Clothing Layers For The Outdoors

No matter the season, you will be packing clothing that can be layered on so that you can stay warm, cool or dry.

The exact contents will vary from region to region, so this post will focus on the items you might pack for New England or the Canadian Maritimes.

It’s All About The Layers

Typically you will be dealing with three (3) layers where given the season and region you might be adding or removing layers.

  • Base Layer
  • Mid Layer
  • Outer Layer

Base Layer a.k.a. Spider-Man Layer

The purpose of the base layer is quite simple; wick away moister off your skin. Getting that dampness off your skin will reduce the chills or skin irritation. I call this the spider-man layer because traditionally it is a form fitting layer and since I call it the Spider-Man layer, well you get the idea how tight it should be. But let’s not kid ourselves, this layer for most is a t-shirt.

A good example of this can be found be a number of brands and I prefer a long sleeved base layer or compression shirt from Nike and base layer pants from Smartwool for bottoms during colder months.

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Mid Layer a.k.a Insulation Layer

This layer varies a lot mainly on thickness and your personal preference. The purpose of this is to give you a bit of insulation protection. This layer is not meant to protect you from the wind or rain but you may find some clothing choices that may include some panels in strategic areas like chest or shoulders.

I tend to gravitate towards wool products instead of synthetics because of my personal preference as they tend to be more breathable and when they get wet, they still retain much of their insulating properties.

The Skar Hoody from Kuhl is a good example of a light mid-layer where you can use it for camping on those cool nights or on winter hikes.

For something a little more heavier, the Interceptr Hoody from Kuhl is also a goos example of being warm enough to use on its own or underneath the last layer.

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Outer Layer a.k.a. Ziplock Layer

This layer is pretty simple; it’s the one that will keep you warm or dry. This layer is usually a jacket and pants you put over the other layers. As with a ziplock bag, you wrap yourself in this layer but based on your preferences, you may prefer material to be breathable or not.

If you are standing still working along a roadside or watching a game in the pouring rain in October, you probably want something pretty water tight. But if you were hiking or working up a sweat you may want something that can let out via evaporation the moisture from the inside.

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Thanks to Kuhl for providing support to produce this post. All opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.Thanks




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