"Moisture Wicking" wintertime clothing?

J

JD Spydo

Joined
Nov 20, 2004
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As much as I really love Les Stroud's SURVIVORMAN TV show I still am amazed and perplexed that he's never really addressed one of the very best ways to battle extreme winter weather. That being the proper winter survival clothing.

I'm talking specifically about winter clothing that is designed to wick moisture away from your body to help keep you warm and dry. I can't remember how many shows that Les would say right in the middle of the show that he's worried about sweating in extremely cold weather in fear of bringing on hypothermia. When moisture wicking clothing would cure that problem :confused:

As brilliant as some of his survival strategies are I am just blown away that he isn't covering the subject of Moisture Wicking Clothing like Merino Wool, Polypropylene and so forth. I've only heard Bear GRylls even mention it once in all the shows I've seen him in :confused:

There is a guy I've listened to on shortwave and internet talk shows name Jim Phillips whose website is www.preparemyfamily.com that has for years preached the importantance of moisture wicking clothing for wintertime survival. He seems to be one guy out there that really knows and teaches the value of moisture wicking clothing.

Let's talk about Moisture Wicking Clothing. I truly do want to know more about that subject. What other good materials are there other than Merino Wool and Polypropylene?
 
I don't post in this forum often (gonna change that) but I Do make my living as a Guide. Personally, in my experience, there is NOTHING that can compare with Patagonia's "Capilene." I've tried to go cheaper with, say REI's polypro and the like, but there is no comparison... It's all in the texture and tiny ribs and pockets in the Capilene. "Icebreakers" is also good, but expensive. Pretty much anything made by "Smartwool" is gonna be great as well. ...but when I'm grabbin new layers... I look no further than Patagonia for under layers, and Mountain Hardwear for outer layers.
 
I could only guess that part of the reason he doesn't mention wearing wicking gear is probably why he doesn't often recomend any particular piece of gear (other than a leatherman), because he is trying to somewhat simulate an "oh @#$!" moment. For example, your out flying a hot air balloon and "oh !@#$" it crashes...now what. I think this is part of some of the controversy between whether his show is entertainment or educational. Granted, a well prepared person would have the proper gear ready but that isn't the point. Kind of the same idea in a way for Bear's show too I think.

Anyway, as for the wicking layer, Under Armour brand cold gear base layers are hard to beat. They are costly but work really really well. I've had mixed results with the "store" brand base layers so I've grown to trust UA for most of my base layer needs....summer and winter. In the summer, a good compression layer of undies and t-shirt will wick moisture and prevent chaffing as well as keep the ticks off when soaked with permethrin.
 
in my experiences(which are limited) merino wool is the best at wicking moisture, in any conditions, smartwool and icebreaker are the brands I have used and am happy with both
 
The fabrics do not really "wick" the moisture away but rather let it pass thru to outer layers. The best material for wicking moisture is cotton which is also why it is so bad. In order to wick moisture, it has to absorb it. It would work both ways, in as well as out. Like a bath towel. Wools, polys,etc are not good choices for bath towels as they will not wick the moisture from the skin.

The materials that seem to work best are the ones that do not impede the transmission of water vapor from the surface of the skin to the outer layers of clothing to evaporate or dissipate. No pourous fibers seem to offer the best chance at staying dry.

This vapor is another reason I have never found GoreTex to work as advertised. Wear it in sub freezing temps and I have found people with sheets of ice in the inner surface of their GoreTex parkas in the military. There is no vapor at sub freezing temps when the vapor hits the GoreTex, it would freeze.

I have had good luck with the military's polypros but stll have to vent and try to keep from sweating.

Sorry for the slight rant

DaveUSAF
 
DaveUSAF said:
The fabrics do not really "wick" the moisture away but rather let it pass thru to outer layers.

This vapor is another reason I have never found GoreTex to work as advertised. Wear it in sub freezing temps and I have found people with sheets of ice in the inner surface of their GoreTex parkas in the military. There is no vapor at sub freezing temps when the vapor hits the GoreTex, it would freeze.

I have had good luck with the military's polypros but stll have to vent and try to keep from sweating.
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Dave I completely agree with you about Gore Tex :thumbdn:. I've had 2 sets of hiking boots that both had Gore TEx breathing systems and I was really disappointed with both of them :(. I remember when Gore TEx first hit the market back in the 80s they made claims about that stuff that just never justified them.

ArchieBlue: I'm giving you a "high-five" on Patagonia. I've got Patagonia outdoor clothing and Patagonia running gear that I bought in the last 80s when I was still heavily into distance running. Them and another company name Helly-Hansen really had some great outdoor clothing and I know Patagonia still makes great stuff. I've sort of lost touch with both companies. I haven't bought items from either company in over 5 years. But I am going to check them out for sure.

