Warm Clothing

N

nick-nack

Joined
Dec 14, 2006
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503
Hey guys,

Me an my family will probably be heading out to America for the holidays in our summer time, which is your winter. I asked on another forum for travelling tips and someone mentioned that warm clothing is a must since our artinnery will include Chicago and the Niagra falls. He said that the most basic requirements are layered clothing and a good nylon jacket because the wind will be a great factor.

Some outdoor activities will be included and since most of you guys love bargains and travel light you will be perfect for advice on cheap, light and warm clothing. We obviously dont want to break the bank on clothing (the accomodation will take care of that) we were wondering how little clothing we could bring but still remain warm. I noticed there are a few more Aussies on this forum so maybe some of you can help out on where to buy stuff.
As stupid as it sounds we dont really know how to dress for the cold, it may come as a suprise to you but Australia doesnt get very cold...:D For most of the "cold" weather (if you can call it that) a t-shirt and sweater will be enough and if the wind picks up a big jacket will easily take care of that.

Thanks in advance guys.
 
I'm not in the USA, but I'll start you off with this thought.

International flights have a 20-25kg luggage limit per person last time I checked.

Heavy coats, wool sweaters and leather jackets (for example) weigh a LOT and will take up a lot of that limit. You also don't want to be lugging those around when you head indoors and the temperature normalises.

I would highly recommend a good quality polar fleece (full zip) jacket, and a thin, waterproof (or water resistant) windbreaker with a hood (removable or not) over that. The layering is key for warmth (three layers is needed), but it also gives you a lot of versatility as well should you travel to warmer climes with more rainfall.

Head for your outdoor/camping shops to find the good stuff like North Face.
 
Dress in layers , long underware, and wool sweaters, heavey jacket,gloves, warm boots, and good warm hat. Just so happens, we are getting record cold, and snow storms across the midwest, and the northeast. New York is getting hit hard. I wouldn`t skimp on clothing. It`s going to be really cold at Niagra Falls. As far as being cheap, I would try the thrift stores. Have fun, and stay warm.
 
Eh, unfortunately, good cold weather gear costs money. Living right off the lake in Ohio, it is most certainly a worthy investment as we have to deal with it our whole lives.

Like buffalohump said, three layers are mininum. My standard go to is a Gor-tex shell with zip in fleece liner from Cabela's, and a Columbia long sleeve synthetic thermal sleepwear shirt. I've done -20º wind chill with this and stayed warm.

Outer shell should be Gortex, though waterproof nylon will fall on the cheaper side and be just as effective in most cases. Mid layer should preferably be a quality wool, though a thick fleece will work and be cheaper. Base layer, Underarmor works, but there are cheaper alternatives out there - I found mine in the sleepwear section of a department store made by Columbia. If it's REALLY cold out, I throw some flannel sleepwear pants under my jeans. Works beautifully.

But DO NOT FORGET YOUR FEET, HANDS, AND HEAD. I can head out in minimal layering for short to medium periods and still be alright if my feet, hands, and head are warm. If they are cold, you will be absolutely miserable and in danger of frostbite. Make sure your gloves are water proof and fit correctly. A polar fleece watch cap will keep your noggin toasty and can be found for as little as 5 bucks. Dry, warm socks are worth a thousand times their weight in gold when the going gets rough.

And stay away from cotton and cotton blends. It's thermal retention is average at best, and is actually a hypothermic danger if it gets wet. It's cheap for a reason.

Bargains can be had if you look. For example, I have almost 2 dozen pairs of quality wool hunting socks ... that I paid 3 dollars a pair for instead of the usual 15 dollars a pair because they were marked with "cosmetic imperfections". Do I really car if the seam isn't the right color or some such other nonsense?

Good luck, and have fun :)
 
I went out around midnight tonight in 15 degree F. I came home after about 40 minutes beginning to sweat because I made the mistake of wearing fleece. Fleece is fine for cool weather but when you have to stay zipped up, it can trap sweat and then you CAN'T open up to let the heat out or you'll get chilled.

Forget fleece and put on a wool sweater.
 
I can't help much, I've never seen snow except in pictures/film but I can offer a couple of suggestions. Like most things clothing is generally cheaper in the US so consider taking the bare minimum with you then buying while you're over there (eg I just picked up some Tees as part of one of my shipments for $20ea that are around the $60 mark here). As an added bonus a lot of places in the US have their winter clothing sales on now so things are even cheaper.

Secondly if you can make it to Auburn check out Anaconda. They have regular sales and have a members sale on this Thurs night (24th Jan) where all clothing is 25% off. They stock decent brands like Columbia and North Face.

Thirdly my boss is currently at our HO in Pittsburgh and says it's $&@$#!* cold with everything iced up. Chicago is even further north so I imagine is at best the same if not colder. Be prepared for a whole new level of cold compared to what we experience.
 
Esav: I find good quality fleece is usually quite breathable.

My North Face outer layer has pit zips so if you start sweating while hiking you can 'vent' yourself quite effectively.

The point I was trying to make is that the outdoor/hiking brands have achieved quite impressive results with technology to give you a combination of warmth and light weight.

Personally, I find wool heavy, bulky and scratchy, and moths just love to chew holes in it.
 
If you want to save cash, I find I can get away with a lot cheaper fleece than the quality needed for a shell. For example a Northface jacket paired with an Old Navy fleece seems to work ok. Cheap fleece gets scruffy in a hurry if you want to wear it as a casual sweater though.

