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Skateboarding => Shoes & Gear => Topic started by: shpongle on December 18, 2021, 06:35:21 AM
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if anyone can be me in the right direction. just moved to NYC from LA and i have no winter clothing. i am freezing lol. i dont know if puffer jackets or wool coat would be better. also i am going to get some wool socks because my feet are gettin fucked
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Layers are your friend. It really depends on the temps but I'll lay out the idea.
Base Layer: For me, I wear a long sleeve tee but you could wear a thermal or compression shirt if you wanted.
Insulation Layer: Something with down that will keep you warm. I wear a shorter Uniqlo down jacket puffer (It's thinner so I can throw it in my bag)
Shell Layer: This is gonna keep you dry in the rain + snow so your insulation layer doesn't leak heat too much or get soaked/snowed on. For this one I went with a Patagonia shell off of eBay in my size.
I like this layer system, it works for me. You could say fuck it and just get a parka for the winter. I don't know if you're trying to stick to skate brands or not but as a general rule Patagonia, Colombia and Carhartt are all solid as fuck. I'm in north jersey, so we get roughly the same weather as NYC. Hope that helps!
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The Polar and the Stussy Puffs are the shit – have one of each and I'm in love.
If you have more money: The Patagonia nano puff jackets are the best thing if you're going down the "onion"/layer route.
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I got a thin Columbia puffer on sale for like $80 and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I’m in the mid-Atlantic so my layering is more like long sleeve tee, flannel, puffer. I hate skating in anything bulky, even hoodies are too much often.
Wool socks forever. I wear em year round.
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I got a thin Columbia puffer on sale for like $80 and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I’m in the mid-Atlantic so my layering is more like long sleeve tee, flannel, puffer. I hate skating in anything bulky, even hoodies are too much often.
Wool socks forever. I wear em year-round.
Facts. Actually, I bought like 7 pairs of Darn Tough wool socks 6 years ago and finally got a hole in one sock. They have a lifetime warranty, I returned the pair and got a gift card for the amount I paid to get a new pair. Highly recommended!
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I would shop outlets or sales for any of the major outdoor brands: Patagonia, Black Diamond, North Face, Outdoor Research, Mountain Hardwear, Arcteryx, Columbia, Marmot, etc.
These brands usually design with some sort of warmth or wet performance whereas skate or fashion brands just design for looks. Don’t get me wrong they can still work fine but I think you’ll get something that might last a bit longer and perform better.
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REI is probably having some last-minute Christmas sales, and they'll usually have the best deals for real (not fashion) puffy coats and wool socks. Their house brand shit isn't chichi, but I've been relying on the same "Stratocloud" jacket for years now, and living in the Northwest, I depend on it literally year round.
I'll echo everyone else's advice though: thick, high quality wool hiking, skiing or snowboarding socks in the winter and dress in layers.
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I usually wear a long sleeve tee, a flannel, and a hooded carhartt duck jacket all winter
Get some flannel lined pants too trust me
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Alpha Industries. The Heritage Collection (MA1, B15, N3B, etc) jackets will trap heat easily.
MSRP is around $160 - 200 but you can find them second hand or on sale for way cheaper.
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This has very little to do with jackets.
Buy a nice moisturizer/lotion and rub up after showers.
Buy some waterproof footwear before you drop money on expensive socks.
Don’t shave your body.
Some puffers aren’t designed to get wet. I’ve worn a standard Carhartt for more than 15 years and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
If your car was made this millennium then you really don’t need to let it “warm up.”
I fucking hate when people talk like this. You know, with such a sense of finality to their thoughts.
The warmer you keep your home, the colder it’s going to feel outside.
I find my Smartwool and Icebreaker socks to much, much better than my Darn Toughs.
I luuuv my humidifier.
It’s OK to hate winter, but nobody likes hearing people complain about it.
Ear muffs are a power move.
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I recommend this
https://www.snickersworkwear.com/detail/146491
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Get one that has a string that goes behind your shoulders and extends out of each cuff. That way you can tie your mittens to your cuffs for quick access and no loss
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if anyone can be me in the right direction. just moved to NYC from LA and i have no winter clothing. i am freezing lol. i dont know if puffer jackets or wool coat would be better. also i am going to get some wool socks because my feet are gettin fucked
In an NYC winter its good to own some thermals to layer with. Snowboarding jackets on sale can be a really inexpensive.
