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OT - Need some new cold weather gear

ewlsey

Diamond
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Location
Peoria, IL
All my cold weather clothes are at least 10 years old I need some new stuff. Typically I wear long johns, "carhart" type coat, and snowmobile type boots. If it's really cold I throw on some insulated bib overalls.

10 years ago "thinsulate" insulation was all the rage and I have it in my coat and gloves. I think it works ok, but it doesn't seem to keep my fingers warm. Do I need a better grade of thinsulate or is there something better now?

The snowmobile boots keep my feet warm for the most part, but they sure are bulky. I don't think I would like any pull on boot, so I'd prefer laces.

Most times in this areas winter highs are around 30 and lows around 10, but it's frequently below 0.

What's everyone else wearing?
 
If you can find socks made from 100 percent Alpaca wool they are well worth the price I wear them on the coldest days here which can be -20 C(-4 F) to -25 C and am good to be outside for hours in Steel toed work boots. They claim that Alpaca wool has 4 times the insulating properties of sheep's wool. I know that with regular heavy wool socks I am good to about -12 but for the real cold the alpaca makes all the diffrence. last winter on a number of occasions I went ice skating outdoors on nights that it was below -20 C and after a 2 1/2 hour skate my feet were comfortably warm . I also have a hard hat liner made from alpaca that is very nice
 
I wear nitrile gloves a lot. I got tired of picking swarf out of my fingers and getting my hands so dirty that they were very hard to clean. They have a nice "breakaway" quality that in my opinion acts as a good safety feature. I started wearing them under my gloves when I was fishing in the bay in the winter. Made a big difference in keeping my hands dry and warmer under the gloves. I also found that just in general they helped to keep my hands warmer even in dry conditions. I don't know if it is the blocking of air currents to my hands or the fact that they are another layer and trap the warmer air next to my hands. Give it a try you might find it is all you need to make the difference.
 
When my daughter went up to the far north almost arctic I took her to a local outfitter. He recommended mitts but first thin silk gloves. I have seen similar glove liners in Marks Workwear.
 
It would be very helpful to know what you are doing when you are outside. Mittens are good for keeping your hands warm- but not so good if working under the hood (unless you have a pair dedicated to that and grease on the inside of them is OK).

Heat goes where the blood flows- and we do not significantly reduce the blood flow to our head. The old saying to "put a hat on if your hands are cold" does make sense. Our bodies use a countercurrent exchange to help keep our hands and feet warm. The arteries and veins run together, and the hot blood heading out first warms the blood returning to our torso, and what heat is left gets to our hands and feet. This is why we are better off keeping our hands warm, than getting them cold, and then trying to warm them up.

What I find most helpful is a hand ************ worn around my waist, with several of the air activated heat packets inside. This gives a warm place to put my hands when needed. You can even keep small tools warm if you are using them over and over. If it is dirty it goes in the wash.
 
We have been pleased with items from L. L. Bean. They are not the cheapest place to buy goods, but the quality has always been good for us. They went to free shipping some time back, and we have always received our orders promptly. Visiting their store in Maine was a great experience.

As for us, we are solving the chill problem by moving to just below Melbourne, Florida, where a cold Winter day is 40 degrees F. Here in SC near NC, single digest F weather is really cold.

Jim
 
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What are you doing outside and how long are you doing it for.
Your question was kinda like " what's the best end mill ? "
David
 
Your hands ? - join the club, if you aren't taking them already, look in to an iron and vitamin supplement which is supposed to help blood circulation - it helps me.
 
I'd be outside working on equipment, shoveling, farm type work with animals, etc. Not running a trap line or anything miles from civilization.
 
Layering!

For moderate activity I wear a merino mix base layer (like Smartwool), and over the top a heavier wool shirt, sometimes insulated pants but generally only if the temperatures stay below 20°F. Socks are always wool, and I have a pair of Filson insulated boots that are hands-down the most comfortable boots I've ever worn, but the size I have them in do not fit heavy socks so I wear my Red Wing logger boots with heavy wool socks when needed.

I will second the Alpaca wool, although I've only got one pair. Be careful washing them! I find they have a tendency to shrink more, even without putting them in the dryer (cold wash line dry only).

Losing more heat through your head is a myth. Your hands are extremities that are not fed the same amount of blood as your brain, as well as having a ton of surface area to lose heat over. Mittens or "lobster claw" gloves will do a better job than gloves, but as others have said, that may make working with them difficult. Layering can help here too with a thin liner glove and heavier outer glove.

Proper layering traps warm air while allowing moisture to evaporate and pass away from the body. Wool is very good for this, and is not nearly as affected by moisture problems as cotton or most synthetics.

