what do you wear?

It really depends on what kind of day it is and how you plan on riding. If you're going for a long trail ride and its -10 outside, you should be just fine with a bulky sweatshirt under your coat, if thats what keeps you warm. In those conditions I wear a longsleeved thermal shirt, a t-shirt over it and then my castle-x coat with the liner in. If you're going out in the trees and its in the 20s and you plan on gettin stuck and doing some digging, dress lighter. I would wear just a t-shirt and then toss a thermal in the backpack for the ride home if I get cold. I always pack another pair of gloves for the ride home too. If you think something is going to get wet, toss another set in the backpack for the ride home. It'll be dry and it'll be worth it. Underarmor is good stuff too, it can be a little too warm for me, but it does keep you warm when wet and drys out fairly quick. I usually only break out the underarmor for -15 and going into the trees. Basically if you plan on getting wet or sweating, try not to wear cotton (especially socks), and bring another set along with you that will be dry for the ride home.

I always have been against the "trendy" gear until I used someones klim gear. After that I got a pair klim pants and boots. I have road in super cold weather and never gotten cold or wet. I got the insulated bibs and they are awesome. Never get snow up your back and I have never got cold or wet. Doesn't really matter what I wear for a coat because they keep you so warm and dry. Hard to get cold when your feet and legs are toasty!

base layer- klim inferno pants with a jersey, regular socks
mid layer (protective gear)- knee/shin guards, elbow guards, techvest
outer layer- klim free ride pants, slednecks jacket, klim boots, fly's new water proof gloves and my abs bag

klim is hands down the best gear on the market... a lot people complain about the price... but if you buy other gear you will replace it in 2-3 seasons or if you ride as much as we do mid season. i have 6k miles of riding on my klim pants and they still work flawless... and their customer service is unreal. i tore my pants in a wreck last year... shipped them to klim they removed that area of the pants and stitched in a completely new piece, couldnt even tell anything had happened and including frt it was less than $40

I use a base layer of light polar fleece followed up with either a medium or a heavy layer(exploration weight), all polar fleece, dont use cotton(t-shirt, sweat shirt jeans) when they get moisture(from sweating) they pretty much loose all insulating qualities, and wont dry easily, fleece will keep you warm even when its damp, and it will dry from just your body heat..also I go for tops with no collar/hood, just seems that all the collars bulk up around your neck and makes it very uncomfortable...

Jkinzer said:

base layer- klim inferno pants with a jersey, regular socks
mid layer (protective gear)- knee/shin guards, elbow guards, techvest
outer layer- klim free ride pants, slednecks jacket, klim boots, fly's new water proof gloves and my abs bag

klim is hands down the best gear on the market... a lot people complain about the price... but if you buy other gear you will replace it in 2-3 seasons or if you ride as much as we do mid season. i have 6k miles of riding on my klim pants and they still work flawless... and their customer service is unreal. i tore my pants in a wreck last year... shipped them to klim they removed that area of the pants and stitched in a completely new piece, couldnt even tell anything had happened and including frt it was less than $40

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Motofist has some excellent gear as well, and I will be trying some of theirs this coming season....

AKSNOWRIDER said:

I use a base layer of light polar fleece followed up with either a medium or a heavy layer(exploration weight), all polar fleece, dont use cotton(t-shirt, sweat shirt jeans) when they get moisture(from sweating) they pretty much loose all insulating qualities, and wont dry easily, fleece will keep you warm even when its damp, and it will dry from just your body heat..also I go for tops with no collar/hood, just seems that all the collars bulk up around your neck and makes it very uncomfortable...

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Aksnowrider...you stole my thoughts! You are dead on with the stay away from cotten..if it gets wet from sweat or any other moisture its worthless. That was the first thing I learned in Winter Survival training. You cant go wrong with Klim, Underlayers are fleece. You can pick up fleece dirt cheap and dont need a high end piece of embroydery(sp?) Go with wool socks..experiment with different thicknesses until you find what works for you..everyone is different in the foot heat dept. Have a thicker dry pair vacumed packed in your pack in case you have to hunker down. Being non active can change the whole plan.

