usually don't have too much issue with bc I have the genetic anomoly of not producing armpit sweat and stink. Somehow anyway that polypro is just horrible that way and also deforms/get misshapped. Maybe the latter has been solved by certain blends, idk, but I'm just extremely happy with good ol' wool.
Sweat management and intelligent layering is critical. I had this traumatically etched in my psyche. I hiked up a NH White and was fine with a thermal shirt and a windbreaker on my top half. Other layers were in my backpack. At the summit I wanted those layers quickly. Within the short time of digging out my layers, my core temp dropped to dangerous. I put my layers on with great difficulty, already shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't get warm even with everything on. Another hiker lit a camp stove and threw sticks on it to get a small fire going (very illegal). That fire and that hiker saved my life. I never knew how fast hypothermia takes affect.
Yes. I went skiing this week for the first time in years. Alone. I stopped at the top of a run to put my hood on. Took my hand out of my glove. By the time I failed to get my hood on, my hand was so numb that I couldn’t get it in my glove correctly. I lost my poles. All because of cold. It was probably only 5-10F but with wind chill it had to be -5 - -10F. My fingernails ached for days.
@Karl with a K Unless you are in a designated campground in the Whites, no fires. "Violators of these prohibitions could face civil and criminal penalties and fines up to $5000." I don't usually carry a spare $5k around with me.
A slightly different but related advice: If you have the luxury of choice, have a close look at the back of the backpack you buy. I have one that is so warm my back is drenched in no-time, even if the rest of me is "just right". Some backpacks have meshing that (at least in theory) helps with that.
That was the first thing i looked for when buying a pack. I’ve biked and hiked with regular backpacks for a while and my back would always get too hot first. My new Osprey Rook pack is much better at managing back temperatures
This is where the older style with the external frame is best for both summer and winter backpacking provided you are not run packing where then due to friction and movement a snug modern pack in the size above a 25 L Running pack is the best at 30--35 L that has the waste strap.
I have a day pack with an external meshed frame on the back which keeps the actual pack off my back. Absolute godsend during summer here in topical Australia.
It’s pretty awesome how much more comfortable and warmer you can be when you’ve dialed in a good layering system. Puts a lot of confidence into going into winter conditions.
It's definitely great. The best you can easily find. I use icebreaker brand most the time cause they're nice n thin, got the smooth material for shoulders, wool. But the Paca brand shit is even better. They're retarded expensive kinda running 120 bucks but definitely worth it further down the line
@@martinnorman2579 Yes and for half the price, a Montane extreme jacket or smock. Both should be worn next to the skin, same as the special 6, fit is important but an awesome alternative to lavering.
@Karl with a K Sounds like a lot of faff mate, try the one layer, pile, pertex system it is tried and tested for over 40 years! It's not for everyone (only winners ; )) lol.
Originally from the Northeast US and always running naturally cold, my advice about layering is to move to a location that doesn't need layering. It's worked flawlessly for me!
@@ariellemasters954 me too! Stuck in Upstate NY since July for the fourth time cuz of my boomer units! And blizzard during Xmas, wooo! I miss Charleston, Flagstaff, Phoenix...Happy Sunday!
haha Nice advice, it is so much more complicated to live in cold places than to live in warm places... Say what you want, but humans are designed for warm african climate, not the siberia🥶🥶🥶
Great takes! I served in the Norwegian military up north in the country where the sun only shows itself for 20mins in the winter, and all said in the video aligns with what i learned from that year!
The one thing not mentioned in this video that I assume some would want to know is if you are sleeping overnight in sub freezing temps ALWAYS change your base layer at bed time. Wash your soiled base layer and repeat. The oils/sweat you rub in to the base layers will make you sleep cold. Clean dry base will make you sleep 1000x better in your bag.
Yep I was always taught to carry two changes of (non-outer) clothes on a camping trip. One is the hiking set, one is the camp/sleeping set. And you never risk getting the camp set wet, even if it means you have to put on soaking wet clothes from the day before to start hiking the next morning (shudder).
This makes sense. I have a medical problem that makes me unable to regulate my body temp, and after i sweat my clothing, it NEVER seems to completely dry until its washed again. Even if i take it off.
@@lilletrille1892 You would be surprised what a couple hours in the sun and wind will do regardless of temp. Hang them off your pack as spread out as possible. The point isn't always to get them perfectly dry it's to wash off the oils you excrete and they absorb. Being a little damp but clean sleeps way better than a dank base. Happy Trails!
I've been hiking in winter regularly and I completely agree with everything you said. I often see newcomer hikers starting a route with too many clothes on them and right at the first rest, they feel cold. Colder than me wearing just a baselayer and a cheap wind jacket. Thanks for the great content, sir!
in my experience, if it feels a bit too cold right before starting, it should be fine. if you are warm even before starting, it will be way too hot and therefor wet later
One of my favorite winter jackets is this very, very old snowboarder jacket. It's thick, keeps you dry and warm and it has several zippers dedicated on just venting out the moisture you have built up. Just amazing stuff and has lasted me toughest of winters.
A tip I learned from some swiss cross country skiers on a recent trip is if you are doing something really strenuous (like cross country skiing) where you can't avoid sweating, bring a change of base layer for any longer breaks or even for the second half of the day. As soon as we got into our lunch camp, they stripped off to change tops (Finland, -20 celcius). I thought they were crazy getting undressed in such weather but while I was shivering by the fire 20 mins into the lunchbreak, they were toasty warm.
I do the same/similar thing for winter running in Pierre (Pier) South Dakota, not to be overdressed but not underdressed either and a tick cold at the start. I have done it where it normally works but then on a long run of 18 miles the weather changed from in 40 F to 29 F and going down winds picking up at about 9--10 miles into the run. This was not supposed to happen as the weather was supposed to be in the 40F to no lower then 35F range by 9 pm looking at the weather minutes before I got my clothes on for the run seeing even what weather was going to be in town across the river for low as sometimes, the town across the river they can be up ip 5 F off from my town high or low and they were not at the time saying 35 F by 9 pm. Problem is my area has some freak mini weather pop up that was never on the radar due to where I live be it caused by the rivers of the Missouri and Chyane or caused by the 2--3 fronts mixing in South Dakota.
@@MrCmon113 Then you haven't experienced every possible weather. If it is too hot and sunny, a thin layer of bright clothing is better than nothing. It shouldn't be to thight to your body.
Can confirm. When I went to the top of my first mountain higher than 4000m above sea level, the guides told us "if you're not shivering slightly before we start, you're wearing too much insulation. A buddy and I were the only ones that listened and were tho only ones to not be completely freezing once we were resting on the summit.
A workout t shirt. A zip up hoody. A dickeys lumberjack jacket. Good at -30 Celsius. I live in Alberta Canada. This is my winter set up. It works every time.
As a snowboarder, I preached bigger coats. Draped up and dripped out 😂 leave arms to cover your gloves. You want that jacket to cover your ass and not show anything if you bend over or anything. Big jacket is the move to stay covered. Keeps the snow out
I have a North Face shell that I got for my birthday. It was really big, didnt quite get it at first, but after learning about how to properly insulate it makes sense. It also has a drawstring on the bottom to tighten it around your waist if its too loose. It allows me to wear it with minimal insulation underneath, or maximum if needed.
Pro Tip: In the spring, you can often find Gore-Tex jackets and pants in the clearance section of outdoor stores. I picked up a Gore-Tex jacket from Cabela's that was normally $250 for $80 in the Spring on clearance. I also picked up a Gore-Tex pair of pants that was normally $200 for $60. Same with Gore-Tex gloves that were normally $80 for $25. Also if you ever have to wash them, make sure you run them in the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to tighten up the fibers and make it waterproof again. I forgot to once and it didn't seem to be waterproof until I realized my mistake and dried it for 20 minutes on high.
Don’t was with normal liquid detergent or pods. Use dye less and perfume less powder detergent and don’t use a lot. Add an extra rinse cycle. Buying a synthetic cleaner from grangers, nikwax, or Revivex is the best for washing waterproof outerwear. Some modern waterproofs fabrics aren’t supposed to be dried. After 8-15 washing doing a spray on from the above mentioned brands will make the dwr like new again.
Goes to show you how overpriced that shit is to begin with, seasonal buying definitely factors into their price point which makes you realize how absurd the pricing of certain clothing can be. It's still the same pair of pants whether it's summer or winter, but the companies take advantage of this because a majority of people aren't going to think about buying winter clothes in the summer.
Excellent video. As a graduate of the US Army's Basic Military Mountaineer Course (Winter), everything you said is exactly in line with what they teach there. In fact, if they caught you wearing cotton in the field they would give you an SOR (serious observation report) on the spot. Staying dry is the trick to staying warm. The biggest rookie mistake is indeed wearing too many layers when moving.
You really don't need to be dry if you wear natural fibers that still insulate when wet. A freak storm hit myself and a friend in Oregon - two hours walking fast as we could back to the car. He about froze in cotton. I had a wool cap, silk underwear, wool shirt, alpaca overshirt, and a light coat. I had to take breaks since I was overheating. I was steaming the air! His teeth chattered, he lost the feeling in his hands. I was fine.
No- The biggest rookie mistake is not knowing how to, or that you need to ration sweat and that this in itself is a skill. Second mistake is going for modern synthetics over wool because the military doesn't use it much at all anymore and because some video told them to buy some BS latest and greatest layer.....
This video is an incredible explanation of layers. As a scoutmaster who does back country training the only thing I think you need to add is about how tight or how loss the layers need to be. Far to often I see people with way to tight of layers and no matter how many they have on they are cold. Having air space between layers is very important.
If you’re sweating you’re either overdressed or over working. We wore goretex with only a base layer, and just worked the zippers while we were moving. The problem with Goretex is that it still provides a cold condensing surface (CCS) for your sweat vapor, and it can become overwhelmed. We found that dressing very light with a little chill during movement was best. When you stop you put Big Puffy on right over the shell. This moves the CCS outward and allows that sweat to vaporize and move outward. It also conserves that heat you spent so many calories making. It works.
I only disagree partly with your first sentence. Some of us just sweat more than others; I do agree with dressing lighter. I've found that I like a base layer, and then like a fleece or wool vest, then the shell, works quite nice. I think it keeps a good balance. I stay cool & dry when active but my core stays warm, while allowing freedom of movement in the arms. When resting, I just keep my arms closer in or if super cold some heating packs in each sleeve.
@@denislemieux4915 to each his own. I sweaty guy myself. I learned the hard way that if I’m sweating and can’t take anymore off I might need to dial back on the exertion. If possible.
Stop to get changed mid climb with your rack etc in the way? I agree planning can minimise wetness but to say "if you sweat you're doing it wrong" is pretty ignorant of the realities of some sports. Sometimes I could be sweating with only a cooldry shirt on and need 3 layers on in the same day. Can also be worse sometimes to let the weather in and fill everything with snow in an instant including your bag just to shed a layer.
Spot on, I wear a thin base layer and a gortex shell which I regulate with pit and leg vents while snowboarding. It works great while I'm active but falls short on the lifts.
Depends on your goals and the situation I guess. I'd rather just regulate my exertion based on how much energy I have and work the layers as needed, including just going with a base layer as long as it's not precipitating (or no shirt at all if it's really warm and sunny and I'm working hard). If losing the shell means you'll get wet (actively snowing for example) then I agree though, in that case you just have to do whatever you need to do to stay mostly dry.
Aussie here. Decades ago I sailed regularly in the cold waters of Bass Strait near Antarctica. That water is cold, really cold. We had early dive suits that worked well enough if you’re in the water but for being on it while get regularly drenched with icey sea spray, hand spun wool was the best. The lanolin in it helps you shed water and even when wet it kept us warm. Only draw back is that it’s pretty heavy, especially when wet.
I don't think most people know/appreciate how important this knowledge is, especially in situations where your survival is on the line. Thank you for spreading this knowledge in such an informative way.
After about a decade of ski touring, a few tips. -Aclima woolnet first layer, keeps you much drier and somehow not cold. No smell, but looks strange. -Adjust your midlayer for your activety layer and temperature, not the other layers. -A goretex onesie hardshell is significantly warmer than pants and jacket. -A down vest packs really small and cab be worn just on breaks, buy slightly big so you could wear it over your shell. You do not want to take off your shell on a windy mountain top. -Buy a shell with lots of zippers. I stick my arms out of the zip pits when going uphill, it keeps your torso out of the wind and cools you down. I dont have to take of my backpack or stop to do this. Hardshell pants need ventilation zippers too. On the coldest days in Norway i wear Aclima woolnet, thin grid fleece onesie, Montane Axis Alpha Down Jacket, Norrona down halfpants, Sweet Protection Crusader flightsuit. I lose the down layer only when i go uphill.
love Aclima (& Woolpower) baselayers! From decades of experience in winter mountain touring in the Alps & Scandinavia I highly appreciate their products.
Also, do not use fabric softeners (including dryer sheets) on your synthetics. It will clog the fabric with wax making it unable to wick, and also making it stink. Excellent advice as always!
ABSOLUTELY! Fabric Softeners are the death of any insulative layer, or in my opinion, any fabric .. they just a means to milk consumers more. I don't allow them near the washing machine when I'm doing my washing. Yes, I only, wash my Outdoor Gear and Clothing that matters to me .. others prefer their stuff to smell whatever fresh, etc.
I’m surprised wool isn’t getting more recognition here. It’s so much better at regulating temperature and it works even when wet. Wool for base and mid is the way to go
1) Cost. A lot of the commenters are experience outdoorspeople but those who need the advice in this video are probably just getting into hiking and good wool stuff is expensive. 2) Weight. This issue isn't trivial for some people. I wear wool base layers but but not mid. I'm small (51 kilos); a rucksack of camping gear can easily exceed 1/3 of my bodyweight if I'm not careful. So something that solves a problem at the cost of weight is seldom a good option for me. Wool may still warm you when wet but a thick wet wool jumper weighs a tonne!
