To start off, no matter the brand, price tag, hype or material, your winter clothing system requires management. It is a whole skill on its own to make sure you adjust your clothing according to your activity level.
This means understanding how hypothermia works, how cold injuries happen, which materials and properties the clothing you use have and how to utilize the different layers to be able to stay comfortable and functional in winter.
It’s not a matter if you are going to get cold or not (most likely you will at some point), it’s about how to manage your clothing to stay comfortable for as long as possible.
I find that for a lot of people uncomfortable equals cold, which might be true but it might also be a lack of experience in how the body feels in cold climates since most folks' everyday life is lived in between +18c to +22c. For me uncomfortable equals to that I need to deal with my layering system before I get to the point of being cold.
You and your layering system should be able to deal with a range from -40c to +10c. Now neither of these temperatures will likely happen during a 24h period, but for an extended trip or if you like us, live in sub-arctic conditions, you’ll have to deal with a wide spectrum of temperatures and that could include a 40c temperature difference over a few days.
Whether you are driving a team of dogs, a snowmobile or simply skiing in open areas, your clothing (and you) should be able to keep you sheltered from wind, sleet, snowfall and the occational rain. As well as deal with perspiration and the accompanying heat loss all the way to trapping as much of the generated heat as possible when resting or when needed.
With all of that said, what does Layering mean?
Generally speaking we are talking about baselayers, mid layers, shell layer and the insulating (mothership) layer.
Baselayer is the layers you would have next to skin. Which should work as both moisture wicking and warming. It is beneficial if it has a fairly snug fit and is relatively thin so it doesnt build up too much bulk.
Mid layers,
Note that I write that in plural, would be the layers that you use ontop of the base layer to adjust the insulation needed. This can range from one to four sweaters (wool or fleece) or for example a lightweight down jacket as a combination with sweaters. The same goes for pants depending on your activity level. Something to consider is that your mid layers can definitely work as your outermost layer if the weather allows. This is where your own definition of mid and shell layer comes in in regards to the clothing you have. Having a windproof/wind resistant and breathable shirt (polycotton blend, wool jacket/shirt/pants) or pants in your “mid layer” system can prove to be useful on cold and dry days where your activity level is higher.
Shell layer.
The shell layer should be your barrier to the elements, no matter if its windy, sleet, heavy snowfall, the occasional rain, wet or dry snow, it should provide you with shelter so you are as little affected by weather as possible. It should also allow for breathability as you do want try and minimize trapping perspiration in your layers.Shell layers can be a bit trickier to plan for, as ideally you deal with cold and dry snow, but you have to understand that it might be the absolute opposite. What this means is that you might want to look at having your shell layer of a material that is waterproof i.e. membrane shell clothing or something like Ventile that has very good water resistance. We tend to use a membrane pant as our shell layer as it gives us the flexibility to deal with a wide range of weather during winter. They are sized accordingly so we can fit our base and mid layers underneath.
Insulating layer.
This is supposed to be the cherry on the pie kind of layer. The layer you throw on top of everything else. It should be of such size that you can comfortably put it on and zip it up while having your base, mid and shell layer on. This jacket could be a lighter but large down jacket that is easy to pack down or a more windproof kind of parka depending of preference. No matter which material you choose, it should be large and of good insulating property.
Click trough the slides to see different layering setups based on activityl evel and weather conditions.
Head, hands and feet are fully reliant on your base, mid, shell and insulating layers working properly. If the system works you'll have great benefits for your extremities. Unfortunatley it doesn't really work the opposite way.
As for head, hands and feet, the same rules of layering applies.
Headgear.
An often overlooked part of clothing is what you wear on your head. Being able to adjust the amount of insulation on and around your head can make a big difference in perspiration and comfort when working hard in winter. Having a thin and a thicker hat together with a neck gaiter(i.e Buff) or two are a great additions to a headgear layering system.
Hands. Being able to have dexterity in our hands when out in winter is crucial for our well being. Getting comfortable to work with your tools and gear when using gloves is important and should not be overlooked as a skill. Liners are great but does not mean they are meant to work in. In our experience liner gloves breaks very quickly if they are not covered by another glove. Liners, work gloves and big mittens to put on top of it all will keep your hands usable as long as you play it smart. Having two pairs of both liners and work gloves is not a bad idea as both tend to get fairly wet depending on the task or activity you are doing.
Feet.
In dog mushing there's a saying that goes: "No foot, No dog".
This means that no matter how good or fit your dog is, if it has an injured foot, it can't run and perform. This is the same for us. No matter if we are traveling by machine, dog sled, snowshoes or skiis, we are still depending on our feet and legs working as normal. Finding a system for your feet that allows you to keep dexterity, maybe have bindings of some sort on and to stay warm can be a challenge. As with all other things, working with the principle of layering and modularity in your boots will make sure you can stay comfortable. Something to consider for your feet is something waterproof. It happens more than once a season, even on very cold days or weeks, that overflow gets exposed on lakes and creeks if traveling over them and that could get your boots and feet soaked right away and would have to be dealt with as soon as possible to prevent cold related injuries.
We have all different baselines of what cold and comfort means. Reading articles like this and the many others out there is all well and good, but knowing what you need, want and like is impossible without your own experience.
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