@shpongle if you need a winter jacket ASAP like today I have a trashed old black Carhartt work jacket you can definitely have for free if you can come to Queens to pick it up. I bought it used awhile back and it's a badly tailored small, but it's cold out and I'm sure it would be good enough until you get a better one. Its a size small but I'm 5'10" and weigh 155lbs and it fits more like a medium for reference.
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They’re pricey but carharts are popular for a reason. They’re bulky but the keep you warm.
I bought a dickies coat (the one with the hoodie type hood) and it’s kept me warm while it’s been in the 30s
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Typical layering for me in Colorado where the high today is 20 degrees, and it was -4 this morning
Thermals / base layer under my pants
Tshirt or long sleeve, sweatshirt / hoodie and then a fleece jacket zip up either a north face Denali jacket with hood (thrifted for $20) or another deep pile fleece I thrifted as well with no hood .
This is just for warmth; not planning on snow / precipitation . But the north face Denali can def handle some snow . But if prolonged exposure I’d layer like I’m going snowboarding.
Base layer , fleece 1/4 zip(if under 15 degrees) midweight fleece zip up or melanzana pull over fleece , then shell jacket
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Uniqlo heattech line. I refuse to be out in the cold without. Best bargain garments for foul weather. I try to buy most of it when the season is ending and they're drastically discounted.
https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/search?q=heattech
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if anyone can be me in the right direction. just moved to NYC from LA and i have no winter clothing. i am freezing lol. i dont know if puffer jackets or wool coat would be better. also i am going to get some wool socks because my feet are gettin fucked
From my travels for work to some pretty chilly places, I got quite used to layering up to save on having too much in the way of clothing or one big jacket that would always just get in the way when I would have to take it off, but the single big jacket option does work really well if you are doing the go outside for a bit, then go inside on and off.
As others have said, layering worked really well for me too, having my usual tshirt (medium), flannel shirt (medium or large), optional thermal pull over or zip up (large), crew neck or hoodie (large) and then spray jacket (XL) over all that.
Having layers without too many hooded options was really good, as more than one hood just got in the way a lot, so crew neck pullover type fleece was easier. Also having a large thermal pull over was more comfortable than having a medium thermal tshirt, but each to their own really.
There are some branded thermal lined flannel shirts (Antihero) or others, some with removable thermal lining which are good if it doesn't take too much effort, but most of the time I leave the thermal lining in as it is easier and stays where it should when wearing the flannel shirt.
I do own a pair or two of flannel lined 874 pants (which are nice and toasty), but sometimes it was easier to just use a pair of plain looking pj flannel pants under my normal 874 pants, which I could take off if needed more easily than just the one pair with built in flannel. This was easy as I usually wear a size up with a belt in 874s anyway.
Having layers of socks can help too, but if you are used to running normal fitting shoes, they can be a pain, so it just depends on whether or not you are going to be skating from here to there, or just wearing something to work or whatever, but a specific (bigger) pair of winter shoes is good too.
I almost forgot to say, most of the under layers are pretty cheap and easy enough to get from anywhere, not so much skate brands or specific clothing brands, so if you are on a budget, it makes it a whole lot easier from department stores for that sort of thing.
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I am Canadian, so I know a bit about staying dry and warm during the winter.
I don't know what the weather is like in NYC, but I assume it's fairly wet, and probably hovers around 0°C. I know you asked about jackets, but I work outside all year and this is my advice for you, trust me.
My biggest tip would be to be buy some nice waterproof boots. I don't know what the style is in NYC, but something
Like this https://www.bogsfootwear.ca/shop/style/72754-001.html
Or some other waterproof boots. Vans makes some nice waterproof boots now.
When you leave the house, wear two pairs of socks. The first pair should be a very thin summer type sock, not made of cotton, and the second pair of socks over top should be either wool, or murinowool. Avoid cotton socks that shit doesn't stay dry or warm. Without the first layer of socks your feet just get all sweaty and cold in just one pair. Two pairs of socks is key to living a comfortable life in the winter.