I wear underarmour for a base layer, Klim tog bibs, Tec vest, and an E vent Polaris shell. This works fine for me as long as it's above zero and I'm riding aggressively. I only use a fleece upper mid layer if it's colder. I always carry extra fleece tops and bottoms in my pack for the unexpected.

im a bit different but i ride in utah where it never gets wet. i wear a cotton t shirt not recommended it does get wet from sweat. then my body armour and a lot sleeve over if its cold then some snowboard gear that was half off. never been too cold or hot. i did have to spend the night once this year and it wasnt bad by the fire. snowboard boots
never tried klim but i usually pick up pants for 50 to 80 and same for the jacket lasts me two seasons
klim would have to last 10 seasons to be worth it and i like getting new stuff and how it fits i like my stuff baggy and i think klim is ugly but just my opinion

deepdiver said:

Aksnowrider...you stole my thoughts! You are dead on with the stay away from cotten..if it gets wet from sweat or any other moisture its worthless. That was the first thing I learned in Winter Survival training. You cant go wrong with Klim, Underlayers are fleece. You can pick up fleece dirt cheap and dont need a high end piece of embroydery(sp?) Go with wool socks..experiment with different thicknesses until you find what works for you..everyone is different in the foot heat dept. Have a thicker dry pair vacumed packed in your pack in case you have to hunker down. Being non active can change the whole plan.

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I ride cold weather alot(not uncommon to be out all day in -40 temps....), I wear smart wool socks..by far the best I have found,ski is right under armour is hard to beat, (I bought it for my kids and its very good stuff) I have stuff that I have been using for at least 10 yrs now, stuff the wife got me for x-mass before we divorced, its been darn good stuff as well(I suspect it came from REI but not positive)I have done the tok alaska to dawson canada ride in -68 temps(200 mile trip and yes it was cold) and I was totally comfortable runnning as fast as 80 mph...

Just become a poster child for Klim(only way to be accepted by most on here). . .

I rock some old snowboard boots that have holes to the socks. Pants arent water proof, shredded and are all duct taped up. My HJC helmet has bounced off a few to many trees/rocks as well as my bars. all the vents are blown out, and the visor shattered into pieces. And to finish it off a Team Arctic Cat race pullover. The important things are mouth piece, Teck vest, and Fox moto knee/shin guards. Safety is no accident!

Lambert

I wear HMK Voyager coat with the liner zipped out most of the time and HMK Stealth Pants with the liner out. Klim Aggressor Under armor Pants and long sleeve shirt. Klim or Fox River Sock's. Fly Knee Pad's which I can't keep the screws from falling out of. A Tekvest which eliminates the need for any insulation what so ever like wearing a microwave with me. And Klim Adrenaline boot's. Shoei Helmet no balaclava unless it's below zero. And Habervision Goggles (The absolute best IMHO) When it get's to those warmer spring days I ditch the Coat and ride with just the under armor and my tekvest. It get's a little cool if your puttin around on the trail but if your working in the tree's and stuff it's fine.

The HMK gear seems great to me have never gotten cold or wet. My feet did once till I figured out the whole gaiter system. (Stupid rookie) Since that day I have been fine even standing in a running creek halfway up my legs digging my sled out never got cold or wet.

I am looking into some Klim Bib's for the woman. I would love it if Motorfist would start a women's line I would buy them in a heart beat for her.

Klim is great stuff I wear some of it their outer layer's are a tad expensive for my blood. But there are other manufacturers out there. Your better off to try different thing's on and compare it all decide what fits and fits the budget best. I know HMK and Klim do tall man, short man, and large man sizes. If your buying for a woman buy the best period. Trust me since my girl is riding with me now and our 5 year old look's like I am buying alot more gear the woman is pretty well off the 5 year old is another story..

Greg

No cotton period! Regardless of riding you always sweat, wear some good quality moisture wicking material such as Underarmour etc.. Wear a moisture wicking shirt if you wear one with some form of fleece etc. along with this and then your outer shell. Outer shell should be made out or Gortex or Event material. Good boots with the proper socks, again no cotton, wool or some other form of wicking material, then some Klim boots. One thing I will always do is under dress before I leave the trailer cause within 5 minutes I am already sweating. I always pack maximum layers in my pack just in case I get stranded, but seldom wear all of them. Just be patient and watch ebay and other sources you can make some screaming deals on all your outer wear. Good luck.

Insulated g-string

Klim and Under Armour, with two [relatively] large concerns..

