{"id":43720,"date":"2025-03-03T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/?p=43720"},"modified":"2025-03-01T11:36:59","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T18:36:59","slug":"cold-clothes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kk.org\/cooltools\/cold-clothes\/","title":{"rendered":"Cold Clothes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Lightest down jacket<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Montbell Ex Light Jacket<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first sight it\u2019s a nice-looking puffy jacket. Then someone picks up said puffy jacket and throws it at you. You put your hand out ready to catch a pound or so of duck-filled garment and then \u2013 nothing<\/em>. Not what you expected. It\u2019 as though a helium balloon just brushed against your hand. It\u2019s thick and puffy and warm, but it doesn\u2019t weigh anything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so began my love affair with the Montbell Ex Light Jacket. Not to be confused with its heavier cousin, the Montbell UL Jacket, the Ex Light weighs in at a scant 5.7 oz for a medium. Don\u2019t expect frills such as pockets or hemmed waists, or the insulation and more durable exterior of a thicker down coat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wore this jacket whenever I had a chance on the Wonderland Trail. Rest stops, camp, heck I even slept in it on most nights. It\u2019s a perfect complement to my lightweight summer bag when things get a little chilly at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granted, I\u2019ve spent more time in this jacket off the mountain at this point. It\u2019s so snug, so cozy that I\u2019ve been living in it for most of the winter. It replaces my Bozeman Cocoon Vest, and for 0.4 oz more it packs a whole lot more warmth. The downside is that I\u2019m more vulnerable to rain as the Cocoon was synthetic and this is down, but I\u2019ve found it to be a worthwhile tradeoff. \u2014Brett Marl<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Best cold, wet outerwear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Paramo Directional Clothing System<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normal \u201cbreathable\u201d shells have three great failings. The worst is that they\u2019re just not that breathable, especially in rain, and extra-especially for people who carry on high-energy activities when it rains. This is because they\u2019re based on a pored membrane that works by letting water vapour go from dryer to wetter air, so when the air outside is wet you\u2019re stuck with living with your own sweat. Their two other failings are that repairing rips with a needle is disastrous, because water flows through the holes the needle makes in the membrane, and that getting dry once you\u2019re soaked \u2013 whether by your own sweat or a fall in a river \u2013 takes forever. Softshells try to get around some of these problems, but at the cost of letting in moderate to heavy rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A company that has found the answer is Paramo with their \u201cDirectional\u201d shell fabrics. Instead of using a membrane they use a \u201cpump liner\u201d that sucks water away from the inside of their shells. So sweat is still expelled in the rain, needle holes don\u2019t matter because water trying to enter via them is pumped back, and if you get soaked under your shell when you fall out of your kayak your baselayers will dry out faster with your Paramo on, sucking water away, than if you took it off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other good news: Paramo is rustle free, completely windproof (it\u2019s a popular choice of Antarctic exploration teams), is easily washed and re-proofed in a washing machine, and the average hard-used shell seems to last about a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downside of Paramo shells has been that they combine a shell with a midlayer, making them too warm for many people except in winter, and slightly bulky to carry. However the latest Paramo Velez Light has fixed this problem with lighter insulation and excellent venting. You simply put it on a over a baselayer and work the venting (and roll up the sleeves \u2013 something you can\u2019t comfortably do with a normal shell) as needed \u2013 the shell stays on all day. Because sweat transport and venting are so good this works in all but summer weather. The Velez Light also has an exceptionally good hood that keeps goggles and spectacles dry in the rain but provides more than adequate side vision even for cycling in traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The bad news is that although discussed excitedly on ultra light-weight hiking lists from time to time, Paramo doesn\u2019t seem to be stocked widely \u2013 if at all \u2013 in the US. However, ordering from the UK is hardly the adventure it was before the invention of the steamship and wireless telegraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How good is Paramo? Good enough so that I can crank a cyclocross bike at maximum speed cross country in heavy rain and ice cold wind and my torso is as warm and dry as it would be if I was cycling on a summer day wearing only a wicking tee shirt. In short, ***astoundingly*** good. \u2014 Jonathan Coupe<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Traditional wool wear<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Filson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filson\u2019s gear is made in Washington state and is superior to almost all of the winter\/outdoor gear I\u2019ve used. They are a bit spendy but spectacularly well made, and they wear like iron. I imagine my Filson Mackinaw will be handed down to my daughter and then to her children before its usefulness has departed. The woolen gear is quiet in the woods, keeps you warm even if damp or wet, and smells just fine to boot. Thumbs up. \u2014 John Coates<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ultimate cold protection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

RefrigiWear<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having to work outside in really tough conditions is bad enough, but many times worse if you\u2019re cold too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found RefrigiWear suits years ago. They\u2019re made for workers in blast freezers, so they\u2019re tough, not super expensive and come in lots of sizes. My whole crew got these suits and they kept us fully functional while outside overnight for February-in-Wisconsin telecom projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have no idea what Iditarod racers wear, and I\u2019m pretty sure these won\u2019t have the right cache for the ski set, but for working people these suits help you get the job done in the cold and won\u2019t drain the piggy bank. \u2014 Wayne Ruffner<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n