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(https://i.ibb.co/VCqGvhS/7731-F707-6515-4086-9-D49-FC4-D5-E56-F2-A3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VCqGvhS)
Just manifest that shit
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I usually wear a long sleeve tee, a flannel, and a hooded carhartt duck jacket all winter
Get some flannel lined pants too trust me
This. There’s nothing warmer and more durable than a Carhartt jacket.
https://www.carhartt.com/product/C003/loose-fit-firm-duck-insulated-traditional-coat
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Carhartt gear is warmer than you’d expect (talking about the shit construction workers wear, not the WIP fashion line). When I lived in NYC I got a few secondhand carhartt jackets with the wooly blanket lining that impressed the shit out of me. Almost not even worth getting a new one, just get one that’s already broken in a little because they can be hella stiff when they’re new. I got a solid 4 years on one of them before it got too worn in to do winter duty, but I still wear it for lighter duty. The downside here is that they’re bulky and might not be good for skating.
For skating in cold my move is a quilted puffer mid layer with a wooly flannel shirt jacket over it. The synthetic puffers people have mentioned are like the best ratio of warmth to light weight and mobility imo. Outdoor brands like north face or whatever are great, but I got a cheaper one at Uniqlo that has held up well too. Then I’ll put an oversized wool flannel shirt over it to protect from abrasion since the nylon material is somewhat delicate compared to canvas or whatever
Beyond that, everyone else is right to say that layers are key. When it’s really cold I’ll just wear a full long underwear suit under my clothes, and strip off the outer layer when I get home. Then I’m chilling in a merino pajama suit which is kinda fun
Fingerless wool gloves are my move for keeping the hands usable but also semi warm. Order em for hella cheap thru military surplus. In general wool and wool blends are your friend. As others have said Uniqlo and workwear stores are among the most cost effective. Snowboard and hiking/camping gear are also great but more expensive, worth keeping an eye on REI or similar for sales.
Edit for more specifics: the L Train Vintage chain of thrift stores has tons of workwear for cheap, the one near Morgan Ave L train station in particular usually has a whole rack. For new stuff Dave’s NYC (I think it’s at 16th and 6th in Manhattan) is kinda the shit.
Also I second what people say about boots. It took me way too long to quit wearing skate shoes all winter. Keep those ankles warm and avoid wet socks. Boots are unfortunately the one area where I don’t think you cans really skimp. I bought too many pairs secondhand that didn’t fit quite right before I finally dropped the cash on some fresh doc martens and north face hikers, which have both held up for years and kept my feet and ankles cozy. Depending on the style you like there are tons of options, but Docs, Wolverine, Keen, Red Wing, Chippewa, Adidas Terrex, and Merrill are all brands that me or my friends have had good luck with. A decent pair will last thru several winters.
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For working in cold locations I have the REI 650 down hoodie, smartwool base layer, and smartwool/darn tough socks. It’s all really lightweight and moveable. A perk of down jackets besides retaining heat is that they’re naturally wind resistant. You can feel the chilling effects of wind when it’s cold out and you don’t have something that stops it from penetrating your layers. Downside of down jackets is that they’re not usually water resistant unless you spend even more money for water resistant specific ones
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Layers, avoid cotton base layer & socks - I often cheat with a blend for everyday, but not if I’m working or doing stuff outside all day. Workwear and outdoor brands are great but stay away from their more fashion stuff -i.e. real carhartt’s have model numbers, not names & puffy jackets rely on trapping air in some type of insulation for warmth, so a slim fit stretchy one ain’t gonna be as warm. Not all beanies are equal, either. Look for thick, tight weave. Oh, shit - protect ya neck! A fleece gator is like adding a layer. My favorites are made from the sleeves of an old fleece jacket.
Seems obvious, but highwaters aren’t the move in winter.
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Carhartt J140 Active Jacket.
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Arc’Teryx, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Osprey, North Face Summit Series, Moncler, and Stone Island all make warm and affordable jackets
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No one mentioned leg layers. Running tights are thin but make a big difference. Even better is these fleece grid leggings from any military surplus place. I’ve had the same pair for years https://www.mcguirearmynavy.com/products/ecwcs-gen-iii-level-2-thermal-grid-fleece-underwear?variant=39301040439390¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzfuNBhCGARIsAD1nu-_aMohWZa4qbWHhRYWBt3pRgkiBZ3SaNPXAFScAAwlf_PALThhUdPcaAtNQEALw_wcB (https://www.mcguirearmynavy.com/products/ecwcs-gen-iii-level-2-thermal-grid-fleece-underwear?variant=39301040439390¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzfuNBhCGARIsAD1nu-_aMohWZa4qbWHhRYWBt3pRgkiBZ3SaNPXAFScAAwlf_PALThhUdPcaAtNQEALw_wcB)
Kinco gloves and mitts are the go-to for ski resort lifties for a reason.
