The remedial baselayer & midlayering tutorial!

[James]

View attachment 178015
I’m all bout the hood, yet I can’t get a base layer hood under the helmet.

Something like the Smartwool “all season” base layer might work. It’s 150gm/m2, thei “thermal” weight one is 250.
Are you using a non adjustable racing helmet? That might be an issue.

Classic All-Season Merino Jiberish Print Hoodie | Smartwool

Shop the Merino 150 Jiberish Print Hoodie from our collection of apparel and accessories today.

www.smartwool.com

 

[S.H.]

So, it’s still summer - yet the season is near & it’s just occurred to myself that after 44 years of skiing, I really don’t know how to layer. I say this because I’m always freezing...... So take me to schoo!

Move somewhere drier and warmer. Nothing improved my warmth on the hill like moving to Colorado...

In all seriousness, on those never-coming-in days in NE, if you ask 100 coaches, you're going to find 95 different answers. It's especially bad if you are going to haul gates/set a course/ski intensively for a portion of the day and stand around not really moving for another portion of the day ... just brutal.

If you're just skiing all day, it's a bit easier. I'd make sure you have a base layer, and at least 2 midlayers, and ski with/stash a pack with different midlayer options as weather changes. Optimize versatility, with pit zips and leg zips as much as possible.

Or, you can invest in electronic heat, including for your core. I haven't used skiing, but if it works for people doing manual labor outside in the winter, it'll work for skiing too. We had a few for our field crews in New England; I forget brand, but they'd last 6-8 hours in the field pretty easily. Even some crusty academy coaches are moving in this direction (though they pretend they're still hard guys).

 

[Brian Finch]

Move somewhere drier and warmer. Nothing improved my warmth on the hill like moving to Colorado...

In all seriousness, on those never-coming-in days in NE, if you ask 100 coaches, you're going to find 95 different answers. It's especially bad if you are going to haul gates/set a course/ski intensively for a portion of the day and stand around not really moving for another portion of the day ... just brutal.

If you're just skiing all day, it's a bit easier. I'd make sure you have a base layer, and at least 2 midlayers, and ski with/stash a pack with different midlayer options as weather changes. Optimize versatility, with pit zips and leg zips as much as possible.

Or, you can invest in electronic heat, including for your core. I haven't used skiing, but if it works for people doing manual labor outside in the winter, it'll work for skiing too. We had a few for our field crews in New England; I forget brand, but they'd last 6-8 hours in the field pretty easily. Even some crusty academy coaches are moving in this direction (though they pretend they're still hard guys).

NE is the worst.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Put on one of these ear-covering head bands.

Then put two neck gaiters on over that.
Position them so that one is higher on your neck than the other.

Then put your helmet on so that it covers the top of the upper neck gaiter at the back of your neck. There will be two layers that have to fit up under the back of the helmet, the head band and the top neck gaiter. It may be a tight fit. Adjust helmet appropriately.

If your jacket won't zip all the way up because the two neck gaiters take up so much room, it won't matter. Leave it a little open. Together the neck gaiters will take care of the back of your neck as well as the front where the zipper is not fully zipped. The head band takes care of your ears. This will be an impenetrable barrier to cold air.

 

[Mel]

The root cause seems to be for myself, the back of my neck & from a gear perspective, layers not allowing the collar to close...... every brand no seems to have these trendy collars & hoods that don't actually approximate or work. I have moved to 1 size larger jacket & strictly crew neck base /mid layers.

I find that, even with stuff that fits, once I have some zipper stacking going on (jacket and 1/4 zip under, for instance) I hate the feel on my neck. A very thin merino turtle neck, with a crew neck fleece over top, or a crew neck down sweater (harder to find, but delightful to wear) will give you some neck coverage. You can add a thin merino buff on ultra cold days. If you want your head and ears covered, go for a helmet liner instead of a balaclava. I feel like anything that attaches the top of my head to my neck feels restricting.

Another option (also hard to find) are layers with offset zippers. Much more common on running gear than skiing gear for some reason.

 

[Yo Momma]

The "Secret Sauce" for me managing in cold weather up here in the NEK is this combo:

1- Hotronics + Boot Gloves (or any brands that work for you) - Boot gloves & hotronics on in a warm lodge or car. Self evident no cold ski boots... rm temp is fine but no colder.

