The Art of Layering – How To Layer For Backcountry Skiing
Dressing for a full day of backcountry skiing requires a balance of breathability and weather protection. And the only way to really achieve the balance is through layering. It’s not rocket science, but it’s easy to overdress for ski touring. Touring is an aerobic activity, and you need to be prepared to sweat. Every layer should embrace breathability, including your shell and pants. A good layering system walks the line between being warm but not so warm that you are overly sweaty. Of course, temperature, humidity and precip factor heavily into finding the right layering system for the day. To shed some light on what we think is a good setup for a routine day of ski touring, here’s what we are wearing for base and mid layers this winter.
Recommended Ski Baselayers:
When it comes to baselayers, we recommend going as light as possible. 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.
Ski Baselayer Tops:
Synthetic – Patagonia Lightweight Capilene Zip-Neck – $69 – Time-tested, Patagonia Capilene synthetic baselayers do the job of breathing well, wicking moisture and staying dry to keep you warm. Go with the lightest version. Read about Defunkify laundry detergent for keeping your synthetic baselayers fresh.
Merino Blend – Outdoor Research Alpine Half-Zip – $80 – We’ve tried a variety of merino baselayers over the last several years. Wool definitely has its benefits, but we’ve found many of the wool options are just too warm or thick for the high-energy output of breaking trail. The OR Alpine baselayers use a lightweight merino and synthetic blend that balances the benefits of wool with a light sweat-wicking synthetic that sheds sweat to keep you dry.
Full Merino – Icebreaker 200 Long Sleeve Half-Zip Top – $125 – When it comes to merino wool baselayers, the 200-weight Icebreaker sets the bar for lightweight performance. One of the best things about wool is its natural odor-fighting characteristics. You can literally wear merino for back-to-back days without getting stinky, and better yet, it stays stink-free through years of service.
Ski Baselayer Bottoms:
Outdoor Research Echo Boxer Briefs – $24 – Whether you choose to wear full-length bottoms or not, a synthetic boxer brief is a must. The OR Alpine Echo boxer is light, breathable and sheds moisture.
Patagonia Lightweight Capilene Bottom – $59 – We recommend saving full-length bottoms for the coldest days, but when the weather calls for them, we reach for time-tested Patagonia Capilene and normally only wear the lightweight edition. They breathe, wick moisture and keep you dry and warm as expected.
Recommended Ski Mid Layers
Mid layers serve as insulation on a cold day and, depending on the weather, can easily be your outer layer when moving uphill. Like a base layer, breathability is essential in mid layers, too. All the heat and moisture that your base layer sheds must be able to vent, or it will be trapped in this layer, leaving you damp and chilled once you stop moving.
Outdoor Research Deviator Hoody – $229 – One of my absolute favorite mid layers for cold days is the Deviator Hoody. This thing is built for moving. It breathes, wicks and has just enough insulation to keep you warm for short breaks while you wait for your ski partners to catch up on the skin track. I like that it’s a full zip piece because it makes for easy layer changes and added venting if required. Throw a shell over it, and you’re good to go for a wide range of temps and conditions. It’s avail for women, too.
Patagonia R1 Half-Zip Pullover – $129 – The R1 half-zip is a classic layering staple. The Polartec waffle grid fleece does a great job of breathing and wicking, but it’s also quite warm. It’s a good choice if you run cold or routinely face very cold temps. The Patagonia R1 Tech Face Hoody is more versatile than the regular R1. Patagonia calls it a cool-weather cross-over layer designed for shifting mountain conditions, and it’s excellent on the uptrack if it’s not super cold. Both are avail for women, too.
Another versatile midlayer option is a vest. It’s remarkable how often you can tour in a baselayer and a vest for climbs. Two of our favorite vests include the Patagonia Nano Air Vest ($199) and the Arc’teryx Atom LT Vest ($175). The Nano Air is the lighter weight of the two. Both work well for uphill travel, offering quick drying and good breathability.
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Read about a new kind of lightweight merino base layer from Artilect
