Seeking Clothing Advice.
 

Hi All,

Before I go any further, would anyone be able to explain if one would still feel the cold if wearing 'wind proof' clothing? For example, if I had on 'wind proof' gloves, would that stop the wind AND the cold getting to my hands, or would it just stop the wind?

The reason I am posting is to ask if anyone could recommend some highly effective winter clothing to wear.

Yes, I am aware that there may be many previous posts containing clothing advice, however, since the clothing is not to be used for hiking, cycling, biking or skiing, some of the features of clothing made specially for these sports are not necessary, for example, ski grips on gloves or special grip soles on hiking boots, etc. As long as the clothing is effective, then it doesn't really matter even if it has some unnecessary features, though I am mainly concerned with the temperature, wind, breathability etc.

The clothing is needed for walking, standing and sitting in freezing, windy, conditions for long periods (a few hours at a time). By sitting still in these conditions, the heat produced by any sort of physical activity will be absent, so this needs to be taken into account. Ordinary winter wear just does not do the job it's supposed to very well, so I believe that specialist clothing is the way to go.

For the moment, I am just looking for clothing for two areas of the body:

1. From immediately below the knee to the tip of the toe.

2. Hands.

* The clothing MUST be 100% windproof (not too concerned about it being waterproof).

* I am guessing that it should be breathable.

* The design of the gloves must be so that it is possible for the user to write with a pen, type on a keyboard and use a telephone.

* No cold air should be able to penetrate. (Is this the same as 'windproof'?)

Any suggestions/advice/recommendations would be more than appreciated.

Any recommendations for clothing for the rest of the body would be welcome also, in particular, head, ears, throat and chest.

Thanks.

I still think you should start here: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=83913

It looks like you're asking the questions that are answered in that thread.

Koffee

Hi,
I have a pair of gloves by OR (Outdoor Research) I forget the model, they were about $45. They might allow you to write with a
chubby pen. They are the best I have ever seen for a genuinely warm glove that still has some dexterity. You can find gloves like this in a high end sporting goods store that sells stuff for winter climbing and camping. There are some really expensive climbing gloves that maintain some digital dexterity. A phone keypad with winter gloves? That would be quite a trick.

Windproof would stop the wind, but would NOT necessarily stop the cold.


I take it you're not looking for cycling-related winter clothing then???


Heavy, knee-high wool socks (I use Kodiak socks), and Sorel boots (I use Snowlion) - believe me, those Snowlion Sorels are windproof! I dare any wind to get through all that. They're also rated to -40C/F. However, I will add that the Snowlions are not the coldest rated of the Sorels, the Glacier Extreme are rated down to -100F/-73.3C. http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/2361403/c/3.html (I've never bought anything from the store in that link - I'm just using that to show the boots)
Also, your ski-pants cover should cover the area from the knee to the ankle.


I use ski gloves, for cycling, and non-cycling activities. However, if you want to be able to write etc., look for flip-tops ... but with flip-tops, while you are writing or typing or whatever, your fingers will be exposed. However, you can make a small adjustment to correct that ... wear mini-gloves under the fliptops. That will also add to their wind-proof-ness.


No, it's not the same as windproof - cold can penetrate even if there isn't the faintest hint of a breeze.


I take it you don't live in Canada. Up here we grow up just knowing what to wear in cold temps - it's like second nature to us.

For the top of body, you wear a parka
For the bottom of the body, you wear skipants
For the head, you wear a toque
For the rest of the head, you wear a balaclava
For the throat and chest, you wear a scarf or neck gaiter
Sometimes if it is really cold, you wear all of them together.


Here's a good article on what cold weather gear to get:
http://www.ehow.com/how_111793_buy-clothes-cold.html

Thanks for the advice everyone.

So what I need is wind proof AND cold proof stuff!

Yes, I have come across that same thread before and it does mention alot of gloves, but remember I need the thinnest ones possible which allows writing, typing, etc to be done.

Also, all the wool and fleece gear which is mentioned; is that all ordinary wool/fleece which can be bought from the local market, or are they some special sort or brand?

I've visited the OR website and they have quite a number of gloves. Don't know how thin they are though. The phone keypad isn't too much of a problem; typing would be more trickier, I think...unless ofcourse you are referring to cell phones!

No, the gear isn't for cycling.

I do not want to wear more than one layer of socks, pants or gloves.

So, here is what I think I should be getting:

- The thinnest wind and cold proof gloves available.

- The longest wind and cold proof inner socks I can find (does such a thing exist?).

- The highest wind and cold proof boots available, in which you can also walk long distances.

