Budget Cold Weather Clothing
Gear for Extreme Conditions
Dressing for seriously cold weather without buying expensive clothing. This page assumes you will be spending extended periods outdoors in the coldest weather and are not so concerned with fashion, for work, hunting, ice fishing, snow-mobiling, snow shoveling or just enjoying the winter.
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ECWCS - Extended Cold Weather Clothing System. Developed by the US army as clothing for cold weather based on layering for versatility. There are a lot of ECWCS items available as surplus for those looking to buy warm layers without breaking the bank. There are 7 "levels" some of which are alternatives rather than additional layers.
Foundation / Base Layer
- Insulate and wick sweat away from the
skin. Men's - LAPASA Fleece Lined Long Sleeve Shirt | Women's, light mid or heavy weight, lots of colors  Women's - Devops compression baselayer thermal turtle neck - 2 pack | Men's, several colors  One
of the most important aspects of underwear for the coldest
conditions is that it can wick away sweat from the skin.
With so much clothing on top, sweat can build up in
the layer next to the skin and become cold and clammy,
especially after some activity. The key is to
avoid cotton and go for synthetics such as polypropylene
and polyester. Much more effective than using
your usual underwear and the biggest "bang for
the buck" layer.
Merino
wool is the best material for thermal underwear,
though doesn't fall into the budget category.Mid / Heavy weight long underwear - For colder conditions. Heavier weight thermal tops in particular can be used as a shirt indoors which makes them more versatile. Men's | Women's | ECWCS gen III level 2 Lightweight underwear - For use in less extreme conditions or alternatively if you don't like thicker base layers and use thicker layers over the top instead. Men's | Women's | ECWCS gen III level 1 |
Layering - I spent time in Antarctica as a marine biologist, the coldest thing I did was setting and retrieving nets through the sea ice in winter using snow mobiles. Our clothes consisted of several layers, this worked better than a small number of thick layers. Sometime afterwards I was a school teacher, I used to give talks on Antarctica and part of this I would borrow bags of clothing from British Antarctic Survey and dress one kid in thin layers like I did, and another kid in easier to put on fewer thicker layers. The first kid would always get hotter faster and need to take the gear off first. Layers work best.
It may seem obvious, but layers need to be on the top and legs too, shorts can't be compensated for by 3 top layers and a parka.
Mid Insulation Layers
- flexibility is important along with
ventilation during exertion or in warmer conditions,
with the ability to wrap up warm again when the temperature
drops.A very varied layer that can be put on or off, unzipped, loosened, sleeves rolled up etc. during sunny periods or exercise and then closed down fully and another layer put on top when the weather gets bad again. It should be a soft layer for comfort and also to make it a more effective insulator when another layer is put on top of it. Half or full length zips are good and allow for excess heat to be quickly vented. Materials:
Upper body - thick shirts, sweaters and jackets long enough at the back to avoid exposed skin or lower layers during bending.  ECWCS gen III level 3 Cold Weather Fleece Jacket  Men's - Columbia Steens Mountain Full Zip 2.0 Soft Fleece Jacket best seller
Lower body - Thick warm pants of heavyweight synthetic material such as polyester/cotton. Pants should be somewhat loose fitting and not tight as this allows a layer of air and doesn't restrict the circulation.. Denim is about the worst possible choice. Bibs and overalls are particularly good, they add extra core insulation and keep you covered while bending or stretching. More winter pants - Men's Women's, Insulated bib overalls - Men's Women's |
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The Outer / Shell Layer
- direct protection from the weather,
windproof and may be waterproof depending on the temperature
use. Simply a "shell" with no additional insulation
or with insulation built in. The outer shell layer can be insulated or not. It may seem odd that the most versatile and effective cold weather shells are fully windproof, but not always additionally insulated. In this way they can be used as the outer layer over any combination of insulating layers underneath. It takes a little more time to get dressed this way, but it works at least as well as a large heavily insulated parka, though more cheaply and for a more versatile and therefore more often used collection of clothing.  Extreme Cold Weather Insulated Parka - gen III level 7 urban gray, stowable hood, sized to fit over lower layers  Extreme Cold Weather Insulated pants - gen III level 7 sized to fit over lower layers