No, not true other than for a single day, or bring multiple base layers. Wool for a single day IS as you said, superior, BUT if you go for more than a day, the hollow wool fibers fill with water and wool becomes quite pitiful as an insulator, cold, and wet as you spend an enormous amount of energy trying to heat the water OUT of the wool. That being said, most people, if they can afford it, still wear wool base layer. Polly...~whatever is used not because if feels good on your skin(it doesn't), but rather because it does not absorb water and therefore more sweat evaporates quicker keeping you warmer. Yes, it also stinks VERY quickly compared to wool, but you will be warmer in the long run as you have to carry less food/fuel.
I’ve spent a lot of time on multi-day trips in the Arctic and now favour poly as a base layer BUT the newer silver impregnated material which really does prevent smelly clothing. In very cold conditions I wear a wool base layer over this.
I find wood useless. I sweat too much in wool. But I run way warm compared to average. I'm in a T-shirt at 0° F when I'm having to work at all. -20 and colder though...I can't keep my hands or feet warm with anything. I did get some 1400 gram thinsulate boots that really helped a lot this winter. Supposed to be good to -54. Doubt it because at -40 my feet started to hurt from cold numbness
All excellent advice. Pit zips are awesome, but so few manufacturers are doing them now. I also love pants that have ventilated pockets with a zip so you can let some hot air out as you walk, or not. Also, do not wear your day hiking clothes in your down sleeping bag - change into totally dry base layer so you don't get so much moisture in the down which prevents it working properly.
I've found wool to solve all these problems at the cost of weight. Super breathable, temperature regulating, doesn't hold onto moisture, stays warm if it does get wet, snow and water droplets just fall off the outside - it really has been a game changer
All great things about wool. For me the worst downside to wool is that, unless it has been felted, it isn't windproof. Even a double mackinaw coat won't stand up to a lot of wind. Since I live in a very windy area I use wool for inner layers and either a windproof synthetic or canvas for the outer layer. Canvas is completely windproof and breathes very well, unfortunately in can ice up with a lot of exertion, especially in snowfall.
I always found the best way to stay warm was to stay cool. If you actually feel warm you are too hot, you’re going to sweat, no good. If you keep yourself slightly uncomfortable you know you are cool enough not to sweat, you stay dryer and avoid getting really cold.
Yea, I found it at first quite weird how i freeze less in my summer wear than in my winter wear, better ventillation and not being so hot did not make me drenched in sweat so im not freezing
here is what i do: feel cold? walk faster. starting to sweat? slow down. i generally also only layer on the torso and the feet. legs get one layer, arms get two at most. another thing i do is to bring another base layer just in case, when you've been really sweating it out, changing the base layer can work wonders and cold air will dry the worn one out fairly easily too. lastly and most importantly in my opinion, don't look at the outside temperature too much, what matters is moisture and wind. if you can keep water and wind out and prevent sweat from pooling inside, you're good 90% of the time. in fact i have gone for walks at -20°C completely topless, when there was no snow fall and little to no wind (obviously didn't go too far to not make it back if conditions changed)
Great video. It's basically repeating what we learned at our training with the mountain brigade of the German Bundeswehr (Armed Forces). As someone who is doing a lot of hiking I recently switched from "Gore Tex" to Paramo. Their layer system is exactly what I missed all those years.
I've been layering with wool in all layers, unless it's actively snowing, since a long time ago. This includes wool pants. Advantages? 1. Wool is somewhat self temperature regulating. Something not mentioned in this video. 2. It retains more of its insulation properties when wet than any synthetic. 3. Important for hunting or wildlife photography- it can be deodorized by the sun. 4. For active snowing or deep snow, I wear a frog togg jacket and / or pants over the wool. Way cheaper than the outer shell mentioned in the video. And, frogg togs are breathable, but block wind almost as good as a windbreaker. Has always kept me dry. I was working in -17 weather with a -35 wind chill in North Dakota and the locals were surprised that I wasn't freezing my arse off. They actually wrote down the list of what I was wearing. (I live in Colorado, sometimes work or hunt in the mountains in the winter, and grew up in Montana, so I do know what cold weather is) Things NOT mentioned in the video. A set of thin wool glove or mitten liners really help, as you are layering your hands too. You can wear wool gloves or mittens and buy a mitten shell to wear over them too. Or you can order real fur mittens from a couple places in Canada. LAYER YOUR HEAD and neck, especially in extreme cold. In temps below 10 degrees, it's advisable to go from a regular ski mask or gaiter to a mask that warms the air as you breathe. You can feel cold with even the best clothing, if the air temperature is cooling your core from the inside.
Agree except I think linen for base layer, is a better choice. It thermal regulates better not as warm granted but that is what the two wool layers do.
Cold weather tip, wool! Wool is such a fabulous material. I love it. It warms you, it cools you when you are not hot, and it doesn't get wet. Smartwool has some great wool baselayers that work super well in the winter
Thanks for this explanation. I've never felt like puffy jackets were comfortable, but I think it's because I didn't know WHEN to wear one. I'm definitely considering getting one now.
‘Be bold, start cold’. Brilliant slogan, took me far to long to learn this! Great, clear video on layering, which covers pretty much everything I’ve learned, mostly through trial and error. Those waffle-fleece mid layers are brilliant. I’d love to see a video on the Buffalo/Montane Extreme single layer winter system. Based on Inuit clothing it has a pertex outer layer and a fleecy inner layer which wicks moisture away from the body. I once wore one to climb a mountain in -15°C and 30 mph winds, wearing nothing underneath - and stayed toasty and warm both up and down. It was a very strange experience! The main drawback is that they only work in pretty extreme temperatures, but they’re often worn by mountain rescue services (in the UK at least). It’d be great to see your take on this approach. Keep up the good work!
Up here in Canada, we have something called the "parking lot jacket". You wear it, while standing around/getting ready, etc. It gets left in the trunk, when you finally head out...
I've always liked it chilly, but even for me, enough is enough. One day I took nothing more than a windbreaker to work with an early morning temp of 35F because the weatherman said it would warm up. Well it didn't and I was stuck in 35F for several hours. I won't be repeating that mistake...
This is really funny: this is EXACTLY how the layers of a building façade work too. Down to the waterproof but vapor-passing layer we'd put over insulation, and the ventilated cavity behind a brick wall to allow ventilation that dries it again. Gotta keep the buildings nice & dry
Actually a good building envelope has an impermeable vapor BARRIER on the warm side of the insulation, to prevent ANY vapor from entering permeable insulation (like fiberglass batts or loose cellulose) and condensing once it has traveled far enough through the insulation to reach the point in the insulation's thickness where the dewpoint temperature is reached. When impermeable insulation (some foam boards, for example) is used, it is still important to seal it together seamlessly at its warm side so that vapor carried by air cannot get past the warm side and migrate through the structure to a cold surface where it will condense (example, inside face of a brick veneer) and potentially be collected to cause efflorescence in the masonry. There are some arctic-rated sleeping bags that have this warm-side vapor barrier, but the result is a 100% humidity environment for your body, which is somewhat clammy feeling after significant moisture has been provided by your body. For clothing while you are active, you absolutely don't want a vapor BARRIER next to your skin, or anywhere in your clothing envelope, but rather the liquid-water-proof shell which is the most "breathable" option technology can provide.
@@teacherguy5084 nailed it! I was looking outside in; meaning the waterproof barrier you'd put under roofing tiles in a wood construction that would allow for any condense to be ventilated out. But yeah I said over the insulation which is the other one :-)
You have the best explanation. Got me started on my layering system. Been trying new things for snowboarding. It's still a work in progress but it's making sense. Thank you!
Cold weather training in the Marines taught me two things. Dont get wet, and sleep naked. People think I'm crazy when I step off in just a base layer, or when they find out I sleep in the buff. Then they wake up freezing in a sweat drenched cotton sweatshirt.
I'm 73 and have trained myself to enjoy being cold. I start off with light thin merino wool layers, one maybe two, and add/ subtract as needed. I pack a windproof shell, which is a lifesaver.Too many older women dress way too warm and then just keep getting colder. If you train your body, the cold seems to only go so far as long as you are moving. I'm not explaining this very well. Sorry. What I'm trying to say is to start light and build up only when really needed. Learn to embrace the cold air. As to sleeping in the raw, nope! I'll leave that to you young bucks.
The kids at the daycare center I worked at always had to take off most of their layers of clothes while taking a noon nap. Makes sense, the blanket doesn't do much if you're wearing multiple layers of clothes. No warmth is gonna escape your body, and you'll be sweaty
Living my entire life in Ontario, Canada, I've never been an outdoorsman, but I love hiking when I do get out there. My experience always told me that sweat was the enemy, but never put the time into learning what to do about it. This was a fantastically informative video, and you delivered it terrifically. In 8 minutes you transformed the way I'm going to dress in winter for the rest of my life. Cheers!
I've been using long-fibre wool and wool blends for the better part of 40 years in all kinds of weather/all year. Never been cold even when I ended up in the water pulling someone to shore in late fall. Depending on the wool type and cleanliness, wool retains about 80-ish% if insulative properties even when dripping wet. Personally, I've tried Gortex and similar products over the years. There are many grades of these products and only the expensive ones work as advertised. I would not trust my life to only synthetics, although they have merit in certain situations. If you are concerned with the weight of a good quality wool sweater, work harder building muscle and endurance! Don't be afraid of the weather - learn about it and embrace it. Greetings from a crusty old Albertan in wintery Canada.
This! Silk, wool, tweed. (Alpaca/llama way better than sheep btw...warmer and doesn't itch you.) Don't fear getting wet. Just don't care about it. I was hiking in Oregon when freezing-cold rain soaked myself and my friend. I wore insulating-when-wet fabrics. My friend was in cotton. 2 hour quick-march back to the car. Thought he was going to die. I was so warm, I had to take breaks or I'd overheat!
@@KathrynsWorldWildfireTrackingwouldn't logic then dictate that you give one of your layers to your friend so that you are not too hot and they are not so cold?
@@RennieAsh Logic? Well, considering I'm 90 lbs, 5' 2" tall. He's 6' 4"...no. Alas nothing would fit him. The only way female clothing would fit a man, is if the woman were likely obese, or the man unusually tiny. But - obese people don't hike much. I offered him my coat. He couldn't put his arms in. Hugged it to his chest a little. Tried it like a cloak, but, it was more like a sorry, short cape. But all the cold air got in thru the arms. It didn't help him much. :(
Great video. Living the outdoor lifestyle in northern Ontario for 6 years now, in my experience, comfort in the cold all comes down to managing sweat and moisture. Never get wet, stay warm. The moment one feels sweat, you gotta open up the layers and keep those base layers dry! Feeling cold, just do some squats. Stay dry & warm good people! 🤠
Donating to this man is very good choice, because of the knowledge he is sharing is very important. I don't think anyone is understanding how important this channel is to make more peoples go outdoors and do more outdoor activities. Keep supporting him!
Thanks for calling out synthetic base layers for smelling bad. I refuse to wear them. Even at home, doing nothing, my pits will smell terrible after just a few hours -- despite using deodorant. Looking forward to your experience with different wool (and wool/synthetic) base layers. I've tried a couple brands and they were both terrible. Wool shrunk by 2 full sizes after laundering it per the instructions and air drying. My large turned into a shirt that my 7 year old daughter could comfortably wear.
Couple problems: 100% merino takes significantly longer to dry than synthetics/polyester. 100% merino also isn't very durable, so these days, a lot of "merino" tops are actually merino/polyester blends. Not necessarily a bad thing. But there are still some premium pieces made in synthetic for which there aren't any merino equivalents. For example, the Patagonia R1, R1-Air, Mountain Hardwear AirMesh Hoody, or similar Polartec Alpha Direct hoody tops. PolarTec does make an Alpha/Wool blend fabric, but I haven't seen any major company marketing hoodies that use it. RipStopbyTheRoll now carries it, but at $30.00/yard, it will probably take me a while to get up the courage to attempt sewing my own hoodie using the material. As for the stink. Have you tried getting some Revivex Odor Eliminator and using it as directed?
Try Icebreaker brand wool. Wash on gentle, cold water, do not use a dryer ever. You can hand wash cold water in a sink, then roll the item up in a towel and gently step on it. I use a clothing rack or drape wool over a chair to dry. 170 WT for base-layer, and a 260 WT for mid-layer, a down hoodie, and I have the same OR coat that video person showed. I'm a fan of Poly in desert heat, but in serious cold I use wool.
One of the (often) unknown "layers" you can use to keep yourself warmer is a heat exchange mask. It heats the air before you breath it in by combining it with a warmer environment created by your expelled breath. It was first developed by the militaries of cold (Scandinavian) countries; then they were evolved by their cross country skiing athletes. Now they are also used by some high altitude mountaineers (those not using supplemental oxygen). My favorite is called the Air Trim, available at online cross country ski shops.
I have already one, is called "kn95 dust face mask", it works kinda great even soaked lmao. Not kidind, i used a dust face mask and the freaking thig keep my breath realy warm!
@@natsariat430lol that’s awesome! This makes sense, over using a skin-tight neck gaiter I’ve been doing. The constant contact allows the wind to cool the moisture i created from breathing; and inevitably I end up better off with no mask. I’m buying some for this week: being the coldest thus far in my area. My job is tree service - sometimes easy-going work - sometimes very physically demanding.
Great explaination. Additionally i find that there are also many reasons people are cold that are not related to clothing. Some people are on a tight calorie deficit (either to a running diet or simply because they don't eat extra for what they burn hiking in the cold). You need to eat enough for your body to produce heat. Another thing is that many people are used to being overly comfortable all the time. Conditioning the body to adapt to temperature changes (e.g. by taking a cold shower in the morning or going into a sauna regularly) will make you feel much warmer throughout the day.
