[pct-l] clothing question

[Steel-Eye]

Good morning, Moondog,

 

I haven't found the PCT to be particularly cold in the hiking season.  Frost in the morning and occasional light snowfall aren't uncommon, but that's nothing for an active hiker.  All I use is: 1) a poly tee shirt, 2) a 200-weight, pull-over fleece shirt/jacket, and 3) a thin, hooded windshirt.  The jacket is an off-brand that I bought on sale for about $10. and it weighs 10.5 oz.  The GoLite Ether windshirt weighs 3.0 oz.  Wearing both, I'm comfortable until I warm up on the trail.  Soon, first the wind shirt comes off, then later the fleece.  During a break the windshirt goes back on.  Examples of that can be seen at: 

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye on the entries for 5 & 6 June, except in that on the 6th the windshirt was a Marmot rather than the GoLite.  I couldn't do that with a Flight Jacket.  

 

I'd love to have a Flight Jacket, and several times I've come close to buying one since it weighs about the same as my fleece alone, but for me it would be too warm and I couldn't get the same ventilation when layering.  Besides, the Flight Jacket costs over $210. more than the cheap-o fleece.

 

I have three down jackets by other manufacturers, but in the more chronically wet areas .. like where I live in the Northwest .. they are usually too warm and they seem to get sopped around the shoulders under rain gear.  The fleece performs much better for me under those circumstances.

 

I have several vests, both fleece and down, but I don't often take them on the trail.  My problem:  With advanced years I notice the cold on my arms more than I used to, so I like long sleeves.



Steel-Eye



 

^^^^^^^^^^  Serious hikers gather at:  http://www.aldhawest.org/  ^^^^^^^^^^





----- Original Message ----- 

  From: David Stewart 
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 4:59 AM
  Subject: [pct-l] clothing question


  I am having some trouble deciding about an insulating layer. Everyone raves about the WM Flight Jacket. I have no doubts that that sucker is nice and warm. But I am a warm sleeper and generally warm all the time. I hardly ever use a 2nd layer while hiking, unless it is cold and raining. 

  I will have two baselyer shirts with me, Marmot Precip Jacket and a TNF Windstopper Vest. I am debating to go with the WM Flash vest, or the Flight vest. I could imagine the Flight Jacket being simply too warm, except perhaps in the Sierras (but there is some 2300 other miles of trails to carry the jacket...). 

  Layer up? or is it really that cold?

  my bag will be the WM Summerlite. 

  one last question to ponder: Is anyone slicker than Tom Brady? seriously.

  -moondog


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