Layering..are you a 3 layer player or even more???

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Hey All,

For me being comfortable on the slopes goes hand in hand with skiing/riding well. Most of us know that it's all about the number and type of layers that we wear. How do you dress based on how warm/cool it is outside????

For me..

5-layer player...when it's mad cold...not mad brick..but mad cinderblock..when there are frostbite warning on the ski areas PA system..when your face could turn Blue. When the TV weather forecasters warn people to stay indoors or risk death. For me..a good baselayer of synthetic frabics..perhaps heli-hanson or EMS..skintight..a girdle if you may..followed by a second baselayer like a turtleneck..followed by a thin fleece..a thick fleece..and then a shell..Being a 5-layer player is reserved for the most brutal days on the hill..obviously keeping the face covered up is important and a dew-rag under the helmet helps as well..but it's all about keeping your core warm..

4-layer player...when it's cold..not mad cold or mad cinderblock but cold enough that you know if you aren't a 4-layer player..your lift rides could suck. When it's like low teens or below.,,,in the west.below zero..because the dry cold is so much milder. Underarmour..turtleneck or long sleeved polo with the collar popped..fleece and shell...

3-layer player..what I am the most..halfway between being a 5-layer player and a layer player. If it's 20 degrees and no wind in the east and in the single digits or teens out west..being a 3 layer player is ideal..Still rocking the underarmour..but there's a layer missing..the 2nd layer is a turtleneck or a longsleeved polo shirt with the collar popped but you either have a fleece or shell on the outside....at this level the lack of layers makes for mad steezy speed and air..due to less bulk..

2-layer player..I'm a two layer player alot..either when it's mild or due to being stubborn..I've been a 2-layer player in some frigid temps..you can go anywhich way..t-shirt and fleece..t-shirt and Members Only Jacket..polo shirt and wind breaker..turtleneck and Eagles jacket..whatever you want..but these are the days when PBRs are consumed in the terrain park..the lift...the double diamond steeps like Razors Edge, Cliffhanger and Challenge along with the cruisers...extra stoke if you're riding like Superman with a cape..with your jacket unzipped..negative stoke if asscrack/coinslot is exposed..

Layer player...skiing with one layer..t-shirt, wifebeater, mesh tanktop, Hawaain shirt, polo shirt, dress shirt..or Carhart jacket...extra stoke points for cleavage..on ladies only..exposed trampstamps..and chest hair..minus stoke for flavor savor soul patches..and hippy chick with hairy armpits..

Add your layering suggestions and commentary if you have a short minute..

 

[RootDKJ]

What, no Eagles jacket and jeans? :roll:

 

[drjeff]

Under most non spring warm weather conditions, my layer goes something like this

1st layer, Under Armour Cold Gear t-neck

2nd Layer, Under Armour Cold Gear zip neck t-neck

Then the questions start

Super Butt a$$ cold day, then the fleece jacket goes on as layer 3 and the full out insulated hard shell

"normal" winter day - dry = insulated hard shell

"normal" winter day - snowy - fleece coat then Gore Tex shell

"early spring" day - softshell

On warm spring days, like during last April great warm weather stretch, I was down to short sleeve dry-fit like t-shirts up top.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

What, no Eagles jacket and jeans? :roll:

Definitely not..I wear a helmet mainly due to the people wearing Eagles jackets and frozen jeans..

 

[RootDKJ]

ok serious reply...

Normal day
1 - synthetic moisture wicking t-shirt
2 - heavier moisture wicking zip neck
3 - soft shell jacket

When the Camelbak is freezing up
1 - synthetic moisture wicking t-shirt
2 - heavier moisture wicking zip neck
3 - fleece full zip jacket
4 - soft shell jacket

Spring-like weather
1 - synthetic moisture wicking t-shirt
2 - soft shell jacket

 

[RootDKJ]

Definitely not..I wear a helmet mainly due to the people wearing Eagles jackets and frozen jeans..

you gotta love it though

 

[wa-loaf]

I'm going mostly wool this year.