 N-3B Parka Cold weather basic, very warm parka  Military shell parkas, insulated or uninsulated Excellent quality and versatility at a low price  Warm Winter Coat - Men's Waterproof, Windbreaker, Hooded | Women's  Arctix Men's Performance Tundra Jacket lightweight, synthetic insulation, rated -20F to +35F  Elora 47" Winter Puffer - Women's | Vegan Mid Length, Cargo Pocket, Fur Trim, Removable Hood, synthetic insulation  Orolay Thickened Down Jacket - Women's Windproof water resistant shell, 90% down / 10% feather fill It is important for the outer layer to have draw-cords and cuffs that can close over the tops of gloves to prevent warm air being pumped out with movement, a hood is essential (unless wearing a helmet). |
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Extremities - head, hands and feet, ankles, wrists and neck. Feet - Insulation from the cold ground is as important as insulation from the cold air
Thick insulated soles are as important as insulated uppers as a lot of heat can be lost through the only part of our body with which we contact the frigid ground. Boots for the coldest weather have soft insulated uppers, and they are going to be big, it's the insulation that makes them that way. Boots for extreme cold conditions: Men's Women's  Kamik Men's Nationplus Rated -40F / -40C, leather upper, 200g thinsulate insulation, traditional laces  Kamik Greenbay 4 - Men's Rated -40F / -40C, waterproof nylon uppers  Aleader Winter Snow Boots - Women's Waterproof shell, Duck boots
 DREAM PAIRS Mid-Calf Waterproof Snow Boots - Women's Warm, water resistant and durable Socks:  One
or two pairs of thick insulating socks or a
thin
liner pair and thicker over socks make a huge difference.
Wool gives the best insulation, at least 70%
wool is ideal, a small amount of synthetic
material such as nylon or polyester helps durability,
and some elastic material gives a snug fit and prevents
your socks from sliding down. Cheaper mainly synthetic
socks aren't so good, they cause sweating and damp
retention which as well as being unpleasant will make
your feet cold. Too many pairs of socks makes your boots
tight and squashes out much of the insulating air.Thermal socks: Men and Women's Hands
 All
things being equal (materials and design) mittens will
keep your hands warmer than gloves. Layering
can be used here too in the coldest conditions, a light
inner glove that allows for handling ability and then
a thicker pair of mitts over the top. These can be insulated
themselves or just be a weatherproof outer layer. The
outer pair should be wind-proof while water-resistance
is always useful.Work mittens The issue with gloves when it gets colder is that the dexterity reduces as the insulation and thickness increases, despite what you may see claimed, there is no magical thin, ultra warm glove that is going to allow you full use of your hands down to minus stupidly cold, it's all a compromise.  Achiou Knit Gloves Touchscreen Soft Lining Elastic Cuff Anti-Slip, size choice unisex
 Carhartt Men's W.P. Waterproof Insulated Glove 
Carhartt Men's Waterproof Insulated MittensFleece lined  Military - Mitten Shells with Liner designs vary
Rechargeable electronic hand warmers - Power packs that can be used for heat or battery back up for your phone Head
Style and material. I prefer synthetic rather than wool for comfort and fit. A beanie hat is a very effective shape and can pulled over the ears or should have ear flaps that can fold up. Clean, plain shapes allow a hood to be pulled over and fit closely, bobbles make an air space that reduces insulation. A personal favourite is a close fitting "windstopper" hat with ear flaps, small enough to easily fit in a pocket with a warmth far beyond its size and weight. Balaclavas are a great choice, they can roll up as a hat or be pulled down to cover the face and neck. Hats - Beanies | Hard hat liners | Balaclavas | Thinsulate The Neck
A scarf must be worn correctly to get the best use
from it. Wool or a performance synthetic material are
needed (cotton is useless and acrylic not good enough),
the scarf should be worn under the shell garment and
over the insulating layer immediately beneath that so
that it restricts air movement as well as providing
insulation and preventing snow ingress. A neck gaiter
is a neater version of a scarf, a tube of stretchy insulating
material than can be worn like a scarf or pulled up
over the lower part of the face like the bottom part
of a balaclava. |
Hand
warmers
