I feel the cold. I really feel the cold. I also spend a silly ammount of time camping, hiking and paddling. This has meant that over the last few years I have had to develop a system to keep myself warm. Here are some tips.
The 5 Layer Layering System
I am certain the vast majority of my readers are familiar with the classic 3 layer layering system. This consists of a baselayer, midlayer and shell and works excellently most of the time. However, when winter arises, this is not enough for me. Instead, I use a 5 layer system, consisting of a three to four layer action suit for walking, hiking and paddling and then a big, down jacket for chilling around camp. I find this keeps me warm year round.
The first layer of this system is a wicking baselayer. In winter or for expeditions I use merino wool. This is because I find it warmer than synthetics and it smells much less. In summer I use synthetics, they breathe better and I find them more comfortable. The key thing about this first layer is that it is tight fitting so it leaves no air gaps and not cotton. Cotton absorbs sweat and becomes soaked. This can quickly lead to discomfort and hypothermia.
The second layer is a lightweight fleece. This is always a Patagonia R1 Hoody. This fleece is fantastic. It is super lightweight (about 300g) and super warm. In Wales this November, I was in 40mph winds up on Cnicht with a real feel of well below zero. All I was wearing was a baselayer, an R1 and a hardshell and I was really warm and comfortable. The R1 is also really quick drying. I fell in the water on a Canoeing expedition in Febuary. The R1 kept me warm despite being soaked and was dry within the hour. The biggest downside of the R1 is its cost, at over £100 new it is a tricky thing to justify. Many other similar fleeces exist, I have had good experiences with the Black Diamond Coefficent hoody and a few Montane ones. The key things to look out for for a midlayer are a good hood that goes under your hardshell’s hood neatly, wicking material (I really like Polartec power grid), and a good fit.
The third layer tends to be a softshell or a lightweight puffy jacket. In the summer months, I love softshells. They do a great job of keeping the wind off but don’t keep sweat in like a hardshell. I’m not a fan of heavier, more insulated softshells (like the Rab Vapour Rise Guide) asI like the ability to seperate out insulation and wind protection. This allows me to enjoy a breeze on steep ascents. The softshell I use at the moment is a Outdoor Research Ferossi. I really like it, but I wish it had ajustable cuffs and a better hood to allow it to be used outside of summer.
In winter a lightweight synthetic jacket replaces my softshell. This is because they add a fair ammount of insulation whilst remaining much lighter and more packable than heavier weight softshells. At the momment I use a Patagonia Nano Puff but I don’t really reccommend this jacket. The hood is designed to fit close to the head under a helmet which means it provides little protection from wind and snow. Additionally the cuffs are not ajustable which means it is difficult to get a good seal around a set of gloves. Sadly, this means I find myself reaching for my hardshell sooner than I would like.
A hardshell is absolutely essential. It is your protective layer against wind, rain and snow. Different times of year warrent different hardshells, but in the UK climate a winter weight hardshell is suitable for year round use. The most important thing about a hardshell is the hood, it should have 3 adjustment points to ensure a tight fit around the head and be wired or peaked. This will ensure it is not blown off by wind and keeps rain and snow out of your face. The hood should also cover most of the face when fully singed down to protect yourself from the worst of the weather. Make sure it does this with a helment on as well if you will be wearing a helmet. Also look at the pockets. Ensure they can be accessed when you are wearing a backpack or harness. A two way zip is also nice as it makes it easier to wear a harness and go to the toliet whilst wearing the jacket.
These layers make up all of the clothing that you will wear whilst active. Most of the year, you will only need to wear one or two of these to stay warm whilst on the move. I find that even in the depths of winter this is more than enough. If it is not for you, add another fleece or get a warmer puffy. It is essential that you do not need to wear your final layer (see next paragraph) whilst moving as this will result in you getting very cold when stopped.
The final layer or belay jacket is only worn whilst resting or at camp. It should be oversized to fit over everything. There are two main types of belay jacket, down and synthetic. Synthetic jackets are much better for the UK climate as they stay warm when wet and can be put over a wet hardshell in the rain. However, a synthetic jacket is always considerably heavier than a down alternative. I normally use down for wild camping as I am much more careful about keeping my jacket dry and will normally wear it in a tent, but for general hillwalking I tend to use synthetic.
Dry Discipline
Whilst cycling to Paris this year, we had much colder temperatures than antipated. It often dropped below zero at night and was well beyond the limits of our ultralight summer equipment. I was able to stay warm every night despite this by being pedantic about dry discipline. I had two sets of clothing. A wet set for during the day which could get sweaty and soaked by the rain and a dry set for camp that would only be put on when I could be absolutely certain that they would stay dry. This simple system meant I could always warm up when I got to camp and ensured I always had a dry set of clothes avalible.
This trick has worked on pretty much every expedition I have ever done, from the Cairngorms to the River Medway it always keeps me warm and comfortable. It is very tricky to maintain though, nothing is worst than slithering out of your nice, dry clothes into sodden, sweaty, smelly clothing. This is why you need to be very disciplined to maintain this technique over a few weeks. It is well worth doing though and will keep you warm and dry every night.
Warm Nights mean Fun Days
One of the easiest ways to keep warm during an expedition is to ensure your sleep system will keep you warm every night, no matter how cold you got during the day. This is essential for two reasons; first and foremost it means you can sleep well and be well rested for the next day. Secondly it is very comforting to know that no matter how cold you get during the day, you can always warm up at night.
The downside of this is that it often means carrying lots of extra weight. I minimise this by using a down sleeping bag which is much lighter than a synthetic one. The downside of down, as with jackets, is that they need to be kept dry. I use a normal dry bag for this, but you can get waterproof compression sacks that ensure you can compress your sleeping bag more.
A sleeping mat not only increases comfort but provides comfort from the ground. Your sleeping bag’s insulation is compressed under you body so is completely useless at insulating from the ground so a good sleeping mat is essential. On a budget, a self inflating pad will be insulated and fairly lightweight. The best solution is to get an inflatable pad which packs smaller and is more comfortable than a self inflating one. The downside with inflatable pads is that budget models provide no insulation and even higher end pads (like the Thermarest Neo Air) are not suitable for year round use. One easy way to add insulation to a inflatable pad is to use a foam pad underneath. This also meanst that if your inflatable pad pops, you will still be insulated from the ground.
I hope this tips help youy stay warm on expeditions. If you have any tips, please leave them in the comments, I am always looking for new and improved ways to stay warm!
Oscar Outdoors 