Here's a really good video, not really aimed at your specific activities, but similar conditions:
 
For boots I switch to Vasque Snowburbans in the winter. Rated to -45F, light weight, similar size to a work boot, and waterproof without trapping moisture. Never gets that cold here in the Evergreen state, picked 'em up several years ago for extended winter backpacking trips (we all gotta have hobbies). The waterproofing is nice - I can wash them down with a hose then walk inside, don't have to worry about puddles etc.

Longjohns under Cardhart dungarees, a wool flannel + hoodie under the jacket. If I'm going up to elevation or going to be outside for a long period of time without lots of activity to keep the core temp. up, I bring a cashmere scarf. Wrapped around the neck and tucked into your jacket, you'll be sweating real quick if you start moving around vigorously. Not exactly work wear, but hot damn if cashmere isn't soft.

+1 on the nitrile. We heat the house with wood - Your hands get pretty damn cold between bucking, chucking rounds, and splitting in the pissing rain, especially if it's 3 degrees from turning to snow. Nitrile under the regular gloves goes a long way to keeping your hands warm.
 
Indoors or outdoors and exposed to snow, freezing rain? Standing reasonably still, or moving around, working up a sweat? It matters.

Agree with the above advice re keeping head warm--I like "watchmen" style hats, but there are some nice lightweight "beanie" styles with ear flaps and drawstrings that are good for outdoors.

Generally I always start layering with "silk weight" (not necessarily made out of silk) liner socks, pants, and tops, and add heavier layers as conditions demand. Most common second layer is a pair of fleece wader pants with a bootstrap, then outer pants. On top, a medium- or heavy-weight high-tech thingy, I have a big variety.

Cabelas has a nice selection of reasonably-priced stuff. I haven't noticed much difference between the types of material, frankly; after a few washings the "lofting" effect of the high tech hollow fibers diminishes. More important is ability to wick sweat away from your skin.

Liner socks are really helpful under any kind of heavy sock. Dry feet are happier feet.

I love the chemical toe warmers that stick on the bottom of your socks: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Grabber-T...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n

I wear neoprene waders all winter, but they'd look silly on dry land.

The top layer has to be fairly wind and water-resistant though, whether on land or water.

The "Underarmour" brand looks overpriced and silly to me, so never compared it to anything else.

I wear "Atlas" brand PVC gloves, fleece-lined when I'm driving the boat then unlined when I get to the farm and need more dexterity. If your fingers get wet, or start to freeze, you either need to warm them with an external heat source or go home--the day is done. Sticking them under your armpits does not work.
 
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layer layer layer!
i'm always surprised at how many people, especially down here in the south, just don't get this.
at the very least a decent pair of thin long johns under your clothing, merino wool is much better.

get some sock and glove liners and a proper wool scarf and watch cap from the army navy store, it has to be wool, seriously
i wear red wings that are a little loose so i can double up my socks and i keep them waterproofed with snow seal or lots of mink oil.

i really like my synthetic shell north face jacket when it gets cold or when i'm back in NY for the winter and have to be outside a lot, otherwise my wool lined army jacket works very well down to 30 degrees or so.
 
Merino wool is what has made my move from Florida to Iowa acceptable in winter.

I find merino wool doesn't itch and as mentioned below, layering is the way to go.

For my outdoor jacket I have this one: Stoic Bombshell Insulated Jacket - Men's | Backcountry.com

With that I can go out here in the crazy Iowa wind and below zero temperatures and survive. I also wear a balaclava made of merino wool in the coldest and windiest storms.

Layering!

For moderate activity I wear a merino mix base layer (like Smartwool), and over the top a heavier wool shirt, sometimes insulated pants but generally only if the temperatures stay below 20°F. Socks are always wool, and I have a pair of Filson insulated boots that are hands-down the most comfortable boots I've ever worn, but the size I have them in do not fit heavy socks so I wear my Red Wing logger boots with heavy wool socks when needed.

I will second the Alpaca wool, although I've only got one pair. Be careful washing them! I find they have a tendency to shrink more, even without putting them in the dryer (cold wash line dry only).

Losing more heat through your head is a myth. Your hands are extremities that are not fed the same amount of blood as your brain, as well as having a ton of surface area to lose heat over. Mittens or "lobster claw" gloves will do a better job than gloves, but as others have said, that may make working with them difficult. Layering can help here too with a thin liner glove and heavier outer glove.

Proper layering traps warm air while allowing moisture to evaporate and pass away from the body. Wool is very good for this, and is not nearly as affected by moisture problems as cotton or most synthetics.

Here's a really good video, not really aimed at your specific activities, but similar conditions:
 
Well if you really want to be warm get some heated gear
learned that riding motorcycles in the cold, the cold creeps threw insulation
Gerbing makes a good line of it you can run it off a battery pack
 
You guys make my joints hurt just talking about it. A 12 to 16 hour drive south would cure the cold. Try these stats. Most times in this area winter highs are around 80 and lows around 60, but it's frequently below 75. Winter is officially over the middle of February ;^)
 








 
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