All,

I am wanting to update my gear that I bring for 3 season for temps ranging 30 to 50. Please let me know what your opinions are:

Duofold Thermal top
Duofold Thermal Bottom
REI liner Gloves
Thinsulate Gloves
MB UL down inner parka
Smartwool Socks
REI Liner socks
Under Armour underwear
REI OXT shirt L/S
Montbell thermawrap vest
Fleece Balaclava or MH Fleece beanie
M65 trouser liner


I bring DriDucks for my rain gear and was planning on using the jacket as a windshirt if needed. Is this a workable idea? I have all of the items above except for the MB Parka, MB Thermawrap vest, and the M65 trouser liner. Should this be enough to keep me warm while hiking and around camp down to 30? I plan to use the MB parka while sleeping if needed.


Thanks in advance!

-Heath

For 30 degrees I think that you are bringing too much clothing.

I would nix the following:
-M65 trouser lining. The thermal bottoms, combined with your hiking pants should be just fine.

-Nix the thermawrap. The MB Inner works great for me down to around 30 with just a Capilene 1 and a windshirt. I would imagine that with your OXT L/S, Thermal top, DriDucks jacket and the down inner you will be just fine for your stated temps.

-Nix the thinsulate gloves. Liner gloves are all that I need in temps above 20 degrees.

-Nix the liner socks. I just don't see a need for your temp ranges.

-You probablly won't need a full balaclava for 30 degrees either. However you could always roll it up into a beenie if need be I suppose.

For hiking I find this setup overkill. At 40F I only need long tops and bottoms, plus a beanie. I find this setup to buy me 20 minutes in camp before my body cools down enough to feel cold.
I could see the need for the other gear while lounging around camp, it all depends on how much of that you do.
I would add rain mitts to your gear in this temp range if you use hiking sticks, unless your Thinsulate gloves are wp.
The thermawrap vest and MB parka together are definite overkill for anything above 15F.

Thanks!

-I agree on the trouser liner. My legs never seem to get too cold

-I was wanting the thermawrap to put on for hiking since I thought the down parka would be too warm for that. Would you think that the thermals, Rei shirt, and driducks jacket would be sufficient for that use? I have considered making a vest out of an M65 jacket liner as well since it is a lot cheaper.

-probably a good idea on the thinsulate gloves

-The liner socks are for hiking. I have myself convinced that those along with the smartwool socks are the reason that I have remained blister free while hiking :)

-the balaclave is going to be a test for me instead of my fleece beanie. I can use the balaclava as a as a beanie if needed.

Thank you for the reply!

I may just go with the down parka for sitting around camp and for extra warmth in my sleeping bag if needed. Maybe add the thermawrap vest or M65 liner later if I go below 30. However, I rarely if ever do that. What would you think the temp range is for the parka and the duofold thermals by themselves?

I don't think my thinsulate gloves are wp. I'm not sure though.

Everyone is different so this sort of thing can be a personal preference but here is my opinion.

For the lower end of your temp range, I might add a warm (200 wt fleece) glove or mitt and drop the Thinsulate Gloves. In the higher end of your range, the liners would probably be fine. I do however agree with Ross in that I would add UL waterproof shells (MLD Rain Mitts, etc) especially in the 30’s and 40’s here in the southeast.

Is the REI shirt the same one you are wearing in the day? If not, you shouldn’t need it. You already have a dry shirt to sleep in.

I would not take the vest. You shouldn’t need it in camp at those temps with your down jacket, and you won’t need it hiking at those temps.

I use a quilt and therefore take a balaclava for sleeping in, but if you don’t need it for that, a fleece hat should be plenty.

You shouldn’t need the M-65 liners at those temps.

I have decided that I really like a separate wind shirt for hiking on cold windy days. I just find it breaths so much better than any rain jacket. For in camp use, a rain jacket is just fine.

"I was wanting the thermawrap to put on for hiking since I thought the down parka would be too warm for that. Would you think that the thermals, Rei shirt, and driducks jacket would be sufficient for that use?"

