Winter Gear - Must Haves and Recommendations?

[Corrie]

Hey everyone - @Michael and I are heading out to the frigid world of Moab, UT next week and we need to up our winter gear game.

Any thoughts on what's needed for 20-30 degree F weather, dry climate, no snow? Brands you love? Items you can't live without?

Items we're looking at:

1. Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme Mummy Bag Liner - to give our current bags more temp range
2. Clothing - Jackets, thermals, pants, gloves, hats, etc.
3. ...anything else...?

Tell me about your winter gear, please! :)

Corrie

 

[Michael]

Double-layer Underoos? Seriously though. :)

 

[Lifestyle Overland]

IMO, bang for buck you can't beat Columbia outerwear gear. It goes on sale fairly regularly if you're willing to do a little hunting for it. Amazon, Cabelas, Bass Pro are all good sources. I picked up their 3 in 1 parka at Cabelas this time last year for $80 bucks (was $220 retail).

Base layers are key as well, so long as you don't over do it. I like a thin, moisture wicking thermal underwear from Under Armor or similar, then build on top of that. The in-between stuff doesn't have to be anything special, but we love Columbia, Carhartt and Mountain Khaki pants for the lower outer layers.

If you want to be warm, like legit "screw-this-cold-and-layers-and-mummy-bags-BS" kina warm, then get a Buddy Heater from Mr. Heater. You can use it in your tent or even vehicle (with caution) to turn your shelter into a sauna. Sure it's a heat source in a confined space, but we can debate safety factors on another thread, just do yourself a favor and put this in your rig. When you've tired of trying to be warm, pull it out, crank it up, soak up the heat and say "Thank you, Kevin. You are my favorite OB member forever." and I'll just nod back from New Mexico and reply "I know.".

 

[TXpedition]

I've got these silk long johns that are awesome in the cold. Thin and light but very warm.
Also for the tent I have a Mr Heater little buddy. I turn it on when I get in the tent to sleep, in about 5 minutes it's nice and toasty. Of course your tent size will determine the time it takes.
Little Buddy
I also take those mylar emergency blankets with me to put under my sleeping bag if it's really cold. Helps radiate the heat back up to your body.
I found a bulk seller on Amazon a few years ago. Blankets
Of course I also take my trusty Mexican wool blankets too. :)

 

[B Wild]

I suggest wearing something like a comfortable hat or Balaclava for when you are sleeping to keep your ears and neck from getting to cold, at least keep them close just in case. FYI if you cover your face with your sleeping bag to stay warm, the moisture from your breath can accumulate inside around your face and possibly freeze. Not fun!

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[Barton Fink]

.

 

[boehml]

Anything merino wool is excellent clothes wise (stinks less too). Also, a Merino Wool buff is super useful because it still keeps you warm even if you happen to get wet and can be used in like 800 different configurations. Last weekend I used my merino buff in 5-degree (-15C) weather and it worked a treat to keep my head warm. If you're going to bundle up the rest of your body but skip the head and neck, you're probably not going to be as warm as you could be.

Sleeping in 5-degrees can also suck. In lieu of a liner, I used my smaller 30F bag inside a larger (wider) 0F bag. I spun it around so that the hood on the 30F bag covered the front of my face but left a little hole for breathing so I didn't feel suffocated. I happened to be sleeping on the ground too, and a normal space blanket helped to radiate my warm body heat captured in the sleeping pad back to my body. One of the best nights I've had in the backcountry, and I've had my fair share.

 

[Ferd F-150 (Andrew)]

Living up here in Cold A$$ Eastern Canada!.....layers! Next to skin items should be comfortable and water wicking(to remove sweat away from your body). Do not overheat ourself!!! Put your clothes for the next day in the bottom of your sleeping bag to keep warm, and wear as little as possible to bed (except your head).
Gear wise, I have an outbound mummy bag (-10°C), a wool liner, and polar fleece liner. Total rating of approx -30°C. I use a mylar emergency blanket between my tent and fly and another on the tent floor.....now it's a 4 season tent!
Good luck, have fun, stay warm and dry!

