Forecast high temps are in the single digits in the mountains for this weekend. What kind of gear do folks use to keep warm when it gets really cold? I can keep my body warm with extra layers, but I seem to 1) get frozen feet, and 2) freeze my face/nose when it gets really cold. Any comments on gear for keeping warm in the very cold while skiing/boarding?
I've seen a lot of the polartec face deals with a hole cut out for the bottom of the nostrils, and those look pretty good. Any comments on those? I usually have a helmet liner that covers cheeks and neck and put a neck gaiter over it, but it fogs up the goggles and is hard to breathe. One option is to sit on the couch and drink beer when its -2F outside, but if there is some good snow, I'm tempted.
Top:
Midweight wicking layer on skin
Heavy weight long underwear next
Heavy weight fleece jacket next
Expedition shell on top (full articulated helmet covering hood)
Goggles
One of those neopreneish ski masks
Fleece neck gator
Bottom:
Heavyweight long underwear
Heavy shell pants
Gloves:
OR modular mits with thin gloves underneath
Feet:
Smart wool socks and spanish fly between your toes
Eat a cliff bar or equivalent to keep your core fuleled.
I've been fine like that in -5 to 10 degree range. Above that temp, I get warm, below that temp, well seriously, fuck it, too cold.
I hear day-glo keeps you warm too, but I've just never tried.
Blue Jeans
Hunting Socks
Sunglasses
Neoprene "Masque"
Dallas Cowboys Jacket.
But seriously, a fleece neck gaiter is key. Along with all the other stuff listed above something that's key is to have sausage or lots of bacon for breakfast.
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Nothing in the world is more yielding and gentle than water. Yet it has no equal for conquering the resistant and tough. The flexible can overcome the unbending; the soft can overcome the hard. - Lao Tse
Don't forget to wear fleece pants under your blue jeans...so any ripped areas will still keep warm.
And try to get the nice down Cowboys starter jacket.
You could always go oldschool with the bank-robber ski mask. Serious style points.
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I hope in the future Americans are thought of as a warlike, vicious people, because I bet a lot of high schools would pick "Americans" as their mascot. -Jack Handy
Don't forget to wear fleece pants under your blue jeans...so any ripped areas will still keep warm.
BSOE - you're getting waaaaay too technical. You're supposed to wear cotton flannel pants from Cabelas under those jeans. They don't wear fleece!
Seriously:
For cold feet - try Hotronics. Make fun of 'em if you want, but they freakin' work. I use them in my racing boots, which are ALWAYS cold, and they work like a charm.
Single digits is cold? Try going to Loveland when it's -20 with a 30 knot wind.
For keeping my son warm at Loveland, the neck gater is great to a point. When the wind picks up, we found it was key to have a neck gater with a hood. The hood serves two key purposes: it reduces the cracks where wind can get in around your goggles and it keeps the neck gater from slipping down.
I've tried the neoprene facemasks and didn't like them and didn't think they were necessary. With a neck gater kept high, a hat low, and goggles, you basically have a small hole for your mouth and nose yet you have fleece against your skin rather than neoprene rubber. You can also move the gater to cover your mouth.
Go get yourself a big down ski jacket with a big hood, and a big collar that you can bury your face in without using your hands. You will stay warm, your goggles won't fog from wearing a face mask, and you won't have frozen drool all over your face from the mask either. Besides, the face mask makes you look like a gaper. Mtn Hardwear makes a nice one that you might want to check out.
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