One of the best bits of layering advice I got is about outer shells. If you're hiking and comfortable in your base+mid layers, and you have to put on the outer shell because of rain, make sure to remove the mid-layer or you will overheat. Amazing how well a base layer + outer shell can work when you're active.

Well done. You are the only outdoor/camping KZfaqr to mention live plucking of down. So many people promoting cheap Chinese bags/quilts. And even the certified stuff is not really trustworthy. Farms only checked once a year with it being an arranged visit. I bought a cumulus quilt, I trust the poles more and it's a smaller industry. More needs to be done to raise this awareness

Merino wool base layering has changed my life.

My outer layer is usually a house.

A key point is that air pockets between layers are really important for staying warm when sitting still. The warm midlayer should not fit tight into the base layer. It allows for a better barrier between the heat your body are generating. You wannna percerve every little amount of heat when not moving.

Great vid! As a Brit, my waterproofs live at the top of my pack, not the bottom! 😉

The best hiking gear and guides channel there is. No question, best of all of youtube mate.

That vintage mid-layer fleece is incredible

If you are one who sweats a lot, like me, then look into Brenje fishnet base layer. I’ve found nothing that moves moisture better. It all I need down to freezing temps under a synthetic sun type shirt when backpacking. I soak straight Merino and once saturated it takes forever to dry out Merino synthetic blends are better option for me but not nearly as good as the Brenje. I also find Alpaca to be much better choice for me over Merino- has many of the same qualities but holds much less moisture and breathes better. If it’s a bit under freezing, wear alpaca hoodie with above layers. If it’s windy, a light weight shirt as a wind layer works great to slow the wind down. Alpaca is surprisingly warm- they claim the fibers are semi hollow. The downside is alpaca and Brenje is quite expensive but if your like me and need max moisture movement fabrics then it’s worth it to be comfortable.

Chase, great video as always. I think it's particularly important to make the point that you can get away with a cheap or second-hand mid layer and saving your money for a better base or outer layer is the way to go. There's lots of places in the world where the climate has lots of rain throughout the year but it's not necessarily so cold that you'd require a mid layer when hiking or climbing, and so investing in both a quality base layer to wick sweat away and a quality outer layer that is reasonably balanced between breathability and waterproofing is really vital to enjoying the mountains whether you're in a hot or cold climate.

At 80 my body is pretty beat up. I'm now limited to biking. On a winter ride below freezing 0C - 32F, over my inner layer I wear a tight wind proof weave wool pullover shirt that covers my butt, that I designed in 1973. I wear the shirt on the outside, untucked. The base layer wicks moisture away from my core and the heat is trapped, and the moisture can exit through the bottom. My neck is protected by the stand up collar. The shirt also has a 6 inch open at the neck that can open to exhaust excess heat. I have switched to a poly wool blend base layer, since I can no longer find fish nest in the States. I have become a big fan of alpaca, socks, sweater, head cover. The alpaca wool is antibacterial, the fibers are hollow and keep you cool or warm depending on the temperature. Since first writing this 8 months ago I have found a source for Fishnet base layer. It is Brynje USA The original fishnet from Sweden also Brynje Canada and Sweden.

Comon Chase be real with us, you didn't get the Salewa mid because it was cheap. You got it because it's the most banging mountain drip 🔥🔥🔥 nice video ❤️

This video changed the way I see the clothes in my wardrobe. Now not everything is a “layer” and merino wool has became a staple. Thank you! 👍

Thank you for caring about animals and mentioning cruel practices. ❤️ Since I don't buy animal products and am an active caver/climber, I found it quite hard to find quality products that will keep me dry and warm. But there are more and more new materials that very successfully mimic down and real skin, and thrifting and buying second hand is also great, not just for the animals but also the environment.

good stuff, love wool base layers. I grew up in Manitoba and would cross-country ski in the winter at -20 to -30 plus windchill. cotton is definitely the worst. also love the simple 3 layer system: wool base, zippable mid, and wind-breaking outer.

Merino wool is my favorite. It´s cold in the Scandinavia countries in winter. Great video, thanks Chase.

Watching this from my London flat preparing for winter 2022.