Through years of being in the cold I learned these things the hard way. This was a short very well thought out video. Good Job. I'm sure a lot of people will benefit from this video.
YES! My Smartwool base layer is a miraculous garment. Combined with my Patagonia down jacket, I'm comfortable through 95% of our South Dakota winters. Occasionally, I throw on an outer shell.
@@leightaft7763 Sweet! I was scared of the price at first, but once I took the plunge, I recommend it to everyone, it really has made that much of a difference.
The part where he says “You’ll end up convincing yourself that you aren’t sweating that much” because you don’t want to stop and drop your pack is so true.
Synthetics may wick better than wool, but wool retains far more of its thermic effect when wet. I prefer merino wool base layers and usually prefer merino mid layers as well for this reason. At least, that’s what works best for my perspiration pattern.
This is an *excellent* breakdown of dressing for winter activity - and the exact, rather simple tricks we used for winter military activity in northern Norway. Knowledge is key - thanks!
This is actually quite helpful for homesteading as well....we moved to a colder climate last year, and I have been STRUGGLING with doing farm chores in the low temps! Now if I could only figure out how to keep my fingertips from freezing! 😆
My 5 and 3 year old just done their first big hike in 2c over extremely difficult terrain (muddy, big wet stones, up and down small mountains) and they smashed it. We sat for a picnic on a strip of rock with a waterfall up and downstream by a hundred metres or so. That was probably 3 miles. Sounds easy, but at 3 years old in that terrain.... man. Super proud of my kids. Great video and informative. I tend to hike cold and warm up as I go.
Interesting! I have a North Face that has both a shell and an insulating layer that can zip in or out, and actually wear a mid layer that’s neither truly shell nor fleece (and definitely not insulation)-a self-described soft shell. I’m not a heavy sweater, but wearing these in combination with a smart wool or polyester shirt has kept me warm so far. One thing that has helped a TON as a glasses wearer is the use of ski goggles. Not only do they provide protection from sun reflection on nice days, they keep my glasses from falling off my face when going downhill.
Been hunting and hiking in sub zero temps for decades and I can say fleece vest mid-layers over a nice polypropylene base layer is the best I’ve ever used. From there I chose more layers based on temps and activity. And yes, there is almost nothing more important than a true waterproof and wind blocking shell. Although, my most extreme system is polypro/windproof puffy vest/fleece jacket/goretex shell. The constant for me is the vest, over my base; it allows my armpits to breathe while keeping my torso and the back of my neck warm.
Not a hiker at ALL!!!! But I’m a heavy haul truck drive, doing a whole lot of training. I’m also a South Florida native, predominantly working in northern Alberta. Until I moved here, I knew nothing about cold. I’d wear a hoodie under my carhardt in 50 degree and under weather… Thank you for this!🥲
As a former seascoutleader here in sweden I can only agree on all you have stated, and now that I have been confined to a powerchair it have helped to keep me warm. There is no issue with getting to warm and sweaty for me, I bearly move at all these days, but the layering for sitting still in cold weather is basicly the same as when you go sailing in fall or wintertime...
One great tip for stopping/reducing sweating is to make your palms cooler. Palms and soles are the best heat exchange areas of the body (because they uniquelly have mainly anastomoses instead of capillaries as bloodvessels). There is good research on this from Stanford Uni.
I am a runner. I run in minimal layers. When I stop and just put more layers on without taking my sweaty top off, I get even colder. My trick is to quickly change the sweaty top. (That's for after the running, if I have to still be outside and if I don't have a quick access to the shower.) You are so right about the sweat.
This explains why my feet are always freezing in the winter in cotton socks! Definitely going to be thinking more about sweat regulation all over in the winter months now!
As a northeastern Brazillian, that lives 400km away from the equator line, close to the dunes, that has never felt any weather below 12 C° and never seen snow, this was a lifechanging guide.
@@lauren2028 I'm not talking about temperature. I'm talking about weather conditions. The four seasons is a joke here because we have (our) winter in the early morning, autumn in the morning, hot summer during the day and spring rains in the evening.
It just makes sense! Even I knew before seeing this video! Your body is a natural heat-generator, and having too many layers with no air-circulating between you clothes and body would cause you to overheat. When we went skiing, we always packed extra sets of clothes to change into when the days was done, plus I learned a LOT from sixth-grade Survival classes and the Magic School bus for how we can conserve heat.
During my few decades of life i never heard this, when it was below -25 celcius outside and I went skiing I just wore cheap walmart winter coats, jeans , gloves and classic ski shoes. I always felt a bit cold so I would not sweat alot even when skiing as hard as I could. I would just embrace the cold and somehow the lack of comfort just made me feel good. Thanks for the advices it was interesting.
These are extremely important points! I have a tendency to wait too long to vent…my self talk is always saying “just at that next tree”, “wait..there’s a big downhill section ahead”, “I’m almost to xyz”. I’m getting better at recognizing this.
I'm mostly house-sitter and prob never in my life gonna go for a snowy mountain-hike, but your video almost made me buy this OR shell Great add, great entertainment, 10/10
I am a firm proponent of wool over synthetic - not just because of the anti odor property, but because in my experience, the RIGHT wool for the job does just as well as as synthetics, and it remains insulative up to like 50% soaked. This means it’s MUCH more forgiving regarding sweat. Very fine merino wool can be made from wool strands as thin as silk, and can feel like silk, meaning you’ll feel more comfortable with it directly against your skin, meaning you’ll feel more comfortable wearing tighter-fitting base layers that remain in contact with your skin the whole time, wicking away sweat immediately. Coarser wool mid layers still wick moisture well enough considering how well they perform when damp or even wet, and can have a lot of loft, making them very insulative while still being breathable. This unfortunately means high winds can cut right through it, but that’s no different than any other mid layer.
I didnt see all comments mentioning wool , before i commented.. And you are absolutely right. Fleece ,instead of wool is not the best choice. Wool breath so good ,and it doesnt eve get cold when raw /slight damp. Fleece is not a option in my mind. Ot doesnt breath,its very uncomfortable if damp , and its made from plastic . Its also bad for inviourment. Im from Norway. We need to know these things. With the long,cold winters ,with snow over our mid sections...🤪
thank you for this vid. I'm a middle aged mother in Germany. I recently took up "just walking the dog, but longer", so I am out 2-3h a time in every weather. it's cold but mostly dry right now. The terrain is hilly, I am in the valley but to get anywhere I have to go uphill. So much that I couldn't get there without a break at first. I recently bought a whole new warderobe of outdoor clothes and I found out by accident, what makes me feel warm but not over-hot is a regular longsleeve (cotton mix - oh no XD ) and then my thin down jacket, followed by a Fjällraven shell. So it seems the shell is doing a really great job at breathing :) Fascinating to find this vid now :) I will surely check out more of your vids to learn more of the science behind this :)
There is something to be said about keeping core warm versus peripherals. Also the role of headwear is critical as it provides an easily accessible thermostat! Also foot care and neck seals are worth managing properly too. Personally I have found antiperspirant on feet to be really helpful in managing foot temperature as it keeps feet dryer!
I'm a mid-layer vest person all the way. My arms just don't get that cold, but that little extra on the torso really keep things balanced. I also find I don't use hoods too often because they keep too much warmth in the top of the jacket and make my head sweat more than a good hat. Hats, gloves, and scarf/gaiters are great for managing the mix of minor changes or needs as you go!
I've done the tiniest bit of alpine rescue. Enough training to make sure I'm not requiring rescue as well. It's amazing how little you need to have on when your really working for it. I was definitely over insulated the first few times
In my experience, GoreTex + pit zips = drenched in sweat. Usually, the outer layer need only block wind. So I use a thin wind breaker or a puffy. Aside from a merino base layer, I bring two or three jackets: wind breaker, puffy/parka and, in some cases, a waterproof shell. Wear as needed.
"Be bold, start cold". Great advice. I live in CO also and the sun plays a big part in temperature regulation. Snow and wind is cold but if the sun is out it really warms you. If it goes behind a cloud then it chills up incredibly fast.I used to run and the mantra for that was to dress for the middle of the race, regardless of the distance.
As an Australian that moved to Canada; I can say Merino BASE layer works best for me even at minus60 wind chill working on the pipelines. I also firmly believe as a fly fisher in winter & summer that goretex- style shells may dissipate some vapour, but get clogged very easily very quick
My recommendation: avoid hardshells except in heavy precipitation or high winds. Softshells will protect against light-mild precip and moderate winds, and ventilate better than ANY hardshell. My OR Ferrosi jacket was a game-changer for me, and I don’t know how I managed without it for so long.
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After tons of scrolling finally a comment that also calls out the hardshell overuse BS... way too little people realize this and mindlessly cargo-cult hardshells into their layering system only to then spend time trying to figure out why it sucks donkey balls regardless of how they tune it :(
Hard shell is great for the two things you mentioned. I would add very low temperatures as well. You want a layer that will stop air movement between the outside environment and the inside environment. This attribute will keep you very warm in the coldest of temperatures, windy or not.
@@johngagliardi8753 I guess it depends on what you call “very low temperatures.” Down to around -15F I’m comfortable snowshoeing with silkweight synthetic baselayer, midweight merino shirt, and midweight fleece. Air movement is what keeps me from sweating, even at those temps. If the wind picks up or temps drop enough for me to feel cold I’ll add another merino shirt or light fleece and maybe a softshell jacket for more wind resistance than fleece provides. I do wear hardshell pants, but with zippers opened for ventilation. This winter I’ll be getting softshell pants, too.
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@@johngagliardi8753 That is a very dangerous idea IMHO. You're not only blocking air movement, you're also blocking moisture management and causing it to accumulate. Hardshells have zero insulation properties, they are basically epic temperature bridges, like glass or metal. So what happens if you let too much moisture accumulate under a shell that then lets low temperatures transmit inside...??? Insulation happens when there are pockets of air around your body and when you're not too wet -- those are two holy grails of being outside in low temps. Hardshells complicate evaporation and provide zero insulation. I've done it, I've had a gtx jacket over a puffy in the mountains and I escaped the judgement just because it was a short trip where I came back to my car and could repent and learn from my mistake. You don't get this chance on more epic outdoor trips... It's about a mindset switch. You have to resist the idea that just because a HS jacket is sort of an impenetrable wall that it's somehow shielding you from something other than rain...it's natural to think that, it's the "animal instinct" but it's just wrong. I recently went ~ 900 Vm up a mountain in snow, -7C and wind (-11C and 60 kph gusts on the top) and only had a Polartec Alpha baselayer (ZERO wind protection) and a very light skitouring hybrid softshell jacket that only has panels of thin fleece in some places, like the back. I've never had so little moisture on me on the top of that mountain in the past. I put a fleece in between the jacket and the base and went down, warm. Moisture was accumulating and freezing on the surface of the jacket but I was fine. Did I feel gusts of wind on my skin going up? Yeah, a few. Would I feel them in a HS jacket? No, I summited that mountain in a HS jacket before, didn't feel a thing. How did my base and mid layers look on the top? Soaked. Had to change (dressing down to my bare chest in freezing wind) and drag my soaked layers in the backpack down with me. I've heard a talk from a guy who is routinely participating in polar expeditions and he said that the rule they have when dressing is that they have to be "comfortably cold" -- yes, avoiding moisture accumulation is so absolutely key in their situations that they dress so that they aren't actually all that warm at all. I'm now at a point where I don't even own a HS jacket anymore. Closest thing I have is Mammut Ultimate, a Gore Infinium membrane softshell jacket that breaths surprisingly well and withstands a surprising amount of rain.
Good video. So many people have very little understanding of layering and how to actually stay warm during outdoor activities. Layering and staying dry is absolutely crucial in cold weather environments, especially if you’re going to be moving.
Patagonia knitted base layer is the best it’s a synthetic wool one peace with no seams It’s a open weave and breaths super well put it on take it off 4 days latter it’s like a second skin Sounds like an add but it is the only base layer you will ever need
Hardshell Made of Ventile or other dense cotton based material is my choice for the outer Layer . It is much more breathable than goretex, Its Windproof(most important) and water repellent(light to moderate Rain will NOT come through, tested it 100 of times)Merino and or a warm fleece unser it and ur Good to go
Great video. Man, I have hyperhydrosis, so I will sweat without being hot or moving. It's the most frustrating thing living in a cold environment. I've really become fond of wool products for smell reduction and their ability to wick. Alpaca is really nice stuff. I usually wear a merino t-shirt as a base layer not super skin tight but good for me and then use an alpaca long sleeve sweater and its a good wicking combo. The wools insulate better when they are moist than synthetics and allows me not to freeze. Although it is still much colder being wet under my arms than if I were to be dry. I'm still playing with different clothing systems for my excessive sweating but the natural fibers seem to fit best for now. Thanks
@@mrs.c5471 Botox? Then the sweat will start coming from elsewhere. To me this isn’t solving the root issue. I’m going to try stopping caffeine for a week and see how I perform. The sweating in the cold is rough.
Would something like underarm liners help? I looked those up out of curiosity. They're supposed to be essentially pads for your underarms. Would something like that help, at least by keeping the fabric itself dry even if the pad grew moist?
@@rachelclark6393 I don’t think so because I sweat so much the material needs to dry quickly. I’m trying to quit caffeine to see if that helps but 3 days in and I’m sweatier than ever. It’s terrible. I’m always so cold. I’ve heard Botox “works” but then you’ll just sweat elsewhere because the body needs to get rid of it. Idk why I have this but it’s been a struggle since 8th grade.