I would get far too hot hiking in anything other than a lightweight baselayer (Capilene 1) and a windshirt (if needed). For temps above 30 degrees I would probably just use the REI shirt in conjuctions with the Driducks and leave the Thermawrap and M65 at home-- they are not needed.

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"I may just go with the down parka for sitting around camp and for extra warmth in my sleeping bag if needed. Maybe add the thermawrap vest or M65 liner later if I go below 30. However, I rarely if ever do that. What would you think the temp range is for the parka and the duofold thermals by themselves?"

I have found the down inner to be good to around 30 degrees while wearing a Capilene 1 and a Marmot Ion Windshirt while sitting around camp. If it gets a little cooler then I will just throw on my rainjacket.

I honestly believe that you will be fine down to a little below 30 degrees with the following: REI OXT, Thermal top, Down Inner, Driducts, beenie and glove liners. IMHO, taking both the down inner *and* thermawrap in conditions above 20 degrees is just overkill.

I'll look into some fleece gloves and wp shells for my liner gloves. Good idea.

The rei shirt is the same one I'll be wearing. I generally carry 2 for a 3 to 4 day trip

My bag is a hoodless 35 degree bag. I was going to use the down parka for below 35 and the balaclava above 35 when I feel like I need it for sleeping.

Sounds like I can just save some money and get a windshirt, wp glove shells, and ul down parka for now.

Thanks guys!

Looking at your list, am I correct in assuming:

Bed clothes:

Duofold Thermal top
Duofold Thermal Bottom
REI Liner socks


Hiking clothes (or supplementary bed clothes):

REI liner Gloves
Thinsulate Gloves
MB UL down inner parka
Smartwool Socks
Under Armour underwear
REI OXT shirt L/S
Montbell thermawrap vest
Fleece Balaclava or MH Fleece beanie
M65 trouser liner

For 30F, unless you are particularly susceptible to cold, you won't need:

2 pairs of gloves (leave one pair at home)
Under Armour underwear (L/S shirt as base layer is just fine)
Thermawrap vest (down inner will suffice)
Fleece balaclava (beanie is plenty and is better at double duty for night use if needed)
Trouser liner is not needed.

No pants/trouser???

Finally, using your Driducks as both rain and wind shell is a very good idea. It's also what I do.

Edited by ben2world on 06/11/2010 14:46:48 MDT.

Benjamin sums up my feelings exactly. I'd go with the parka if you like to sit around camp, thermawrap if you hike all day.

Ben,

That is correct on the sleeping clothes. The under armour underwear is just my synthetic boxers. I rarely hike in the duofold bottoms. Normally the top will do

I am going to drop the thinsulate gloves and get the mld rain mitts. I think that will keep my hands warm and dry when combined with the thin liner gloves that I have.

I have a pair of campmor hiking pants. I have those filed under clothes that I wear.

Also, I may just try out the driducks jacket as a windshirt next time. It seems extremely breathable as it is. I don't know if the wind shirt would be any better though.

Ross,

I'm still somewhat undecided on something like the thermawrap. Generally when I hike, it is a lot warmer than the temps at night. I already have a 200wt down vest if I think that I might need it during a colder trip.

Edited by heathpitts on 06/14/2010 17:49:19 MDT.

I agree with the other comments that you have way too much clothing. I would slice it a little differently.

Driducks are wonderful and will work for wind as well as rain. Take both the top and bottoms.

I would dump trouser liner, and either the thermowrap vest or the mb parka - probably the parka -whichever is heavier. Around camp you will stay warm with 2 Ts and the vest under the Driducks. I would also dump one pair of gloves - probably the Thinsulate. You can wear a pair of socks over the REI liners if your hands stiffen up like mine do.

If your fleece Balaclava can work like a beanie, it will do double duty. But at the temperature range you expect, a beanie alone should be OK.

I would keep the sock liners for blister protection.

I would substitute Smartwool or equivalent mid weight long T for the Duofold and wear that or the REI OXT as a daytime top, depending on conditions.

Thanks for the suggestions Vick. As always, a lot of good information from everyone