I've got an icebreaker t-shirt as a base.
An icebreaker t-neck zip pull-over.
Then thick or thin fleece depending on amount of cold.
A new Cloudveil RPK goretex softshell parka.

So that's 4 layers. In warmer weather I lose the shell and then the fleece becomes a vest.

I also just got a pair of 3/4 icebreaker 200 tights, that I wear with slightly insulated NorthFace ski pants.

 

[roark]

5 layers???

I'm pretty much always too warm. Baselayer(usually some cheap poly) + jacket or baselayer + merino vest + soft shell is usually enough to have me opening the pit zips or ditching the vest.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

Underarmour and a turtleneck always. Then it varies from a vest only in 40 degrees+ and sunny, to a soft shell down to about 15 degrees and no wind. Anything colder or windy can be a combo fleece vest with a softshell or step up to an insulated hardshell. Last time I wore that was a coupla years ago at Iceface in some pretty strong winds. My current avatar is me riding the summit lift at WF with rolled up underarmour sleeves and nothin but a vest on......YEAH! Spring skiing thru the runoff is raising my Jones to about a 7.385.

 

[Hawkshot99]

Down to about 10 degrees:
UnderArmour ColdGear turtle neck
Ski theme T-shirt
Shell Jacket
Helly Hansen wicking long underwear
Shell pants.
Gloves- Scott Spring gloves
Helmet
All vents are open, Helmet/Jacket/Pants, dont zip jacket all the way up.

Below zero, same as above, but I close vents, and zip up the jacket.

I am a very warm person if you couldn't tell.

Spring skiing, I wear my old Underarmour long sleeve shirt that provides no warmth, but you wear under sports pads to prevent rubbing. Wear that under a vest.(dont like snow burn when I fall)
Wear shell pants and just boxers underneath.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The 4 and 5 layer days are when it's mad brick or mad cinderblock..If it's 15 below zero..ambient temperature or windchill..it's nice to be comfortable..No underarmour for me bottom or top over 40 degrees..a polo shirt and shell or fleece is great at those temperatures..when it's warm out, cotton is fine for a base layer..

 

[gmcunni]

i prefer as few layers as possible.

usually:
underarmour + t-shirt + jacket

if it is not too cold i go with a softshell jacket, if it is cold i'll go with a traditional ski jacket.

if it is really cold/windy i might throw on a turtleneck + a fleece under my jacket

 

[chase]

It depends on how much work i"m doing as much as the temperature. I don't get cold easily. If its cold groomer skiing usually 3 layers. Cold western/ungroomed skiing usually 2 layers. Last year I hiked in a t-shirt in jh when it was in the upper 20's and sunny and I wasn't cold at all.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

pretty much always a 3 layer slayer...the thickness of the layers change with the temps:

frostbite warnings; expedition weight base layer, Marmot DriClime jackett, insulated jacket (or if I'm wearing a shell jkt, add a vest)

0-30; mid weight base layer, Marmot DriClime jacket, shell (hard or soft)

30-40; light weight base layer, marmot driclime vest and softshell

40+; lightweight base layer or tee and a thermal...only time I wear cotton on the hill.

the key clothing piece for me is the marmot driclime jacket/windshirt...nylon shell with microfleece lining, warmth of 200wt fleece, less bulk than 100wt fleece, and nylon on the outside so it slides under outter layers. I've got one in my car from mid august to june...blocks the wind and cuts the chill, can be rolled up to the size of a burrito.

 

[deadheadskier]

Stepped up my soft goods this summer

This winter I'm thinking

40's - Ice Breaker under armor and soft shell (2 layers)
30's - add light fleece to the above (3 layers)
20's - switch out light fleece for heavier fleece (3 layers)
teens's - switch out soft shell for hard shell with hood (3 layers)
10's - add 2nd under armor (4 layers)
0 and below - add fleece vest above 2 under armors (5 layers)

For the bottom

Spring - light shell with shorts under
40's - regular ski pants
30's and below - add under armor. Been years since I've felt the need for more than two layers for pants.

