recommendations for winter coats or jackets?

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

A good vest should be your staple imo!

[fakie varial flip]

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.

[streetmeat]

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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!)

[Allen.]

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.

[Bristol_Palin]

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).


Other colder selfie clips winter 2021. It snowed a decent amount in New Jersey this past winter. Not sure what to expect this season.

[Allen.]

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.

[Krooked antihero]

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:


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) 

[WavyDavy]

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.

[Krooked antihero]

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

[Mantracker]

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.

[braksabbath]

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.

[Mantracker]

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

[mj23]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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?

[streetmeat]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

-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.

[fakie varial flip]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

[close]

-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

[mj23]

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?

[Andmoreagain]

buying skate-brand winter gear is a sucker move. Get the real deal

[big900]

i just want to sat thank u to the person who gave the fabric airflow lesson, my armpit wet af in this puffer rn.

[streetmeat]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

[close]

-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.

[close]

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.

[streetmeat]

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!!

[fakie varial flip]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

[close]

-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.

[close]

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

[close]

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

[streetmeat]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

[close]

-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.

[close]

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

[close]

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.

[close]

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.

[krookedjuice]

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.

[fakie varial flip]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

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!'

[close]

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.

[close]

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!)

[close]

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?

[close]

-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.

[close]

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

[close]

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.

[close]

Fuck this is so helpful. Gonna look into grid fleece then, big ups

[close]

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

[pica]

I wear the paragonia nano puff jacket underneath a north face diablo down jacket.
Keeps me warm any freezy day so far.

[Texas_Tone]

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

[braksabbath]

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

[keepthefunkalive]

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.

[Hedgehog In Da Fog]

summer



winter

[Sloppy Krooks]

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.