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Arc’Teryx, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Osprey, North Face Summit Series, Moncler, and Stone Island all make warm and affordable jackets
We got a comedian over here
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwWFGIVl0jE
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melanzana
classic colorado
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
Any basic ass fleece midlayer is the workhorse piece of your layering. Fleece wicks moisture away from your body and it also insulates when wet. A fleece is your preferred layer if you wanna be active (skating). Dont skate in down. Other than looking cool it literally does nothing, when down gets wet it fails and does nothing. Also, the fabric of down jackets doesn't breath for shit, it basically a wind blocking layer and after awhile you're going to be sweating your fucking ass off being active with a down jacket on.
I suggest a Montbell Superior Down Jacket or Parka
As for a fleece, just find one you like but dont spend a lot, they are basically all the same.
-nerdy ultralight backpacking guy shit over-
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A good vest should be your staple imo!
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
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Under armour base layers if you’re going to be skating in sub 36° F weather, long sleeve, hoodie, quilted members only over the hoodie. Maybe a vest.
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I agree with everyone saying layers. Same with everyone suggesting gloves and stuff. Warm socks definitely are an excellent addition (I've been known to double up and wear dickies thick work socks). If you're dressed for it you can skate pretty much all year long on the east coast.
As far as jackets I skate in a Carhartt Quilted Flannel Lined Duck jacket and it's prefect. They last super long and are supposed to look beat up so you don't have to worry about it staying in nice condition. I'm pretty sure it's this one:
http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/carhartt-quilted-flannel-lined-duck-active-jacket-for-men?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CBPS%7CTopPerformers%7CClothing&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8ICOBhDmARIsAEGI6o31CBMy6fVyk_4fcGQX_pRvhoORDjimX_rVFuaXK0E6l2bih7SaVNgaAkNXEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I will also skate in most conditions (Set up rainboards/boards to skate in snow) and skate in most temperatures if I don't have work and can get out- just make sure you're bundled. Winter is sort of a fun time to skate because most people don't really want to be outside so nobody really wants to give you a hard time or talk to you or anything lol.
Usually when I talk about cold skating I post this clip of me skating a cruiser in 24 F degree weather on a Windy Saturday morning in Feb 2019. Long thick socks, Long sleeve shirt, thick hoody, quilted flannel, then my carhartt jackie with gloves and a hat (I can't remember if I'm wearing long johns under my dickies but I'd assume I was or I was still buzzing a little from the night before).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ6_H4hW3zM
Other colder selfie clips winter 2021. It snowed a decent amount in New Jersey this past winter. Not sure what to expect this season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqAGWbkElP0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tVaxc_X3NQ
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Love winter clips, can’t wait to get off work to check em out. I’ve been posting this every time winter skating gets brought up ever since I made it.
https://youtu.be/H6xOw7nuDmI
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I have no clue how cold it can get in NYC, as I live in nothern europe, we have -8 C (17,8F) at the moment and layers are the key like people has said. I have one of those carhartt parka’s and it’s way too hot to wear now, need like -20 (-4F) and under to pull that shit on imo. Also about boots, I saw Willis Kimbel here few years ago and he had these winter dunks, they looks so good I copped a pair for myself. I usually don’t fuck with nike but these have been solid:
(https://www.efootwear.eu/media/catalog/product/cache/image/650x650/0/0/0000200079738_1___jf.jpg)
e. Also you get used to it after a while, at spring you find youself out on streets on a t-shirt when it’s like +7(44,6F) ;D
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Are those dunks water proof? I need some neutral looking winterized sneakers
For rainy winters, most puffer jackets are not enough water proof, so a a hard shell jacket is often better.
Outdoor companies like north face have some 3 in 1 jackets which consists of a fleece jacket with an outer hard shell jacket which you can wear together or separately.
