What is the Proper Snow Gear?

Preparing for your winter outdoor adventure is always a bit more difficult than preparing for similar adventures in the spring or summer. There's more clothing, heavier gear to lug around and more factors to take into consideration. Luckily, conventional wisdom has broken down your winter gear needs into a very easy system. Dress in a three-layer system, remember necessary accessories, and gather your equipment.

  1. Base Layer

    • A base layer serves two important functions: It wicks perspiration away from your skin and dissipates it quickly, and it provides some insulation of your body heat to keep you warm. Base layers are shirts, underwear and long johns that are made from good wicking materials like wool and polyester blends. Always avoid cotton, because cotton soaks up too much sweat. Base layers are form-fitting so that they rest closely to your skin.

    Insulation

    • The insulating layer is where you'll really bulk up on warmth. This layer is the one that you have to adjust the most based upon the weather conditions and your own warmth preferences. On warm days, you may be able to skip insulation altogether and simply get by with just a base layer and outerwear. On extremely cold days, you'll want to bundle up with heavy layers such as sweaters, heavy weight fleece jackets and vests. Always plan insulation around the coldest expected temperature because it's much easier to take a shirt off than to replace an extra shirt that you don't have. Avoid cotton here as well, and opt for materials like fleece and wool. These materials will help keep you dry and warm.

    Outerwear

    • Outerwear needs to protect you from wind and moisture. At the same time, it needs to "breathe" to allow your perspiration to escape. Good outerwear is highly waterproof and amply breathable. Ratings are often provided that indicate how waterproof and breathable a garment is. Fabrics like eVent and GORE-TEX provide excellent protection from wind and water as well as excellent breathability. Your primary outerwear consists of pants and a jacket. You'll also want a good, insulated pair of waterproof boots.

    Accessories

    • Your three-layer system covers most of your body, but you still have some extremities to cover. Having an insulated pair of waterproof gloves is important. Removable liners help to adjust the level of warmth. Much heat is lost via the top of the head, so a hat is important too. When wind chill plummets down into the single digits, you'll want to consider covering all exposed skin, which means wearing additional items like neck gaiters and face masks.

    Sun Protection

    • The sun reflecting off the snow can cause damage to your eyes and a condition called snow blindness. Therefore, having appropriate UV-blocking eyewear is very important in winter. To provide the best vision, your eyewear should be tailored to the light conditions that you'll be experiencing. Dark, polarized sunglasses or goggles are ideal for a bright sunny day, but can make vision difficult on an overcast day. Certain colors like vermillion and amber help to create contrast with the snow and increase visibility. Don't forget sunscreen, as well.

    Other Equipment

    • Besides the aforementioned gear and clothing, you'll likely need other equipment based on what you plan to do. This may include gear such as snowshoes, skis, poles and skins. Further, it includes peripheral gear such as a hydration pack, avalanche gear, navigation gear, crampons, climbing gear and possibly survival gear. This will depend on the nature and scope of your intended winter activities.