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Cold Weather Gear

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If you have to be out in the cold, what are you wearing to stay warm?

Single digits this morning.  Threw on my Midway USA hunting jacket for my mile walk to train and then walk from 33rd up to 42nd Street.

It is by far warmest coat I have.  Plenty of pockets to hold hat and gloves.

Have a Carhart winter hat on.  It also happens to be my bright hunter orange winter hat.  It's pitch dark out when walking to train going in to work and then coming home.  If someone hits me I want my lawyer to be able to say, "Didn't you see the bright neon orange winter cap my poor client waa wearing!?" :)

Gloves, just a pair of ski type gloves 

So, if you have to be out in these frigid temps for more than a few minutes what are you wearing to stay warm?

Here's the coat.  Paid about $90 three years ago.  Well worth it IMHO.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/445195/midwayusa-mens-elk-fork-parka?cm_mmc=se_service-_-OrderConfirmation-_-OrderConfirmation-_-ProductLink

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I had to break down last week and pull out the heavy down parka that's rated to -15 F. Other than that, my standard winter gear for a work day is a Carhart hat and a pair of military surplus glove liners.

On the weekends, for working outside or in the garage, it's a pair of insulated Carhart overalls and a double insulated sweatshirt.

I work in the suburbs now, but I remember how brutal those walks Penn Station to my office on 38th street could be in this type of weather. The only thing that could be worse was trying to make that same walk during a heavy rainstorm and wondering if the umbrellas that I bought from Jacks 99 Cent store would survive the walk (most times they didn't)

 

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Layers are the key not one big heavy jacket. I was out hunting Saturday and was hot. I had long johns, t shirt, long sleeve t shirt, fleece jacket, and my camber arctc sweatshirt. For my head cover I had 1 beanie then my sweatshirt hood, and then another orange beanie. 

For the upcoming windy conditions I'll add my 686 snowboarding jacket as it's wind proof. 

By the way I absolutely LOVE this weather!!!!!

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Like Fishnut, I enjoy this weather. I have spent many winter days riding or ice climbing in the back country of New Hampshire, Vermont, Colorado, Washington State, and Western Canada.

Cotton Kills! - Yes, a little exaggeration for what most people do, but anything cotton does suck as cold weather layers. Avoid it at all costs. Layers of synthetics are the way to go - wicking/under, mid, insulating, outer/wind/water proof.

Have a top layer that is removable to maintain temps when moving, working, sweating, overhearing and you can put back on when you stop working, are resting, or get cold.

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i don't have to be outside much...but....older army field jacket. 4 shirts layered underneath that, including 1 underarmor. underarmor is useless unless you're moving though. older thick ski gloves(i don't ski, they were given to me), and this sort of hood minus the jacked. almost like a balaclava....'cept it's not snug fitting. but...it's warm as shit. plain old el-cheapo fleece lined made in china leggings under my jeans. things keep my legs so warm it's almost scary. i should add that the supossed fleece is very thin.......

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Layers are the key.  I wear a moisture wicking underwear and tee shirt as a foundation, and build layers from that. 2 layers of socks. Thinsulate gloves, and my trusty Navy wool watchcap. 

Cotton is a killer in the cold, as HE points out. Wind/moisture protection for a top layer. I don’t care if I look like a walrus when I go outside, (the protective layer of fat aside), as long as I am warm. 

 

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My old winter jacket just wasn't cutting it with this latest cold snap. My in laws gave me a cabelas gift card so I drove up there after work one night. Picked up a Columbia 3 in 1 jacket with a waterproof exterior and a removable down interior and reflective liner. Best jacket I've ever had and still very light.

Always make sure I have good waterproof boots too. Thought about buying the thermal ones but I don't stay outside long enough to need them I think.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

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Been a few yrs since I needed to be outdoors for long intervals but I did spend 30+ yrs working outside all day all yr whenever possible and most of the time wore a big heavy workbelt so bulky clothing was not an option. The one key thing I had for winter was a substantial investment in heavy duty union suits. Keep the back ass drafts out and gtg! Light layers, any pull over beeny cap and of course good footgear and rarely got cold. Except for the fingers, was a constant battle between getting wet, going commando lol needing dexterity for small nails or detail work etc... no, dont miss it and spent last few yrs just skipping outside work during Jan/Feb or so.

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I have a couple Canada goose coats that I wear.  Long one today tooling around Manhattan.  I wore it Sunday -4 windchill at the giants game Sunday.  I was toasty.  

 

I agree reed with the layers comments as well, but i need a good outer coat cause I’m a sissy about being cold.  My big issue is supposed to be cold at the jags game this Sunday versus the bills.  Need a plan for that.  

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Depends what you will be doing. There is a huge difference in what you can wear when you are being active, as opposed to siting in the cold stationary.