I have the dickies cornwell jacket which is great for really cold and wet winters but non-breathable so I just need a shirt under it
Also, merino shirts as a base layer are great.
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Are those dunks water proof? I need some neutral looking winterized sneakers
For rainy winters, most puffer jackets are not enough water proof, so a a hard shell jacket is often better.
Outdoor companies like north face have some 3 in 1 jackets which consists of a fleece jacket with an outer hard shell jacket which you can wear together or separately.
I have the dickies cornwell jacket which is great for really cold and wet winters but non-breathable so I just need a shirt under it
Also, merino shirts as a base layer are great.
Fuck, I messed up, uploaded a wrong dunk in hurry, sorry :-[ Changed the picture, and yes my dunks are waterproof :)
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Canadian here...
Old Navy or Gap have those thermal undershirts for really cheap, especially right now. They sell them as pajama tops around the holidays since so many people buy pajama sets for gifts
Facebook marketplace for some gently used high end gear is a great choice. I got a pair of Arteryx Beta AR snowpants ($600 new) for $100 bucks last week, only worn 3 times.
Stay away from the cheaper, on sale Columbia stuff sold at discount stores. Columbia makes good products, but you only want their top of the line stuff.
Wigwam wool socks are amazing
Get those cheap dollar store gloves just to keep your hands warm for a few bucks
90% of your body heat escapes through the top of your head and the bottom of your feet. Get a good beanie and good socks and fucking wear them.
Get a jacket that fits snugly but you can move around in, this is key. Too much dead space can hold cold air and too tight of a jacket and you cant move or will sweat too much. Its a fine line, find it.
A jacket that really worked well for me, kept me warm and dry and was pretty affordable was a McKinley down jacket.
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Go skate naked but with a ski mask and wool socks and you’ll only be 10% uncomfortable.
The head heat loss thing is a myth. We aren’t built like chimneys.
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The head heat loss thing is a myth. We aren’t built like chimneys.
I stand corrected. It is a myth, but studies have shown that you perceive to be warmer when wearing a hat. A beanie still seems to be the right move
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/dec/17/medicalresearch-humanbehaviour (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/dec/17/medicalresearch-humanbehaviour)
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
Checking to see if I understand here: quilted puffer layers work well as long as they’re synthetic, right? Do “outdoor” companies actually make stuff with real down? Also, wouldn’t the danger of down getting wet be mitigated by having the appropriate layers underneath and/or over top?
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
Is a down inner layer (ie, something like Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown) with an outer shell over it (some kind of goretex 3L shell, I imagine) still considered the "best" for winter activities like skiing/snowboarding, alpinism, winter hiking/camping? Can you instead use some kind of tech fleece under it to the same effect?
I'm wondering if you had a goretex 3L with an inner down second layer if that would be equivalent to having like, a north face fleece (or if there are better fleece from tech fabrics?) underneath the shell. I imagine with a shell/layering system I should be able to find something warmer than my packed out carhartt and primaloft fashion jacket and also less heavy than them - it's a chore hiking around in my old carhartt duck coat
-
The reason I ask is because my snowboarding jacket has a detachable “down” liner and it hasn’t let me down (no pun intended). It’s a Patagonia 3 in 1 and I’ve worn it all day riding slopes in conditions down to like 5 degrees F. I assumed it was synthetic, now I don’t know.
Maybe I just have never gotten gnarly (sweaty?) enough to push beyond the limits of my down?
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buying skate-brand winter gear is a sucker move. Get the real deal
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i just want to sat thank u to the person who gave the fabric airflow lesson, my armpit wet af in this puffer rn.
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
Is a down inner layer (ie, something like Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown) with an outer shell over it (some kind of goretex 3L shell, I imagine) still considered the "best" for winter activities like skiing/snowboarding, alpinism, winter hiking/camping? Can you instead use some kind of tech fleece under it to the same effect?
