Cold Weather Gear

    Our cold spell continues: -27 this morning, no wonder I was cold as I finished up chores!
    It's too cold to run dogs, so I've just finished lunch - a very Alaskan-style lunch. Ever heard of Pilot Bread? It's kind of like a cracker, but thicker and bigger...you can only find it in Alaska, where it is a staple. Mandy was telling me how she and her sisters used to put cheese between them to melt in the microwave as a snack. That's what I did for lunch and it was very good!
    One of the great things about being up here around Iditarod and Yukon Quest veterans is that they know what gear works and what doesn't. However, there are still some boots and mittens that work for some and don't work for others.
    It is good to keep in mind that just because a musher is sponsored by a company, doesn't mean they use their gear. Or if they do, it doesn't always mean they are actually warm! Aaron has lots of Northern Outfitters gear, but although he say's it's good gear - the Expedition and Mountain Pac boots are excellent if you don't get them wet (they aren't waterproof at all) - he was freezing every Iditarod he wore the complete system (Parka, bibs, etc).
    So, what am I wearing?
    On the 40mile run I did, following Scott and Aaron, it was -30. All of us got cold feet - I was wearing Northern Outfitters Expedition boots with two pairs of wool ski socks (one thick and one thinner pair).
    Gloves: I was wearing fleece liners with Winter Deer gloves (Heatlok U100 fleece gloves) inside of Cabela's mitts with hand warmers. My hands also got cold, although fortunately they kept warming up...then getting cold again...then warming up.
    In this cold weather, we wear white cotton gloves for all dog chores - you can frostbite your hands or fingers by touching snaps or even bootying your team without them. (I was reminded this by Mandy, after booting up my team without gloves...)
    I was wearing two pairs of base layers - a lighter wool base and expedition weight over that.
    Bottoms: wool pants and insulated snow pants. I'll be finding a pair of bib snow pants as soon as I get into Fairbanks next - they are just warmer.
    Top: Fleece sweatshirt, down vest and ski-jacket liner beneath my parka. I wore one of Aaron's over-parka's on top of all this.
    Headware: Baclava, neckwarmer and musher's hat.

    What they use:
    Base layers - Capilene, Icebreaker or Smart Wool.
    Bottom: Fleece pants and Northern Outfitter's Vaetrex pants (especially if it's cold) and, depending on preference, either insulated or uninsulated snow pants (Bibs).
    Top: One or two fleece layers, Vaetrex jacket (-40 rated) and a down jacket under parka. Scott always wears the Northern Outfitter's windsuit jacket over his parka - adds quite a bit of warmth. If it's warm, you can take off a few layers and wear a waterproof rain jacket or whatever so you don't get too hot.
    Headware: depends. Usually some sort of hat underneath musher's hat, maybe baclava and always a neckwarmer.
    Aaron likes the Cabela's full body snow suits, but Scott dislikes them because they aren't easy to layer with. Cabela's anorak parka's are used by everyone - they aren't down-filled so work better if you get wet.
    Gloves: Beaver mitts are the best, that's all Scott uses. His mitts are small and lightweight, but he has a waterproof/windproof liner in them. Wears either wool or fleece glove liner and (I believe) the Winter Deer gloves. Aaron uses Midnight mushing mitts for training - synthetic filling. No one seems to like the Northern Outfitter's mittens (my hands are always cold in them - even at 0F) and if you use the green Army/Navy store mittens, you want to insert a fleece liner in them plus glove liner and the heavier gloves (like Winter Deer or AIH gloves).
    Boots: I'm finding it really depends on what works for you and your preferences. Northern Outfitters boots are good, Mukluks (Steger) or Wiggy's (Wiggy's are more of an overboot). Cabela's boots don't have much traction. Lobbens and Neos work well. Bunnyboot's are used with some, but are much better if you wear the boot wicking "oversock" made to go with them (can't remember the name of it).
    All this gear is what is keeping us warm. Even so, it's hard to figure out the right combinations for the right conditions. That will come with time...