Start with a good base layer. There are a bunch of companies that offer no-itch wool bases. I use Icebreaker, and like it so far after 3 years. Wicks moisture, keeps you dry and doesn't stink. NO COTTON!

For active endeavors, you need something that breaths well, and gives you the ability to dump body-heat when needed. Synthetic insulation is fine here, fleeces, primaloft, thinsulate, etc. You never want to be warm, you just want to not be cold. READ - Sweat is bad.

Stationary endeavors, down is king. I usually don't use down until it falls well below freezing. Biggest downside is that it looses warmth when wet, whether that is from sweat or rain. Also has to be windproof.

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3 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

the driver for my uniform service just told me he'd been talking to a customer that bought one of those heated jackets. guy says he loves it. opinions on those?

Picked up a couple of Milwaukee M12 heated jackets, so far they are working great.   Already had M12 batteries for tools so it just made sense.  No heat in sleeves, still wear an outer shell if outside but great for working in garage.  

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1. Dress in Layers

2. Keep the moisture off your skin

3. Mittens are warmer than gloves.

4. Protect your extremities, head, hands and feet.

You have about a 20 minute walk to the train so you should be able to keep pretty warm just from moving.  This means you will sweat, maybe not a lot, but enough to make your trek uncomfortable, especially if your socks get wet or moist.  A little trick I learned from an old hunter is put on a pair of silk socks and then wool socks over them.  The silk makes your feet feel loved and sexy and wicks the moisture away into the wool.  Wool stays warm even if you step in a puddle. Two layers of socks also prevents blisters and callouses.

A long overcoat with a hood will keep you warmer than a waist coat with a wool cap.  It holds more heat and protects you from the wind better.  They look pretty snappy too.

Watch caps are great, but you will arrive at work with hat head unless you are sporting a crew cut.  I prefer a hood, as it better suits my vanity and gives superior protection from the wind. 

The best thing I have found to keep hands warm is hunting mittens.  They have a little flap that you can open when you need to use your fingers.  You can also wear thin gloves under the mittens.  Don't wear tight gloves because it reduces blood circulation.

5.  If it's really really cold.....  Uber?

 

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I'm a huge fan of the Uniqlo HeatTech gear.  It's not really tailored for hunting or anything, but man - it does help keep you warm.  Daily wear for me for fall/winter/spring - at least the shirts.  It helps wick sweat/moisture away from your body and turns it in to heat.  Great for heat retention as well.  There's the Extra and Ultra warm ones too - they make for great base layers.  

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Keeping my hands warm is really the hardest part for me. I can generally tolerate it being very cold as long as I'm not sleeping in it. I would say the single most important item for me is the puffer coat. When I first moved to the area, I thought it was weird seeing all those puffy coats and held out the first year before I gave in. If it's windy then I'll wear a balaclava to protect my face otherwise my skin dries out.

 

You haven't used O'keefe's working hands? You're welcome.

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Not sure why, but I love this frigid, cold weather!  I think it makes me feel rugged (which I'm mostly not).  I love getting a fire going in my wood stove when it's really cold and snowing.  

Getting to work is no trick.  I leave my garage, drive five minutes to my office, and walk about 30 feet from my car to the building entrance.  But I run 45 minutes to an hour every morning.  Not much to add to what others have said about layering, but perhaps just a few tips and tricks for when it's really cold, say below 20 degrees.  

From the bottom up, Smart Wool makes a comfortably warm, but not itchy, sock.  A company called 32 Degrees makes really light, comfortable, inexpensive base layers.  A pair of Gore-Tex mittens are almost too warm on all but the coldest days, and when it dips below 10 or so, I wear a light pair of gloves underneath.  I have a GT knit hat for when it's really cold, and if that's not enough, a balaclava underneath does the trick.  In addition to all that, I have had a GT jacket for many years that I don't use unless the temperature is below 20.  

I read many years ago that there are no bad days to run, just bad clothing choices.  (Well, except for maybe when it's really windy.)

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I get all my winter gear at a place called https://www.refrigiwear.com/. I believe they have the warmest gear in town. They have a full line of whatever you need. And you won't have to pay %25 more for a name on the side. I have jackest, vests, several gloves, many hats, wind breakers, waterproof pants, from head to toe, I have winter gear from them. They are made very well too.

https://www.refrigiwear.com/

 

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On 1/3/2018 at 9:31 AM, 1LtCAP said:

the driver for my uniform service just told me he'd been talking to a customer that bought one of those heated jackets. guy says he loves it. opinions on those?

I also have a Milwaukee M12 heated hoodie.  It's wonderful.  I already have a few M12 tools, so I have a bunch of batteries and chargers.  Three different temp settings so you can leave it on while in the car on low or crank it up while in the garage working.

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