I'm wondering if you had a goretex 3L with an inner down second layer if that would be equivalent to having like, a north face fleece (or if there are better fleece from tech fabrics?) underneath the shell. I imagine with a shell/layering system I should be able to find something warmer than my packed out carhartt and primaloft fashion jacket and also less heavy than them - it's a chore hiking around in my old carhartt duck coat
You really shouldn't layer anything over down unless maybe its a SUPER LIGHT wind layer (something like a Patagonia Houdini). Like I said, you dont want to exert yourself to the point of sweating while wearing down. Wet down does nothing. Down also needs to loft/poof up in order to trap air within the clusters and insulate properly. So if you have a super heavy jacket over your down jacket thats collapsing the down, the down is doing nothing at this point.
In short- down should only be used as a static layer, just hanging out, not doing any activity where you exert yourself. Down jackets are used within backpacking for when you are chilling around camp in the morning/evening. You would take it off when you actually start hiking.
Fleece is the workhorse. Can be worn during activity, insulates you properly but also doesnt over insulate you. If you really plan on being active while wearing a fleece find yourself a 'grid fleece'. These are the most popular types of fleece when worn hiking because it allows you to dump excess heat but also perfectly regulates your temp.
-
The reason I ask is because my snowboarding jacket has a detachable “down” liner and it hasn’t let me down (no pun intended). It’s a Patagonia 3 in 1 and I’ve worn it all day riding slopes in conditions down to like 5 degrees F. I assumed it was synthetic, now I don’t know.
Maybe I just have never gotten gnarly (sweaty?) enough to push beyond the limits of my down?
Assuming its actually a down layer, you probably have sweated through it, you just dont know. You're being kept warm so in your mind you're like 'it works!' Obviously you are going to be warm in any sort of mult-layered jacket. The problem is, if its real down and you have sweated in it, the oils from your sweat have probably attached to the down and the oils are collapsing the down and not allowing the down to fully loft up (but if you are washing the jacket often this probably isn't an issue)
Just stop doing high exertion activates in down!! :)
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
Is a down inner layer (ie, something like Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown) with an outer shell over it (some kind of goretex 3L shell, I imagine) still considered the "best" for winter activities like skiing/snowboarding, alpinism, winter hiking/camping? Can you instead use some kind of tech fleece under it to the same effect?
I'm wondering if you had a goretex 3L with an inner down second layer if that would be equivalent to having like, a north face fleece (or if there are better fleece from tech fabrics?) underneath the shell. I imagine with a shell/layering system I should be able to find something warmer than my packed out carhartt and primaloft fashion jacket and also less heavy than them - it's a chore hiking around in my old carhartt duck coat
You really shouldn't layer anything over down unless maybe its a SUPER LIGHT wind layer (something like a Patagonia Houdini). Like I said, you dont want to exert yourself to the point of sweating while wearing down. Wet down does nothing. Down also needs to loft/poof up in order to trap air within the clusters and insulate properly. So if you have a super heavy jacket over your down jacket thats collapsing the down, the down is doing nothing at this point.
In short- down should only be used as a static layer, just hanging out, not doing any activity where you exert yourself. Down jackets are used within backpacking for when you are chilling around camp in the morning/evening. You would take it off when you actually start hiking.
Fleece is the workhorse. Can be worn during activity, insulates you properly but also doesnt over insulate you. If you really plan on being active while wearing a fleece find yourself a 'grid fleece'. These are the most popular types of fleece when worn hiking because it allows you to dump excess heat but also perfectly regulates your temp.
Fuck this is so helpful. Gonna look into grid fleece then, big ups
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
Is a down inner layer (ie, something like Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown) with an outer shell over it (some kind of goretex 3L shell, I imagine) still considered the "best" for winter activities like skiing/snowboarding, alpinism, winter hiking/camping? Can you instead use some kind of tech fleece under it to the same effect?
I'm wondering if you had a goretex 3L with an inner down second layer if that would be equivalent to having like, a north face fleece (or if there are better fleece from tech fabrics?) underneath the shell. I imagine with a shell/layering system I should be able to find something warmer than my packed out carhartt and primaloft fashion jacket and also less heavy than them - it's a chore hiking around in my old carhartt duck coat
You really shouldn't layer anything over down unless maybe its a SUPER LIGHT wind layer (something like a Patagonia Houdini). Like I said, you dont want to exert yourself to the point of sweating while wearing down. Wet down does nothing. Down also needs to loft/poof up in order to trap air within the clusters and insulate properly. So if you have a super heavy jacket over your down jacket thats collapsing the down, the down is doing nothing at this point.
