Not used to backpacking as such, more using a rucksack to walk from the car to the camp, festival ground etc. However, I'm off to a festival in Europe this year and as such am thinking light, lite, light.
I'm packing light but looking for some advice on warmth. Most warm stuff I have is pretty bulky and can get pretty heavy too, was wondering if anyone had any suggestions outside of a microfleece/long sleeved thermal t-shirt combo. Ideally something that squishes up really small and is fairly light?
Any thoughts and opinions (cheaper the better, think army surplus cheap!) would be gratefully received!
The Best way of keeping warm is by having loads of layers on not a big heavy coat. T shirts and thermal vests are a lot less bulky and easier to pack. Cotton or wool (any natural material)is great at keeping you warm.It also allows your body to breath better so you will not sweet at much.
I use Uniqlo merino sweaters which come in various guises, are very light and take up very little space. And they are warm in combination. Can often get 2 for £25
I have just won three Smartwool merino wool t shirts on ebay,and a couple of weeks ago,i won an icebreaker jacket in merino wool.Just pop to ebay and type: merino wool in the search.Every now and again,a good few bargains turn up.Also,a lot of companies have dropped the price of their merino wool clothing recently,perhaps due to the recession?
------------- Boris Karloff: '' now will you give me my chalk!? ''
My Tents:
Eureka K2 XT
Terra Nova Solar 2
Outwell Jersey S Pop Up Tent
Hennessy Hammock Explorer Deluxe.
410g is about the weight of a 200-weight fleece and it will pack down to about the same size. Will keep you warm well below 0*C, hot and flustered much above that.
If less insulation is required, look at Primaloft stuff. Again, packs down small, is light but not as stuffy as down outside cold weather.
Primaloft has a bit of an edge on a longer trip because it retains it's warmth when it's a bit damp, unlike down, which you have to keep dry. A Primaloft jacket like the Prism 2.0 will be about the same warmth as a thick fleece but lighter, showerproof and windproof.
If you will put price into the equation , fleece is probably the best bet with a lightweight waterproof to go with it. Wool is very warm and brilliant when damp or wet (apart from the smell).
I'm going to disagree with Roulston on cotton. Very poor in terms of warmth and weight. Cheap and durable. Nice and comfortable for around the house - heavy cotton is great in hot climes - but otherwise there are better options.
I agree that down is brilliant for dry and cold environments. Like the tops of Alps, for instance.
But I've never been convinced for use in the UK, where the word "dry" hardly appears in the dictionary. In my view, lots of the synthetics come really close in performance terms, have very small weight penalties, and are fractions of the price. And you can chuck them in the washing machine when you come home.
As for using down at a Festival .... ? Surely not, regardless of temperature. I think that I'd be wearing my oldest, grottiest, free-with-Cornflakes fleece and wellies, that I could drop in the bin immediately before a long shower.
Thanks guys, really like the look of the Montane Prism 2.0, will probably investigate further!
As for festival use, this years Glastonbury was so hot I should have been asking for cooling clothing (wore my Craghoppers Nosilife shirt, cool as can be)
It is only by using and reviewing these tents that we are going to weed the dross out, there are bargains to be had but as in all recreations thre are some manufacturers who I believe are unrealistic in thier pricing structure. I fully realise that the lighter fabrics are a whole lot more expensive than the heavier ones, but some really seem to take the wee wee!
------------- Steve
Look into my eyes, not around my eyes but into my eyes
Quote: Originally posted by roulston on 21/5/2010
The Best way of keeping warm is by having loads of layers on not a big heavy coat. T shirts and thermal vests are a lot less bulky and easier to pack. Cotton or wool (any natural material)is great at keeping you warm.It also allows your body to breath better so you will not sweet at much.
Cotton is a no-no and takes a long time to dry if wet through sweating or rain. Man made or merino is what you want with a wind-shirt on top. The wind-shirt will stop the worst of the cold by not allowing your body heat to be pulled away from your core. The merino top will not make you smell and will feel very comfortable.