Norwegian wool sweaters are awesome for winter activities 🤗 It’s used often while cross country skiing 😝 You only need a waterproof layer over it if it is actively snowing but otherwise the sweater over a base layer is plenty warm enough 🤗

Many years ago I added a thin vest/windbreaker to the mix (the kind made for runners without arms and with breathable backs to compensate for the backpack). This is a game-changer. While active, it is often all I need over my base layer and leads to a less sweaty back and chest. It is also suitable as a light mid-layer while wearing an outer shell and a base layer. They are usually relatively cheap, lightweight and versatile.

If you gonna be working, like hiking with a backpack, just use brynje base layer and a windproof on top, like gore tex. If you stop for a break or will be stationary a bit just throw on a good wool sweater. Love from Norway!

I heard a good saying in regards to outdoor clothing which helps alot when helping customers in a outdoor store, "Cotton kills" it retains moisture really good and if it gets wet you lose 85% of your heat.

Well, that was the BEST Winter Layering Video I've seen. Now I don't have to post one. I'll just share. 😁Thank you!

Hi Tasmania! it's PNW. Layers and "kits" (and the 'right' shoes) are the story of my life. Current fave midlayer is thrift store cashmere :) Appreciate your videos.......

Cotton is nice against skin. Polypropylene less so and wool tends to be itchy.

I like the Merino wool socks from Darn Tough Socks based out of Vermont. They keep the feet warm and easy to wash/dry. I think I have 3 or 4 pairs for this winter, so I can rotate them out when necessary.

on the bottom layer, wool pants over a thin baselayer are excellent for really really cold weather. Your perspiration will crystalize on the outsize of the pants where it can be just brushed off.

Merino wool, cashmere, and even silk at the thrift stores.

Wool. WOAL! I do want to say something interesting about polypropylene... I used to wear a black polypropylene shirt every day doing landscaping. I was made fun of because everyone thought white made more sense. They wore white cotton shirts then... They got sunburned because they translated the light through the clear/white fibers and then also did not dry very quickly at all. Then the wet clothing (covered in dirt) would irritate you until your skin bled. I could pour water down my back with a black polypropylene shirt and be dry so fast that it cooled me off. I also saved my skin from the sun. Some of the things that I learned were counterintuitive, like when I watched the landscaping teams that would use long sleeve shirts even in the sun. Of course that makes sense in a long term but it took a while to figure out why they liked to sweat that much! Lol. Today it's 27° in Denver and I have a wool skull cap under my hard hat with a down bubble jacket and I use a high quality raincoat as a wind layer. There is a long sleeve flannel underneath that. My boots are insulated and have composite toe caps instead of steel to translate less cold to my feet. I use a cheap cotton long sleeve shirt under the flannel. I have a polypropylene short sleeve shirt under that. I also wear a gator around my neck made of stretchy cheap material. It needs to block the low speed wind only. It's a key to this temperature in my opinion. I have other layers with me and I take them off and put them on often to remediate sweat (like another thicker skull cap made of thick woven wool). In negative temperature I feel too hot. This system is tested every day.

The best advice I've ever gotten on layering is from Marc Twight's book 'Extreme Alpinism'. He dispels the industry model of increasingly thick layers under a shell. When you're expending a lot of energy, you want minimal insulation that is windproof and have a warm puffy to put on over all of it when you slow down or stop.

Good job on the Norwegian pronunciation 🇳🇴 Anyone who’ve spent time in the mountains here would understand the meaning of that saying. Expect the unexpected.

You cover a really important point in that you can layer up base layers ,ive not seen many other people discussing base layers cover this , so thanks for that

Good advice, I concur. It doesn't have to be complicated and most people overdress in cold temps. Keep the shell off if you're at all active and the wind isn't howling, or else you'll be in a pool of sweat. I don't think you mentioned gloves?...thin liner gloves are always a minimum part of my kit when its cold enough to think about layers. Often when hiking in above freezing temps.

Love the simple explanation. Thanks!

Fantastic video. Very thorough, detailed presentation. Thanks.

Yeeesss mate softshell is the ONE. Had a pair of jack wolfskins that lasted 5 years, months at a time in Scotland or Welsh winters. Absolute beasts, it was such a sad day throwing those away.

Humble,down to earth and informative you are. Thank you

Thank you so much for this advice. It's literally changed my entire view on cold weather gear and how to handle myself.

I’m so glad I found this video. So helpful to plan my Everest base camp expedition in 12 week. Thank you so much

Love the practical advise and in person comparison in these. Experts paying forwards spreads the joy

Best video about the subject that I have seen ... Thank you!

