What to Wear in Winter
Gotta Get Me Some Stuff
Thanks. All the advice will definately be welcome. Now for the crunch question. Cross Country or Snowboard? I have recieved many varied opinions on this matter.
When you are cool, calm and collected while all around you panic, perhaps you do not understand the situation.
- Nathan Lillie
- Posts: 404
- Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2003 12:23 pm
- Location: Helsinki
cross country is the thing in Finland.
down hill is pathetic here, and snowboarding really doesn't work any other way (unless you want to carry it instead of it carrying you).
If you are going to be exerting yourself, out in the snow all day in -20 C you will need to think about clothes to sweat in as well as to keep you warm when you stop. It makes it more complicated.
Also, you will need more serious gloves than just ski gloves. I have a pair of US army surplus arctic mittens, which look like giant green oven mitts and cost 10$ . But I wore them for an all night -30 degree death march in Lappland, and my hands never felt toastier. Glove liners are also essential for fiddling with your bindings - these can be wool or silk.
Polypropaline (sp?) long johns are the best when you are exerting yourself. For pure warmth, wool is best, but scratchy.
Have some good snow pants, I have fleece ones. And a sweater, and medium weight Gore-text jacket for when moving. the jacket should have a hood for heavy winds, and to supplement your hat if things get really cold.
Stay away from cotton because it looses its isulation when it gets wet (like, for example, from sweat), except for maybe an extra outer jacket to put on on top of everything else when stopped - and only for serious cold temperatures, because if snow melts on it, the jacket will be worthless for insulation.
And a proper hat is important. A thick knit wool cap should do the trick.
down hill is pathetic here, and snowboarding really doesn't work any other way (unless you want to carry it instead of it carrying you).
If you are going to be exerting yourself, out in the snow all day in -20 C you will need to think about clothes to sweat in as well as to keep you warm when you stop. It makes it more complicated.
Also, you will need more serious gloves than just ski gloves. I have a pair of US army surplus arctic mittens, which look like giant green oven mitts and cost 10$ . But I wore them for an all night -30 degree death march in Lappland, and my hands never felt toastier. Glove liners are also essential for fiddling with your bindings - these can be wool or silk.
Polypropaline (sp?) long johns are the best when you are exerting yourself. For pure warmth, wool is best, but scratchy.
Have some good snow pants, I have fleece ones. And a sweater, and medium weight Gore-text jacket for when moving. the jacket should have a hood for heavy winds, and to supplement your hat if things get really cold.
Stay away from cotton because it looses its isulation when it gets wet (like, for example, from sweat), except for maybe an extra outer jacket to put on on top of everything else when stopped - and only for serious cold temperatures, because if snow melts on it, the jacket will be worthless for insulation.
And a proper hat is important. A thick knit wool cap should do the trick.
Well, some locals would say viina.....some would say people get used to it... some people just keep on dreaming of warms places and travel a lot... personnaly....hmm... I still wonder how I can handle this.......I thought it was already winter in Finland! I froze my butt already in the end of August! How do you survive there...?