Best Kit for Current British Weather?

[JonnyP]

Today I had on 3 pairs of socks, pants, long johns with rohan iceliners (fleece lined trousers), and wind proof outer trousers. T shirt, micro fleece, thick yak wool jumper, heavy weight fleece top and goretex coat. Also had on thermal gloves and hat...
I was just about ok... I am re-pointing a house at the mo and so just standing still all day...Tis a very cold job....

 

[Shewie]

What do you guys pack in your bag for this kind of weather?

For winter I just add some thermal base layers, a warm mid layer and a decent windstopper. Obviously a hat, gloves and plenty of warm socks. If I`m doing a lot of exposed walking I may use a neck tube to pull up over my chin.

For kipping I use a 4 season bag, a silk liner, thermarest and goretex bivvy.


Rich

 

[Beer Monster]

Since I'm a big sweatty bugger and don't mind drafts I am using Pertex and pile this time of year if I'm exerting myself. Mainly Snugpak stuff as I've found the Elite Pile shirt better than my Buffalos.

When it gets really cold I'll ware some buffalo trousers, it was too warm (1 to 2 C) yesterday when I was wearing them for the first time this year, otherwise its some high wicking longjohns with some old Mardale pertex over tousers on top, I'm a big fan of Sealskinz socks (except the price) and mittens (worn like a toddlers on a lenght of para cord down the sleaves ;-{D) with some thin gloves underneath if its really cold.

On my head usually is a Lowe Alpine Mountain cap with if its really bad a fleece balaclava or a Merino/synthetic job I picked up years back

The only thing I have to remember with the pertex / pile stuff is to carry another layer to put on when you stop generating heat through activity ( to eat, camp etc. ) I've vaious windproof sleeping bag material type jackets which pack down small and don't weigh much which fit the bill.

Pertex/pile (IE not layering) doesn't work for everyone but the day I slipped and fell into a melt water stream, broke my left tib and fib and then sat on my bergan for 3 or 4 hours before mountain rescue turned up (I was 150 feet from a main road but the wrong side of a river in spate, long story), soaked through without any ill effects really sold it to me!

ATB

Tom

I'll second the pile/pertex combo. I currently use a smock from Extreme Outdoor Clothing (see hear for my review). It's great and I practically live in it at this time of year.

I'd ultimately like a merino wool warm layer and ventile shell as these would give me the most options with the bonus of being made from natural fibres, however, they are a bit out of my price range at the moment.

I've always had a hankering for a buffalo/extreme/snugpack style smock, but made out of ventile and merino wool. It would cut down on the clothing options but I think the venting would make up for this.

Maybe someone could develop a merino warm layer that integrates with a ventile outer in a buffalo smock style i.e. the inner warm merino layer has neck zip and side/pit zips that line up with the outer ventile smock so that the warm merino layer can be used by itself, in warm weather the ventile layer can be used by itself but when it’s cold and starts to get windy/showery you can pop the ventile on over the merino layer and still keep the vents open. Possibly the ultimate bushcraft cold/wet/warm weather combo?!?

I see that Brenig make a pile/ventile "polar" smock.

 

[sharp88]

Who could beat ullfrotte in this weather. I wear an M&S thin wool jumper, Ullfrotte 600g, heavyweight cotton jacket, leather gloves and a mariner's hat.

 

[andy_e]

Dunno, I don't have the quilt, but my Aussie hootcie can stop alien invasion in a small localised area!

Now that doesn't surprise me

Who could beat ullfrotte in this weather. I wear an M&S thin wool jumper, Ullfrotte 600g, heavyweight cotton jacket, leather gloves and a mariner's hat.

Am with you on the Ullfrotte, though I layer up with 200g and 400g.

 

[SimonM]

I was out yesterday with a couple of kids from school, temp was around zero by lunch but was -7 when we set off!

I wore a merino base layer (top & bottom), Dockers wool shirt, Fjallraven Forester Trouser, leather gloves (S2000 issue) and a fleece beanie most of the day. The only change was when we set off and stopped for lunch I put on my Ventile smock and wrapped a shemagh around my neck.

In my pack I carried a tarp, bivvy bag, Snugpack pile shirt, flask of coffee and a space blanket as well as all the usuals (FAK etc etc).

The kids loved it, especially when we "cooked" boil in the bags on a Trangia for lunch!

To sum up - lots of thin layers are better than 1 thick one!