Hi! I’m on the Arizona trail now and have been remembering your tips for going downhill! I’m nearing Flagstaff and it’s getting colder and windier so this was a timely video. Happy trails!

Thanks! That actually helped so much!

Thank you thank you for this educational video!

Revisiting this video for the great advice given here. Trying to build a small wardrobe for 1-2 day hikes in Danish (rainy, high humidity all the bleeding time) weather, and this is so helpful, saving me time and money, picking out only what is necessary - and most importantly: something that works.

This was a very lovely and informative video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I learned a lot...

Great informative video... exactly what I was looking for to prepare for my everest base camp trek (especially if you come from a very hot country)

Amazing explanation! Thanks

Simple explanations, delivered from places of experience. Great video, thanks.

Great video, really appreciate you emphasizing the need to avoid unethically sourced down! 🌱💚

thanks probably the most useful discussion on layering for adventure sports I've seen on youtube, and really appreciate actually calling out specific items of clothing you've found best

Merci pour cette vidéo très intéressante, qui m'a beaucoup appris. Je n'avais pas imaginé que le sujet soit si complexe.

Really useful advice, thanks!

Great video thanks

Brilliant. I live in the Rockies in Colorado and layering is key. Sunny, cold, thunderstorms, wind... I still have have not got it down, so thanks for this video!

Thanks for the clear explanation! We normally wear thin wool in hot weather, but we’re new to layering wool for cold weather. Your video helped us prepare for our trip to the snow! 🌺✈️ Heidi

Thanks for the video!

Thanks for the great video.

Ayy! Great norwegian, you nailed it. That saying is probably the most popular one here in Norway and we're taught it from a very young age. Cool seeing it pop up here.

I concur with how useful rain pants are. They keep you surprisingly warm in winter and can be great in summer. I took mine as a last minute impulse on an August bike packing trip. It rained cats and dogs every day and I was wholly comfortable just putting them over my shorts when necessary.

Tkx for sharing!

First time on your channel, I enjoyed the content. Lots of good insights, and it's nice that - unlike so many - you're not trying to push overpriced products to the viewer. One thing I'd say is that I've often hiked in a pair of thin comfortable Goretex hard shell pants (Arcteryx) in cool weather, wearing just boxer briefs underneath, and found that they kept me warm but not hot, and were lightweight but were an effective wind barrier. I prefer that to a soft shell pant, especially if the weather is unpredictable.

Thank you, that was super helpful! As a beginner it's so confusing when people throw around all those terms you've never heard of. Now I get it.

Hi chase …I’m from the islands and don’t know how to dress for winter …thanks for the suggestions..keep up the good work, I’m sure lots of people appreciate your time , and money for helping us out…you and fam have a great day..

Hello, Merinos + goretex + polartec = ❤❤❤ !

Outstanding! You just saved me a lot of money on setting up my mid-layer.

Thanks for this movie. I would fully agree that the most important thing is to check the setup by yourself!

Informative and beneficial video

Excelentes videos Chase, un abrazo desde Argentina.

Watching bc I live in Florida & going on my first snowboarding trip ever. I get cold so easily & I can’t even handle it when it’s less than 65 degrees outside. I feel like the clothing has a lot to do why im so miserable in the cold climates. Very informative, thank you!

very informative. thanks

Thanks for this vid! I live in Costa Rica by the beach and will soon be going to the Argentinian Patagonia, where weather can change multiple times a day. Such a contrast 😆 Its been hard for me to understand how to layer properly there considering the ever changing weather there. However this vid helps a lot 😊

The only additional information I would add is the poly-wool blends are often harder wearing and easier to wash than pure wool base layers. They really tend to be the best of both worlds. The other is that fashion sweaters like the fine thin Marino wool and cashmere sweaters meant to be used in more formal attire are some of the best thin mid layers a person can buy if they are being active. When I cycle commuted for school that was usually all I would wear between my outer and base layer and that was down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit ( -10 degrees Celsius). Sometimes it rained enough to soak through everything and even at 25 degrees F (-4degrees C) they tended to comfy. They are low bulk, and super breathable and the Cashmere is very warm for its weight. AND it’s soft. AAND AND They are also pretty easy to find second hand. (Warning, apparently the Cashmere sweaters may have issues with durability as the fiber can be brittle. One could ware holes in the clothing using it for hiking.) Edit made for information. See comments below.

