Suggestions on warmest insulated midlayer jacket

[tromano]

When your skiing there is always a windchill.

To me a puffy jacket and a mid layer are two different things. Puffys don't breathe well and arent ideal to be worn under a shell for a semiactive sport. Down puffy are the worst fot this since down loses all loft in the moist environs under the shell. You are better off putting the down puffy over the shell than under it.

Mid layers do breathe well and should be worn under a shell. A thick wool sweater would be a solid choice for a very warm mid layer.

Insulated ski jackets are great since they are warm, but also have feature like pitzips to manage excess heat and sweat.

And as always, make sure you are a bit chilly on that first lift ride of the morning. You will warm up through out the day naturally. If you are toasty warm first thing, the next thing you should do it go back down and change out for a lighter insulation layer. If you don't you will soak your base and insulation and after a few hours you will be freezing.

 

[SBrown]

Yeah, I know a few people who pack on the jackets under a shell, but they are just constricting things needlessly, because wearing three coats smashes all the loft down and it’s much less insulating. I have a lightly insulated jacket (Norrona Lofoten) in a longer, more modern fit than my old coats, and that back length really helps warmth, too. It is roomy and light enough that I can put almost any layer beneath it. That said, I am in CO, not NE, but I do run a bit cold.

 

[Tony Storaro]

If you want warmth, you want down. Doesn't matter if it's in an insulated ski jacket or as a layer under a shell. Make sure there's a sufficient amount of fill; there's a lot of ultralight down jackets that are no warmer than a light fleece because there's hardly any down in them. The patagonia down sweater is a good reference point, but there are plenty of other options. REI brand has some great options.).

Patagonia Down sweater is OK but not nearly as warm as the Arc Cerium. Plus the cut of the Arc is better-more athletic. Or at least was before the new ownership, dunno how they are now as I didn’t need to buy anything from them the last 3 seasons.

 

[KingGrump]

Patagonia Down sweater is OK but not nearly as warm as the Arc Cerium. Plus the cut of the Arc is better-more athletic. Or at least was before the new ownership, dunno how they are now as I didn’t need to buy anything from them the last 3 seasons.

Patagonia has a more boxy cut. The Arc Cerium fits nicely. They have changed their sizing over the years but not in the last five years or so.

 

[Basilherb]

I've got the LLBean ultralight 850 hooded sweater that I often wear under my loose fitting shell. It's warmer than my Atom LT. It's probably equivalent to the Cerium, I'm just picky about colors.
Next step warmer is a heavy synthetic jacket. Mine is Himali, but Arcteryx Atom heavyweight would be the equivalent in that brand. Mine is 100g primaloft insulation, I think Atom LT is 60g, so it's significantly warmer.
If that's not warm enough, I have a high fill down jacket (mountain equipment trango) that fits over my shell.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Yup get a warm insulated jacket that sort of half covers your but. Otherwise, those microdown mids are way too hot for me but might work for you.

 

[EP4O]

Another vote for Cerium, it is just so damn good.

 

[givethepigeye]

Patagonia has a more boxy cut. The Arc Cerium fits nicely. They have changed their sizing over the years but not in the last five years or so.

Its not as boxy as the Patagonia, but the Cerium Hoody has gotten a tad more generous the last two seasons. Just got a new one and it fits looser. But maybe I had an earlier version, it was a color that carries over year to year. who knows. This one I just got is a shade bigger.

 

[BLiP]

This one I just got is a shade bigger.

Last year's Cerium was slightly looser. This year they slimmed it back down a bit. This year's version has full rubber zipper pulls rather than rope/string/fabric loops.

 

[Wilhelmson]

So I used to wear a t shirt. Now I have this semi techy UA hoodie over base layer and I put the hood on under the helmet. Warm.

 

[givethepigeye]

Last year's Cerium was slightly looser. This year they slimmed it back down a bit. This year's version has full rubber zipper pulls rather than rope/string/fabric loops.

Mine must be from past season vs Winter 23/24 - looser, string pulls, and $280 from Arcteryx last week.

 

[BLiP]

Mine must be from past season vs Winter 23/24 - looser, string pulls, and $280 from Arcteryx last week.

That’s a great price. None of the revisions warrant full price when you can get that kind of deal.

 

[Dos-Equis]

I’ve tried layering with shells, but it they always seem to leave me less comfortable than insulated jackets.

My favorite solution is an insulated jacket with a very air permeable mid layer as necessary. Unlike in a shell, the pit zips in an insulated jacket also open up the insulation, making it easier to regulate temperature. If you combine that with a very breathable mid layer, you can essentially customize your warmth in a huge range.

I like the rab alpha flash a lot. Also the Patagonia nano air light. Both very warm under a layer but dump heat when you want.
I skied in a windchill of negative 20 a season ago. My feet were freezing but my torso felt perfectly comfortable.

 

[wv911]

I like layering most of the time, usually Patagonia Down Hoody with maybe a Arc shell overtop.

I ski Lake Louise which can get extremely cold but dry.

Really cold days I wear a Rab Electron Pro

 

[motogreg]

just throwing it out there, a heated vest was a total game changer for my cold-blooded wife

 

[Uncle-A]

If you are staying with the shell, my suggestion is a down sweater. It is something I use in the NE all the time. I use one by Eddie Bauer but there are a lot of good ones available on the market.

 

[KJL]

I’m the unfit, sweaty, and cold skier who has spent years trying to find the right midlayer that warms deeply but breathes well.

I ended up skiing the last two seasons with just an Oros Horizon 1/4 Zip, which is extraordinarily insulating in the torso but extremely breathable in the arms and underarm.

That low metabolic period after lunch is handled with a Smartwool arm sleeve that I keep stuffed in a pocket all other times.

Something about Oros’ melding of aerogel foam and hyper-breathable sections maintains oh-so-comfortable heat without nasty sweaty feels.

When temps fell to 20° I wore a Patagonia midweight Capilene under the Oros 1/4 Zip.

I was starting to look into heated vests but am so glad I found a far simpler setup.

For reference, over the years I’ve also tried:

• Patagonia R.5, R1, and R2 (too hot and I always find fleece not breathable enough, prickly skin when starting to sweat, etc)
• Nano Air and Air Light (really wonderful stuff, as warm and more comfortable than fleece, but still not breathable enough)
• Nano Puff, Down sweater, etc (forget about breathability)

 

[macumbed]

I have same questions for mid layer. I was thinking to buy Burton AK baker or north face breithorn(have a good discount on this one), but I'm afraid to be too warm even to here (Canada/Quebec/Alberta Rockies).

 

[snwbrdr]

With my down puffy jacket, that I wear under my shell.

I treated it with Nikwax Down Proof

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But I bought a Scott insulated jacket that is plenty warm.

 

[jt10000]

Down puffy are the worst fot this since down loses all loft in the moist environs under the shell.

Really? Just flattens out from sweat moisture? I did not know that.