Extreme/Extended Cold Weather Clothing System - your choices?

[marcoruhland]

main question is for what temperature sitting or in move

it is a big different between-15°c , -30°c or -70°c and than windchill over top so - 30°c and 60km/h is -50°c

so this is a bushcraft forum for special expeditions there are special solution e.g mt. everest or north/south pole or sibirien/kanada/etc.

for that phd custom down suit will be my first choise much better that the "official" arctic jacket from canada goose the mantra parka

i think here in europe ( norway ) -20 °c is a realistic min. winter temperature so this ist my bushcraft/ outdoor/ hunting layer system for that

thermo under wear up to 6xl 2x (under: ts 200 short+t-shirt + over: ts 500 long+polo-neck) so this is a very good isolation in motion this alone with a thin windstopplayer ist enough for 0/-5°

one (not two or more) thick socks: darntough extra-cushion or wollpower 800 or aclima

a good (walking) boot: hanwag fjall-extreme-gtx
there are some boots with more isolation: baffin apex / guide -pro - alfa polar with insert polar liner/ kartank or lasportiva mons cube but they all are for expedition

same at gloves - i use often hestra falt-guide-glove-brown-black its enough if you are working sometimes in combination with british army gore-tex mitts so my hestra is the insert

over that same "cheaper" and thinner but also quit hubertus os tex p. 58 it is enough in rough codition some overpants like jerven or gaitors and a a wool cardigan from hubertus p. 141

and if you sitting long time without movement than a thermo wind sack like jerven up tu the extreme or in my case the very large kingsize or heliport x-trem

in general all this stuff is not activ it is isolation but if yourself cold you need external energy for my boots i use pads in the jacket an pocket oven or something hot to drink so i use stanley master series or a heat sack from grüezi


mr

 

[Paul_B]

Personally, in the UK, my solution for the rare times it's truly cold is to get back home or to the pub/cafe.

I have no idea how cold it's been because I don't carry a thermometer. I know only of one set of conditions because we reached hellvellyn top about the time of the hill top assessor. In fact we probably met him lifting his sack onto his back as we got there. A fact we only found out when we checked the readings and time of measurement.

Incidentally it was -13°C with 26mph winds. Not the worst conditions I've experienced, the Lakes has been colder before now. In the daytime too.

Those conditions I keep moving. I stop for very short breaks to eat and those I get a warm layer on first. Last thing before setting off again I take the warm layer off again. I might feel cold but once moving I'm not sweating.

I think being outdoors in all seasons is about managing heat and moisture. Too hot isn't great. In the cold moisture isn't good neither. There's simply too warm resulting in sweat. Start cool to reach your ideal temperature when in motion. Slower on hills to prevent over heating and sweat. It's often as much about managing yourself as your clothes. If that makes sense.

Btw, I'm British and have no idea of real cold conditions except the rare hill days during a cold snap. Even xmas trips to Scandinavia it hasn't been that cold.

I grew up with stories of Michigan winters from my grandad. So cold you drained your car of fluids at night or lit little fires under them. Seriously, it was a habit he kept over here with little, liquid fuel heater under the engine overnight in the garage in winter. The stories of climbing out of the upstairs windows to dig away the snow from the doors.

When they lived in town most streets there were people with trucks carrying snow ploughs on the front. They'd get up early and plough the neighbourhood including right up to people's cars on their driveways. Community and all that. I think my great grandad did that too.

We simply do not have anything close. Although a good few years back in 2010 iirc Scotland had it bad. If you take the little road of at bridge of Orchy pub you'll get to a few houses and a pub believe it or not. The guy in the house next to the pub told us about that winter. He was snowed in over 2 weeks with his tricked out pickup unable to be used for weeks. He never left the house other than to get more wood for the fire. Being English and living in the west close to the coast I've never had that. Well, once hit snowed in at primary school age.

 

[bigbear]

Mowmow: Your coat has many characteristics of Carhartt coats.
The cuffs frayed, like yours, to make the coat kind of shabby looking.
I found a paraplegic guy who did custom leather work. I had him add
pigskin coverings on all the frayed parts. Looks quite dapper.

Just got me a Carhartt gilet, canvas outer, fleece lined, really good piece of kit for working outdoors, have to say I am very impressed, would look at them for future purchases. Oh, and it looks like its bomb proof, but only time will tell.

 

[Billy-o]

A friend who used to work in the oil fields about 10-15 yrs ago was issued out a red down parka made by Canada Goose. If I could get one of them, I would. It seems much more plausibly built than the current ones I see in the high end retailers

If we are talking about really cold and windy here and I'm not planning on a hike, shoeing or ski but still need to go putter or just be in the weather, I have an old MEC down jacket I can put on. Don't often wear it because it is so warm, and the loft is, therefore, still pretty good.

I put an old Norrona Arktis cotton anorak over that. Big boots, one of them possum/merino hats (good and wicky), lined leather gloves plus merino thermals under Carhartt workpants on the bottom ... if it is super cold, the merinos'll be 250gsm, but then you are in danger of cooking in your own juices if you were to in any way move at all.

Sometimes, I'll pocket a wool gaiter/buff thing that I use usually for skiing ... and deploy for any staring at the windblasted, frozen lake kind of thing that needs doing. Don't need a red chin.

 

[Robson Valley]

I would buy Carhartt clothes for arctic service where oil patch clothes are sold.
My favorite Carhartt coat is pushing 20 years old. Showing it's age a little, worn fuzzy spots.
My new Carhartt (3 yrs?) is a dark brown, shows every known particle of lint, hair and dirt.
I can't wear my Eddie Bauer down parka above -20C without a melt-down.