Cold weather gear

**chiak47** · 08-24-2010, 04:09 AM

Winter is right around the corner and I just ordered a N3-B jacket like the one pictured below.

I also have a couple sets of Swedish snow camo like the one pictured below.

Last but not least I ordered a few of these masks.

I have a drawer full of wool socks as well as thermal underwear but from what I have read is that cotton adsorbs to much water and it can actually hinder your ability to stay warm if say you get wet and whatnot.
So now I need some non cotton long underwear. Any suggestions?

What boots do you have for cold weather?

FWIW...I live in N.WI and our cold weather is far different than AZ's December chill.
Normally I just wear a carhart suit and some good snowboots. But I decided I need to upgrade.

Did I mention that I hate the winter?

**Charliebravo** · 08-24-2010, 08:32 AM

I hate wearing my jacket on duty in winter, so I ponied up $150 for a set of Under Armor's polar thermals. I hated to do it, but damn, worth every penny.

**BigDumbGerman** · 08-24-2010, 09:38 AM

I live in South Dakota and it gets cold sometimes, but mainly the weather changes a lot day to day and hour to hour. I am a firm believer in the layered approach. I also like to blend in, so camo is important. I have poly pro undies from the service, but I like the light weight (Merlino?) wool long johns better. Good base layer. So are the newer military silk-weight synthetics.

Over that, I have the black fleece "bear suit". The final layer is Gore Tex. I have woodland and ACU pattern. I have a multicam jacket, but need to pick up a pair of pants.

Boots... I have Matterhorns in black and Gore Tex lined "desert" boots. I like the black because they come up higher on the leg for slogging through mud and slush. The tan ones blend in better, but are shorter and have nylon uppers that let in a lot of water. If things get real bad, I have a pair of Air Force issue muclucs.

For camo, I've got a set of some Eurotrash overwhites that are pretty good and fit over the whole ensemble. I also have a German snow camo poncho as a quick fix to the rapid onset of snow (happens here 10 months out of the year).

That's my take on cold weather gear. Nothing fancy and easy to get around in.

**Partisan1983** · 08-24-2010, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by Charliebravo

I hate wearing my jacket on duty in winter, so I ponied up $150 for a set of Under Armor's polar thermals. I hated to do it, but damn, worth every penny.

Is that something new ?

I have a set of Under Armor, but every time I've worn it here in 'lil Siberia and I've broken a sweat, it chills me to the point that I feel hypothermia setting in.

**chiak47** · 08-24-2010, 10:20 AM

Great info guys. Winter survival is a beast...

What about gloves. I need gloves that will hold up to crawling through snow for 5+ hours at a time. Any suggestions?

Also...
No matter how warm I dress my toes and my fingers always seem to be hit by old man winter the first.

**Partisan1983** · 08-24-2010, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by chiak47

Great info guys. Winter survival is a beast...

What about gloves. I need gloves that will hold up to crawling through snow for 5+ hours at a time. Any suggestions?

Also...
No matter how warm I dress my toes and my fingers always seem to be hit by old man winter the first.

I've never found a single pair of gloves that lasted that long in extreme cold....that I could still feel all the longarm's "control's". Usaully when I'm out hunting, I have three different pairs on me.

As for boots, I'll have to find 'em to tell you exactly what I have...they are the best I've ever had by far. I've worn 'em down to -30, and my toes never got cold.

**HDR** · 08-24-2010, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by chiak47

Great info guys. Winter survival is a beast...

What about gloves. I need gloves that will hold up to crawling through snow for 5+ hours at a time. Any suggestions?

Have you tried those real heavy Military mittens over gloves?

**El Jefe** · 08-24-2010, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by chiak47

Great info guys. Winter survival is a beast...

What about gloves. I need gloves that will hold up to crawling through snow for 5+ hours at a time. Any suggestions?

Also...
No matter how warm I dress my toes and my fingers always seem to be hit by old man winter the first.

Chiak, you might look at a pair of Irish Setter Wingshooters. They're a water resistant leather boot that's insulated. My feet have never gotten cold while wearing them, even when spending several hours outside in January.

**sisyphus** · 08-24-2010, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by chiak47

Great info guys. Winter survival is a beast...

What about gloves. I need gloves that will hold up to crawling through snow for 5+ hours at a time. Any suggestions?

Also...
No matter how warm I dress my toes and my fingers always seem to be hit by old man winter the first.

I bought a slug of the W.German fleece-lined mittens at S.G. over the years. They're the warmest things I've used and they have leather accents for heavy use. Everybody I've given them to likes them for warmth too. Just don't get them wet.

And.............they're cheap at about 3 bucks a pair for used mittens in great shape. You have to buy in bulk.

**Zoff12** · 08-24-2010, 09:47 PM

Best single cold weather wear I ever bought... a Wooly Pully!

**old Grump** · 08-24-2010, 10:04 PM

Cold weather gear is putting my shorts away and getting out my jeans and long sleeve shirts. Gets below 20 degrees I'll wear a hat and socks too. I hate winter. Whats the matter with summer?

swampdragon · 08-24-2010, 11:23 PM

I wear simple Dickies insulated bib over all with a matching jacket.
Warm as hell over top your regular clothes.
Nothing fancy, but they are really warm and don't cost too much either.
Most ranchers and farmers around here have them.
They are warmer than any military issue item I ever had in my life.

With wind chill figured in, it drops to the neg 20's or worse here sometimes, and the cheap Dickies work really well still.

http://www.dickies.com/product/produ...ATR_Sku_Size=_

http://www.dickies.com/product/produ...ATR_Sku_Size=_

**Charliebravo** · 08-25-2010, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Partisan1983

Is that something new ?

I have a set of Under Armor, but every time I've worn it here in 'lil Siberia and I've broken a sweat, it chills me to the point that I feel hypothermia setting in.

Not sure how new they are. Got 'em last year. They do wick the moisture away though.

**Broondog** · 08-25-2010, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by swampdragon

I wear simple Dickies insulated bib over all with a matching jacket.
Warm as hell over top your regular clothes.
Nothing fancy, but they are really warm and don't cost too much either.
Most ranchers and farmers around here have them.
They are warmer than any military issue item I ever had in my life.

With wind chill figured in, it drops to the neg 20's or worse here sometimes, and the cheap Dickies work really well still.

http://www.dickies.com/product/produ...ATR_Sku_Size=_

http://www.dickies.com/product/produ...ATR_Sku_Size=_

yep, same setup here except i use Polar King instead of Dickies. they are a bit cheaper and just as warm.

my boots are Thin-sulated Wolverines. not bad but i could do better. and i use those convertible "mitten-glove" things. nothing fancy/expensive since i keep trashing them but they do a fair job.

this get-up suits me fine for farm work but it's too bulky for playing "tacti-cool ninja Rambo super SEAL".