While snowboarding all ive ever worn is my boarding jacket and the liner along with a tshirt. Been in -20 windchill and only ever had a little bit of chill. He speaks the truth
Great video! Right to the point with very useful information without any unnecessary waffle. These are literally ALL the things I learned mostly by trial and error, wish I’d seen something like this years ago! Would have saved me some uncomfortable situations while figuring things out. Nice work!
I was totally shocked how little I smelled after wearing a Merino blend base layer .I always go for the cheaper synthetics but not any more lol Merino is worth the money. I'm a total sweat hog too .there are no jackets that will evere breath enough for me 🙄
One other thing I'd love to see an overview on is how putting on too many layers in places like hands or feet (even pants sometimes) can be counter productive and make you cold instantly. Even before working a sweat I just had that experience in Longyearbyen, and I think it could prove a useful tip for newcomers :)
Putting on extra (dry) layers should only make you cold in the absence of sweat if they are too tight (e.g. gloves too small, extra layer of thick socks makes the boots tight). Things that either restrict your circulation or compress any fluffy layers will make you colder. That might be the origin of the myth that you'll sleep warmest if you sleep naked in your sleeping bag. This is nonsense; the laws of physics don't reverse in sleeping bags. Generally, the more (dry, nonrestrictive) layers you wear, the warmer you'll be. The exceptions are a) your sleeping bag is already more than warm enough and the extra layers make you sweat and b) you have a snug-fitting sleeping bag and your extra clothing pushes on it and compresses the loft. It's a bit of a dangerous myth since if some unexpected cold weather blows in and your sleeping bag isn't warm enough, you should absolutely sleep in your fleece/down jacket/hat/gloves etc.
I like your "be bold start cold" line. I learned long ago that when doing training runs through Michigan winter that the most comfortable runs are runs that I'm VERY uncomfortably cold the first 15 minutes of the run. And then mildly uncomfortably cold the next ten minutes because it takes about twenty minutes to get my body up to maximum temperature then another 5 to get acclimated to what exactly I'm feeling. If I dress in a way that is any warner than that at the beginning then I have no choice but to stop and shed clothing a half hour into my runs. And that's just obnoxious because I then have to find a place to stash it requiring me to change the route I'm running to come back by on my way home to pick it up or drive back out post run to get it. More than a few runs ended early while I was figuring that out.
I'm a Canadian runner and one tip for when it is quite cold is to do a 5-10 minute full body warmup INDOORS before heading out for the run, that way heading outside isn't a shock to the system. Oh, and gortex coated winter shoes have been a game changer. Happy winter running!
My system has been to only ever use waterproof shells when it's raining or wet/heavy snow. I will sometimes put on a waterproof jacket if the wind chill is extreme to stop the cold air pulling heat to fast from my outer layer. All other times I use a windstopper soft shell, jacket and trousers. This with wool base layers is the most breathable systems and I rarely have to take layers on and off as a result.
Two layers. A synthetic Polar-Tec type layer and my outer coat. That's it. That's all I've ever worn. I've trekked Patagonia, the PCT in winter, worked a season in Antarctica, and punched through the ice in the arctic circle when I was on a sub. I've never needed any more than that and I've spent days/weeks out there.
Thank you for the informative video. I've started to understand "layer theory" since having to do rail work out in various conditions, and it's winter now. Like you said, several variables to consider and they always change. Wearing coveralls, it's not practical to keep adjusting my layers, especially for sweat, but I've learned the value of keeping wind from blowing away any warm air from under my layers by using even a garbage bag and some impervious track pants over everything but under my coveralls. Once I get moving some, I feel toasty, even with blowing cold. I just need to figure out how to warm up fingers once they get cold, because they will stay that way if they lose their heat.
Great info. 56 and still learning. This will work great deer hunting. Carry in insulating layers for when I get to where I sit and walk in cooler. In the end I’ll be warmer. Got it.
Marine Corps mountain warfare training: we do exactly as you say. Starting off sucks (really cold!) but dropping from heat exhaustion and dehydration carrying a 60 lb pack is worse…especially when they medivac you out by helo from 8k feet. A casualty is a casualty from a bullet or from stupidity.
Here’s a tip my Norwegian fried told me. If your sweater gets really sweaty, let it freeze completely and shake the frozen sweat off. Repeat until it feels completely dry.
Kinda same method we used in my military service swimming in cutout holes in lake at -30C fully dressed, get naked and roll in snow to make water particles on your body freeze to ice and then rub it off leaving you dry
Gear From This Video:
OR Shell: geni.us/FmqcarZ
OR Soft Shell Pants: geni.us/hhBR8
Insulating Layer: geni.us/K9tmV
Mid Layer: geni.us/na67aH6
Alpha Hoodie: geni.us/EGWb9nd
Base Layer: geni.us/iL0Cc
Base Layer Pants: geni.us/KsFUnB
Boots: geni.us/NcowG
Snow Shoes: geni.us/wBtTzC
Camping Gear Used:
Sleeping Pad: geni.us/a3Yx0
Quilt: geni.us/4j7JTY
Down Balaclava: geni.us/uoNL
Stove: geni.us/F5GFS6F
Ight bet
Too bad goetex is just marketing mumbo jumbo. It only ever was teflon and now its not even that. Its just marketing.
The thing about Gore Tex is it's only breathable when it's dry, and it's only waterproof when it's wet (I know that sounds weird but it's true). It can't do both at the same time. It's just down to the properties of ePTFE and nothing can change that.
Ever since cuz got killed and the company was sold Outdoor Research ain't what it used to be. Sad cause he believed in made in USA but its just Chinese junk now. Get the same crap at Wal-Mart for a third the price
"You sweat, you die" in the winter is what I was taught on my military winter indoctrination instructor course. You take off layers until you stop sweating.
in the Marines, we embrace a concept we affectionately refer to as being 'comfortably cold.' which, essentially means wearing one layer less than what would you probably describe as comfortable. especially once you start moving, especially under heavy loads, that extra layer may quite literally kill you - either from heat stroke while hiking or hypothermia once you stop.
I think I've been using this system instinctively
I work outside all day, I take off my jacket and wear two hoodies while I'm working and let my body heat keep me warm, and I put my jacket on when I stop to keep my temperature from fading
I was about to say something like this . In survival training up in WA or snow trips to Colorado (USAF), I’d typically wear warm pants and Goretex pants, but only wear my dri blend tshirt . My body always gets hot moving around and like you said with a ruck; I’m sweating within an hour .
I’m a flatbedder, drive a semi and train people. Have a kid from Mississippi, made sure he was layered right and handed him about 8 hot hands (different kinds) so he could manage where he was putting extra heat where/if he needed it.
I had just the toe version of hot hands in my boots.
To describe both of our gear - he had a stocking, I had a trapper hat.
Insulated bibs, carhartt jackets (his had a hood, mine didn’t) long sleeves, sweatpants (he had long john’s also, I didn’t need them) wool socks, and steel toes because we have to, and -30 rated gloves (his stuffed with hot hands). It’s about -10 in Montana at this point, but windless.
20 minutes in he’s back in the truck trying to get warm. I go to find him. ‘It’s cold!’
Lord give me strength. 😂 I made damned sure you were dressed well enough for any cold to not threaten life, limbs, fingers or toes. You’re going to be cold, it’s -10! That’s why you have so many clothes on! 😂 He hadn’t done anything to work up a sweat at that point. That’s just how long taking bungees off the tarps took.
About 60 minutes later I finished, ready to shed my hat and jacket both. These younger kids really tend to not handle the slight bit of discomfort.
Tl;dr: Mississippi kid can’t do cold, and isn’t going to make it with this company very long after he finishes training. 😂
I beat meat in the winter and tend to work up quite a heavy load, and I sweat a bunch on top of that. My wife's boyfriend told me to do it in the tent he bought for our kids and that concept is all the knowledge you need. Semper fi leatherneck.
I’d recommend using the norwegian standard that we teach to any American troops who come here for winter training.
You never start a hike warm. You start cold, and then you get warm when you start moving.
After 10minutes you stop, adjust your clothing to remove or add layers before you start moving again.
Also, I wouldn’t bother with this as a civilian to much. Just stop and change clothes as needed.
Removing a jacket, a second layer, or adding clothes and so on doesn’t take more than 30-45 seconds from you stop until you have your backpack on again and you’re ready to move again.
You didn't mention the other big key in winter dressing--tucking in your base layer. It makes ALL of the difference in keeping freezing air away from your sweaty skin!
I'm from MN and I never thought of that
Yes, Absolutely!
But they can’t retail that advice
Definitely! It’s made a big difference for me
@Karl with a K LOL
Use far greener fart powered generator...
I'm from Minnesota and went to college with a lot of international students from tropical locales. Local advice was always: 1. Layer, don't suffocate 2. A scarf does more than you think it will 3. Drop your biggest dime on good boots and socks. Your chest will survive some cold and your hands can be stuffed in your pockets or armpits. Your footsies have no line of defense.
I cackled at footsies but this is genuinely good advice
Growing up in MN taught me so many things about the cold that I value to this day. Going on backcountry ski trips in the PNW has really made me have to pull out all the old tricks I learned snow camping in Minnesota as a kid.
There is one big difference out here though, which is just how wet it is, even in the winter. You really learn the hard way that nothing is truly "waterproof", so even if you do a good job of managing sweat, water sapping all your heat can still be a real threat.
Footsies
Sweet advice if you're in a warm place like Minnesota. If you're above 3000 m without decent gloves, you better hope you can get down without any fingers.
“Be bold, start cold.” Something that I can share with my scouts to keep their mind set on the winter hiking ahead. Great video and I’m going to pass this along to my two troops. ❤
It’s a great catchphrase, isn’t it? If I start out comfortably warm, it’s *always* a mistake… really quickly!
Another tip. Put it on at the camp. Just the other day I got distracted before going on my evening walk and spent some time inside with the heat on. Halfway through my walk that little bit of sweat was freezing me inside my layers. Better to wait until you're at your destination and out of the heater to put on more than the base layer. Or in my case, put on the sweater and jacket after stepping into the cold.
@@altitudeiseverything3163 maybe it's just because I mostly go on day hikes and my only backpacking trip was in febuary and it was 16°F, but I dont agree with this. I'd rather have to carry warm clothes than not have them.
This advice only applies to people who are doing physical activity outside. If you plan on being outside for a long time in cold for something that isn't physical, dress warmer than you think you need to. You will only get colder.
"Starting cold" doesn't actually help you.
It's an old myth, that if you get too warm inside you'll feel even colder outside.
This is not the case, your body is working to keep you warm, when you shiver or tremble, it's because your body is straining to keep you warm.
Starting warm before you go outside is much more efficient than Starting cold,
That's why I don't agree with things like boyscouts, , having to listen to someone without disagreements, the moment you want to have a different opinion you're told no
As a Caribbean-born and raised immigrant who moved to the Northeast, I’ve been doing it wrong for 18 years - cotton all over. It’s about time I follow my fellow coworkers who ski and know how to dress in winter.
Curious how cotton was not mentioned. Worse yet is how cotton blend waffle knit underwear is usually the only winter type available at stores of inner city neighborhoods. Manufacturing waffle knit with cotton is wasteful and pointless.
@@davebauman4991 The cotton blend waffle knit underwear are often referred to as "thermals". In general (always exceptions) "thermals" are meant to retain heat. "Base layers" are for regulating heat. If you don't plan on sweating too much, thermals can keep you warmer. If I'm sitting outside at a football game, I'd wear my waffle knit thermals, if I was playing in the football game, I'd wear my base layer.
@@davebauman4991 cotton is mentioned at 6:01
In northern Scandinavia locals do wear cotton in winter, but only as a outer shell in very cold and dry weather. minus 10 celcius and below. When working in cold and wet weather you better stick with combi wool/ polyester like fabrics as baselayer. And waterproof outerlayer that can ventilate.
@@jandrem oops my bad
Having grown up in Michigan I always found the best way to keep warm and not be miserable was to simply self regulate the heat you end up building up. When I’d reach the point where I knew I would begin to sweat soon I’d simply open up my jacket, and honestly once you get that hot the freezing air actually feels quite nice.
Yes. It's often a hassle taking layers on and off -- plus stowing them. Often, simply tricks such as opening jackets, taking your parka hood off (and having something for your head), a scarf you can easily wrap/unwrap, gloves under your mitts and strings so you can take your mitts off, etc. can all help regulate build-up of heat. This is also true of you are in and out of the cold -- a tour, in and out of vehicles, in and out of windy/sunny areas, etc. Just taking your hood off, unzipping your parka, etc. for a few minutes is often better than trying to get layers off and on. Another good idea is just to take frequent breaks -- stop, enjoy the wilderness, take some pictures, have an energy bar, etc.
Too bad we don't have winter here anymore. This video made me crave the snow.
Yes, it's called common sense. That's how we did it in Finland when I was a kid. No-one ever heard of any "layering" which is a modern marketing thing.
@robowenmikels Layering wasn't really a technical concept as such. We simply put a wool sweater underneath a thick jacket if the temperatures dropped. Heat regulation is done by opening the jacked a bit.
@@avatarion "We simply put a wool sweater underneath a thick jacket if the temperatures dropped" I mean that's just layering. Are you mad that it has a cool word for it now? Please don't.
Although if you are moving fast enough to break a sweat in bad winter weather, thick winter jacket just doesn't cut it. Thin outer shell is just objectively better with well considered under layers.
This guy summarizing in minutes what takes years to understand about outdoor adventuring. Great content, highly underrated channel!
If a time machine ever gets invented, I'm taking this video back to show my mom, so she would understand that making 7-year-old me wear so much heavy winter clothing that I was always sweating profusely in sub-freezing temps was, in fact, suboptimal.
Awesome! Be sure to leave me a comment in the past!
