I have an upcoming trip to the mountains that I need a good jacket for and am trying to decide between these three. Anyone have any experience with them or thoughts? I will be layering of course.
Sleeka Lite
http://www.expedition-outlet.com/products2.php?id=36
Vapour active soft shell
http://www.expedition-outlet.com/products2.php?id=154
Sleeka original
http://www.expedition-outlet.com/products2.php?id=32
I don’t have any experience with your selection, but I can vouch for a Gore-Tex parka worn with some sort of fleece. I have been thining of getting a parka like the issued one, only in OD instead of Marpat - to look more civilian-y. These are great for anything but torrential downpour and you can adjust your undergarment for the temperature - from blouse to “black bear”. From what you’re saying I would go with the “black bear”!
Check out the stuff from Mountain Hardwear, their built for some serious
usage. Their not cheap, but they’ll last for a long time…
That’s true, my Mountain Hardware jacket is 10 years old and I still wear it every day! That stuff is the cat’s meow.
I’m partial to a shell and fleece liner. I don’t have the 511 3n1 parka but plan to once my other stuff wears out.
Right now I have a Columbia lightweight and a NOrth Face heavy fleece. The shells are an unlined Columbia, lined one and a real heavy weight Columbia parka and bibs.
The two fleece pieces are sized so I can wear the lightweight, then the heavy weight, a goosedown vest and the heavy parka. That’s for the static days-and break out the good old mickey mouse boots.(and laugh at the people with go fast desert boots freeze thier ass off)
I also have a woodland partern Goretex set.
Mark, I have a Patagonia R2. Incredibly light and very warm. I ordered the above Vapour Active Soft Shell. Its water and wind resistant. I am going to pair it with the R2 top. Zensah long sleeve base layer, then a shirt, then the R2, then the Vapour. I’ll see how it does.
I like hoods on the raingear, really helps. The ones that have a “bill” on them help more with heavy rain.
Another vote for Mountain Hardware. Awesome stuff.
I just got back last night from 26hrs at 7700-8600’ and 12-24" of snow everywhere. (was supposed to be three days…that went south quick…ugh).
It ia always interesting/humorous to see the folks that don’t think they need good cold weather gear because they aren’t in the cold/snow much. :rolleyes:
Get the good gear/clothes, make sure it’s water-proof, and layer it correctly. And for the love of Pete, make sure your snowshoes are made for your size!
With any luck, the wife will ineherit this:
Layers…
I grew up in northern WI and worked winters in the woods and on long stretches of
railroad in several northern states…
If you are going to be active vs stationary that makes a big difference in clothing
selection…
Rip stop…Snag Proof…wind, water &…flame resistant…and dries quickly when soaked with sweat or water…
In the old days 100% wool was boss and is still g2g …imo
A lot depends on the kind of work you are going to do outside…getting bloody
muddy and greasy…I would not want to ruin a $150 - $300 dollar parka
For that kind of work I’d wear something sturdy and used on the outside and save my windproof stuff for underneath…
Gortex,fleece,and light wt long johns are in order…as well as good boot socks,good wool hat and good gloves and or over mittens. (taking along a good wool scarf never hurts either…and sun glasses)
Polyester polypropolene stuff works good but you have to be careful around fire with some of that stuff…
Nothing works like being acclimated to the cold and that takes exposure
over time…
For walking around and then having to be stationary in below zero temps with wind chills…nothing beats my Maine Game Warden’s parka…
But for working out doors…my old Goretex parka and fleece layers and wool pants
work best…lots of times I have to take off underlayers when getting heated up
cutting up firewood or doing other outside chores…
Which I have to go over to the mom in laws house and do in a short bit…lol
Fortunately I got a big ole Amish wood cook stove going right now…to come home to…(with a pot of chili cooking on it)
Best of luck on your hunt…
I wish I was in the land of cotton…warmer winters there are not forgotten…
Forgot to add…
Those fleece balaclava’s from Cabela’s are also really nice…(I got my wife one…she loves it…walking the dog -10 no problem)
Also get some of those Goretex gaitors…help keep your feet dry and good brush guards too…specially if you are wearing jeans
or not so water proof trousers…
As stated, the intended activity is really important when choosing clothing. I grew up in upstate NY on a big dairy farm. It got pretty cold up there. Since we were in and out doing different chores, overalls worked really good. I had standard ones, but what really worked great was a snowmobile suit on top of regular clothes. There wasn’t alot of hard activity outside in the dead of winter, so the suit worked great with overheating. Of course worked great on the then 3 wheeler and snowmobile! That way, it was easy off when coming back inside.
Didn’t help when I fell in the river checking my trap line though.:mad:
Home video moment???
I would be a millionaire if so!
Long story, here it goes- maybe later, I will tell my first raccoon trapped story.
I had a good side activity going with the trapping, started out with Muskrats. Believe it or not, in 1980, getting 3-10 a hide wasn’t a bad gig for a high schooler. My uncle and brother in law had hounds and did raccoons, they where 35-80 or so, depending on the season.
Anyhow, I get out of school and have to hustle my trap line before cleaning, feeding and milking my barn of 80-90 head.
The creek or"crik" was anywhere from a foot wide in summer to 10-15’w and 2-5 ’ deep in winter/spring. So the banks where usually straight up and high because of this.
We had a warm spell with some snow melt and it turn cold again that day. So it’s cold as can be with alot of fast moving water now. I get to the one #1 foot trap I had set near a bank. I know the melt is still sending alot of water down so I better pull the trap from there and set it up elsewhere.
So, as I lean over and down to retrieve it, guess where I go?
You think you’re tuff until you go in that water and it’s giving you a ride. I go down a bit and catch a branch after a minute, took a try or two to get out. (minus my trap:mad: )BY now of course, I’m cold and a ways from the barn, about a mile.
By the time I get back, mind you I’m working my way through 2’ of snow, my clothes were frozen. I was so cold I couldn’t hardly move or speak. Luckily, my sister was in the milkhouse and hosed my clothes down so I could get them off and warm up with dry ones.
All for a three dollar trap-
Yeesh.