The art of layering becomes crucial when braving the outdoors during winter. Without the right layers, your body will have a harder time regulating its temperature…or worse, you’ll just be downright cold from the second you leave your car until the second you return to the saving grace of seat heaters. To understand how layering works, and how to properly layer your clothes for winter, you need to first understand the purpose and function of each separate layer. Below, we take a look at the three main layers, how they work, and our favorite choices of the season.
- Base layer: sweat wicking layer to keep you dry
- Mid layer: insulating layer that retains heat
- Outer layer: shell layer that shields you from the elements
Choosing a Base Layer
Material: The best base layers are thin and smooth and fit snugly under your other mid and outer layers. Merino wool is an extremely popular option for base layers, as it’s ultra-warm, moisture-wicking, and doesn’t trap odors as badly as some other options out there. If you’re looking for a synthetic material, there are many options that tend to try even faster than merino, though they’re known to become smellier than merino more quickly.
Weights: The main thing you’re looking for is warmth, so find a base layer that can seamlessly regulate your temperate without making you overly sweaty or hot. The moisture wicking capabilities play a big part in this as it draws excess sweat away from your body before it cools down, but you also have the choice between lightweight, midweight, and heavyweight, which are all fairly self-explanatory. Generally, the thicker your base layer, the warmer it should be (in theory).
Our Favorite 2018/2019 Base Layers:
Colorado Brands
- Smart Wool NTS Mid 250 Zip (Mens | Womens)- $95 and Merino 150 Bottom (Mens | Womens) – $75
- Materials: Merino Wool
- Obermeyer Flex ¼ Zip Baselayer Top – $89
- Polyester, Elastane Knit Fleece
Our Other Choices
- Icebreaker Tech Top Crew (Mens | Womens) – $110 and Tech Leggings (Mens | Womens) – $110
- Materials: Merino Wool
- Rab Merino+ 160 Hooded Top – $125
- Materials: Merino Wool
Picking Your Mid Layers
So you’ve got your perfect base layers…now what about that all-important insulating mid layer?
Materials: Depending on the day and more specifically the weather, this could be a warm down jacket or a lightweight fleece. You have a wide range of options in both synthetic and natural materials when it comes to mid-layers.
Warmth: The mid layer is also the layer most likely to be discarded when things get a little warm. Even if you don’t think it will be needed, it’s always good to have your mid-layer with you if you aren’t wearing it. Changes in weather occur quickly in the Rocky Mountains and it’s always better to be over prepared, especially when it comes to your insulating layer.
Our favorite 2018/2019 Mid Layers:
Colorado Brands
- Big Agnes Willow or Porcupine Hooded Pullovers – $239.95
- Materials: Nylon; PrimaLoft® Gold active stretch insulation
- Strafe Incubator Jacket (Mens | Womens) – $279
- Materials: Synthetic insulation and fleece
- Smartwool Smartloft 120 – $200
- Materials: reclaimed merino wool and nylon
- Mountain Standard Zip Insulator – $249
- Materials: Down, spandex
Our Other Favorites
Finishing off with the Perfect Outer Layers
This layer is meant to shield you from the elements like wind, rain ,or snow. Your outer later could be a ski jacket, a rain jacket, or a waterproof shell, depending on the day.
Materials: Most technical outer layers are waterproof and breathable. Because of these more technical features, an outer layer will typically be your most expensive piece. There are also non-breathable waterproof jackets, typically made of coated nylon, which can be much more affordable, but since they aren’t breathable, we don’t recommended them for outdoor activities requiring a lot of exertion, like hiking or skiing.
Our favorite 2018/2019 outer layers:
Colorado Brands
- FlyLow Puma – $275
- Materails: 100% Polyester fabric
- Flylow Baker Bibs – $400
- Materials: Oxford fabric; 20k/20k waterproof breathable membrane
Our Other Choices
- 686 GLCR Multi – $300
- Materials: Gore-Tex Paclite
- Burton Avalon/Reserve Bib – $280
- DRYRIDE 2-Layer Polyester Twill Fabric (note: fabric may change depending on color your select)
- Arc’teryx Beta AR – $575
- Gore-Tex Pro
Now that you’ve got your winter layers dialed in, it’s time to get out there! Be safe, have fun, and stay warm in our favorite layer picks of the season.