I'm glad to see some military brothers chiming in on this one. Because a Marine Corp friend of mine gave me some boots he used when he was stationed either at GReenland or Iceland ( I forget which :eek:) and it is the only pair of boots Ive ever owned that will keep my feet warm in sub-zero weather. He called them Mickey Mouse boots. Whatever they are they are truly the best cold weather boots I've ever worn.
 
archieblue said:
I don't post in this forum often (gonna change that) but I Do make my living as a Guide. Personally, in my experience, there is NOTHING that can compare with Patagonia's "Capilene." I've tried to go cheaper with, say REI's polypro and the like, but there is no comparison... It's all in the texture and tiny ribs and pockets in the Capilene. "Icebreakers" is also good, but expensive. Pretty much anything made by "Smartwool" is gonna be great as well. ...but when I'm grabbin new layers... I look no further than Patagonia for under layers, and Mountain Hardwear for outer layers.
Click to expand...

Amen! I just got a couple of Patagonia's capilene shirts for an xc skiing trip, and they are just awesome. Definitely above and beyond anything else I've worn.
 
I have jsut about everything you can name. The MTS from REI is great. I have it in light- mid and heavy weights. I also have Ice Breaker-Patagonia- Merino Wool and a bunch of North Face and Mountain hardware. I must say my favorite is the REI- but for softshells I also like the Mountain hardware. Windstopper is also a must in ceratin weather.Gore Tex is OK until it gets dirty. Much depends on what you will be doing. One thing is for sure...........if you need to be comfortable outdoors- it cost big $$$$. I have tried the el cheapo and it is just pure crap IMO. I spend about 120 days per year doing extensive oudoor activity. One should adjust what they need to their lifestayle. Luck
 
there r lots of companies
this being just one
http://www.defeet.com/prodline.php?line=Un%20D%20Shurt&type=b
that make synthetic base layers
bicycle clothing companies really get the wicking aspect of clothing
cuz even when its really cold out
when yr on a bicycle ya sweat like crazy
which can be very dangerous
personally i prefer wool
as mentioned previously smartwool makes great stuff
so does a company named ibex
tho both can be very costly
unless ya find em on sale
one other thing ya learn cycling in the dead of winter
is the value of layering
and zippers
standing on the pedals pumping uphill ya get pretty heated
then ya top the hill and blast down
now youve created a 20-30mph windchill
and ya have to be prepared or suffer
zippers allow you to control body heat and windchill pretty well
tho i certainly have bought lots of wool over the yrs
(and unless yr a trust fund baby-it takes yrs to accumulate all the gear you might need given temp and moisture differences)
i still prefer thrift shops
there are tons of thinner wool turtleneck sweater to be had
that make great baselayers
one thing i have noticed
in the summer when ya just dont wanna be thinking bout wool
those sweaters are around $1
in the middle of winter those same used sweaters r more like $6
tho i have found it hard to find zippered mid or light weight wool in thrift stores
i do own and use some synthetics
i prefer wool in the coldest of winter
just for the reason that according to "experts" it has the ability to maintain as much as 90% of yr body heat even when wet
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/clothing/trm/trm2-1pg11.html
with proper attire
ive cycled in the city down to around 10 degrees
and below zero in the woods
one thing to keep in mind is not only the layers on yr torso and legs
but yr feet and hands and head
for me
when one area gets really cold and uncomfortable
im really cold and uncomfortable
hypothermia can be deadly
a hr mtn bike ride from the car or town is a death march when injured(and yr front wheel no longer spins) and now on foot from a crash
good topic
still see way too many people sporting their fav cotton hoodie under their coat in the woods
obviously they never mean to get too far from the comfort n safety of their vehicle
 
ps
tho wool can be expensive
i have wool clothing items that are 20+ yrs old
and tho im not easy on em
you wouldnt know it

the new wools are awesome
ya dont have to baby em
just toss in the washer(cold of course)
hang up
ready to go the next day
 
Moisture wicking is good, but manually regulating your body heat is another critical factor. I like wool and quality synthetic fleece for insulation and I like some of the newer soft-shell material that are robust yet dries quickly. As your activities pick up, you need to do a little manual heat regulation and remove a layer or two; open the pit-zips, etc...it keeps perspiration from getting your layers wet and the pieces removed (if stored properly in a pack) will be dry when you slow down activities or need that extra insulation.

Some excellent moisture wicking clothing has been mentioned, but you still need to monitor you perspiration levels and know the signs of your body overheating and take actions to mitigate that moisture build up as much as possible. If you can't make sure you have clothing that will insulate when wet and/or dry quickly.

