Got a hookup on OR's new Superstrand hoody. Uses a new kind of Vertical X insulation of the same name. I'll report back what I find.
Me too. Merino wool base layer, polartec 200 fleece, and a shell. Works for me like a charm.My mid-layer has always been a "Polartec" fleece.
I love all the insider information about this subject. I hope everyone (Pugski regulars and internet drop-ins alike) appreciates how much usable information we get served up on a platter for us. Thanks @Analisa@ELDoane - oh, totally. Weight's usually the best base point, but face fabric and change in how the synthetic is engineered could totally explain it. Definitely see how the shell + midlayer leave some warmth to be desired. Both really prioritize breathability and air permeability. I think a really wind resistant face makes a lot of sense (like the Rab. I think the Kor Strata is also Pertex, and the Atom's fairly solid here too). Lifaloft is a branded Primaloft product, but I hate when brands obscure whether it stacks up against black, silver, or gold. It's 80gsm and uses mostly polypropylene compared to the basic primaloft polyester fibers. Face fabric is a basic nylon. There's a lot you can't tell on paper, but the patterning is super boxy and low-investment compared to the seaming and patterning on some of the other brands. (Seams right on top of the shoulders for a layer you'd likely wear with a pack is a big cost-cutting flag).
Definitely the way to go on base layers. Their only job is to wick and dry, which is easiest when the fabric's thin. Insulation layers unsurprisingly insulate better than base layers can manage to do.
I've had similar experiences. Windproof fleece seriously outperforming ordinary fleece of similar thickness/weight when used as a mid-layer.I know you said no fleece, but... I find that a good softshell jacket makes the very best mid-layer. Warm, air- and water-resistant, fairly breathable, does not pack under over-layers, and can be worn alone on warm days.
Feel free to dismiss, but my own solution.
That’s what my other half swears by for a mid layer and he always seems comfortable on cold weather days.For cold days I have switched to wool. If I have any number of puffies under my shell on a really cold day, as soo as I get on the chair, as soon as there is some binding that compromises loft, warmth goes with it. A knit sweater tends to have some resiliency, keeps its loft, and keeps it warmth.
Besides, nothing is classier than a pimp Dale of Norway sweater!
Those Heat shirts are just another base layer. They're OK. So you're wearing two base layers - nothing wrong with that (it works), but nothing special.I use HEAT shirts, they go under my base layer and do a great job. I have old ones but my wife picked some up from Costco (32 Degrees I think). She loves them.
Those Heat shirts are just another base layer. They're OK. So you're wearing two base layers - nothing wrong with that (it works), but nothing special.
Not related to super-cold days, but I often wear a cheap merino wool v-neck vest on top of my base layer, to keep my core warmer. It's small, and the v-neck is helpful in terms of avoiding too much stuff around my neck.That’s what my other half swears by for a mid layer and he always seems comfortable on cold weather days.
They are just really thin. So I wear them under a mid weight and it helps keep me warm.Those Heat shirts are just another base layer. They're OK. So you're wearing two base layers - nothing wrong with that (it works), but nothing special.
"60% of the time, it works everytime."90% of the time just an R1 under a shell.