The -20 and below blizzards were so much harder being told to layer up with snow pants, boots, toque, jacket 5 sizes too big, and scarf, when now I can handle them in a somewhat basic windbreaker and stuff I wear in -5. And I don't look like the Michelin man which is a plus.
Somehow I don't think moms could be convinced that easily
"you'll catch a cold"
Future moms: “Dear, you have to use a breathable fabric outer shell with a oversized pit zipper.”
Children: “Mom, we live in Puerto Rico.”
The importance of the shell shocked me once. Almost twenty years ago I bought this wonderful cape and immediately treated it with Scotch Guard. Come winter, we finally had some bad weather so I threw my new/treated cape on over a sweater. It was nice. Imaging my surprise when I later found out I'd been happily tromping around with a wind chill of roughly -3*F!
"Tromping around" is a euphemism for trouncing evil-doers, in your dashing cape, I presume.
Capes and cloaks are severely underrated. I'll never understand why people have moved away from tried and true ideas that were used for centuries
Merino wool has proven to be a great base layer material from my experience; excellent breathability and wicking properties and is antimicrobial which removes odours. My base layer is an 80% merino wool and 20% polymer blend and has been serving me well for months.
It isn't actually "anti-microbial". There have been some studies done on this. Rather, it fosters/faciliates growth of varied microbes which are not the odor causing type--sort of akin to the concept of a healthy gut microbiome with plenty of probiotics that keep the opportunistic ones in check. Balanced and varied.
But when you look at the fibers under a microscope, you will find plenty of microbes--hence not "anti-microbial". Synthetics on the other hand--particularly polypropylene, and then also polyester to a lesser extent, foster the growth solely or mostly of the odor producing microbes. There seems to be a direct correlation to the materials degree of moisture regain to the above microbe factor.
The lower the moisture regain (polyester and especially polypropylene) the more odor producing microbes grow on it, and the higher the moisture regain, the less they do. Sheep's wool has a very high moisture regain--the highest of any everyday/common textile.
Interestingly, in one study, rayon was shown to be truly antimicrobial. It was not ascertained whether this related to moisture regain and/OR possibly the strong chemicals used to manufacturer rayon/viscose type cellulose based fabric.
My issue with wool is that it holds onto moisture for a long time. Once it wets out, it can get sopping wet and take a long time to dry (because of that very high moisture regain property). It's also fragile except in the form of Darn Tough socks.
I don't mind a relatively small percentage of sheep's wool as long as the majority is synthetic so that the piece dries faster. Wool fishnet is also fine, because there isn't a lot of surface area covering skin that needs to dry.
My ideal baselayer fabrics would be a blend of more hollow fiber animal fibers (like alpaca, yak, etc) blended with silver treated polyester. In a ratio of 25 to 35% natural to 75 to 65% silver treated polyester (preferably also hollow fibers). Higher warmth to weight factor, tougher/more durable, and faster drying while keeping down funk.
What brand are you using?
@@justinw1765 If your wool is getting that wet, you may be doing something seriously wrong that has nothing to do with fabric choice.
btw, maybe not all polypropaline is the same, but my experience is that it is the absolute worst fabric for holding on to foul odors, which I usually don't have too much issue with bc I have the genetic anomoly of not producing armpit sweat and stink. Somehow anyway that polypro is just horrible that way and also deforms/get misshapped. Maybe the latter has been solved by certain blends, idk, but I'm just extremely happy with good ol' wool.
Merino wool fucking slaps
Sweat management and intelligent layering is critical. I had this traumatically etched in my psyche. I hiked up a NH White and was fine with a thermal shirt and a windbreaker on my top half. Other layers were in my backpack. At the summit I wanted those layers quickly. Within the short time of digging out my layers, my core temp dropped to dangerous. I put my layers on with great difficulty, already shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't get warm even with everything on. Another hiker lit a camp stove and threw sticks on it to get a small fire going (very illegal). That fire and that hiker saved my life. I never knew how fast hypothermia takes affect.
So what is the solution? If you would have put the layers on before the summit, then you'd be too hot. So what is the best way to procees?
@@ff2154 I keep the next likely layer accessible outside of the pack to put on at stops as needed.
Yes. I went skiing this week for the first time in years. Alone. I stopped at the top of a run to put my hood on. Took my hand out of my glove. By the time I failed to get my hood on, my hand was so numb that I couldn’t get it in my glove correctly. I lost my poles. All because of cold. It was probably only 5-10F but with wind chill it had to be -5 - -10F. My fingernails ached for days.
@karlwithak1835in certain nature preservation areas it is illegal
@Karl with a K Unless you are in a designated campground in the Whites, no fires. "Violators of these prohibitions could face civil and criminal penalties and fines up to $5000." I don't usually carry a spare $5k around with me.
A slightly different but related advice:
If you have the luxury of choice, have a close look at the back of the backpack you buy. I have one that is so warm my back is drenched in no-time, even if the rest of me is "just right". Some backpacks have meshing that (at least in theory) helps with that.
That was the first thing i looked for when buying a pack. I’ve biked and hiked with regular backpacks for a while and my back would always get too hot first. My new Osprey Rook pack is much better at managing back temperatures
This is where the older style with the external frame is best for both summer and winter backpacking provided you are not run packing where then due to friction and movement a snug modern pack in the size above a 25 L Running pack is the best at 30--35 L that has the waste strap.
I have a day pack with an external meshed frame on the back which keeps the actual pack off my back. Absolute godsend during summer here in topical Australia.
It’s pretty awesome how much more comfortable and warmer you can be when you’ve dialed in a good layering system. Puts a lot of confidence into going into winter conditions.
Don't forget all the ways you can easily regulate layers to always keep the comfort all the way in every kinds of conditions.
It's definitely great. The best you can easily find. I use icebreaker brand most the time cause they're nice n thin, got the smooth material for shoulders, wool. But the Paca brand shit is even better. They're retarded expensive kinda running 120 bucks but definitely worth it further down the line
Buffalo mountain 6 ?
@@martinnorman2579 Yes and for half the price, a Montane extreme jacket or smock.
Both should be worn next to the skin, same as the special 6, fit is important but an awesome alternative to lavering.
@Karl with a K Sounds like a lot of faff mate, try the one layer, pile, pertex system it is tried and tested for over 40 years! It's not for everyone (only winners ; )) lol.
Originally from the Northeast US and always running naturally cold, my advice about layering is to move to a location that doesn't need layering. It's worked flawlessly for me!
sure wish I could
@@ariellemasters954 me too! Stuck in Upstate NY since July for the fourth time cuz of my boomer units! And blizzard during Xmas, wooo! I miss Charleston, Flagstaff, Phoenix...Happy Sunday!
I wanna live in florida. I live in md.
:)))
haha Nice advice, it is so much more complicated to live in cold places than to live in warm places... Say what you want, but humans are designed for warm african climate, not the siberia🥶🥶🥶
Great takes! I served in the Norwegian military up north in the country where the sun only shows itself for 20mins in the winter, and all said in the video aligns with what i learned from that year!
The one thing not mentioned in this video that I assume some would want to know is if you are sleeping overnight in sub freezing temps ALWAYS change your base layer at bed time. Wash your soiled base layer and repeat. The oils/sweat you rub in to the base layers will make you sleep cold. Clean dry base will make you sleep 1000x better in your bag.
Yep I was always taught to carry two changes of (non-outer) clothes on a camping trip. One is the hiking set, one is the camp/sleeping set. And you never risk getting the camp set wet, even if it means you have to put on soaking wet clothes from the day before to start hiking the next morning (shudder).
This makes sense. I have a medical problem that makes me unable to regulate my body temp, and after i sweat my clothing, it NEVER seems to completely dry until its washed again. Even if i take it off.
Wash the base layer every evening?
When I did a week-long hike in the north of Norway, sleeping in a tent I didn't exactly have drying facilities...
@@lilletrille1892 You would be surprised what a couple hours in the sun and wind will do regardless of temp. Hang them off your pack as spread out as possible. The point isn't always to get them perfectly dry it's to wash off the oils you excrete and they absorb. Being a little damp but clean sleeps way better than a dank base. Happy Trails!
@@Adidaspgh what about days of heavy sleet?
I've been hiking in winter regularly and I completely agree with everything you said. I often see newcomer hikers starting a route with too many clothes on them and right at the first rest, they feel cold. Colder than me wearing just a baselayer and a cheap wind jacket. Thanks for the great content, sir!
in my experience, if it feels a bit too cold right before starting, it should be fine. if you are warm even before starting, it will be way too hot and therefor wet later
One of my favorite winter jackets is this very, very old snowboarder jacket. It's thick, keeps you dry and warm and it has several zippers dedicated on just venting out the moisture you have built up. Just amazing stuff and has lasted me toughest of winters.
A tip I learned from some swiss cross country skiers on a recent trip is if you are doing something really strenuous (like cross country skiing) where you can't avoid sweating, bring a change of base layer for any longer breaks or even for the second half of the day. As soon as we got into our lunch camp, they stripped off to change tops (Finland, -20 celcius). I thought they were crazy getting undressed in such weather but while I was shivering by the fire 20 mins into the lunchbreak, they were toasty warm.
When the hike gets really strenuous, I go topless, regardless of the weather.
I do the same/similar thing for winter running in Pierre (Pier) South Dakota, not to be overdressed but not underdressed either and a tick cold at the start. I have done it where it normally works but then on a long run of 18 miles the weather changed from in 40 F to 29 F and going down winds picking up at about 9--10 miles into the run. This was not supposed to happen as the weather was supposed to be in the 40F to no lower then 35F range by 9 pm looking at the weather minutes before I got my clothes on for the run seeing even what weather was going to be in town across the river for low as sometimes, the town across the river they can be up ip 5 F off from my town high or low and they were not at the time saying 35 F by 9 pm. Problem is my area has some freak mini weather pop up that was never on the radar due to where I live be it caused by the rivers of the Missouri and Chyane or caused by the 2--3 fronts mixing in South Dakota.
@@MrCmon113 Then you haven't experienced every possible weather. If it is too hot and sunny, a thin layer of bright clothing is better than nothing. It shouldn't be to thight to your body.
@@MrCmon113 try that with high windspeed high in the mountains in -20 celcius ;)
His rock hard nips part the breeze keeping him warm.
@@jonaswox
Can confirm. When I went to the top of my first mountain higher than 4000m above sea level, the guides told us "if you're not shivering slightly before we start, you're wearing too much insulation.
A buddy and I were the only ones that listened and were tho only ones to not be completely freezing once we were resting on the summit.
A workout t shirt. A zip up hoody. A dickeys lumberjack jacket. Good at -30 Celsius. I live in Alberta Canada. This is my winter set up. It works every time.
Another thing to keep in mind is to wear a shell that’s roomy enough for the layers underneath. Overly compressed clothes won’t work as intended.
Totally right. Air between each layer is needed .
Agree 100%
As a snowboarder, I preached bigger coats. Draped up and dripped out 😂 leave arms to cover your gloves. You want that jacket to cover your ass and not show anything if you bend over or anything. Big jacket is the move to stay covered. Keeps the snow out
I have a North Face shell that I got for my birthday. It was really big, didnt quite get it at first, but after learning about how to properly insulate it makes sense. It also has a drawstring on the bottom to tighten it around your waist if its too loose. It allows me to wear it with minimal insulation underneath, or maximum if needed.
Pro Tip: In the spring, you can often find Gore-Tex jackets and pants in the clearance section of outdoor stores. I picked up a Gore-Tex jacket from Cabela's that was normally $250 for $80 in the Spring on clearance. I also picked up a Gore-Tex pair of pants that was normally $200 for $60. Same with Gore-Tex gloves that were normally $80 for $25. Also if you ever have to wash them, make sure you run them in the dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to tighten up the fibers and make it waterproof again. I forgot to once and it didn't seem to be waterproof until I realized my mistake and dried it for 20 minutes on high.
Imma HAVE to do this sounds awesome
didnt know the dryer thing cool
Don’t was with normal liquid detergent or pods. Use dye less and perfume less powder detergent and don’t use a lot. Add an extra rinse cycle. Buying a synthetic cleaner from grangers, nikwax, or Revivex is the best for washing waterproof outerwear. Some modern waterproofs fabrics aren’t supposed to be dried. After 8-15 washing doing a spray on from the above mentioned brands will make the dwr like new again.
Goes to show you how overpriced that shit is to begin with, seasonal buying definitely factors into their price point which makes you realize how absurd the pricing of certain clothing can be. It's still the same pair of pants whether it's summer or winter, but the companies take advantage of this because a majority of people aren't going to think about buying winter clothes in the summer.
@Karl with a K do you have one? What brand?
Excellent video. As a graduate of the US Army's Basic Military Mountaineer Course (Winter), everything you said is exactly in line with what they teach there. In fact, if they caught you wearing cotton in the field they would give you an SOR (serious observation report) on the spot. Staying dry is the trick to staying warm. The biggest rookie mistake is indeed wearing too many layers when moving.
You really don't need to be dry if you wear natural fibers that still insulate when wet. A freak storm hit myself and a friend in Oregon - two hours walking fast as we could back to the car. He about froze in cotton. I had a wool cap, silk underwear, wool shirt, alpaca overshirt, and a light coat. I had to take breaks since I was overheating. I was steaming the air! His teeth chattered, he lost the feeling in his hands. I was fine.
I try to only wear 100% cotton and 100% wool. synthetics are garbage and likely poisoning you with PFAS.
"Cotton kills" is what they said for our cold weather training
No- The biggest rookie mistake is not knowing how to, or that you need to ration sweat and that this in itself is a skill. Second mistake is going for modern synthetics over wool because the military doesn't use it much at all anymore and because some video told them to buy some BS latest and greatest layer.....
Could someone explain to me, why cotton is so bad?