- The longest wind and cold proof leg warmers I can find (do they exist?) which start from the top of the boots/socks up to the knees.

- The loosest wind and cold proof pants I can find. I don't want pants which hug the skin; I just want them to be loose like ordinary pants.

Are there any partcular brands/types of the above gear that works best? So far, the suggestions are:

Outdoor Reach gloves
Kodiak knee-high wool socks
Sorel boots (Snowlion or Glacier Extreme)
ski-pants
ski gloves
mini-gloves under fliptops

Here are a pair of gloves I've found. Don't know if they're any good for cold though; it does't mention that.

Windstopper Glove (Mountain Equipment) - scroll down to the eighth glove.

http://www.cheaptents.com/acatalog/P...ducts_121.html


Thanks.

May I ask what all this is for? If I knew what sort of event you're heading into, and what sort of cold weather experience you're expecting, and what sort of cold temps etc. you're currently used to, I could probably help you out a lot better.

For example, if you're planning to do the Susitna or Iditabike, and you're coming from a place in the southern States, you'll need A LOT more than what you've just listed there (thin gloves aren't going to cut it!). Or if you're coming to my area of Canada and planning to do some hiking in the nearby mountains, at this time of year you'll definitely want skipants, not normal every-day pants (the windchill factor (what it feels like) right now is -27C/-18F. But if you're planning to do some sort of "winter" activity in a place like Illinois where it will be about 5C/40F, that's a whole different wardrobe.

No prblems, Machka...

I would like to be able to do outdoor walking in temperatures as low as -5 degrees C PLUS any drop due to windchill; not 'sports' walking, but normal walking such as walking around town or walking to work, etc. The cold affects me MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more than it does other people, for example, I feel the cold in the slightest of cool winds in summer also! This is why ordinary winter wear does not work as it would for others. I need something special. I didn't mean that I wanted to wear ordinary pants; I meant that they should be LIKE ordinary pants, for example, I think there are some that golfers wear which are loose like ordinary pants, but they are not ordinary pants.

Would I be able to wear the same clothing in temperatures up to 5 to 10 degrees C also?

Hope this makes things clearer.

Thanks.

OK, so we're not talking about really cold temps then. And if you are not familiar with any of the terms below (some are very Canadian), I can define them for you.

All right, first and foremost ... your body looses most of its heat through your head, therefore the most important thing you will get is some sort of head covering: a toque, a balaclava, or in somewhat warmer temps, a headband. (scroll down for the winter headgear)
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_l...=1107754768707

Then you'll want a good coat or jacket. If you are doing a lot of walking, you probably don't want anything longer than mid-thigh. Down-filled is the warmest, but it is also the most expensive. However, there are some good synthetic jackets out there.
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_l...=1107755367407

For your hands, as I suggested before, mini-gloves under flip-tops should do the trick. When it is warmer, you won't need the mini-gloves.
(You can pick up mini-gloves for about $1 in Walmart)
You can pick up flip-tops for about $5-10 in Walmart, but here's an example of a pair from Canadian Tire - the ones I have are Thinsulate fleece, and I know Walmart sells wool ones, but these ones look a bit more heavy duty:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortmen...romSearch=true


On your legs - on colder days go for ski-pants, on warmer days go for wind/splash pants. If you wear ski pants, you can get away with one layer of normal clothing underneath. If you go for wind/splash pants, in cooler temps you'll need long underwear, but they'd be fine in warmer temps with one layer of normal clothing underneath.
(You can pick up wind/splash pants for about $10 in Walmart)

As for your feet, at those temps, I'm fine in my Thinsulate boots with wool socks. I don't get into my Sorels until the temperature gets pretty chilly (much colder than the temps you've mentioned). Of course, I have both types of boots, and that might be an option for you to consider - a lighter pair for warmer days, and a heavier pair for colder days. The Thinsulate boots are like hiking boots, but warmer, and are easier to walk in than the Sorels. You probably wouldn't want to walk too far in the Sorels - the longest I've done is about 10 kms and by the time I finish, my feet hurt a bit.

I have included links from the store: Mountain Equipment Coop, a well-known sporting goods store here in Canada to show you what I mean. Have a browse around that store, you'll get some good ideas. I think they also have some articles discussing the materials that go into the clothing etc.

For legs don't forget layers are better than one item. If it is really cold I wear leg warmers (bike) and over pants.

Hands - good quality ski gloves, with small warmer glovces underneath if needed.

On top layeres, layers and more layers that is the name of the game.

OK, thanks guys.

Me again!

