- Joined
- Jun 16, 2003
- Messages
- 20,207
Wear a polyester fleece jacket under it. The polyester fleece will still insulate when damp (x 2 vs. wool -- and lighter, softer, and washable).
Cotton is very questionable in cold weather. Look for a copy of "Hypothermia, Killer of the Unprepaired," the classic on the topic of fatalities from cold. You were warm in cotton? Many Chinese Troops survived Korea in cotton uniforms -- about 150,000 died from hypothermia. A good coating of water repellant would help keep the outside water out, but you sweat, more or less, all the time, and the cotton absorbs the moisture and allows evaporative cooling -- great in hot weather and not so great in cold weather.
Polyester fleece garments basically last forever and are showing up in Goodwill, Volunteers of America, etc. in very useable condition for $5.00 or less. Stay away from the posh brands, and they're under $30.00 new in a variety of colors. Most have a draw cord at the bottom -- a good feature.
Cotton is very questionable in cold weather. Look for a copy of "Hypothermia, Killer of the Unprepaired," the classic on the topic of fatalities from cold. You were warm in cotton? Many Chinese Troops survived Korea in cotton uniforms -- about 150,000 died from hypothermia. A good coating of water repellant would help keep the outside water out, but you sweat, more or less, all the time, and the cotton absorbs the moisture and allows evaporative cooling -- great in hot weather and not so great in cold weather.
Polyester fleece garments basically last forever and are showing up in Goodwill, Volunteers of America, etc. in very useable condition for $5.00 or less. Stay away from the posh brands, and they're under $30.00 new in a variety of colors. Most have a draw cord at the bottom -- a good feature.