In short- down should only be used as a static layer, just hanging out, not doing any activity where you exert yourself. Down jackets are used within backpacking for when you are chilling around camp in the morning/evening. You would take it off when you actually start hiking.
Fleece is the workhorse. Can be worn during activity, insulates you properly but also doesnt over insulate you. If you really plan on being active while wearing a fleece find yourself a 'grid fleece'. These are the most popular types of fleece when worn hiking because it allows you to dump excess heat but also perfectly regulates your temp.
Fuck this is so helpful. Gonna look into grid fleece then, big ups
If you go to any Army Surplus store you can find super cheap Polartec Power Grid fleeces. Its one of those things where you can find them from all the big outdoorsy brands but you're just paying for a name/better color availability.
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Wigwam wool socks are amazing
This and like everyone is saying, layers. I live in Pittsburgh so it gets pretty cold here. i managed to get a nice north face winter coat for cheap(er) than what i would normally pay. but years of shitty cheap coats because they looked cooler or were a skate brand didn't do me any good.
When it's really cold i throw on a thermal undershirt and long johns. works wonders.
Good luck with the change in weather.
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A puffy with an adequate amount of down in it will be your best final layer. Most 'fashion puffies' dont have an adequate amount of down in them tho. If you're going to buy a nice down jacket ignore the '600,700,800,900 fill power' bullshit and see if they list the down fill amount, if they are worth anything they will tell you. 3oz+ is a good starting point.
North Face is notorious for this, they will blast the '700 FILL POWER!' on everything, they'll even embroider it on the jacket sleeves and it literally means nothing if they don't tell you the fill weight too (they dont). The average jackass sees it and thinks 'damn, that sounds like a high number, must be good!'
This was remarkably helpful. I haven't shopped for jackets in 10 years (because carhartt) and have been considering a new down jacket as part of a layer system, and this is far more informative than anything I've found so far.
thanks! i didn't wanna go too far down some nerdiness but i'll add some other shit
FWIW, those fashion puffies are going to keep you warm to a degree, mostly due to the fact that the fabric is a non-breathable material but it will have less to do with the lack of down thats in it. You can achieve this exact same thing by just wearing a fleece and your rain jacket over it. Rain shells are VERY non breathable. Go skate for 30 mins straight wearing a fully zipped up rain shell and tell us how that went lol. You'll be so drenched in sweat you wont know what to do.
Next topic: tech fabrics- they aren't overhyped industry bullshit. theres a reason you dont do winter activities wearing 100% cotton. Cotton doesn't wick away moisture and it holds onto it. it takes a considerable amount of heat to dry cotton. if you're wearing a soaked through cotton shirt in the winter, all that moisture will have cold air moving over it, trying to evaporate it and its just going to make you colder. same way when you sweat when its hot outside and that nice breeze swoops in and you feel fucking amazing, well, you don't want that to happen when its already cold out. polyester type fabrics wick moisture away from your body and disperse it away from your skin, keeping your dry and warm.
tldr: tbh if you own a fleece and a rain shell, it will actually keep you way warmer than a fleece + puffy will.
(if we want to we can go down the rabbit hole of synthetic outer insulation which is also a better option than a puffy, and even better for active skating!)
-Yes, all of those puffies you see are real down. Tho, a lot of times the cheaper 'fashion puffies' will have like 80% real down and then 20% will be made up with 'feathers' which is basically just random ass feathers that are stripped during the process and used as filler. I really dont wanna get into the 'fill power' discussion but just know that there are different levels of 'down feather types' from 500-1000 (1000 being your finest down cluster) the higher the fill power number the lower the amount of down it takes to insulate you.
-Technically no, if you have moisture wicking layers on under a real down jacket, the moisture is going to move away from your skin and its eventually going to make its way to your down layer making the down wet and therefor pointless. Down layers are meant to be a 'static layer', you're not supposed to do high exertion activities while wearing down.
-If you want a 'down acting' layer you can be active in, a synthetic jacket is the way to go. The only issue is they are harder to come by and you'll have to find a specialty brand/outdoor store to hunt one down. Synthetic fill jackets are made of a product called Apex Insulation which is 1 continuous sheet of insulation. Its main benefit is it still insulates when wet and it also wicks moisture.