We love some of the Polartec base layers that contain silver as it really keeps the smell down. I also like Polartec Power Wool, which has the merino against the skin and synthetic knit to the outer layer, to add durability and assist in drying. We specialize in performance fabrics for home sewists.

That was seriously helpful

Your Salewa fleece is the most beautiful retro fleece i have ever seen. Want it. thanks for the informational video- Good job brother !

Thank you for this.

Amazing… great video… Outstanding Review ….thank you sir… stay safe

Thank you Chase. Very wool.

Great video. I need some snowmobiling gear and this helped a lot

love wearing sleeveless moisture wicking compression under my thermal base the range of motion and ease of movement alone is huge

Great video thanks 🙂

Great ! Greetings from the tropical Costa Rica 🇨🇷, where sometimes you'ld be cold at some hills. Pura Vida ✌🏽😎

I have a down mini skirt that I wear in cold weather often. It goes over my hiking pants or jeans to keep my bums warm. I agree with all your points and follow the same system of dressing. I can’t leave home without wool socks (i wear two thin pairs), gaiters, buff, beanie, glove liners, bandana, sunblock :)

Great video, one of the best explaining layers, especially in winter. Watched a Documentary of two hikers, one son and mum. They were hiking to a bothy station in winter conditions, high altitude, in snow! The mum died on the way, she froze to death and one of the contributing factors was she was wearing cotton bottoms which got wet, and removed essential body heat from her! Clearly cotton a no no in Winter high altitude snow conditions!

Good vid. A lot of knowledge is passed on.

I roofed through winter in Wisconsin for 20 years. All I would wear is long John's pants and 3 hoodies. The harder you work the warmer you'll stay. Pretty simple. It could be 10 below and as long as I kept working hard I would sweat through my long John's. Fingers are the hardest part to keep from frost bite.

Great video. Thank you

Like you said it depends on your activity. I was winter camping when it got down to -18C at night last February and large down pants and down booties sure were nice when sitting outside or even in the tent before lighting the stove or getting up in the morning. You have to be very careful though, I accidentally cut mine without knowing and wore them to bed inside my sleeping bag. Woke up with all this down coming out of the bag and floating around the tent. Ahhh. Good thing they were cheap.

Great informative vid, thank you :)

Wool is defo more expensive, but I am not convinced it is less breathable. Also, synthetics get blazing hot (to the touch) in the sun, while wool is more like cotton. It doesn't get hot to the touch in the sun. This is pretty decisive on those days when the sun is pounding down, it is warm enough to wear just a shirt. I agree about the softshell jackets- I have one but hardly use it- it is either not warm enough as an insulator, or not water proof enough as a rain jacket. Instead, I go hard shell when wet, and have softer, warmer, more comfortable things on underneath.

Glad you actually mentioned the dark side of wearing down.

I've used my rain shell/rain pants to fight off high altitude cold winds about 50 times and only against rain about 10 times. That's in mostly Sierra Nevada mnts in western US, rain just doesn't seem that common but cold winds are especially at 8k ft and higher. When I get done with a 4-8 day hike I like to head into some town and eat a real meal before I even get cleaned up...if my wool base layer shirt is a nice looking shirt I can usually wear that in and at least have one piece of clothing that doesn't smell bad sitting next to people at a restaurant. Whatever lightweight cool synthetic shirt I have always smells pretty bad by then.

Very useful video!

Cold Weather Layering is Simple. very nice on you! great!

I have base/mid/outer layers from Ortovox. Wool is their sole insulation. Brilliant designs

Great video. Everything you say is exactly what i do. I also make sure my underpants are polypropylene. The body heat simply dries it out if it does get wet. If i know its going to be dry weather I'd put on a cotton tshirt under the base layer just to stop that clammy feel.

Great video, thank you. I’d love to see you do a video on summer hiking, including sun protection. I do a lot of high country hiking where it’s hot and exposed during the day and cold and pretty much anything at night. Thank you

I’ve found a good base layer, a good fleece mid layer and a quality soft shell that has good wind protection effective during hiking, if it’s going to rain you can spray polyurethane on it or put a good rain jacket over it

Good advice

Can’t tell you how many times I heard that saying growing up but slightly changed No such thing as bad weather, just bad choices