Also I'm all about toques or wool-caps or whatever people call them. Easiest way to alter your temperature.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I went out around midnight tonight in 15 degree F. I came home after about 40 minutes beginning to sweat because I made the mistake of wearing fleece. Fleece is fine for cool weather but when you have to stay zipped up, it can trap sweat and then you CAN'T open up to let the heat out or you'll get chilled.

Forget fleece and put on a wool sweater.
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Its because you dont ventilate when warming up. The same can happen with any insulation. When starting to sweat open your coat zips to regulate your core temp. Problem solved.

When I am hauling ass in -25 I sweat up a storm and its not unusual for me to strip off to a fleece vest and polypro base layer. Steam just pours off.

When I cool off some I put on more clothes, sweat is the enemy in winter.

Skam
 
i'm just going to add one thing to what everyone else said - get a balaclava made from synthetic material.
 
The trick in traveling in cold weather is that you go from warm automobiles and public transit, into the cold and then back into a warm building. If you are going to be outside for long periods of time, then long underwear is practical, but if you are going to be in homes, shops, museums and the like, you will be too warm inside.

The other issue is if you want to dress casual or more formally for business.

Parkas come to mid thigh and give good wind protection and normally have a hood. For a one-warm-garment approach, that is probably the easiest. You can zip it open and drop the hood for transition and just throw it over your arm when inside. Supplement with fleece beanies/cap, scarf, and gloves. A sweater can be warm and look dressy at the same time and still go casual with Levi's.

Pants are more difficult. For dressier stuff, a good pair of wool men's slacks (trousers) work for travel. I wear Levi's most of the time and they give good enough wind protection, but are terrible or extended wet conditions. Other options are some sort of nylon or polyester travel pants, but they are usually meant for warm weather. Corduroy pants give some sort of balance between casual and dressier stuff and are comfortable.

Where we noticed the cold while traveling in snow in Germany was our shoes. A good pair of thick soled shoes and a couple layers of socks really helped. We were in Munich in 20F weather and snow on the ground and walking outside much of the daylight hours and going back and forth to warm shops and museums and back outside onto cold concrete.

There will be plenty of discount shops when you arrive. Marshall's, Ross, and TJ Maxx are discounters that carry last year's overstocks. Stores like Target and JC Penney's will have everything you need too, and there's no problem going up from there. On line, http://landsend.com has good warm weather clothing in casual and dress, as does http://sierratradingpost.com. REI's outlet at http://www.rei.com/outlet has some good deals too.
 
skammer said:
Its because you dont ventilate when warming up.
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Skam, why bother? If I wore a wool sweater, I wouldn't have sweat at all. The (*^$ fleece does it to me every time. I can wear it around the house, or as a light outer garment in cool weather, but as a base layer, it's a killer. It's like wearing cotton.

I'm not unzipping in 15degree weather with the wind in my face.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Skam, why bother? If I wore a wool sweater, I wouldn't have sweat at all. The (*^$ fleece does it to me every time. I can wear it around the house, or as a light outer garment in cool weather, but as a base layer, it's a killer. It's like wearing cotton.

I'm not unzipping in 15degree weather with the wind in my face.
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Do you mean base layer, as in you don't have anything under the fleece? Try wearing some polypro under it, it definitely does the trick for wicking. Or merino wool long undies if you prefer. I like both wool and fleece, and have one of both layers when it's really cold.

my upper body system is:
polypro long sleeved shirt
light weight fleece
thick wool overshirt (british army issue i think?)
outer shell

works great and is very comfortable and adaptable
 
k-spar, I didn't mean base base layer, just under the jacket. I also wasn't getting dressed for a run up Everest. Just get up from the computer and go for a walk. Regular house clothes, toss on a warm jacket and hat and go. I overdress easily because I generate a lot of heat when I get active. The worst of it is, my arms overheat the most, and unzipping the front of a jacket does nothing to ventilate them.

All I was trying to say is, if someone coming here doesn't know how to deal with the cold, a fleece liner is not a great idea. Hat, scarf, gloves, and shoes will seal the edges, and a reasonably warm coat with an easily swapped out layer underneath will do fine. I should know enough to wear a sweater, which breathes, not fleece, which does not breathe.
 
I am only going to post one item because I believe it is the absolute most important for being warm...LaMontana Hot Chillys...There I said it I feel better:) Seriously though these would be worth every penny at $100 a pair (Though I'm glad they're not!!) YOU WILL LOVE THESE!!:thumbup:
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Skam, why bother? If I wore a wool sweater, I wouldn't have sweat at all. The (*^$ fleece does it to me every time. I can wear it around the house, or as a light outer garment in cool weather, but as a base layer, it's a killer. It's like wearing cotton.

I'm not unzipping in 15degree weather with the wind in my face.
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If its your arms try a vest. there has to be a simple solution. YOu are right tho fleece is not as breathable as loose knit wool but it itches less.

SKam
 
I`m a huge fan of long underwear. Even if you just want to wear pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, just put a layer of good long underwear underneath and you`ll be toasty warm. I also wear good wool socks most of the winter. And a jacket outdoors obviously
 
I would wait till you get there and then go shopping the following day, it will give you a chance to look around the town and there will be plenty of cheap outdoor stores there !!!
 
Burlington Coat Factory has really great deals on good quality stuff. Some of it may be seconds (i.e. have small defects) but you can't do better as far as I know.

Don't forget some kind of hat, gloves, etc. Chicago is really windy and cold.
 
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