Dressing for a day of backcountry skiing takes a little practice. Getting it right for the downhill part is easy, but it’s common to overdress for the uphill.
Layering is the key to temperature regulation. And layers that let your body breathe are critical to regulating your temperature when ski touring. If you dress too warm or without good breathability, you’ll get sweaty on the uphill and end up cold and damp when it’s time to ski down. If you aren’t warm enough on the climb, you’ll be fighting the cold all day long. And while every layer is essential, your ski mid-layer choice can make or break staying comfortable all day. With the right combination of base and mid-layers, you can be ready to break trail, make laps on a slope and deal with wind and weather changes with minimal layer changes.
How to Choose the Best Ski Mid Layer
A good ski midlayer for the backcountry provides insulation under your shell for the downhill and, when chosen right, doubles as your outer layer when moving uphill. To a large degree, choosing the suitable mid-layer depends on the weather and temperature conditions. That said, there are a few key points that should guide your backcountry ski midlayer choices.
The Best Mid-Layers are Highly Breathable
Like a good base layer, breathability and moisture-wicking are essential in a ski midlayer, too. Breathability equals versatility and will keep you drier and warmer uphill and down, which means less fussing with your layers and more skiing.
On cold days, a highly breathable and lightly insulated midlayer—like the Patagonia Nano Air or the Arc’teryx Proton Hoody — offers versatility to wear on the uphill and down. In cold temps, I often tour in the Proton Hoody or the Proton Lightweight Hoody over a base layer, then throw my shell on for the descent. All three of the insulated mid-layers mentioned are low in bulk and designed for a high level of breathability and high output activity.
In more modest temperatures, a layer like the Patagonia R1 Tech Face Hoody is super versatile. It breathes well, sheds light precip pretty well for not being waterproof and keeps the wind from chilling you down. It’s a layer for all seasons that’s light and stretchy enough to fade into the background while you focus on breaking trail or making another lap. It’s low-profile and fits easily under a shell.
Another popular option is a lightweight grid fleece midlayer. A fleece top offers less wind resistance but high breathability, especially a thin grid fleece. I prefer a fleece on milder days when the extra breathability helps keep you cool and there’s no threat of precipitation.
Here are a few of our favorite grid fleece mid-layers: the Patagonia R1 Air full-zip hoodie, the Outdoor Research Vigor fleece hoodie or if you want to check an interesting Euro brand that makes technical outdoor apparel, check out the Crazy (yes, that’s the brand name) Resolution fleece light. The advantage of a fleece mid-layer is its all-around versatility for everyday wear.
Think Weather-Resistant, Not Weather-Proof
Weather resistance adds versatility to a ski midlayer, but being fully waterproof will only decrease its versatility. Some skiers use their ski shell like a midlayer on the uptrack. A shell can work okay as a midlayer in stormy conditions, but GORE-TEX and similar waterproof, breathable jackets are not ideal for uphill travel.
A combination of breathability and light weather resistance make for the best ski mid-layers. Look for a jacket or top with a DWR (durable water-repellent) finish and a much higher level of breathability. Match the insulation or warmth levels to the temps of the day.
My favorite mid-layers get worn often, and I find the DWR finish wears out with time. To boost the weather resistance, I wash my gear a couple of times a season with NikWax TX-Direct. It helps renew breathability and water resistance. Read about renewing DWR treatments
Layers Should be Easy to Vent and Easy to Remove
A good ski midlayer is not simply a heavyweight baselayer. Light insulation and wind resistance are important, too. An excellent mid-layer should be easy to vent and remove if necessary. A full-zip front allows for easy venting and quick changes if you find yourself too warm during a trail-breaking session or need to swap it out for a more waterproof layer. The Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody is a lightly insulated jacket with good wind resistance and breathability. Vests also make great mid-layers. A vest leaves your arms free to breathe and vent while still insulating your core. The combination allows for easy temperature regulation on the skin track. Much like the Nano Air Jacket, the Patagonia Nano Air Vest checks all the essential midlayer boxes—light, breathable and weather-resistant.
Think of Your Mid-Layer as Part of a System
An excellent layering system works together and starts with a light, breathable and fast-wicking base layer. The lighter and more breathable your next-to-skin layer, the dryer you will stay because unless it’s raining (and we hope you’re not skiing in the rain), sweat is the primary cause of being damp and cold when ski touring. Staying comfortable requires that all of your layers work together and walk the line between being warm, being breathable and being weather resistant.
Read more about base layers for backcountry skiing
Read about the Outdoor Research Deviator Hoodie
Read about Defunkify Laundry Detergent to keep your base layers smelling fresh
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