Winter Clothing and Cost

[Bergamo]

I have been walking the local hills this winter trying to get in better shape. Since I am in the rediscovery of hiking, I am using my older but well cared-for clothing: tightly woven wool pants, wool shirts and sweaters, wool mitt liners/mitts, wool hat, and an old but serviceable 60/40 parka.

When I look over the various boards, I read discussions of all this modern, high tech clothing - which I am sure is superb- that sells for some high (for me) prices. Hey, I am still paying off college loans for my kids!

Softshell jackets for 270 and pants for 190!! Any thrifty Yankees out there? Old-Timers (cripes...I am an old timer.) who are still old school? Any ideas?

thanx

[twinplanx]

Well I'm certainly not paying off any one else's tuition, but I can't see spending 50bucks on one article of 'underarmor' and do have an liking for wool socks. Maybe its something to do w/ "cotton kills" that makes me "old-school"

[madman]

TJ Maxx is a great place to look ,you have to keep going back and there is some luck involved. I found a NF pac lite goretex jacket for $99 and an Under Armor cold gear shirt for $19. I am now sold on Under Armor but will not pay the prices they ask. Salvation army and Good will are also OK but a lot of luck involved there. My wife did find me a pair of Columbia Mt pants Waterproof breathable with tags still on for $3.00 . At Campmore they sell for $89. I am also old school but over the last few yrs I have gotten a lot of good gear cheap [second kid in college now] you cant beat the new stuff.

[MichaelJ]

There is NOTHING wrong with wool. I love my big LL Bean wool sweater and it's the primary ingredient in my ski outfit (I don't hike in it to minimize, uh, "smell"). I wear a wool hat when wind isn't a factor, and wool blend socks.

Okay, it's true that if it gets really wet, it's going to be heavy and it's going to lose some of it's thermal properties, but compared to cotton it's still leaps and bounds ahead. Keep it dry, keep the wind out, and enjoy your wool.

Also, as for cheap, you can get a down jacket from the LL Bean outlet for something like $40. Way too warm to hike in, but stuffs down tiny into your pack for hanging out on a summit, or as emergency gear. I always have such a thing (sometimes called a down sweater) in my pack in the winter.

Keep an eye on the Steap and Cheap deals that we have here as well.

Sure, I'd recommend a poly or synthetic bottom layer if you can get one. They really help wick the moisture away from your skin which makes you feel even warmer. They also keep the itchy aspect of the wool to a minimum. And of course some kind of shell to put over the whoel outfit to keep it dry and especially when up high to keep the wind out, but otherwise wool isn't a bad bet at all.

[Mike P.]

I'm still using the old 100% wool socks with a poly pro liner, I find that the liners with heels Vs. the cheaper tube sock liners are much better at staying where they belong so they help with blisters.

Non Cotton long underwear is key, silk works but not as warm as some materials I have old EMS Bergelene which I think is 100% polypro, stuff last a long time, Just bought a pair of Duo-folds in Gorham because I forgot a pair. I think it was under $20.

Because of the way I generate heat, I'm wearing regualr convertible hiking pants on most trips. I had a pair of old buffalo plaid wool pants I used to hunt in back in the late 70's & 80's, very warm, great for bushwhacking

For saving money (this didn't really work - think kid in a candy store but on each purchase, I saved money, just bought way too mnuch) you could get a part time job at a retailer. (I was 35 when I started my 3 year stint at EMS almost 12 years ago) They give good employee discounts

Other options, shop at TJ's, Target, Marshalls or other discount retailer. They should all have 100% polyster fleece that will work as an insulation layer. It may have a sports logo but so what. Priobably can get a fleece shirt or poly t-s there. I tend to wear running shirts also, should be able to get synthetic running stuff there that can double as a top lfrst layer.

If you don't sweat much, you could skip the whole Gore-Tex thing & go with an old yellow slicker.

I'm not on the whole soft shell thing anyway, near as i can tell they are basically better designed higher priced versions of the first generation Polar-tec Wind bloc fleece. The new wind-bloc stuff is not the same as the stuff I bought in the 90's. I rarely ever wear my shell unless it's under 60 degrees and poouring. Last time I wore it in winter was experimenting on a 25 to 30 degree day when I wore it over just a long sleeve running shirt.

In the end you need to find stuff that works for you but wool pants will keep you warm, check the bargain stores, just read teh tags well so you get what you think you are getting. I've received fleece that's mostly cotton before, feels good when I'm doing yard work

There used to be a guy some people ran into regularly in NH that hiked in old dress clothes. Polyester Leisure suits had no cotton in them. I saw him once, thinking it was Libewrty but I have forgotten which trip really.

[Oak22]

I have had lots of luck at the LL Bean Factory store in Freeport, ME. If you're able to make a trip up here there is also a Patagonia Outlet and The North Face outlet store. I have had better luck at TNF than Patagonia. Another option is the Cabelas website. Check the "Bargain Cave" section for some good deals.

Good Luck