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recommendation needed- midlayer without a hoody

Getting Ready

Angel Diva
I have an arcteryx down layer and another fleece one from monroyale also with a hood that has a hood but sometimes I feel like there is too much hood with that and my jacket's hood. I am looking for something synthetic, not bulky and hoodless for a midlayer. Suggestions?
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
I have a North Face Summit Series 800 jacket, but that is down not synthetic. I also have a Patagonia Nano Air (not hooded) that I wear under my shell. I wear one of these two over my under layers - bra tank, wool base layer and stretchy technical layer. I also have a Patagonia Better Sweater pullover which looks to be very similar to the LL Bean Sweater Fleece linked in above...this I save for when it is warmer and I am skipping the stretchy layer.
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
I love my North Face Thermoball, and wear it almost everyday I’m skiing. I’ll often pair it with a 1/4 zip grid fleece. My favorite is an older North Face one, but I also have an OR Vigor that’s amazing.
 

KWlovessnow

Angel Diva
I use a North Face Thermoball for colder days and on warmer days either the wool shaq from ibex or the OR ascendant. All are hoodless, too many hoods feels very claustrophobic to me.
 

ESGCO

Certified Ski Diva
I love the Arc’teryx Atom LT, available with and without a hood. It's spendy up front but mine is going on 6+ years of near daily wear from Nov-Mar (and every camping/backpacking trip in between) because it's perfect for literally every activity that involves moving your body outside in the cold.
I also love the Strafe Alpha Direct insulator- it is hoodless, fuzzy inside, and a great layer for high output activities. (and pretty)
I don't have one but I would imagine the Patagonia nano air jacket is comparable to the Atom LT.
 

DebbieSue

Angel Diva
I still wear classic wool ski sweaters, one with a stand up collar, another is crew neck (Demetre -remember that brand?) over a more technical turtleneck base layer, neck left unfolded. This is under down jacket (when its cold) or insulated Nils jacket when it's not as cold. If it's really cold (like 14 degrees in Maine this past week!) then I add a microfiber camisole. For "spring" skiing, no mid layer, just technical first layer (Spyder Mock T with 1/4 zip) under insulated jacket, both of which can be unzipped to cool off. I'm not the sweaty type, and I find there is nothing like a wool sweater to keep my arms cozy warm. This is just for downhill skiing . . . no uphill or high output activities.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
(Demetre -remember that brand?)
I remember that brand. I had a few Demetre sweaters. Really tight knit wool solid colors with stripes across the middle. Had a really cool black one with white stripes that I wore with black stretch pants. Tres chic...... with my moon boots (in 2019 all over St Moritz)....
 

DebbieSue

Angel Diva
Mine is bright rainbow of horizontal stripes, the widest mid-chest. It is very '70s and I wear it proudly, but not with my new patterned "Ski Diva" pants! That would be really too much!!!
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Mine is bright rainbow of horizontal stripes, the widest mid-chest. It is very '70s and I wear it proudly, but not with my new patterned "Ski Diva" pants! That would be really too much!!!
Oh you still have it ????????
 

DebbieSue

Angel Diva
Yes I do!! It was a very precious birthday present when I was in my teens, and I've hung onto it. It's a bit more snug than back then, but I can still wear it. I'll take a photo and post when I have a chance.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I have an LL Bean boiled wool sweater that I’ve worn the heck out of over the last 12 or so years. I really wish I’d bought more than one at the time since they aren’t sold anymore. It’s a full zip and it’s lined with fleece on the inside of the collar. It’s wearing thin in the elbows from so much use, but I still love it. I also use a North Face summit series 800 fill down layer when it’s colder.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
Just wondering: are the layers everyone is suggesting here worn with or without an insulated jacket? I almost always wear an insulated jacket, so I think we need to make that clear.
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
Just wondering: are the layers everyone is suggesting here worn with or without an insulated jacket? I almost always wear an insulated jacket, so I think we need to make that clear.

For me it’s either or, just depends on the temperature outside.
 

elemmac

Angel Diva
Just wondering: are the layers everyone is suggesting here worn with or without an insulated jacket? I almost always wear an insulated jacket, so I think we need to make that clear.

I almost always wear a shell. I think of a puffy insulator as a substitute for jacket insulation. So it's a shell outer layer, an insulator (normally my Thermoball), mid-layer (grid-fleece, quarter-zip, or nothing), and base-layer (t-shirt or long sleeve tight-fitting layer, depending on temperature).
Or...
Insulated jacket, mid-layer, and base-layer (removing the insulator layer).
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I almost always wear a shell. I think of a puffy insulator as a substitute for jacket insulation. So it's a shell outer layer, an insulator (normally my Thermoball), mid-layer (grid-fleece, quarter-zip, or nothing), and base-layer (t-shirt or long sleeve tight-fitting layer, depending on temperature).
Or...
Insulated jacket, mid-layer, and base-layer (removing the insulator layer).

Last week I added a puffy under an insulated jacket and it was fabulous! :rotf: Though it was also super cold and windy, so surely isn’t my normal choice outside of extreme cold. I did a Smartwool baselayer, a vest midlayer, the North Face down puffy, and then an insulated jacket. Wasn’t the least bit cold all day, and didn’t sweat in bumps either, so seemed I hit a good balance. I’ve been more conservative with dressing warmly for lesson days like that since I can’t just run in and change out layers if what I start with isn’t working.
 

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