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What do you wear to stay warm? Tips/Lists

9K views 60 replies 42 participants last post by  mhaas 
#1 · (Edited)
The snow has been GREAT up in Tahoe recently, but it also means that it has been downright frigid :dizzy:

On a couple of chair rides, it actually started to become a problem, because I was shivering so badly on the chair ride that I could barely manage to ride off the lift.

What do you wear on cold days and do you have any tips to stay warm?

My complete cold weather list:
Insulated 10k pants
Insulated 10k jacket
Underwear
Wool snowboarding socks (my feet stay cozy)
Base layer top
Fleece sweater
Helmet (keeps my skull warm)
Scarf
Fleece bandana
Goggles

... all that and I'm *STILL* freezing on the chair. I think I'm going to look into gloves with those glove warmer pockets, and maybe even like base layer compression shorts (I just hate those, cuz they look like those biker shorts in the 90's).
 
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#36 ·
I've rode a lot of -20 days this year and haven't been cold yet beyond a slight chill once in a while. I think the key is to keep your head, hands and feet warm and to properly ventilate when you get too hot. I wear:

- ninja suit baselayer (best thing ever).. I usually wear the hood up under my helmet if it's a cold day
- Analog Transpose 2 Hoodie
- 686 Smarty Cargo Pant w/insulated pant layer
- Holden Banks Jacket
- Burton AK Oven Mitt (these are the best ever! Fingers are never cold)
- Burton socks
- K2 Thraxis boots - my feet have never been cold in these boots yet
- Airhole masks, various other facemasks, balaclavas


If it's really, really cold like -22 I will throw on another light sweater under my hoodie.
 
#37 · (Edited)
I've said it elsewhere and I'll say it again people who use and recommend UA gear haven't used merino or other high end baselayers like Patagonia capilene.

Fitted and compression baselayers may make you feel and look like a gym rat in the lodge, but I've seen the light with true outdoor brands and materials. Looser is not only warmer, it also won't bunch up. Plus the good shit feels amazing too.
 
#38 · (Edited)
I tried a pair of UA Coldgear pants, that cost $50. Sorry, but they were a rip-off and simply a load of shit. Every time I crouched down, they went straight down my ass! That defeated the reason I got them in the fist place- to stay in place. Starter literally sells the exact same thing for about $10. Why is it so much less? Because it doesn't have the UA logo on it. :eusa_clap:

Now I wear Starter compression shorts for underwear (really do stay in place) and some nice warm Starer sweatpants for the base layer... I've previously used the UA versions and these are just as good. Total cost~ $22. I can also just not wear the sweatpants on warm days. :thumbsup:
 
#39 ·
Based on all the snow clothes you're wearing, I would be sweating. Are you sure you're not enemic? Maybe you need more Iron in your body. Like yourself, I was in Tahoe last week, the Temps were -5 F. I had no base layers on, was only wearing an insulated 2L jacket with 15K insulated pants. I was fine! You might want to tell your doctor about it....
 
#40 ·
Thanks for the help everyone!

RichnNorcal said:
Based on all the snow clothes you're wearing, I would be sweating. Are you sure you're not enemic? Maybe you need more Iron in your body. Like yourself, I was in Tahoe last week, the Temps were -5 F. I had no base layers on, was only wearing an insulated 2L jacket with 15K insulated pants. I was fine! You might want to tell your doctor about it....
I actually am a little anemic, but not alarmingly so.

poutanen said:
Hopefully you find something that works for you! The base layers are really important, then gear that is fully seam sealed/taped to block the wind. Close fitting stuff actually seems to make me warmer than loose stuff.
I do think I need to invest in warmer base layers. I have a pretty thin top as a 1st layer, and I don't have base layer pants (though I just ordered that... hopefully that will help).

Tbomb said:
Californians
LOL. Yeah I know. Honestly San Francisco is worse. During winter it's like... 55. During summer it's around 65. So we bitch and moan about anything outside that range. LA, it's like 65-100.
 
#46 ·
Part of the problem might be that you live in a moderate climate and just go up the mountain for a day/weekend. Your body doesn't have time to adjust to the colder temps. I grew up in Nebraska and worked outside my whole life, when it first starts getting cold it takes a week or so of sustained cold temps for me to get used to it.
 