ROCK6
 
Oh I'm very well aware of how important it is to stay hydrated even in the coldest part of the winter and in extremely cold conditions. Also most people don't know that the better you are hydrated the easier it is to stay warm
 
Where you are makes a huge difference in the type of gear you need. I'll admit that here in Florida, I don't put as much thought and money into clothing.
Even when 'cold', say down around freezing, a poly pro base layer, an old Woolrich wool shirt, and a fleece jacket do all that I need.
 
JD Spydo said:
Oh I'm very well aware of how important it is to stay hydrated even in the coldest part of the winter and in extremely cold conditions. Also most people don't know that the better you are hydrated the easier it is to stay warm
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And the more often you have to either go out and freeze and pee or use your kleen cantene as a "pee cantene".;)
 
i also use underarmour cold gear is awesome, but, do not get bear grease on it, it will not come out, period.(grizzly bear hunt with my brother, caped it out in the dark, got grease everywhere, had to throw it out :(.
 
Having the right clothing is good, but I think its more important to take a quick stop once in a while and evaluate the need to vent, remove a layer of change up clothing. The more frequently you do this, the better you will be able to detect early moisture build up.

I think what happens is we tend to push on with not enough little breaks to determine just how well your body is doing with heat and moisture management. The latest high tech cloths may get you a little further down the trail, but you still run the risk of sweating too much even with all the good stuff when climbing our engaging in some high output activity.
 
Favorite baselayers are my Filson Alaskan guide merino wool underware and my Woolpower 44 gram top whaich I use in very cold weather or as a medium weight layer.

Second layer is usualy a wool shirt or sweater and a pair of wool trousers.

Fianl layer is either a wool anorak or a shell made of waxed cotton if wet wet weather is involved.

The anorak made of a wool blanket which has been treated with lanolin sheds even a medium rain with ease and breathes far better than all of the breathable fabrics, as well as cutting heat loss from wind in most conditions (admitedly it would not be adequate in a 50 mph wind in -40 degree temps, but then I'd be hunkered up somewhere anyway)

In very cold weather a piece of clothing worth their weight in gold are makinaw wool bib overalls( Cabelas, Filson and Woolrich all have great ones)

A good pair of net underware also help a lot in extremem cold conditions. Only ones I know of currently still being manufactured are the stringies from Wiggy's.

If wearing regular lace up boots the feet will stay Waaay warmer if you lace them looser. Most folks wind up with cold feet due to lack of proper circulation.

Arctic mitts such as the US military surplus ones with a wool liner are also a needed piece of equipment.
 
DaveUSAF said:
The fabrics do not really "wick" the moisture away but rather let it pass thru to outer layers. The best material for wicking moisture is cotton which is also why it is so bad. In order to wick moisture, it has to absorb it. It would work both ways, in as well as out. Like a bath towel. Wools, polys,etc are not good choices for bath towels as they will not wick the moisture from the skin.

The materials that seem to work best are the ones that do not impede the transmission of water vapor from the surface of the skin to the outer layers of clothing to evaporate or dissipate. No pourous fibers seem to offer the best chance at staying dry.

This vapor is another reason I have never found GoreTex to work as advertised. Wear it in sub freezing temps and I have found people with sheets of ice in the inner surface of their GoreTex parkas in the military. There is no vapor at sub freezing temps when the vapor hits the GoreTex, it would freeze.

I have had good luck with the military's polypros but stll have to vent and try to keep from sweating.

Sorry for the slight rant

DaveUSAF
Click to expand...

As a former "arctic light" wannabe that was stationed at Wainwright I agree about the gortex, especially when you've got a ruck on, climbing hill over dale because your C.O. is lost. Nothin like ice forming inside your clothes.
Some of the smarter ones would wear silk long johns under their polypros so they would still "look" in uniform. There was better stuff out there but they insisted we freeze our butts off instead of dressing warm.

They still issued us the "bear" suits and wool shirts and pants that were always 2 sizes too small. It was worn under the gortex and over the poly pros. Helped a little but would still sweat during movement.

Had to be careful of the "mickey mouse" boots though, they seemed to keep the sweat in, guess that's what the extra socks were for. Still didn't help much guarding the snow when it was 40 below.

Oh those were the days.:rolleyes:

Now I have a few pairs of the silk long johns and they do the job just fine here in the mitt.

Jason
 
For close to skin I use either wool underwear or synthetic ones.

Wool underwear are more "thermal" providing some insulation.
Synthetics are better at wicking moisture and are better if you don't want to get too much insulation ("not cold enough" or very active activities).

I've got Ullfrotté for wool and Odlo for synthetics. Those are both sort of "Gucci" pieces of kit but less expensive stuff can generally do the 95% of the job at a lower price.
The only point is about synthetics. Synthetics will generally stink very quickly so better get some that are anti bacterial treated. Efficiency of the anti-bacterial (and thus smell reducing) does vary.
 
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