Add A Skirt To Your Coat For Warmth

[Monk]

Got this kit idea from a book INSIDE THE AQUARIUM by Viktor Suvorov in which he describes Russian special forces gear.
One of the items he mentions is a type of skirt which can be buttoned on to a top coat which will cover the wearer down almost down to his heels. He mentions how padded trousers make you sweat but a long coat doesn't. The skirt can be unbuttoned and rolled up.
Interesting idea..the US fishtail parka has a bit of fold-out length and it does add warmth. I did scrounge long ago an uncle's greatcoat and I did find that covering your legs with a long coat does keep you warm. Perhaps a polycotton skirt could be added on to a garment? Any DIY kit improvers have any suggestions on this?
Monk

 

[OhCanada]

Try to get skirt material that matches the colour, fabric, and weight of the coat you are attaching it too. If you are making a coat from say a wool blanket then buy two blankets that are the same.

Very important to put the skirt on the inside of the coat so water runs down the coat and onto the skirt and not under the skirt onto your pants.

If you put a drawstring on the bottom of your skirt, or at least a bit of string to the front opening, you can then lift it up and tie it to your waist is crossing shallow water or deep snow without having to remove the skirt.

To attach the coat use a zipper or buttons but not velcro. If you snag the skirt (say under your foot when you go to stand up from sitting) your skirt will come un-attached. With a zipper you may want to add a flap of material to cover the zipper so it doesn't rub you when the skirt is not attached.

With buttons, you attach them to your coat and put button holes in your skirt. This leaves the skirt smooth for other uses such as towel, seat, pillow, etc.

Do not use cotton or poly/cotton for your skirt as it will soak up dew from the ground or leaves.

 

[greg2935]

Sounds interesting, in a way I think I have compromised: I made my own jacket extra long to keep the top bit of my trousers dry (it almost goes down to my knees, using an old saxon/viking reenactment type pattern, and combined this with a modern "outdoor wear" pattern), one unexpected side effect is that instead of water dripping onto my trousers constantly and soaking them, the bottom bit of the coat "sways" while I walk and water is flung off so my trousers do not get as wet as they did with a shorter jacket. Even if the trousers get wet, I use lightweight polycotton trousers or other quick drying material, which have dried fast enough with body heat only to not pose a problem in the countryside. Admittedly, I have never done any bushcraft anywhere very cold but am hoping to wander around Norway/Sweden/Finland sometime in the near future, possibly with the option of a permanent move later on, so I guess my clothing might have to undergo a rapid change as the temperature drops.

Greg

 

[andyn]

I made my own jacket extra long to keep the top bit of my trousers dry

I think this is a trick that Berghaus are applying to a lot of their hillwalking coats now days.

Nice little conversion you made by the sounds of it.

 

[Monk]

Thanks all!
OhCanada..some good ideas..appreciate it.
Monk