This video is an incredible explanation of layers. As a scoutmaster who does back country training the only thing I think you need to add is about how tight or how loss the layers need to be. Far to often I see people with way to tight of layers and no matter how many they have on they are cold. Having air space between layers is very important.
yup, the air inbetween gets warmed and is kept in place.
Air is a good insulator.
Can the base layer be tight?
@@alicuppycake93 yes. But it should be a wicking material.
True !
If you’re sweating you’re either overdressed or over working. We wore goretex with only a base layer, and just worked the zippers while we were moving. The problem with Goretex is that it still provides a cold condensing surface (CCS) for your sweat vapor, and it can become overwhelmed. We found that dressing very light with a little chill during movement was best. When you stop you put Big Puffy on right over the shell. This moves the CCS outward and allows that sweat to vaporize and move outward. It also conserves that heat you spent so many calories making. It works.
I only disagree partly with your first sentence. Some of us just sweat more than others; I do agree with dressing lighter. I've found that I like a base layer, and then like a fleece or wool vest, then the shell, works quite nice. I think it keeps a good balance. I stay cool & dry when active but my core stays warm, while allowing freedom of movement in the arms. When resting, I just keep my arms closer in or if super cold some heating packs in each sleeve.
@@denislemieux4915 to each his own. I sweaty guy myself. I learned the hard way that if I’m sweating and can’t take anymore off I might need to dial back on the exertion. If possible.
Stop to get changed mid climb with your rack etc in the way?
I agree planning can minimise wetness but to say "if you sweat you're doing it wrong" is pretty ignorant of the realities of some sports.
Sometimes I could be sweating with only a cooldry shirt on and need 3 layers on in the same day.
Can also be worse sometimes to let the weather in and fill everything with snow in an instant including your bag just to shed a layer.
Spot on, I wear a thin base layer and a gortex shell which I regulate with pit and leg vents while snowboarding. It works great while I'm active but falls short on the lifts.
Depends on your goals and the situation I guess. I'd rather just regulate my exertion based on how much energy I have and work the layers as needed, including just going with a base layer as long as it's not precipitating (or no shirt at all if it's really warm and sunny and I'm working hard).
If losing the shell means you'll get wet (actively snowing for example) then I agree though, in that case you just have to do whatever you need to do to stay mostly dry.
Aussie here. Decades ago I sailed regularly in the cold waters of Bass Strait near Antarctica. That water is cold, really cold. We had early dive suits that worked well enough if you’re in the water but for being on it while get regularly drenched with icey sea spray, hand spun wool was the best. The lanolin in it helps you shed water and even when wet it kept us warm. Only draw back is that it’s pretty heavy, especially when wet.
I don't think most people know/appreciate how important this knowledge is, especially in situations where your survival is on the line. Thank you for spreading this knowledge in such an informative way.
After about a decade of ski touring, a few tips.
-Aclima woolnet first layer, keeps you much drier and somehow not cold. No smell, but looks strange.
-Adjust your midlayer for your activety layer and temperature, not the other layers.
-A goretex onesie hardshell is significantly warmer than pants and jacket.
-A down vest packs really small and cab be worn just on breaks, buy slightly big so you could wear it over your shell. You do not want to take off your shell on a windy mountain top.
-Buy a shell with lots of zippers. I stick my arms out of the zip pits when going uphill, it keeps your torso out of the wind and cools you down. I dont have to take of my backpack or stop to do this. Hardshell pants need ventilation zippers too.
On the coldest days in Norway i wear Aclima woolnet, thin grid fleece onesie, Montane Axis Alpha Down Jacket, Norrona down halfpants, Sweet Protection Crusader flightsuit. I lose the down layer only when i go uphill.
Yes! Mesh baselayers are the way to go. Wick much better and do keep you drier.
love Aclima (& Woolpower) baselayers! From decades of experience in winter mountain touring in the Alps & Scandinavia I highly appreciate their products.
I love those Army issue wool sweaters but it rarely gets cold enough here to wear one
I have wool mesh base layer from Brynje and have to agree, that was a game changer in winter comfort. I will check Aclima out though, didn't know them
@@muted6912 Aclima is like Brynje a Norwegian brand. Woolpower is Swedish. All supply for Nato wintertraining, and Marines.
Before my home up St Hellens, I was taught how to layer correctly and have taken those teachings to heart (most of the time)
Also, do not use fabric softeners (including dryer sheets) on your synthetics. It will clog the fabric with wax making it unable to wick, and also making it stink.
Excellent advice as always!
ABSOLUTELY!
Fabric Softeners are the death of any insulative layer, or in my opinion, any fabric .. they just a means to milk consumers more.
I don't allow them near the washing machine when I'm doing my washing. Yes, I only, wash my Outdoor Gear and Clothing that matters to me .. others prefer their stuff to smell whatever fresh, etc.
Oooo, I didn't know that! Thanks!
what about using a little vinegar instead of fabric softener?
@@Kastley not sure on that. I use wool dryer balls
Didn't know that..thanks!
I’m surprised wool isn’t getting more recognition here. It’s so much better at regulating temperature and it works even when wet. Wool for base and mid is the way to go
1) Cost. A lot of the commenters are experience outdoorspeople but those who need the advice in this video are probably just getting into hiking and good wool stuff is expensive.
2) Weight. This issue isn't trivial for some people. I wear wool base layers but but not mid. I'm small (51 kilos); a rucksack of camping gear can easily exceed 1/3 of my bodyweight if I'm not careful. So something that solves a problem at the cost of weight is seldom a good option for me. Wool may still warm you when wet but a thick wet wool jumper weighs a tonne!
No, not true other than for a single day, or bring multiple base layers. Wool for a single day IS as you said, superior, BUT if you go for more than a day, the hollow wool fibers fill with water and wool becomes quite pitiful as an insulator, cold, and wet as you spend an enormous amount of energy trying to heat the water OUT of the wool. That being said, most people, if they can afford it, still wear wool base layer. Polly...~whatever is used not because if feels good on your skin(it doesn't), but rather because it does not absorb water and therefore more sweat evaporates quicker keeping you warmer. Yes, it also stinks VERY quickly compared to wool, but you will be warmer in the long run as you have to carry less food/fuel.
I’ve spent a lot of time on multi-day trips in the Arctic and now favour poly as a base layer BUT the newer silver impregnated material which really does prevent smelly clothing. In very cold conditions I wear a wool base layer over this.
As a homeless guy I fully agree. Merino is the best, also doesn't smell bad.
I find wood useless. I sweat too much in wool. But I run way warm compared to average. I'm in a T-shirt at 0° F when I'm having to work at all. -20 and colder though...I can't keep my hands or feet warm with anything. I did get some 1400 gram thinsulate boots that really helped a lot this winter. Supposed to be good to -54. Doubt it because at -40 my feet started to hurt from cold numbness
All excellent advice. Pit zips are awesome, but so few manufacturers are doing them now. I also love pants that have ventilated pockets with a zip so you can let some hot air out as you walk, or not. Also, do not wear your day hiking clothes in your down sleeping bag - change into totally dry base layer so you don't get so much moisture in the down which prevents it working properly.
I've found wool to solve all these problems at the cost of weight. Super breathable, temperature regulating, doesn't hold onto moisture, stays warm if it does get wet, snow and water droplets just fall off the outside - it really has been a game changer
I love wool! I always tell my friends “Have you ever seen a cold sheep?”
Merino base, light fleece, midweight down in my bag and a good shell (including proper hood with a high face covering neck!!) is my go to
All great things about wool. For me the worst downside to wool is that, unless it has been felted, it isn't windproof. Even a double mackinaw coat won't stand up to a lot of wind. Since I live in a very windy area I use wool for inner layers and either a windproof synthetic or canvas for the outer layer. Canvas is completely windproof and breathes very well, unfortunately in can ice up with a lot of exertion, especially in snowfall.
@@chriscon8463 just wear a fresh killed sheep
@@WaitWhatsMyName well if it's fresh it doesn't keep you warm, does it?
I always found the best way to stay warm was to stay cool. If you actually feel warm you are too hot, you’re going to sweat, no good. If you keep yourself slightly uncomfortable you know you are cool enough not to sweat, you stay dryer and avoid getting really cold.
Yea, I found it at first quite weird how i freeze less in my summer wear than in my winter wear, better ventillation and not being so hot did not make me drenched in sweat so im not freezing
here is what i do: feel cold? walk faster. starting to sweat? slow down.
i generally also only layer on the torso and the feet.
legs get one layer, arms get two at most.
another thing i do is to bring another base layer just in case, when you've been really sweating it out, changing the base layer can work wonders and cold air will dry the worn one out fairly easily too.
lastly and most importantly in my opinion, don't look at the outside temperature too much, what matters is moisture and wind.
if you can keep water and wind out and prevent sweat from pooling inside, you're good 90% of the time.
in fact i have gone for walks at -20°C completely topless, when there was no snow fall and little to no wind (obviously didn't go too far to not make it back if conditions changed)
What I figured out during biking to work in the winter.
the best way to stay warm is buy the proper clothing for the outdoors task .simples.
Omg thanks so much! This video answers all the questions I had about layering.
Great video. It's basically repeating what we learned at our training with the mountain brigade of the German Bundeswehr (Armed Forces). As someone who is doing a lot of hiking I recently switched from "Gore Tex" to Paramo. Their layer system is exactly what I missed all those years.
I've been layering with wool in all layers, unless it's actively snowing, since a long time ago. This includes wool pants. Advantages?
1. Wool is somewhat self temperature regulating. Something not mentioned in this video.
2. It retains more of its insulation properties when wet than any synthetic.
3. Important for hunting or wildlife photography- it can be deodorized by the sun.
4. For active snowing or deep snow, I wear a frog togg jacket and / or pants over the wool. Way cheaper than the outer shell mentioned in the video. And, frogg togs are breathable, but block wind almost as good as a windbreaker. Has always kept me dry.
I was working in -17 weather with a -35 wind chill in North Dakota and the locals were surprised that I wasn't freezing my arse off. They actually wrote down the list of what I was wearing. (I live in Colorado, sometimes work or hunt in the mountains in the winter, and grew up in Montana, so I do know what cold weather is)
Things NOT mentioned in the video.
A set of thin wool glove or mitten liners really help, as you are layering your hands too.
You can wear wool gloves or mittens and buy a mitten shell to wear over them too. Or you can order real fur mittens from a couple places in Canada.
LAYER YOUR HEAD and neck, especially in extreme cold.
In temps below 10 degrees, it's advisable to go from a regular ski mask or gaiter to a mask that warms the air as you breathe. You can feel cold with even the best clothing, if the air temperature is cooling your core from the inside.
Best comment yet. 👍
What mask would that be?
100% agree with everything you said. Also good wool (single) socks.
@@Chris11249 I wear wool liner socks and wool socks in really cold weather.
Agree except I think linen for base layer, is a better choice. It thermal regulates better not as warm granted but that is what the two wool layers do.
Cold weather tip, wool! Wool is such a fabulous material. I love it. It warms you, it cools you when you are not hot, and it doesn't get wet. Smartwool has some great wool baselayers that work super well in the winter
Thanks for this explanation. I've never felt like puffy jackets were comfortable, but I think it's because I didn't know WHEN to wear one. I'm definitely considering getting one now.
‘Be bold, start cold’. Brilliant slogan, took me far to long to learn this!
Great, clear video on layering, which covers pretty much everything I’ve learned, mostly through trial and error. Those waffle-fleece mid layers are brilliant.
I’d love to see a video on the Buffalo/Montane Extreme single layer winter system. Based on Inuit clothing it has a pertex outer layer and a fleecy inner layer which wicks moisture away from the body. I once wore one to climb a mountain in -15°C and 30 mph winds, wearing nothing underneath - and stayed toasty and warm both up and down. It was a very strange experience! The main drawback is that they only work in pretty extreme temperatures, but they’re often worn by mountain rescue services (in the UK at least). It’d be great to see your take on this approach. Keep up the good work!
Up here in Canada, we have something called the "parking lot jacket". You wear it, while standing around/getting ready, etc. It gets left in the trunk, when you finally head out...
I've always liked it chilly, but even for me, enough is enough. One day I took nothing more than a windbreaker to work with an early morning temp of 35F because the weatherman said it would warm up. Well it didn't and I was stuck in 35F for several hours. I won't be repeating that mistake...
This is really funny: this is EXACTLY how the layers of a building façade work too. Down to the waterproof but vapor-passing layer we'd put over insulation, and the ventilated cavity behind a brick wall to allow ventilation that dries it again. Gotta keep the buildings nice & dry
o.o
Actually a good building envelope has an impermeable vapor BARRIER on the warm side of the insulation, to prevent ANY vapor from entering permeable insulation (like fiberglass batts or loose cellulose) and condensing once it has traveled far enough through the insulation to reach the point in the insulation's thickness where the dewpoint temperature is reached. When impermeable insulation (some foam boards, for example) is used, it is still important to seal it together seamlessly at its warm side so that vapor carried by air cannot get past the warm side and migrate through the structure to a cold surface where it will condense (example, inside face of a brick veneer) and potentially be collected to cause efflorescence in the masonry. There are some arctic-rated sleeping bags that have this warm-side vapor barrier, but the result is a 100% humidity environment for your body, which is somewhat clammy feeling after significant moisture has been provided by your body. For clothing while you are active, you absolutely don't want a vapor BARRIER next to your skin, or anywhere in your clothing envelope, but rather the liquid-water-proof shell which is the most "breathable" option technology can provide.
@@teacherguy5084 nailed it! I was looking outside in; meaning the waterproof barrier you'd put under roofing tiles in a wood construction that would allow for any condense to be ventilated out. But yeah I said over the insulation which is the other one :-)
You have the best explanation. Got me started on my layering system. Been trying new things for snowboarding. It's still a work in progress but it's making sense. Thank you!
