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There's no such thing as
bad weather, only the wrong clothes - Billy Connolly
This is the layer that takes the direct battering
from the elements. It should be at least windproof and preferably waterproof
too (but see below in very cold temperatures). Antarctica is the windiest place
on earth, so don't skimp on this or imagine that you can get by with an outer
garment that is "pretty windproof".
Antarctica does proper wind.
Proper biting - gets through every nook and cranny - straight to the bones -
wind.
Some garments such as duvet jackets have a wind-proof
outer nylon layer but are not waterproof. This has the advantage of reducing
the cost and also of making the garment softer, pliable and comfortable.
Water-resistant or water-repellent are adequate
if you will not use the garment in extended wet conditions or and will have
the opportunity to dry it out between uses. In cold conditions, waterproof is
not necessary as there's not a lot of liquid water about!
500 / 600 / 700 fill down?
What's it all mean? The number is
a measure of "fill power". This measures the amount of space taken
up by one ounce of down. Take one ounce of down, compress it and then release
it - on release the down will expand and fill up a certain volume. The volume
it occupies is measured in cubic inches and is the down's "fill power".
So if a jacket is said to have "550 fill down" for example, it means that one
once of down in the jacket will fill 550 cubic inches of space. The higher the
number, the higher the quality of the down - generally.
As well as down quality, the fill power is what gives the down its insulating
properties. The more the fill power, the warmer the jacket - generally.
Generally? It also depends
on the amount of down in the garment too. A small amount of the highest quality
down won't necessarily be warmer than a larger amount of slightly lower quality
down.
Waterproof
shell jackets
Waterproofing has come on leaps
and bounds in recent years due to the development of new light-weight, soft
waterproof fabrics that all importantly are now breathable. Old fashioned coated
nylon is now only found in the cheapest of garments and is to be avoided. Materials
such as GORE-TEX® mean
that being waterproof no longer means that the inside of the garment becomes
damp and clammy from perspiration. New ways of using the material mean that
the outer surface remains soft and pleasing to the touch.
A fully waterproof shell is not
required for very cold climates however and is not appropriate in that the breathable
characteristics become less effective at very low temperatures. For coastal
and maritime Antarctica in the summer such fabrics are ideal and I unequivocally
recommend the use of an outer layer garment that is made using
GORE-TEX® in
such conditions. This also has the advantage of being useful in the less cold,
but often wetter conditions in everyday life, so the garment continues to be
very useful for many years to come. Gore-Tex is also an excellent
windproof barrier too and in appropriate conditions (above about -15°C / +5°F
in my experience - though my Gore-Tex jacket is several years old now and the
fabric has advanced since then) performs excellently.
See all Goretex jackets
Choosing clothing for cold and extreme weather
The ankles, wrist and neck area should also be
covered with no chance of exposing bare flesh when stretching, reaching or otherwise
moving around. A scarf of some kind around the neck makes all the difference
to losing warm air that can be "pumped" out by even small movements.
Dressing should follow the "layer principle".
The number of layers can be adjusted according to how cold the temperature is
and the activity of the wearer. A three layer system is most typical:
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The North Face Chinook Convertible Parka -
Men's
$398.95
When you plan on skiing all day, sport The North Face Men's Chinook Convertible Parka.
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DC Bartlett Down Jacket - Men's
$131.97
Whether you want the warmth of a full down jacket or like to layer with vests, the DC Men's Bartlett Jacket fits the bill.
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Marmot Ama Dablam Down Jacket - Men's
$143.96
Marmot designed the Ama Dablam Men's Down Jacket to be used as an ultralight, ultra-compact mid layer for frigid January ski days and winter mountaineering.
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The North Face Greenland Jacket - Women's
$248.95
The North Face Greenland Jacket is what many women have been waiting for. Finally a warm coat that doesn't make you look like the Michelin Man.
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The North Face Nuptse Jacket - Women's
$198.95
Good lookin' and warm, warm, warm, the Nuptse Jacket is one of The North Face's best-selling jackets. With 700-fill down, it's super toasty, lightweight, and highly compressible. If you're prone to cold, you'll dig this jacket.
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Marmot Venus Down Jacket - Women's
$159.95
Wear the Marmot Women's Venus Down Jacket alone when you're scurrying from bar to bar under a clear moonlit sky or wear it under a shell for added warmth when the pressure drops and the clouds dump their loads.
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The North Face McMurdo Parka - Boy's
$198.95
The North Face Boy's McMurdo Parka is pretty much guaranteed to keep your fast-growing human tornado warm despite his best efforts at turning into a snowball-throwing popsicle.
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The North Face Nuptse Jacket - Boys
$124.95
The North Face Boys Nuptse Jacket is the most versatile down jacket in TNF's Boys line. It can be worn alone in cold, dry conditions or under a weatherproof shell for complete snow and rain protection.
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The North Face Clear Nuptse Jacket - Girls
$124.95
The North Face Girl's Nuptse Jacket keeps your little gal warm and cozy with high-loft 600-fill down insulation.
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The North Face Greenland Jacket - Girls
$178.95
The North Face Greenland for Girls provides the best warmth and weather protection you can get.
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