2- Bula Balaclava - with the hinge and the "Power Shield Tech" face cover - similar to this:
3- Seirus Heatwave glove liners:
4- East Coast specific: Base layer & light Mid layer under an insulated ski jckt w/ pit zips and a bungee pull at the bottom of the jckt ( bungee tight and tuck the excess back under to just below waist level so your legs can move freely ) - No shells unless you're hiking or young w/ GREAT circulation or in and out of the lodge alot w/ kids etc...

 

[Tom K.]

Have you tried a thin balaclava in place of a hooded base layer? I use a wool one and it helps a lot. I can't stand a hood because the loss of peripheral vision drives me crazy. If it's snowing, I will wear a hood but not otherwise. I also can't abide anything binding around my neck. The balaclava doesn't feel that way.

Also a huge fan of the balaclava. I've got two thicknesses. The thinner of the two is a Ballerclava brand, and I love its design.

 

[skiki]

Sounds like you have gone through many of the conventional fixes already without anything really working for you the way you want. Have you looked at any of the over helmet hoods yet? Basically an extra large balaclava that fits over the helmet. Burton Burke came to mind first, but from a quick search I see that BlackStrap, Turtle Fur and TNF make them now too. With one of these you can zip your jacket fully first and layer the bottom of the hood over the collar instead of inside.

 

[x10003q]

I have been wearing these insulated shorts over my long johns and under my ski pants on cold days in NE for the last 5 years. They keep important areas warm.

Menali Insulated Shorts 2.0 Ms | Swix

An further developed and customized version of the original insulated shorts

www.swixsport.com

If it is warmer I will wear basketball shorts under my ski pants on top of some type of long johns.

Also, as mentioned, insulated jackets are a necessary evil for the damp cold of NYS/New England especially in the low sun days of Dec, Jan, and Feb.

 

[cantunamunch]

If it is warmer I will wear basketball shorts under my ski pants on top of some type of long johns.

This is exactly where I use the fleece jogger shorts I reference above. Some of them are cut to just at the knee.

 

[drewski]

I find that if I'm a little chilly on the lift ride up I have my layering dialed in, That puts me feeling warm on the way down when I am moving. I use wool base layer, fleece mid and my Marmot shell wnen its really cold, normal cold days I use my Cloudveil short shell

 

[Brian Finch]

I have been wearing these insulated shorts over my long johns and under my ski pants on cold days in NE for the last 5 years. They keep important areas warm.

Menali Insulated Shorts 2.0 Ms | Swix

An further developed and customized version of the original insulated shorts

www.swixsport.com

If it is warmer I will wear basketball shorts under my ski pants on top of some type of long johns.

Also, as mentioned, insulated jackets are a necessary evil for the damp cold of NYS/New England especially in the low sun days of Dec, Jan, and Feb.

^I got some Stio knickers last season: loved em, but the sizing was lil small. Got a new pair of these in right size for this winter; love the concept of insulation as a short / knicker base layer.

 

[James]

Why does an underlayer need a phone pocket? And on the thigh?

 

[Brian Finch]

Why does an underlayer need a phone pocket? And on the thigh?

…… because no one who actually skis designs skiwear

 

[skiki]

For when you are running around the house in the morning and getting ready, before you put your ski pants on. For when you are going out to your car with your boot bag on your back, your bibs over your shoulder, your coffee in one hand, your house keys ready to lock the door, but if you set your phone down you'll forget it. For that emergency $20, 'cause you just never know. Shall I continue? Never too many pockets, if you ask me.

 

[James]

For when you are running around the house in the morning and getting ready, before you put your ski pants on. For when you are going out to your car with your boot bag on your back, your bibs over your shoulder, your coffee in one hand, your house keys ready to lock the door, but if you set your phone down you'll forget it. For that emergency $20, 'cause you just never know. Shall I continue? Never too many pockets, if you ask me.

That would be the women’s version, clearly.
But, tie on the outside front? Too much garbage for an underlayer.

 

[skiki]

You prefer on the inside back? New version of the old union suit?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Why does an underlayer need a phone pocket? And on the thigh?

Because it was designed by the same people who design women’s ski gear!

That would be the women’s version, clearly.
But, tie on the outside front? Too much garbage for an underlayer.

Ah … I see you got that already!

 

[Brian Finch]

Ok…
Have Smartwool 200 weight base layers coming to go w the knickers & likely a Los Gatos crew- making progress!

 

[S.H.]

Have Smartwool 200 weight base layers coming to go w the knickers & likely a Los Gatos crew- making progress!

View attachment 178409 View attachment 178410

Did you choose those patterns?