The Art of Layering for Winter Camping
This is when we were on our way home; therefore birks ad leggings will be just fine in a warm truck!
Winter camping can be incredibly fun, and it’s an experience that you’ll never forget once you try it. However, it can be difficult to figure out the right clothing to wear if you haven’t done it before—and even then, there are tricks to ensuring that your winter camping clothing keeps you warm while still being breathable and functional! This guide will walk you through five essentials of winter camping outfits and help you stay comfortable while escaping the city’s bustle and taking in nature’s serenity.
Base Layers
I hear more women than men ask me, "will my LuLu Lemon leggings be okay for the snow and keep me warm?" The answer is no; having a pair of leggings on under another pair of pants is better than nothing; however, if you are trying to stay warm and going to be sleeping in a tent, rooftop tent, or winter hiking, anything is cold weather, LuLu Legging or any other athletic legging and cotton will NOT do the job. That said, you don't have to go out and buy the best of the best brands. I believe investing in proper winter clothing will only benefit you. There are brands out there that do the same job that Patagonia does and won’t break the bank.
With base layers, they come in many colors, brands, weights, fabrics, and styles. The most important part of having base layers is ensuring they are wool. Merino wool is what is going to keep you the warmest. There are different materials that base layers come in if you are allergic to wool. Synthetic base layers are another option other than wool and act as wool would. If you want something extremely lightweight, silk is another option for a base layer.
Each base layer comes in a different weight as well.
ultra-lightweight: REI Co-op Silk V-Neck Shirt
lightweight: REI Co-op Lightweight Base Layer Long Sleeve Crew Top
Midweight: Smartwool Intraknit
200 Crew Base Layer Top
heavyweight: Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Zip Neck
Long Underwear Top
With different base layers, you would pick the fabric and weight based on personal preference and the activities you might be doing. Here is a basic layout of how each material performs. Silk base layers are ultra-lightweight but aren't the best for moisture-wicking or odor resistant. Merino wool is excellent for sweat, odor resistance, and warmth. Synthetic material is the best for moisture wicking but not for odor resistance. Each base layer is truly a personal preference!
Pants:
Depending on your activity, you don't need to wear hard-shell pants unless you are doing some snow activity or need completely waterproof pants. Some examples of good outdoor pants that you can layer are PrAna Pants, Kuhl pants, or Volcom Trail Master pants. Each style will be a personal preference, but these are all great brands to layer on top of your base layers that are durable, water resistant, and great for movement.
Insulation Layer
After your baselayers, you will move onto the mid-layers, aka the insulation. These jackets could be made from fleece, down, or synthetic fill. The purpose of the insulation layer is to generate heat. Each material also has its benefits. Fleece is a great option and also a cute option for just casual wear. Even if your fleece gets wet, it won't take on 1% of its weight and will dry quickly, keeping you warm. Another perk of fleece is it is typically cheaper than other insulation options. One downside is if you're going backpacking or are limited on space, fleece isn't going to compact easily.
The next option for insulation is a down-filled jacket. Down is an excellent insulator because it is compressible and has a great warmth-to-weight ratio. Do not wear down if you are in the rain, snow that will melt on your jacket, or any other water. Down takes a very long time to dry when wet and will also not keep you warm if the jacket is wet. While working at REI, I get a common question: What down jacket is the warmest? Again, everything is a personal preference.
But numbers-wise
Arc'teryx Thorium AR Down Hoodie:
Fill power- 750
Fill weight- 130 grams
Arc'teryx Thorium AR Down Hoodie is WARMER than
Arc'teryx Cerium SL Hoodie:
Fill power- 850
Fill weight- 55 grams.
You want to look at the warmth-to-weight ratio. The SL hoodie has a higher fill power. Still, the AR hoodie has higher fill power and weight, ultimately making it warmer.
Next is synthetic fill. Synthetic fill jackets are great for wet climates. If the synthetic gets wet, the jacket is highly water resistant, dries quicker, and maintains most of its warmth when wet! Synthetic fill is also highly compactible.
Outer Layer
Next is a hardshell windproof jacket. Windproof garments are made from materials that do not allow wind to pass through them. This keeps the layers underneath and the wearer's skin protected from wind, which can otherwise expedite heat loss. This type of outer layer is excellent for activities such as running, cycling, hiking, kayaking, and walking.
Hardshell that are waterproof/non-breathable. The purpose of this outer layer is to keep water out, which means that moisture inside the jacket will also not be allowed to leave. An example would be a rain poncho.
Hardshell that is waterproof/breathable. Examples of these are TOP: REI Co-op Rainier Rain Jacket
BOTTOM: REI Co-op Rainier Full Zip Rain Pant
TOP: Outdoor Research Helium Rain Jacket
BOTTOM: Outdoor Research Helium Rain Pants
This all might seem way more complicated than it is. The perfect setup is baselayers, a fleece, more minor down/synthetic, heavier down synthetic, and an optional hardshell on the outside.
Footwear
Just like the base layer, make sure you have wool socks. For shoes, if you're going to be in the snow, an insulated snow boot will be perfect. Still, if you're going to be hiking without snow, I wear Blundstones around camp, and then I have Solomon Hiking boots for more extensive hikes.
Examples of what I wear while winter camping!
For example, this is everything I wear while winter camping, and we have camping in weather that has been 10 degrees - 100 degrees. Below is a list of what I wear for COLD weather:
Base Layers:
Patagonia Capilene Air hood and Pants
Insulated layers
Patagonia Fleece
Patagonia Nano Puff
Patagonia Macro puff w/ Hoodie
Pants: I wear PrAna pants on top of my Base layers! perfect for layering. They are durable and moisture wicking.
Sock: Smartwool socks
Shoes: Blundstones or NorthFace insulated snow boots
Beanie: Columbia wool beanie with a nice thick pile inside to keep your head toasty warm. For some people it may be tempting to just stay inside the tent all day long but you can't always do that when you're out in the wilderness so come prepared with these winter camping ideas on how to stay warm while out there!
Gloves: NorthFace insulated gloves