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[mmnorthdirections]

So many awesome suggestions, I have some of my own that work for me.
Wool beanie, should be able to cover ears and face/balaclava, greatest heat loss is our cranium!!
Wool socks, as high a percentage as you can find, they wick moisture and still work when damp.
No form fitting clothing other than your first layer, then all over clothing should be large enough to accommodate layers under, the goal is to have space to trap heat loss and prevent wind chill as this is the killer in cold dry climates.
Tent or vehicle must have ventilation (just crack the window) to off moisture/condensation.
Drink as much or more water than you think you need, cold weather is deceiving when you don't feel like drinking something cold.
Warm water/body temp metabolizes faster and you don't loos calories heating it up (no yellow pee allowed). There is my 10 cents.
HAVE AN EPIC TIME and I can't wait to see the pics/video to follow!!!!!!!

 

[Anders0nic]

REI Down Booties. Cant say enough about these.

Wool fingerless gloves for cooking.

Salomon winter hiking boots. Super insulated and comfy for hiking.

Insulated water storage devices. Again, REI is my go to for this. I have many different size storage containers,

Smartwool insulation. There are many different "weights' of insulation. I typically stick with the "medium" grade,

Hot Cocoa and Peppermint Schnapps :D

 

[boehml]

Drink as much or more water than you think you need, cold weather is deceiving when you don't feel like drinking something cold.
Warm water/body temp metabolizes faster and you don't loos calories heating it up (no yellow pee allowed). There is my 10 cents.
HAVE AN EPIC TIME and I can't wait to see the pics/video to follow!!!!!!!

Speaking of... If you have to pee in the middle of the night, go pee as soon as possible. You're better off getting back into a warm sleeping bag than allowing your body to heat the excess liquid that is in your bladder.. honestly.

 

[Toyotadirtdevil]

I found out on my last trip that shoes are now a necessity when in snow. I wear shorts and sandals all year round but my feet got so cold that now I keep shoes in my truck.

OB 1643

 

[NWNavigator]

Woolpower base layers and socks.
Simms Coldweather Pant/Shirt
JetBoil

Woolpower is out of Sweden where they supply insulating garments for the North Sea oil fields. Expensive, but last for years. No special care required. My stuff is 10 years old and still going strong.

Simms is a fishing brand out of Bozeman MT. The Coldweather pant or shirt is just fleece lined, but but very toasty. I'm sure there are other similar garments out there.

JetBoil. Boil water in 90 seconds. In my rig year round.


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[The other Sean]

As already mentioned, Under armor / base layers. If you have TJ Maxx or Marshalls or similar discount stores in your area, regularly troll their racks. I've found under armor randomly for easily half price. It's always hit or miss, but anytime I find myself driving by one, I stop in, make a quick pass by that rack to see.

And yes, Merino wool. Another cheap guy tip, thrift stores. Check the tag on the entire rack of sweaters in your size and look for ones made of merino wool. Around here, most sweaters are $8-$10 and as long as you don't care what the sweater looks like, you can get some quality wool for cheap.

I'm a huge fan of those cheap fleece throw blankets. They stuff easily in to nooks and crannies in your rig and if you are cold, slip a couple in your sleeping bag with you.

 

[Judge]

Chapstick! And long thermal bottoms...not just tops.

 

[ColoradoPacific]

Milsurp Mod-3 sleeping bags will keep you warmer than just about anything else out there. They're a bit heavier and bulkier than some other options, but they are a darn good piece of kit.

Buddy propane heaters are also great. The use the 1L propane bottles, or you can get an adapter to hook up a 20-lb bottle. Built in electric fan circulates the heat even more. Can be found at any sporting goods store.
http://www.mrheater.com/

Tips: Caffeine and alcohol are counterproductive to maintaining body temperature. Opt for hot cocoa over coffee (for the sake of getting warm, but I still have my morning cup), and skip the booze in a survival scenario.

 

[Corrie]

This is all tremendous.

We have a Buddy Heater on its way to our door, and I'm going base layer hunting this afternoon! I think @Michael and I have a plan!

Everyone OK if I turn this into an article on the Overland Bound main site and credit you for the awesome insights?

C

 

[ColoradoPacific]

This is all tremendous.
Everyone OK if I turn this into an article on the Overland Bound main site and credit you for the awesome insights?

C

... As long as we get royalties...

 

[Lifestyle Overland]

This is all tremendous.

We have a Buddy Heater on its way to our door, and I'm going base layer hunting this afternoon! I think @Michael and I have a plan!

Everyone OK if I turn this into an article on the Overland Bound main site and credit you for the awesome insights?

C

Sure thing!

 

[ColoradoPacific]

@Corrie you might get some other good content from this thread...

https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/winter-car-sleeping-tips.2959/