Winter kit

[SkiwM1A]

All my kit components are on some sort of lanyard. Ever drop anything in the snow??? A small flashlight? A pocket knife? Yer keys?
Notice my haydration bladders are hung up? Makes draining and cleaning easy. They won't blow away either.

[SkiwM1A]

Cabelas polar weight fleece.

Columbia Clothings Omnitherm is my favorite base layer. This goes on first.

This is their omnitherm balacalava. My baselayer headwear.

[SkiwM1A]

Carhartt Fire Resistant gloves. Pricy but well worth it.

Carhartt synthetic glove inserts.

Marmot Arctic mittens. These are bomb proof down to very well below zero. -40 or more!!!

[SkiwM1A]

Kneepads. Absolutely mandatory for winter camping. I often find myself on one or both knees. I can also break small limbs across either of them with no knee damage.

[SkiwM1A]

Last weeks camp.

Hadta dig myself outa the tent this morning.

Nothing like a candle and coffee in the morning after digging out.

Wiggys! This is their Antarctic hooded hunter. It is standard issue from the National Science Foundation for all staff and researchers going to McMurdo Station Antarctica. I LOVE it!!!

It fits perfectly into my Catoma one man tent. Zipped up in my tent and this bag I can stay warm and comfy to well below zero.

My Wiggys Sunwalkers. I wear them to bed at night and can walk around comfortably in them in the snow.

[SkiwM1A]

Have you cross-country skied? Is snowshoeing easier?

X-country was a mess for me; I ice skated a lot so my feet just didn't understand ski discipline. I fell sideways a lot from trying find an edge on the skis, lean them and slide them around. Still have a pair, though.

When I was still a toddler my Grandfather nailed small leather loops to his big wooden skis in front of his bindings and slid my tiny boots into them with my little hands holding his fingers. We skied around a lot like that even before I could walk.
I literally began cross country skiing before I could stand or walk. All of my earliest memories are of skiing and I cannot remember ever not skiing.
When my ancestors, the Rustaads, first came to America they brought a strong tradition of cross country skiing with them. It is a part of my genetics.
Snowshoes are for work. I can walk around and get things done.
Skis are for fun.

[SkiwM1A]

outstanding info,Ski. thank you for sharing this info. I love the fleece,man cant have too much in the winter,very warm and light for what it does,nd drys quickly as opposed to cotton,

Correct George7100. That is one of the primary reasons I am so fond of the newer synthetics. I can stuff all my clothing into that huge bag of mine with me at night and my own body heat will push any moisture out of it before midnight. My socks, the liners of my pac boots, mittens, headwear or just about anything else can be kept warm and dry. The synthetics are also a lot easier to launder out in the woods on extended trips. I really like staying clean which reminds me that I still have more work to do here with another thread.
Gonna sit in the hot tub for awhile first though.