Please share your layering tips...

[soundgarden]

Hi everyone,

I am headed to Tremblant in a few weeks, and I believe that it will be the coldest conditions that I have ever skied in. I was wondering how cold weather skiers layer themselves. These were my initial thoughts...

Bottoms: An Underarmour type base layer, sweats in the middle, and ski pants on top.

Top: An Underarmour type base layer (or any type of "wicking" shirt), 2-3 layers of sweat shirts in the middle plus a fleece, main ski jacket on top.

Face: Face mask

Hands: Thin running gloves as a base layer, Mittens on top (with warmers in there)

Feet: I just bought these SmartWool skiing socks, so I hope that they do the trick.

Is the above enough? Am I blatantly missing anything? I get cold pretty easily, so the more layers (or the "smarter" the layers) the better. I would love to hear how other skiers layer themselves in frigid/windy conditions.

(There are some similar threads to this one, so please merge this thread if needed...) Thanks.

 

[Severine]

Try to avoid cotton. Cotton, while "breathable", stays wet. I usually go for a base layer like Techwick, then a fleece or thicker Techwick layer, then my jacket and ski bibs. Granted, I've never skied at Tremblant, but I have skied when it was single digits around here and that worked well for me.

 

[Robyn]

I agree, stay away from those sweatshirts and pants, they'll hang on to any moisture from sweat and freeze. Not fun. I'll post what I do on super cold days (like 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below before windchill):

Top: Thin, technical fabric tank top, technical fabric base layer, fleece, soft shell, outer shell.

Face: Balaclava under my helmet. These can be worn under a hat if you don't have a helmet and I recommend highly for cold weather.

Bottom: Baselayer, ski pants.

Feet: Good socks. You can get feet warmers like the hand warmers if you need them.

Hands: Just make sure those running gloves aren't cotton.

 

[soundgarden]

I suppose that I had figured that if the sweats were in between wicking layers then it would be okay, but it sounds like even these layers can get wet & freeze. Yikes! I'll remove those layers and substitute them appropriately. My running gloves are a thin, lyrcra-ish material, so that should work well.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Jilly]

From the Tremblant regular
1. base layer top - a must either MEC or Mark's workwarehouse
2. light fleece or something similar - Salomon motomesh etc
3. HH fleece or soft shell
4. Coat
5. expedition weight lower base layer (SD) or my fav - Mark's work wearhouse heavy fleece
6. Ski pant
7. neckie - double fleece bandit
8. helmet with goggles
9. Swany gloves or MEC gloves
10. Lorpen ski socks
That's what I have on in my avitar and that was the coldest day last year. I pulled the bandit down for the pic and to talk to Matt and Russ.
Get rid of the sweatshirts - too much cotton, wear wool if you can, or get a heavier fleece. In fact I think you have too much on and your getting cold because of it. The idea is to insulate and protect from the wind. Tremblant is windy - trembling mountain. Make sure all portals into your body are closed. That's why the neck tube/bandit seals the top of the coat. Gloves/mitts need to be longer so they go pass the end of the sleeves to seal again. You need to produce some heat to keep the inner most layer warm - base layer and then the next layer keeps the heat in with insulation. Then your coat/pants protects agains the wind.

Soundgarden - check out JB's lastest Tremblog.com

 

[soundgarden]

Jilly & others, thanks again. I'm definitely getting a better idea of how to layer myself. I think that I will end up having to purchase a better face mask. When I first started all of this, I just randomly bought things as I needed them, and most weren't quality pieces. I think that a little extra money will go a long way towards making sure that I am warm. :D

Oh, I saw the blog. Looks like snow!! It's going to be great.

 

[Pequenita]

7. neckie - double fleece bandit

Holy cow. I read too quickly, saw "Necktie" and thought, "What the heck is Jilly doing wearing neckties while skiing??? Crazy Canuck." Granted, I'm still not sure what a neckie is, but I'm assuming it's a neck gaiter....

 

[Robyn]

Holy cow. I read too quickly, saw "Necktie" and thought, "What the heck is Jilly doing wearing neckties while skiing??? Crazy Canuck." Granted, I'm still not sure what a neckie is, but I'm assuming it's a neck gaiter....

I read it as necktie as well.

The reason I like balaclavas on cold days is because it offers a very secure covering of ears which often get uncovered from hats.

 

[Jilly]

Heh at least I didn't say "toque". soundgarden, you can get a face mask with neck tube/gaiter at the Magasin de Place or the Grand Manitou. They always have them in stock for you Americans and Brits who think its cold!!

More snow on the way this week. Keep in touch with JB.

 

[soundgarden]

I own the face/neck mask combo, and I figured out what a "gaiter" was :D. My s/o and I will start picking up what we need this weekend.

On Sunday, we will be heading to either Wachusett (our local mountain) or elsewhere (Crotched/Mt. Snow) if we are motivated. It won't be MT cold, but it will be good to give our newly enhanced layering techniques a trial run.