Cold weather training in the Marines taught me two things. Dont get wet, and sleep naked. People think I'm crazy when I step off in just a base layer, or when they find out I sleep in the buff. Then they wake up freezing in a sweat drenched cotton sweatshirt.
Yes. And if the enemy wake you up, the nakedness also have an intimidation effect.
@@zodaxa8881 or comedic effect. Either way is an advantage.
I'm 73 and have trained myself to enjoy being cold. I start off with light thin merino wool layers, one maybe two, and add/ subtract as needed. I pack a windproof shell, which is a lifesaver.Too many older women dress way too warm and then just keep getting colder. If you train your body, the cold seems to only go so far as long as you are moving. I'm not explaining this very well. Sorry. What I'm trying to say is to start light and build up only when really needed. Learn to embrace the cold air. As to sleeping in the raw, nope! I'll leave that to you young bucks.
The problem I have with that is I don’t know when I’m going to freeze to death. Which worries me.
The kids at the daycare center I worked at always had to take off most of their layers of clothes while taking a noon nap. Makes sense, the blanket doesn't do much if you're wearing multiple layers of clothes. No warmth is gonna escape your body, and you'll be sweaty
Living my entire life in Ontario, Canada, I've never been an outdoorsman, but I love hiking when I do get out there. My experience always told me that sweat was the enemy, but never put the time into learning what to do about it. This was a fantastically informative video, and you delivered it terrifically. In 8 minutes you transformed the way I'm going to dress in winter for the rest of my life. Cheers!
I've been using long-fibre wool and wool blends for the better part of 40 years in all kinds of weather/all year. Never been cold even when I ended up in the water pulling someone to shore in late fall. Depending on the wool type and cleanliness, wool retains about 80-ish% if insulative properties even when dripping wet. Personally, I've tried Gortex and similar products over the years. There are many grades of these products and only the expensive ones work as advertised. I would not trust my life to only synthetics, although they have merit in certain situations. If you are concerned with the weight of a good quality wool sweater, work harder building muscle and endurance! Don't be afraid of the weather - learn about it and embrace it. Greetings from a crusty old Albertan in wintery Canada.
This! Silk, wool, tweed. (Alpaca/llama way better than sheep btw...warmer and doesn't itch you.) Don't fear getting wet. Just don't care about it. I was hiking in Oregon when freezing-cold rain soaked myself and my friend. I wore insulating-when-wet fabrics. My friend was in cotton. 2 hour quick-march back to the car. Thought he was going to die. I was so warm, I had to take breaks or I'd overheat!
Very wise words from a man who has the experience and knowledge to make very good points
@@KathrynsWorldWildfireTrackingwouldn't logic then dictate that you give one of your layers to your friend so that you are not too hot and they are not so cold?
@@RennieAsh Logic? Well, considering I'm 90 lbs, 5' 2" tall. He's 6' 4"...no. Alas nothing would fit him. The only way female clothing would fit a man, is if the woman were likely obese, or the man unusually tiny. But - obese people don't hike much.
I offered him my coat. He couldn't put his arms in. Hugged it to his chest a little. Tried it like a cloak, but, it was more like a sorry, short cape. But all the cold air got in thru the arms. It didn't help him much. :(
Great video. Living the outdoor lifestyle in northern Ontario for 6 years now, in my experience, comfort in the cold all comes down to managing sweat and moisture. Never get wet, stay warm. The moment one feels sweat, you gotta open up the layers and keep those base layers dry! Feeling cold, just do some squats. Stay dry & warm good people! 🤠
Great content, Steven! "Be bold, start cold" worked perfectly for me so far, so thanks for the reminder.
For a Brazilian travelling to the Yukon in winter, you have no idea how useful this video was!
You helped my hikes and outdoor photo trips be so much more enjoyable over the past year or so with your clothing advice!
I glad I could help. Thank you for the support!
Where can I find your photo shots?
Donating to this man is very good choice, because of the knowledge he is sharing is very important. I don't think anyone is understanding how important this channel is to make more peoples go outdoors and do more outdoor activities. Keep supporting him!
@@Newbroken too bad youtube gonna grab more than 50 % of what he donated.
Thanks for calling out synthetic base layers for smelling bad. I refuse to wear them. Even at home, doing nothing, my pits will smell terrible after just a few hours -- despite using deodorant. Looking forward to your experience with different wool (and wool/synthetic) base layers. I've tried a couple brands and they were both terrible. Wool shrunk by 2 full sizes after laundering it per the instructions and air drying. My large turned into a shirt that my 7 year old daughter could comfortably wear.
That happened to me. My washer's wool cycle uses 40° water and that's when I realized 30° was safer 😩
Couple problems: 100% merino takes significantly longer to dry than synthetics/polyester. 100% merino also isn't very durable, so these days, a lot of "merino" tops are actually merino/polyester blends. Not necessarily a bad thing. But there are still some premium pieces made in synthetic for which there aren't any merino equivalents. For example, the Patagonia R1, R1-Air, Mountain Hardwear AirMesh Hoody, or similar Polartec Alpha Direct hoody tops. PolarTec does make an Alpha/Wool blend fabric, but I haven't seen any major company marketing hoodies that use it. RipStopbyTheRoll now carries it, but at $30.00/yard, it will probably take me a while to get up the courage to attempt sewing my own hoodie using the material.
As for the stink. Have you tried getting some Revivex Odor Eliminator and using it as directed?
Try Icebreaker brand wool. Wash on gentle, cold water, do not use a dryer ever. You can hand wash cold water in a sink, then roll the item up in a towel and gently step on it. I use a clothing rack or drape wool over a chair to dry. 170 WT for base-layer, and a 260 WT for mid-layer, a down hoodie, and I have the same OR coat that video person showed. I'm a fan of Poly in desert heat, but in serious cold I use wool.
I am developing hiking pants that have patented taint and moose knuckle zips! Are you interested in testing?
A cup of Borax in the wash makes a huge difference with synthetics odours in my experience, and way less hard on your clothes than bleach.
This is a "must watch" video for everyone who wants to be active outdoors. Perfect!
One of the (often) unknown "layers" you can use to keep yourself warmer is a heat exchange mask. It heats the air before you breath it in by combining it with a warmer environment created by your expelled breath. It was first developed by the militaries of cold (Scandinavian) countries; then they were evolved by their cross country skiing athletes. Now they are also used by some high altitude mountaineers (those not using supplemental oxygen). My favorite is called the Air Trim, available at online cross country ski shops.
Timmermade’s SUL hood also boasts of doing this by means of an extended collar, although I think it’s primarily meant for sleeping
I have already one, is called "kn95 dust face mask", it works kinda great even soaked lmao.
Not kidind, i used a dust face mask and the freaking thig keep my breath realy warm!
@@natsariat430lol that’s awesome! This makes sense, over using a skin-tight neck gaiter I’ve been doing. The constant contact allows the wind to cool the moisture i created from breathing; and inevitably I end up better off with no mask. I’m buying some for this week: being the coldest thus far in my area. My job is tree service - sometimes easy-going work - sometimes very physically demanding.
Doesn't a thick amount of facial hair do this already? 😝
@@ZarHakkar actually no)
Great explaination. Additionally i find that there are also many reasons people are cold that are not related to clothing. Some people are on a tight calorie deficit (either to a running diet or simply because they don't eat extra for what they burn hiking in the cold). You need to eat enough for your body to produce heat. Another thing is that many people are used to being overly comfortable all the time. Conditioning the body to adapt to temperature changes (e.g. by taking a cold shower in the morning or going into a sauna regularly) will make you feel much warmer throughout the day.
Through years of being in the cold I learned these things the hard way. This was a short very well thought out video. Good Job. I'm sure a lot of people will benefit from this video.
YES! My Smartwool base layer is a miraculous garment. Combined with my Patagonia down jacket, I'm comfortable through 95% of our South Dakota winters. Occasionally, I throw on an outer shell.
Good to know I just ordered a smart wool 250 base layer shirt
@@leightaft7763 Sweet! I was scared of the price at first, but once I took the plunge, I recommend it to everyone, it really has made that much of a difference.
The part where he says “You’ll end up convincing yourself that you aren’t sweating that much” because you don’t want to stop and drop your pack is so true.
Synthetics may wick better than wool, but wool retains far more of its thermic effect when wet. I prefer merino wool base layers and usually prefer merino mid layers as well for this reason. At least, that’s what works best for my perspiration pattern.
This is an *excellent* breakdown of dressing for winter activity - and the exact, rather simple tricks we used for winter military activity in northern Norway. Knowledge is key - thanks!
This is actually quite helpful for homesteading as well....we moved to a colder climate last year, and I have been STRUGGLING with doing farm chores in the low temps! Now if I could only figure out how to keep my fingertips from freezing! 😆
My 5 and 3 year old just done their first big hike in 2c over extremely difficult terrain (muddy, big wet stones, up and down small mountains) and they smashed it. We sat for a picnic on a strip of rock with a waterfall up and downstream by a hundred metres or so. That was probably 3 miles. Sounds easy, but at 3 years old in that terrain.... man. Super proud of my kids.
Great video and informative. I tend to hike cold and warm up as I go.
Interesting! I have a North Face that has both a shell and an insulating layer that can zip in or out, and actually wear a mid layer that’s neither truly shell nor fleece (and definitely not insulation)-a self-described soft shell. I’m not a heavy sweater, but wearing these in combination with a smart wool or polyester shirt has kept me warm so far.
One thing that has helped a TON as a glasses wearer is the use of ski goggles. Not only do they provide protection from sun reflection on nice days, they keep my glasses from falling off my face when going downhill.
Been hunting and hiking in sub zero temps for decades and I can say fleece vest mid-layers over a nice polypropylene base layer is the best I’ve ever used. From there I chose more layers based on temps and activity. And yes, there is almost nothing more important than a true waterproof and wind blocking shell.
Although, my most extreme system is polypro/windproof puffy vest/fleece jacket/goretex shell. The constant for me is the vest, over my base; it allows my armpits to breathe while keeping my torso and the back of my neck warm.
You must live in Minnesota because what you suggested is something I would totally agree with
Not a hiker at ALL!!!!
But I’m a heavy haul truck drive, doing a whole lot of training. I’m also a South Florida native, predominantly working in northern Alberta.
Until I moved here, I knew nothing about cold. I’d wear a hoodie under my carhardt in 50 degree and under weather…
Thank you for this!🥲
As a former seascoutleader here in sweden I can only agree on all you have stated, and now that I have been confined to a powerchair it have helped to keep me warm. There is no issue with getting to warm and sweaty for me, I bearly move at all these days, but the layering for sitting still in cold weather is basicly the same as when you go sailing in fall or wintertime...
One great tip for stopping/reducing sweating is to make your palms cooler. Palms and soles are the best heat exchange areas of the body (because they uniquelly have mainly anastomoses instead of capillaries as bloodvessels). There is good research on this from Stanford Uni.
I am a runner. I run in minimal layers. When I stop and just put more layers on without taking my sweaty top off, I get even colder. My trick is to quickly change the sweaty top. (That's for after the running, if I have to still be outside and if I don't have a quick access to the shower.) You are so right about the sweat.
This explains why my feet are always freezing in the winter in cotton socks! Definitely going to be thinking more about sweat regulation all over in the winter months now!
Cotton saps away the warmth from your body when it gets damp. Useful on hot summer days, not so desirable in the winter.
Oh no cotton is horrible. It makes you burn up and sweat. Then you are just sweaty while it sits there. I don't get why people like it.
Merino wool and never look back
As a northeastern Brazillian, that lives 400km away from the equator line, close to the dunes, that has never felt any weather below 12 C° and never seen snow, this was a lifechanging guide.
as a finnish person who lives in the arctic circle that has never experienced temperatures warmer than 25c your comment was life changing
In Canada, we have 40c summers, and -40c winters. Your comments mean nothing to us.
At São Paulo - Brazil, we have 04 different seasons in one day. Both of your comments doenst surprises us
@@soneadventure the record low in sao paulo is only -2.2c, what are you on about
@@lauren2028 I'm not talking about temperature. I'm talking about weather conditions. The four seasons is a joke here because we have (our) winter in the early morning, autumn in the morning, hot summer during the day and spring rains in the evening.
It just makes sense! Even I knew before seeing this video! Your body is a natural heat-generator, and having too many layers with no air-circulating between you clothes and body would cause you to overheat. When we went skiing, we always packed extra sets of clothes to change into when the days was done, plus I learned a LOT from sixth-grade Survival classes and the Magic School bus for how we can conserve heat.
During my few decades of life i never heard this, when it was below -25 celcius outside and I went skiing I just wore cheap walmart winter coats, jeans , gloves and classic ski shoes. I always felt a bit cold so I would not sweat alot even when skiing as hard as I could. I would just embrace the cold and somehow the lack of comfort just made me feel good.
Thanks for the advices it was interesting.
There is something extremely satisfying coming back home after using muscles in the cold.
These are extremely important points! I have a tendency to wait too long to vent…my self talk is always saying “just at that next tree”, “wait..there’s a big downhill section ahead”, “I’m almost to xyz”. I’m getting better at recognizing this.
Perhaps start with the vents open? I run hot, so mine are almost always open a bit, & I can close them no problem while moving.
I'm mostly house-sitter and prob never in my life gonna go for a snowy mountain-hike, but your video almost made me buy this OR shell
Great add, great entertainment, 10/10
I am a firm proponent of wool over synthetic - not just because of the anti odor property, but because in my experience, the RIGHT wool for the job does just as well as as synthetics, and it remains insulative up to like 50% soaked. This means it’s MUCH more forgiving regarding sweat.
Very fine merino wool can be made from wool strands as thin as silk, and can feel like silk, meaning you’ll feel more comfortable with it directly against your skin, meaning you’ll feel more comfortable wearing tighter-fitting base layers that remain in contact with your skin the whole time, wicking away sweat immediately.