Overall I'm basically happy with my Klim Valdez Parka and Freeride Pants, but for an almost $1k setup, I'm extremely disappointed with the following major flaws:

- The waste gator doesn't zip into their pants.
- the under-arm and back zip-vents have no mesh when open, leaving an empty hole in your jacket for snow to pack into.

^-Am I the only one extremely bothered by the above?

The Klim Inversion gloves, on the other hand, are absolutely amazing. Great bar feel, very breathable and extremely waterproof. I also highly recommend Under Armour for your base layer - the best comfort-investment of my riding career was purchasing full UA ColdGear, including boxers.

07dragon said:

im have been getting pretty heavy into sledding here in the past few years, buying a new piece of clothing ever year (its spendy so i need to take my time) and now i am wondering, what do you all wear for base layers and such? i ride in anywhere from -10 to 40 degree weather, and where just a long sleeve t shirt a car hart hoodie and my polaris coat. my jeans with some bids over top. the bottom layer does not bug me, however if there is somehting better i would like to know. the biggest thing is the hoodie i wear keeps me warm, but its so bulky it limits my ability to move my body around 100%. what should i get to wear under my coat?

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There have some really good suggestions for base layers. I'm happy to be a poster boy for Klim. :humble: Their stuff has always worked flawlessly for me. This came after years of frustration with other brands. Is it the only way to stay warm and dry? No, they just make it really easy for you. The Aggressor is their base layer. Simple functional moisture wicking under garments. Then they make some options for mid layers. The Inferno is probably the most common. Lightweight comfortable fleece. This is the most I would ever need even in 20 below. I ride similar conditions to yourself, but am very warm blooded. I have yet to even wear this riding. :noidea:Very comfortable to wear around the house or hotel though. If you are very cold blooded they also have an Everest line of mid layers. Heavier fleece material, but very comfortable and still easy to move around in.
Again, most of the manufactures and outdoor companies make similar products to suit your needs. Klim just makes it easy. Under armour is a very good suggestion. As stated earlier the important part is that the material is moisture wicking.
Standard t-shirts and hoodies are typically poor choices for back country riding. You are layering up from experience that you get cold. The more you layer, the more quickly you start to sweat. The moisture stays next to your body and especially your core causing you to get cold and stay cold. So you are bulky and cold.
Jeans aren't the best idea these days either for the same reasons. I'm not sure what brand of bibs you have? Again, I am a big advocate of Klim because they use Gore-Tex. It is very hard to beat this material. Waterproof and breathable. Meaning it will keep water and moisture out and if you start to sweat it will displace the moisture to the outside. I personally have a hard time justifying a different brand when the others are so closely priced these days. They are good products depending on your requirements, but I have yet to see anything perform better than good ol Gore Tex. Progress is being made with similar materials. From my experience however, they still aren't at the level of performance and durability, but there are options. If you are considering bibs, I would take a good look at the Klim Extreme bib. Probably the best bang for the buck in a Gore Tex bib.
That has been my experience. Hope that helps. I know some people really like the HMK line too. I just have never used it. In the end it doesn't matter what brand you buy. It just has to work for you.

Loose the cotton stuff. You will be a happier person and dryer and warmer that is 100% certain.

I run long johns from under armor or Klim or RU outside, any of them are good just as long as they aren't cotton. Then I run Klim outer layer stuff and that is about it. Long john bottoms are just fine with me, on top I sometimes where a fleece if it's really cold but most of the time it's the base layer and then simply an outer layer.

Anything but cotton, being close to staying out one or two times overnight with wet cotton and I'm sure I would have had hypothermia. Not too concerned with it anymore since I'm always dry. At least the layer next to my skin is.

crf118r said:

Insulated g-string

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That's...just wrong man...

Oh it's weird how the world works...............

crf118r "insulated g-string" ? I think NOT

(the scenerio)....it was about just about this time of year up on Snowbank Mtn outside of Cascade, Idaho.... we were ending a day of fun testing all of the turbo Polaris offerings from Carl's and Boondockers....loading up to head to town for beer and steak.

My girlfriend let's out a horrific death shriek like from a horror movie while pointing off at a trailer...she can't quite get the "OH MY GAWD but don't look" out in time....and I looked! It's crf and he ain't wearing no g-string...but darn close and that was IT!

She's still in therapy! Fortunately I suffer from long term memory loss with all of the crashes, surgeries, and race gas inhalation so that picture should be vacating sometime very soon. (I hope) braaaaaaaaaaaaap