Extreme Weather Clothing
By Bryan Martin
Dressing for extremely cold weather when you are participating in mostly stationary activities is one thing, but dressing for real physical activity, like hunting in extremely cold weather, is quite another. It requires special clothing and attention to details, if you want to stay comfortable and keep yourself from getting frostbite or hypothermia. By extreme cold weather I am generally talking about temperatures much lower than 15º Fahrenheit and often as cold as -30º Fahrenheit, plus in these conditions it is often much colder at night. By high physical activity I mean a lot of walking, horseback riding, or backpacking and often a combination of all three. To make matters more complicated, on many cold weather hunts you will often need to sit and glass for extended periods of time, then throw on your pack and beat feet for an animal you just spotted. The following late season type hunts could fall into the extreme cold weather hunting category: Rocky Mountain Bighorn in late October or November, Stone or Dall sheep in October or late fall, winter Mountain goats, late rut and post rut Mule deer, late Elk hunts, Marco Polo, Argali, and Ibex hunts between November and March.
Not only will these hunts typically have quite a bit of snow, but the wind can be brutal as well. It doesn’t take exposed skin long to freeze at these low temperatures and clothing without great wind-blocking abilities are not acceptable. The key to this type of hunting is layering, with breathability and adequate ventilation so that you can change layers as the weather conditions change and as your exertion levels increase or decrease. You don’t want clothes that are poor fitting, of low quality, too heavy, or cumbersome to wear. In these conditions misery could easily be defined as 20 pounds of clothes with excessive crotch sag and lack of arm movement! You can get by with inexpensive clothes when road hunting or sitting on a stand, but don’t cut corners on extreme weather type hunts. I’ve seen it happen to hunters on more than one occasion and they were cold and very uncomfortable. Dressing for these conditions requires rather expensive clothes, but if you take care of them, they’ll last a long time and will allow you to stay in the field when everyone else is ready to head home.
There are five basic components in a good extreme weather clothing system: the base layer, mid-layers, insulation, shells, and extremities (footwear, head and handwear).
For the base layer I’ve found that Merino wool is hard to beat. Products made by Icebreaker, Ibex Wear, or Arcteryx are top of the line! For the top, I recommend a zipper turtle neck style shirt as it covers more of your neck. Merino wool doesn’t itch, is very warm even when damp, and doesn’t hold odor like synthetics. Wool technology has come a long way in the last few years. Several companies even make wool briefs—they are amazingly warm and don’t itch. There are some good, heavy weight synthetics, which will work, but wool is still my preference for extreme cold weather hunting. If you’ll be hiking hard, be sure to pack an extra top as you’ll likely sweat a lot. You’ll stay much warmer when you stop to glass if you switch to a dry top. In really cold weather, it’s not a good idea to get too sweated up though, you can cool down too quickly and have difficulty getting warm again.
For your mid-layers, pound for pound, it’s hard to beat fleece. I usually wear a fleece pullover made by Arcteryx, along with a windbloc fleece jacket. A wool shirt is nice, but wearing too much wool can get heavy, compared to fleece. By wearing a couple of different items, you can mix and match, allowing you to dress for different temperature variations. I feel that it is important to have at least one windproof layer in this category. For a mid-layer pant, I almost always wear a windbloc fleece product from Mountain Hardwear or Beyond Fleece, with full length leg zips.
The insulation layers are where you can save the most weight and this is also where the clothing gets more expensive. There are basically two options: synthetic insulation or down. You can get an insulation layer with a Goretex type outer shell fabric or you can purchase one made out of uncoated nylon which works better in conjunction with a separate shell. Jackets which incorporate their own shells are quite expensive, especially the down ones, and they give you slightly less options for layering. If you go with down, remember the higher the fill material, the higher the quality and in general, the more expensive the product. For example, 800 fill is of higher quality than 550 fill. Down is still, pound for pound, the lightest, warmest, and most expensive product on the market. If you wear down, be careful not to sweat too much or you’ll have a difficult time drying the garment out. Companies that make great down products are: Marmot, Feathered Friends, Western Mountaineering, Mountain Hardware and North Face. The most expensive parkas/jackets with a weatherproof shell will cost over $500.
A less expensive, but very effective alternative to the down parkas is a synthetic filled shell, with a Rip Stop Nylon or Pertex outer like Barney’s Sports Brooks Range Jacket and Denali Pant or the Snug Pak Sasquatch jacket. Both are of good quality and are quite warm. These shells are not fully weatherproof, but in dry conditions, they will generally work well and they are quite wind resistant. Another option is a lightweight down jacket or vest, without a coated shell material. If you go with this option, you’ll definitely need to use a weatherproof shell over this insulation layer. Another feature I really like is a good hood, which keeps the back of your head and neck warmer than a separate hat.