#49 ·
You sissy Tahoe riders.

In Colorado we are dealing with negative temps. Like negative 17. This happens about once a year. It has been colder than Polar Bear shit for a while. I rode today and walked to the bus stop. My truck won't start. It froze.

I wear on cold days:

Skinny leg fleece PJ pants over my regular base layers
base layer shirt
another light layer
wool or acrylic sweater.
good quality jacket and snowpants
I wear mittens with touch screen cheapo gloves
sometimes I keep a handwarmer in my pocket
I have a light polyester stretchy balaclava. Balaclavas stay in one place.
Then I drink Irish coffees

Mittens are warmer, my light mittens worn with cheapy knitted gloves with a hole in them are warmer than these fancy puffy gloves I have.

I also lap the gondola!
 
#51 ·
Patagonia Capilene 3 base (top and bottom)
Padded shorts (great when you sit)
TNF snowboard pants
KUHL sweater...Super warm (cheap) + MountainHardwear compressible down jacket when it's really cold.
Patagonia SnowShot Shell
Sirus face mask
Giro G 10 Helmet
SUprPipePro Level Protective Gloves
 
#53 ·
-Wool socks
-Long underwear
-Snow pants
-Long sleeve shirt
-Thermal long sleeve shirt ontop of regular shirt
-Jacket
-Turtle Fur - Shellaclava (HIGHLY recommend this... its like a circular fleece scarf... it doesn't have ends... and it keeps my neck and face so warm)
-Helmet
-SOMEtimes a beanie under my helmet if it's really cold
-Goggles
-Nike waterproof mittens
 
#54 · (Edited)
I live and die by my under armor here in the easy coast. Full leggings and long sleeve top. Sweats and a T shirt over that and jacket and pants.

For the face im usually in my underarmor face mask, bandana over that for bombs or the lift and my helmet. Google over or under depending on the helmet.

Burton Gortex gloves and underarmor linings for the cold days.

Oh and hybrid mix of socks. Just not 100% cotton
 
#56 · (Edited)
I wear REI base layers usually, and Capilene when it's really cold. My favorite mid layer is Polartec Powerstretch. That stuff is warm. I just got a synthetic insulated jacket from GoLite that I'll add for really cold days (like 0F and colder) when I'm standing around a lot. I wear a cheap fleece vest from Old Navy sometimes too.

My fingers and toes are the really important parts for me, though. I'll wear three layers on both my hands and feet when it's really cold (Smartwool liner socks and gloves, OR shell mittens with fleece liners, Smartwool PhD snowboarding socks, and my boots), and always have a few packs of handwarmers with me. Keeping my head warm when it's windy is crucial, too. I'll even wear my big MH Dome Perignon hat over a balaclava or thin beanie if I need to. That's right, two hats. I can't hear a thing but I'm warm, darn it.
 
#58 ·
The snow has been GREAT up in Tahoe recently, but it also means that it has been downright frigid :dizzy:

On a couple of chair rides, it actually started to become a problem, because I was shivering so badly on the chair ride that I could barely manage to ride off the lift.
With me, it is usually a question of dressing for the lift and wearing too much for the slopes (and sweating), or wearing a tad too little for the lift and freezing in the wind on the way up.

If you are shivering that badly on the lift then you might want to bite the bullet and try one of these:
Core Heat Vest Liner - Gerbing's Heated Clothing
You could flip it on for the ride up the lift and then turn it off after you reach the top.

I've never used the battery powered liners, so I don't know how quickly they heat up.

Their motorcycle jackets and liners work great, though.
 
#61 ·
up top

baselayer longsleeve
tshirt
fleece
shell jacket
downstairs

shorts
snowpants

pretty much the same thing every time. if its above freezing Ill take off the fleece. If its extra cold and windy, Ill wear a heavier fleece. never wear anything on the face. I beleive its a mental thing and once you develop a tollerance for the cold wind you are good. The coldest, windiest conditions excluded.

If you are cold, start using doing something to get your blood flowing.
 
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