By the way, a kind SkiDiva'er PMed me and let me know that my recent ski purchase (unused, circa-1998, Rossi skis) were probably too long & of the "older" technology. So, I ended up buying some Fischer Vision 70 skis, which I will be trying out this upcoming weekend - I cannot wait!!

 

[Gloria]

Less can be more

Depending on how hard you ski, or how good of shape you are in, too many layers can be worse than not enough. Not to be gross, but the better shape you are in the easier your body will break a sweat. I have found that I actually stay warmer with just a light capilene or wool wicking layer and a vest under my shell on the average day, if it is a cold day I will add a long sleeve synthetic, in a medium weight, too thick is too unbreathable. I think sometimes we put to much on and end up getting colder because we are actually perspiring more which can get dang cold while sitting on the chair no matter how breathable your layers claim to be. The beauty of layering is that you can take it off or add to it. appropriately dressed you should feel a little cold as you start off the day, and should become comfortable as you start moving. If you feel warm when you go outside before you start moving, you are definately wearing too much and will end up freezing your a double off.

 

[Jilly]

Tremblant temperatures in January can run down to -20 degree C. December can be a mixed bag, rain and warm, cold ato -20 too. Layering is so important and covering up all the skin!

 

[pinto]

Use a vest! I always wear a vest somewhere. Usually under the shell, over the fleece. I have insulated vests and fleece vests. The vest keeps that core warm and is one extra layer without bulking up your arms too much.

 

[ISki]

Soundgarden, when you say "sweats/sweat shirt" do you mean the slouchy roomy cotton type?

Edit: Nevermind. I just saw that you already are going to substitute. That's good.

 

[soundgarden]

I am quickly learning. I've been surfing the web for some good quality silk & heavyweight tops & bottoms, as well as a good balaclava. One of my siblings kindly bought me a balaclava last year, but he inadvertently picked out a medium youth one, and it's really tight, so I will have to add that to my list too

Thanks everyone, for the tips. I really, really, appreciate them all!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Sugarloaf, Maine, my home mt, gets nippy too, and we are well known for nasty winds that close the chairlifts. Even today, my first day of the season, was wicked windy and nippy. I wear light polar fleece as a base layer (pants are 4-way stretch, shirt is t-neck zip), insulated pants, a fleece jacket with windblocking laminate, and an insulated jacket. Helmet liner/balaclava gets pulled up to cover all but my nose and mouth.

Does your jacket have a hood? Will you be wearing a helmet? One of the great things about helmets is that they're WARM, along with the obvious other advantages (close the vents). A hood that's big enough to fit over a helmet (most new jackets do) is a nice thing to have on the cold chairlift ride. I'm not a big mittens fan, but if it gets cold enough, I relent and also use glove liners under.

I heartily agree with all those who say that trapped moisture is your absolute worst enemy. I do tend a break a sweat when I ski. If your jacket doesn't transfer moisture, you'll be the first to know: there will be ICE trapped between its layers!! (At least 3 jackets I've owned have done this.) Don't take your mittens off for any reason when on chairlift. Most of us get driven inside by cold extremities: hands, feet, face. If you do get extremely cold or someone notices ANY exposed skin that's getting whitish, GO INSIDE. Frostbite and hypothermia are bad news. Listen to your body!

 

[Kano]

Sounds like you've gotten good advice already and I'll just second it. Your initial post made me think of that little kid in that movie -- what the heck was it called, last Christmas time, with the kids, and the dad won a "Leg Lamp" -- mom bundled up the little brother and he hollered, "I can't put my arms down!" and every time mom smooshed 'em down, they'd pop back out to the sides. Then he'd be trying to run along after big brother, and tip over, like a turtle on its back!

Gotta avoid that scenario at all costs!

My thing: mock turtles with quarter zip front -- just in case I need venting!

Kano

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Use a vest! I always wear a vest somewhere. Usually under the shell, over the fleece. I have insulated vests and fleece vests. The vest keeps that core warm and is one extra layer without bulking up your arms too much.

Plus a vest and a turtle neck are really cool to walk around the ski lodge in! :D

 

[soundgarden]

....Does your jacket have a hood? Will you be wearing a helmet? One of the great things about helmets is that they're WARM, along with the obvious other advantages (close the vents). A hood that's big enough to fit over a helmet (most new jackets do) is a nice thing to have on the cold chairlift ride. I'm not a big mittens fan, but if it gets cold enough, I relent and also use glove liners under.....

My jacket does have a hood, & I do wear a helmet. Naturally when I bought my jacket, I didn't even think to try my helmet on beneath it. Sigh. I'll do that tomorrow.

As for my jacket not being effective, well, I can only hope that it is. It's a Spyder Recluse (with a removable fleece liner). I do have to say that I love mittens - making the glove to mitten switch made a huge difference for me last year. I definitely agree that a helmet helps in the warmth area. Thanks!!!

 

[w.ski]

I love my Swany mittens. They have liners, and zippers on the backs so I can unzip them and stick my fingers out for anything that needs dexterity (locking skis, etc) without taking the mittens off. Also, it's easy to stick hand warmers in through the zippered part on those really cold days.