Coarser wool mid layers still wick moisture well enough considering how well they perform when damp or even wet, and can have a lot of loft, making them very insulative while still being breathable. This unfortunately means high winds can cut right through it, but that’s no different than any other mid layer.
My winter base layer is merino wool, it's so soft agaist my skin that it doesn't feel itchy ( unlike the sweaters my mum used to make me wear)
I didnt see all comments mentioning wool , before i commented..
And you are absolutely right. Fleece ,instead of wool is not the best choice. Wool breath so good ,and it doesnt eve get cold when raw /slight damp.
Fleece is not a option in my mind. Ot doesnt breath,its very uncomfortable if damp , and its made from plastic .
Its also bad for inviourment.
Im from Norway. We need to know these things. With the long,cold winters ,with snow over our mid sections...🤪
@@TG-hp8og fleece can also be made from 100% cotton.
Wool, silk, it’s $$$$$$
@@IrrationalDelusion that's how you know it's good.
thank you for this vid. I'm a middle aged mother in Germany. I recently took up "just walking the dog, but longer", so I am out 2-3h a time in every weather. it's cold but mostly dry right now. The terrain is hilly, I am in the valley but to get anywhere I have to go uphill. So much that I couldn't get there without a break at first. I recently bought a whole new warderobe of outdoor clothes and I found out by accident, what makes me feel warm but not over-hot is a regular longsleeve (cotton mix - oh no XD ) and then my thin down jacket, followed by a Fjällraven shell. So it seems the shell is doing a really great job at breathing :) Fascinating to find this vid now :) I will surely check out more of your vids to learn more of the science behind this :)
There is something to be said about keeping core warm versus peripherals. Also the role of headwear is critical as it provides an easily accessible thermostat! Also foot care and neck seals are worth managing properly too. Personally I have found antiperspirant on feet to be really helpful in managing foot temperature as it keeps feet dryer!
I'm a mid-layer vest person all the way. My arms just don't get that cold, but that little extra on the torso really keep things balanced. I also find I don't use hoods too often because they keep too much warmth in the top of the jacket and make my head sweat more than a good hat. Hats, gloves, and scarf/gaiters are great for managing the mix of minor changes or needs as you go!
I've done the tiniest bit of alpine rescue. Enough training to make sure I'm not requiring rescue as well. It's amazing how little you need to have on when your really working for it. I was definitely over insulated the first few times
In my experience, GoreTex + pit zips = drenched in sweat. Usually, the outer layer need only block wind. So I use a thin wind breaker or a puffy. Aside from a merino base layer, I bring two or three jackets: wind breaker, puffy/parka and, in some cases, a waterproof shell. Wear as needed.
"Be bold, start cold". Great advice. I live in CO also and the sun plays a big part in temperature regulation. Snow and wind is cold but if the sun is out it really warms you. If it goes behind a cloud then it chills up incredibly fast.I used to run and the mantra for that was to dress for the middle of the race, regardless of the distance.
Thank you for making this video. This is probably the best presentation on how to layer properly that I've seen in a while. Well done.
As an Australian that moved to Canada; I can say Merino BASE layer works best for me even at minus60 wind chill working on the pipelines. I also firmly believe as a fly fisher in winter & summer that goretex- style shells may dissipate some vapour, but get clogged very easily very quick
Have you ever heard Arrislife? Their heated apparels are wonderful!
"Be bold, start cold" this is the best piece of advice, thank you, I will use this 🤙
My recommendation: avoid hardshells except in heavy precipitation or high winds. Softshells will protect against light-mild precip and moderate winds, and ventilate better than ANY hardshell. My OR Ferrosi jacket was a game-changer for me, and I don’t know how I managed without it for so long.
After tons of scrolling finally a comment that also calls out the hardshell overuse BS... way too little people realize this and mindlessly cargo-cult hardshells into their layering system only to then spend time trying to figure out why it sucks donkey balls regardless of how they tune it :(
Hard shell is great for the two things you mentioned. I would add very low temperatures as well. You want a layer that will stop air movement between the outside environment and the inside environment. This attribute will keep you very warm in the coldest of temperatures, windy or not.
Softshells head to toe!
@@johngagliardi8753 I guess it depends on what you call “very low temperatures.” Down to around -15F I’m comfortable snowshoeing with silkweight synthetic baselayer, midweight merino shirt, and midweight fleece. Air movement is what keeps me from sweating, even at those temps. If the wind picks up or temps drop enough for me to feel cold I’ll add another merino shirt or light fleece and maybe a softshell jacket for more wind resistance than fleece provides. I do wear hardshell pants, but with zippers opened for ventilation. This winter I’ll be getting softshell pants, too.
@@johngagliardi8753 That is a very dangerous idea IMHO. You're not only blocking air movement, you're also blocking moisture management and causing it to accumulate. Hardshells have zero insulation properties, they are basically epic temperature bridges, like glass or metal. So what happens if you let too much moisture accumulate under a shell that then lets low temperatures transmit inside...??? Insulation happens when there are pockets of air around your body and when you're not too wet -- those are two holy grails of being outside in low temps. Hardshells complicate evaporation and provide zero insulation. I've done it, I've had a gtx jacket over a puffy in the mountains and I escaped the judgement just because it was a short trip where I came back to my car and could repent and learn from my mistake. You don't get this chance on more epic outdoor trips...
It's about a mindset switch. You have to resist the idea that just because a HS jacket is sort of an impenetrable wall that it's somehow shielding you from something other than rain...it's natural to think that, it's the "animal instinct" but it's just wrong.
I recently went ~ 900 Vm up a mountain in snow, -7C and wind (-11C and 60 kph gusts on the top) and only had a Polartec Alpha baselayer (ZERO wind protection) and a very light skitouring hybrid softshell jacket that only has panels of thin fleece in some places, like the back. I've never had so little moisture on me on the top of that mountain in the past. I put a fleece in between the jacket and the base and went down, warm. Moisture was accumulating and freezing on the surface of the jacket but I was fine. Did I feel gusts of wind on my skin going up? Yeah, a few. Would I feel them in a HS jacket? No, I summited that mountain in a HS jacket before, didn't feel a thing. How did my base and mid layers look on the top? Soaked. Had to change (dressing down to my bare chest in freezing wind) and drag my soaked layers in the backpack down with me.
I've heard a talk from a guy who is routinely participating in polar expeditions and he said that the rule they have when dressing is that they have to be "comfortably cold" -- yes, avoiding moisture accumulation is so absolutely key in their situations that they dress so that they aren't actually all that warm at all.
I'm now at a point where I don't even own a HS jacket anymore. Closest thing I have is Mammut Ultimate, a Gore Infinium membrane softshell jacket that breaths surprisingly well and withstands a surprising amount of rain.
Good video. So many people have very little understanding of layering and how to actually stay warm during outdoor activities. Layering and staying dry is absolutely crucial in cold weather environments, especially if you’re going to be moving.
Patagonia knitted base layer is the best it’s a synthetic wool one peace with no seams
It’s a open weave and breaths super well put it on take it off 4 days latter it’s like a second skin
Sounds like an add but it is the only base layer you will ever need
Hardshell Made of Ventile or other dense cotton based material is my choice for the outer Layer . It is much more breathable than goretex, Its Windproof(most important) and water repellent(light to moderate Rain will NOT come through, tested it 100 of times)Merino and or a warm fleece unser it and ur Good to go
Great video. Man, I have hyperhydrosis, so I will sweat without being hot or moving. It's the most frustrating thing living in a cold environment. I've really become fond of wool products for smell reduction and their ability to wick. Alpaca is really nice stuff. I usually wear a merino t-shirt as a base layer not super skin tight but good for me and then use an alpaca long sleeve sweater and its a good wicking combo. The wools insulate better when they are moist than synthetics and allows me not to freeze. Although it is still much colder being wet under my arms than if I were to be dry.
I'm still playing with different clothing systems for my excessive sweating but the natural fibers seem to fit best for now.
Thanks
thank you for this comment, very usefull for me (also sweat out of nothing)
You know there is a medical procedure now where they can “turn off” your sweat glands under your arms?
@@mrs.c5471 Botox? Then the sweat will start coming from elsewhere. To me this isn’t solving the root issue. I’m going to try stopping caffeine for a week and see how I perform. The sweating in the cold is rough.
Would something like underarm liners help? I looked those up out of curiosity. They're supposed to be essentially pads for your underarms. Would something like that help, at least by keeping the fabric itself dry even if the pad grew moist?
@@rachelclark6393 I don’t think so because I sweat so much the material needs to dry quickly. I’m trying to quit caffeine to see if that helps but 3 days in and I’m sweatier than ever. It’s terrible. I’m always so cold. I’ve heard Botox “works” but then you’ll just sweat elsewhere because the body needs to get rid of it. Idk why I have this but it’s been a struggle since 8th grade.
While snowboarding all ive ever worn is my boarding jacket and the liner along with a tshirt. Been in -20 windchill and only ever had a little bit of chill. He speaks the truth
Great video! Right to the point with very useful information without any unnecessary waffle. These are literally ALL the things I learned mostly by trial and error, wish I’d seen something like this years ago! Would have saved me some uncomfortable situations while figuring things out. Nice work!
I was totally shocked how little I smelled after wearing a Merino blend base layer .I always go for the cheaper synthetics but not any more lol
Merino is worth the money.
I'm a total sweat hog too .there are no jackets that will evere breath enough for me 🙄
Bamboo and merino wool are antimicrobial and good for long term use when don't have washer...camping..ect.
Try Rab. borealis jacket or Rab. kinetic
I'm so glad I found a video like this that is so easy to understand and gets straight to the point! You are speaking my language good sir.
One other thing I'd love to see an overview on is how putting on too many layers in places like hands or feet (even pants sometimes) can be counter productive and make you cold instantly.
Even before working a sweat I just had that experience in Longyearbyen, and I think it could prove a useful tip for newcomers :)
Putting on extra (dry) layers should only make you cold in the absence of sweat if they are too tight (e.g. gloves too small, extra layer of thick socks makes the boots tight). Things that either restrict your circulation or compress any fluffy layers will make you colder.
That might be the origin of the myth that you'll sleep warmest if you sleep naked in your sleeping bag. This is nonsense; the laws of physics don't reverse in sleeping bags. Generally, the more (dry, nonrestrictive) layers you wear, the warmer you'll be. The exceptions are a) your sleeping bag is already more than warm enough and the extra layers make you sweat and b) you have a snug-fitting sleeping bag and your extra clothing pushes on it and compresses the loft. It's a bit of a dangerous myth since if some unexpected cold weather blows in and your sleeping bag isn't warm enough, you should absolutely sleep in your fleece/down jacket/hat/gloves etc.
I like your "be bold start cold" line.
I learned long ago that when doing training runs through Michigan winter that the most comfortable runs are runs that I'm VERY uncomfortably cold the first 15 minutes of the run. And then mildly uncomfortably cold the next ten minutes because it takes about twenty minutes to get my body up to maximum temperature then another 5 to get acclimated to what exactly I'm feeling. If I dress in a way that is any warner than that at the beginning then I have no choice but to stop and shed clothing a half hour into my runs. And that's just obnoxious because I then have to find a place to stash it requiring me to change the route I'm running to come back by on my way home to pick it up or drive back out post run to get it.
More than a few runs ended early while I was figuring that out.
I'm a Canadian runner and one tip for when it is quite cold is to do a 5-10 minute full body warmup INDOORS before heading out for the run, that way heading outside isn't a shock to the system. Oh, and gortex coated winter shoes have been a game changer. Happy winter running!
You warm up enough when moving, so factor that in from the start.
My system has been to only ever use waterproof shells when it's raining or wet/heavy snow. I will sometimes put on a waterproof jacket if the wind chill is extreme to stop the cold air pulling heat to fast from my outer layer. All other times I use a windstopper soft shell, jacket and trousers. This with wool base layers is the most breathable systems and I rarely have to take layers on and off as a result.
Two layers. A synthetic Polar-Tec type layer and my outer coat. That's it. That's all I've ever worn. I've trekked Patagonia, the PCT in winter, worked a season in Antarctica, and punched through the ice in the arctic circle when I was on a sub. I've never needed any more than that and I've spent days/weeks out there.
Thank you for the informative video. I've started to understand "layer theory" since having to do rail work out in various conditions, and it's winter now. Like you said, several variables to consider and they always change. Wearing coveralls, it's not practical to keep adjusting my layers, especially for sweat, but I've learned the value of keeping wind from blowing away any warm air from under my layers by using even a garbage bag and some impervious track pants over everything but under my coveralls. Once I get moving some, I feel toasty, even with blowing cold. I just need to figure out how to warm up fingers once they get cold, because they will stay that way if they lose their heat.
For like $200 you can get rechargeable heated work gloves. Steep entry price, but if can swing it heated gloves are amazing.
Great info. 56 and still learning. This will work great deer hunting. Carry in insulating layers for when I get to where I sit and walk in cooler. In the end I’ll be warmer. Got it.
Marine Corps mountain warfare training: we do exactly as you say. Starting off sucks (really cold!) but dropping from heat exhaustion and dehydration carrying a 60 lb pack is worse…especially when they medivac you out by helo from 8k feet. A casualty is a casualty from a bullet or from stupidity.
Here’s a tip my Norwegian fried told me.
If your sweater gets really sweaty, let it freeze completely and shake the frozen sweat off.
Repeat until it feels completely dry.
😮
Kinda same method we used in my military service swimming in cutout holes in lake at -30C fully dressed, get naked and roll in snow to make water particles on your body freeze to ice and then rub it off leaving you dry
Wonder what Norwegian fried tastes like 😂
as a roofer on a construction site during winter very very helpfull