Is a down inner layer (ie, something like Mountain Hardwear Stretchdown) with an outer shell over it (some kind of goretex 3L shell, I imagine) still considered the "best" for winter activities like skiing/snowboarding, alpinism, winter hiking/camping? Can you instead use some kind of tech fleece under it to the same effect?
I'm wondering if you had a goretex 3L with an inner down second layer if that would be equivalent to having like, a north face fleece (or if there are better fleece from tech fabrics?) underneath the shell. I imagine with a shell/layering system I should be able to find something warmer than my packed out carhartt and primaloft fashion jacket and also less heavy than them - it's a chore hiking around in my old carhartt duck coat
You really shouldn't layer anything over down unless maybe its a SUPER LIGHT wind layer (something like a Patagonia Houdini). Like I said, you dont want to exert yourself to the point of sweating while wearing down. Wet down does nothing. Down also needs to loft/poof up in order to trap air within the clusters and insulate properly. So if you have a super heavy jacket over your down jacket thats collapsing the down, the down is doing nothing at this point.
In short- down should only be used as a static layer, just hanging out, not doing any activity where you exert yourself. Down jackets are used within backpacking for when you are chilling around camp in the morning/evening. You would take it off when you actually start hiking.
Fleece is the workhorse. Can be worn during activity, insulates you properly but also doesnt over insulate you. If you really plan on being active while wearing a fleece find yourself a 'grid fleece'. These are the most popular types of fleece when worn hiking because it allows you to dump excess heat but also perfectly regulates your temp.
Fuck this is so helpful. Gonna look into grid fleece then, big ups
If you go to any Army Surplus store you can find super cheap Polartec Power Grid fleeces. Its one of those things where you can find them from all the big outdoorsy brands but you're just paying for a name/better color availability.
Fuck YES i love milsurp stores. Nice to not have to spend an entire paycheck on techwear just to get an active layering system
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I wear the paragonia nano puff jacket underneath a north face diablo down jacket.
Keeps me warm any freezy day so far.
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I wear the paragonia nano puff jacket underneath a north face diablo down jacket.
Keeps me warm any freezy day so far.
Double puff? This guy is living in the future
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The reason I ask is because my snowboarding jacket has a detachable “down” liner and it hasn’t let me down (no pun intended). It’s a Patagonia 3 in 1 and I’ve worn it all day riding slopes in conditions down to like 5 degrees F. I assumed it was synthetic, now I don’t know.
Maybe I just have never gotten gnarly (sweaty?) enough to push beyond the limits of my down?
It’s synthetic
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Carhartt coats are warm, durable, and cheap. Best winter coat to skate in, and work in when you compare cost to durability at least. Thermal underwear/long-johns are the single most important thing imo. Good socks also make a huge difference.
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summer
(https://i.ibb.co/9t6tJzm/14-4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9t6tJzm)
winter
(https://i.ibb.co/4NrXQCP/B3-CJ395-PUFFER-M-20181113171552.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4NrXQCP)
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Down jackets are basically wearable sleeping bags. Unless they have lots of venting, not for sports (and I wouldn’t wear them even if they had venting).
I agree with what most others have said.
For physical activities, Synthetic or wool base layer to wick away sweat, fleece (or very thin synthetic puff) mid, and a shell. Maybe another insulated vest in there in you are still cold.
If you just want to stay warm, and aren’t exerting yourself, puffy jackets are fine. I personally love my insulated Carhartt-style Patagucchi canvas jacket for most winter days.
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who's coat's that jacket
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I feel overwhelmed by the amount of information I didn't know related to clothing
Thanks for sharing tho
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Carhartt makes all the best shit IMO in terms of price/performance anyway.
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Puffy pants is the next level. I got knockoff down and synth pants overseas for cheap. Look like the Michelin man but wearing a sleeping bag cannot be beat.
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I wear the paragonia nano puff jacket underneath a north face diablo down jacket.
Keeps me warm any freezy day so far.
Double puff? This guy is living in the future
Well… the nano puff is really thin, also
Its a few years old and lost most if its puffiness.
So its perfect for central european winter we had 22F today, and i rode my bike to work in the morning wearing a longsleeve and the two jackets.
Also getting a good beanie (not just a shitty skate brand one) and proper gloves really pays off.
Scarfs.