A company called Northern Outfitters, who are known for their Extreme Cold weather gear, has come out with a new line of clothing called the Vertex line. It’s definitely warm, doesn’t loose much loft when wet and isn’t too expensive. When combined with their shells, it is a good system, but it does not breathe as well as clothing designed for activities requiring high physical exertion, like mountaineering and climbing.
My favorite shells are made by companies like Arcteryx and Mountain Hardware as they incorporate features like waterproof zippers, properly cut sleeves and legs, lots of ventilation, durability, and overall quality. For your lower half, I’d recommend a bib over pants, as your back won’t get as cold and it keeps snow from getting down your pants should you take a spill or slide down the mountain. Often times you’ll be hunting in rocky terrain, so purchase the top end products, made from the toughest materials. If you’ll be wearing a shell over the insulative layer, make sure to get it at least one size larger than normal or it will be too tight and uncomfortable. I don’t recommend shells of fleece or wool for extreme mountain hunting, especially in deep snow, as they don’t dry out as quickly as a nylon shell and the snow will stick and freeze to them, making them stiff and hard.
For hands, mittens are substantially warmer than gloves. Only use gloves with a removable liner that can be taken out and easily dried. One-piece gloves hold a lot of sweat and will not dry out quickly enough. You should also pack a lightweight glove for activities requiring greater dexterity. For the head and neck, a windbloc facemask or Balaclava is great. I also pack a windproof “stocking cap” or something like an O.R. (Outdoor Research) Bomber for greater versatility. A good glove or mitten system will generally cost over $100. O.R. makes some very good options in this category.
Your feet are probably the most difficult item to keep warm. If the weather is really cold, you’ll need to wear at least an 800 or 1,000 gram Thinsulate, leather boot or a good quality pack boot, with removable liners. Schnee’s and White’s make excellent boots in this category. If you are in a remote camp, with minimal amenities, then Schnee’s Extreme Pac boots are definitely the way to go. Meindl’s 800 gram boot sold by Cabela’s and Irish Setter’s 1,000 Gram boots are also good choices. In extremely cold and/or steep conditions, plastic double boots like mountaineers wear, may be a good option. If you don’t have to walk far or very often, then some of the less expensive, synthetic/leather pack boots may be warm enough, but they provide little support.
I always wear two pairs of socks, generally with a high wool content for the same reason I like the wool long underwear. Don’t cut corners here, Lorpen and Bridgedale are two companies that are difficult to beat for quality socks. Another item to consider is an overbootie, like the ones made by Arctic Shield or Mountain Hardware (both have synthetic insulation and you can walk around in them). The idea is to stuff the overbooties in your pocket or pack and when you stop for an extended period of time you pull them out and slip them over your boots for extra warmth. I’ve found that if I put them on in the morning, before I walk outside and get my feet cold, that I am much more comfortable throughout the day, but I don’t recommend the really thick and cumbersome ones. Another item which comes in handy are the little foot/toe warmers with the self adhesive backings.
For sleeping in really cold weather, pound for pound, a down sleeping bag is difficult to beat. Several companies, like Integral Designs, Marmot, Feathered Friends and Western Mountaineering make some great products. I’d recommend a bag with a fill of 800 or even 900 fill down. Bob Hodson, Barney’s Sports, just had a bag made for me that should keep me warm down to –35º Fahrenheit or so on the winter Marco Polo Hunts I guide between November and March. Now that is cold weather hunting! Most of the hunters are thankful that we get to return to a heated Yurt at night, but we’ve also spent quite a few nights in a backpack tent. If you have to sleep on the snow, and you are using an inflatable mattress, be careful not to get a hole in it. Sometimes, I’ll combine a lightweight foam pad, underneath the inflatable, for extra warmth and safety. If you are laying directly on snow or frozen ground, even the best sleeping bags won’t work properly because the cold ground will literally suck the heat right out of you.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to purchase the best products for these types of hunts. If you go on a $20,000 hunt with low budget gear, you’ll freeze your butt off and be miserable. It’s definitely worth your time and money to invest in the proper gear.
Manufacturers & Dealers:
www.arcteryx.com
www.barneyssports.com
www.beyondfleece.com
www.bridgedale.com
www.featheredfriends.com
www.ibexwear.com
www.icebreaker.com/home.aspx
www.lorpen.com
www.marmot.com
www.moosejaw.com
www.mountaingear.com
www.mountainhardware.com
www.northernoutfitters.com
www.outdoorresearch.com
www.schnees.com
www.snugpak.com
www.thenorthface.com
www.westernmountaineering.com
www.whitesboots.com