 

[prisnah]

I have never done more than 4 layers.

Icy cold- North Face or Hot Chili Thermal top, t-shirt or long sleeve or football/basketball jersey over that, followed by a hoody or fleece and then a jacket. Bottom is thermal, fleece pants, then ski pants.

Cold- Thermal top, t-shirt or football/basketball jersey, jacket. Bottom thermal, shorts and then ski pants.

Mild- Thermal top, t-shirt, hoody. Bottom thermal then ski pants.

Warm- Tshirt and hoody or thermal and jersey. Bottom shorts and ski pants.

 

[bigbog]

layers...

Normal temps (3 layers):
____________________________
1) wicking PolarMax
2) Spyder fleece zip
3) Shell (highly breatheable)

Very cold days (4 layers):
____________________________
Marmot vest(thin) often added


Warmer, Springtime(2 layers):
____________________________
wicking PolarMax
thin Spyder fleece & outer-vest OR outer fleece-type

Bottom layer: polypro/fleece, but might try those newer athletic-tights.

*Camelback(in/out of pack) comes along these days....

 

[trtaylor]

Nice thread GSS.

I'm in agreement with eastcoastpowderhound. Stick with three layers, just vary the weight of the base layer depending upon the temperature.

For my upper base layer I like the UA Coldgear. It's the kind of stuff I ask for for Christmas. I don't like spending my own money on it. Otherwise REI and EMS have very good selections to choose from.

I also have a Patagonia mock zip that I'll use as a second layer on colder days.

For my legs I have a pair of Descente shell pants that I really like. For the baselayer I'll pick one of my 3/4 length Arc'Teryx RHO bottoms (avail. in 3 weights). Retail is a little pricey, but I bought all mine at end of season.

Towards the end of last season I picked up a Mountain Hardwear Windstopper Tech long sleeve fleece jacket. Nice jacket, with ample pit zips. If I had one complaint it is that it is cut just a bit too short.Can get a bit of a chill up the backside when riding the lift. But otherwise it's a nice jacket.

Now my dilema is finding a shell and I'm having a hard time. I'd like a shell with pit zips and a detachable hood (or rollaway). I'd like it to be cut a touch on the long side. I was originally thinking hardshell, but am open to going to a softshell. The MH jacket already has Windstopper, so I don't need to double up on that. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Marc]

I'm going mostly wool this year.

I've got an icebreaker t-shirt as a base.
An icebreaker t-neck zip pull-over.
Then thick or thin fleece depending on amount of cold.
A new Cloudveil RPK goretex softshell parka.

So that's 4 layers. In warmer weather I lose the shell and then the fleece becomes a vest.

I also just got a pair of 3/4 icebreaker 200 tights, that I wear with slightly insulated NorthFace ski pants.

Doesn't goretex kinda defeat the purpose of a softshell?

 

[Marc]

For me, it really depends on the day and if I'm touring or not.

I have a bunch of Nike poly pro's I bought for $5 a piece when Sports Authority cleared out of the Worcester Common Fashion Outlets that make good base layers.

I have a nice LL Bean polyester turtle neck or a Mountain Hardware light fleece I'll use for mid layer.

Insulating I'll use either my Cloudveil fleece sweater or my down vest if it's cold. I have a Lowe Alpine down parka if I'm going to be on the summit of Washington or Antarctica...

Then I have a Marmot Gore Tex shell for sketch weather days and a TNF soft shell for sun/not a feck load of wind.

As far as resort skiing goes, I have an insulated Karbon parka that keeps me warm with just a wicking layer underneath and a mid layer if it's well digger's ass cold.

As long as my core is warm, I'm good to go. Only when it's extremely cold and windy do I worry about my extremeties... or if it's very wet (but that doesn't usually go along with extreme cold).


Ask around. I get sweaty no matter what. At the Cannon outting two years ago, when it was frigid and a high wind chill I skied with just a mid and wicking layer under the Karbon parka, and used spring gloves all day long. I still use spring gloves all winter for resort skiing.