Hiking Clothing - The Three Layer System For Cold Weather

Beginner hikers sometimes overlook two simplesystem so popular. It's a proven way to ensure
facts about hiking clothing for warmth. First is thatyour comfort outdoors. Each of the three layers
hiking clothing is not primarily designed to keep thehave different functions that work together to
cold out but to keep the heat in from the onlycope with the different conditions.
source of heat i.e. yourself.The First Layer
Second is that when you are wearing hikingMoisture management is the main function of the
clothing for warmth, you are not trying to be asfirst layer. Some experts call it the next-to-the
warm as possible but to reach a thermalskin layer. It keeps you cool in the summer and
equilibrium i.e. a state in which your heatkeeps you warm in winter by keeping you dry.
production roughly balances your heat loss so thatMade of some sort of polypropylene or other
you remain within your comfort zone whethersynthetic fabrics, the fabric 'wicks' away the
you are on the move, on the move andmoisture from the skin very rapidly by capillary
sweating, sitting still and sitting still and sweating.action dispersing it to the outer surface where it
To achieve this thermal equilibrium under changingcan evaporate.
conditions your hiking clothing has to be versatile.The Second Layer
Of course you can make adjustments to yourThe second layer or middle layer of hiking clothing
hiking clothing by taking off layers when it getsis the insulating layer. Their main function is to trap
too hot and putting more on when it gets coldair, which is a good heat insulator, so you retain
but in most cases it's both inconvenient andwarmth.
impractical.This layer is made of natural fibers or fleece. Both
The hiking clothing you use needs to be able toare reliable in keeping you warm but natural fibers
handle all the different situations, whether on thehave a more efficient warmth-to-weight ratio and
move or sitting still, at the same time. They needare highly compressible. Its drawback is that it has
to be able keep the still and dry air to insulateto be kept dry to maintain its ability to retain
you, keeping you warm and when you're movingwarmth.
allow the vapor of your sweat to pass throughHiking clothing made from fleece are lightweight,
and escape to keep you cool.breathable and insulate even when wet. They also
If your hiking clothing absorbs some of thedry faster and the warmth-to-weight ratio is even
moisture so that when you sweat heavily ithigher than wool. Fleece is very popular with
remains damp, they lose the ability to keep youmany experienced backpackers I know of even
warm as it has lost its ability to hold dry air whichwhen it is not as compressible as natural fibers.
acts as an insulating layer and at the same timeThe Third Layer
your body will continue to draw latent heat fromThe third layer is the waterproof shell that both
your body needed to turn the sweat into vapor.acts as a windbreaker and a rain jacket. If the
The result is that you suffer from what is calledouter layer doesn't do what it's supposed you'll
the after-exercise chill. Experiments have shownend up losing a lot of heat as the wind and
that with an absorptive material the chill can lastpenetrate into the inner layers.
for about two hours but with a non-absorptiveIt is usually made of Gore-Tex that also offers
material like fibre-pile the chill is negligible.breathability. This layer of hiking clothing needs to
The Three-Layer Hiking Clothing Systemhave proper ventilation or else perspiration can't
The ability to prevent after-exercise chill so well isevaporate but instead condenses on the inside of
what makes the three-layer hiking clothingyour shell.