Just wanted to ask if bicycle shoes/boots were suitable to walk in, or are they only for cycling? Something like these:

http://www.mtbbritain.co.uk/gaerne_p...es_review.html

Thanks.

You can walk in them, but if you walk in snow, you'll get snow up in the cleat area. That'll have to be cleaned out ASAP or the cleats will rust. Also the cleat area tends to transmit cold because it is metal.

These would not be ideal to walk in for any period of time. The soles look very hard. Best bet is to get an ordinary walking boot and use rat traps when pedalling.

Most bicycle boots are designed a) for Summer and b) to let heat out through sides

Most walking boots for more extreme weather are designed to do the exact opposite.

We don't get snow here in Ireland much, but, I have gone skiing abroad, I cannot imagine that cleats are good for walking long way in snow. Metal plate and also water and salt etc. will eventually work its way up through boot.

Go look at web site icebiker.com for more extreme bicycle clothes.

In summary much bicycle clothing is designed to let out heat and let you breath. This is why layers is the way to go, as you can adjust to the changing temp. Most more extreme clothing is designed to keep you warm and keep more heat in. You have a conflict here always in my experience.

Thanks again for all the good advice.

The only thing which I have come even close to deciding about is the SealSkinz 'Long Light Merino Socks' mainly because they are long, but also due to the windproof factor. I am puzzled as to why most socks I've seen are short. Is there any reason for this? Why are long socks so rare?

Another thing which I have found is that everywhere you look, the items are made from material which keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. The thing is, I don't want to be cool in summer; I want to be warm/hot in summer as well! Is there a particular type of material/brand that would accommodate this? I don't think overheating would be a problem as I won't be partaking in any strenuous activity, and my feet don't need cooling as they are cold in summer as well. Any suggestions?

I would like all the rest of the gear to be like that also, not just the socks.

I don't play outdoor sports in summer either unless it is HOT. Is there any suggestions for headgear in which I could play outdoor sports in summer but which does not cause a sweaty, damp head?

Thanks.

I do alot of riding in winter and the only specialist cycling gear I use are padded shorts, worn as underwear. Everything else is generic hiking/outdoor kit. Cycling kit is not good for non-cycling uses, it is too tight and clingy and the material can be itchy /scratchy.
Almost any outdoor shop can kit you up with windproof polycotton pants, thermal inners, fleecy/insulated midlayers and windproof jackets , hats, gloves, neckwarmers etc. Check out the REI catalogue.
One good solution may be a pile/pertex suit. In the UK the main manufacturere is Buffalo. They are popular with fishermen and mountain rescue teams.

Thanks Michael.

I really like Columbia gear. I recently purchased a $230 coat with inner liner from Kohl's on sale for $100. The warmth of this coat can not be beat. Also, their boots have what is known as a frost plug which keeps the cold from standing on concrete making your feet really cold. Just my preferences as I do not the cold at all and shiver very easily and these keep me warm and therfore happy.

Columbia coat and boots added to the list of things to investigate...

Hi: in response to what to wear in the winter. Let me start by saying that I live in Canada were the temp can dip to -40 in minutes and I do cycle in this weather. I don't know of many product that will keep one warm when not moving -movement is essential to stay alive at these temps. For example I can wear two layers on my bottom half when cycling (long underwear and an insulated pant) and remain toasty warm but have nearly frozen to death waiting for a bus with underwear,pants and a ski pant. It sounds like you might venture into mountain climbing gear- the type for the Himalayas. The secret is to layer sufficently not to sweat as the moisture will chill your body and lead quickly to hypothermia. There are many Canadian and American clothing suppliers for good cold weather gear. Some tips that I can offer from my experience are:
Wear clothing in layers and start with a moisture wicking base layer (underwear) NEVER wear cotton!!!
Keep it lightweight so as to reduce sweating - I''m sure you will be moving a little.
Always wear a wind repellant fabric for the outer layer (these are fabrics that don't make "crunchy"
sounds when exposed to cold).
For hands-the hardest to keep warm- try a marino wool liner mitt with windproof,insulated outer mitts used for mountaineering(they are pricey). Finger gloves will never be as warm as mitts. As an added tip I have found that rubbing a non greasey hand cream on your hands before you put your liner mitts on works well. It seems to insulate your hands and helps retain heat as long as you keep your mitts on.

I have been commuting and riding centuries during the winter months. The best clothing at a reasonable price is from Foxwear, which can be found at www.foxwear.net

When I lived way up in the frozen northwoods of Wisconsin, I rode my bike to work irregardless of snow and subzero weather.

I was always nice and toasty warm in a one piece ski outfit.