 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You don't want softshell or wind impermiability if it is to go under a ski jacket - it costs more, and will also reduce the breathability. A simple fleece is all that needed - as all you want it for is insulation just go for something lightweight without extra features. There are plenty available from £20 upwards depending on how warm you want it to be. Light fleeces also dry out very quickly - some of the best are the Polartec ones.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Sleipnir,
Microfleece and polartec can be one of the same thing.
You want a polartec base..., then a mid layer fleece, upto Polartec200 if it is your primary warmth layer, and then your shell.
FWIW, I find polartec base, MH Velocity and a pakliet sheel is good to about -15 and I don't run as hot as a lot of people. If I need something more, I add an ice breaker.
What you don't want to do is confuse your warmth/breathable layers with wind blocs as they don't breath so much. Most named fleeces, like polartec etc are very good wickers so you can over-power then with sweat, but they dry out pretty quickly
Sometimes you will run too hot for your kit..and nothing can stop that, so you have to lose and dry the sweat as quick as poss.....that is the idea...IMO
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Sleipnir, A couple of light-weight fleeces (without wind or water barriers) are perfect and inexpensive for under an outer jacket as all they need to do is let warm moist air reach the outer layers without creating a thermal conduit to your skin. The only reason to buy a performance soft shell is to wear it over the same fleece on bluebird days.
Oh, and that local guy needs a good slap for talking bollux.
I wore a good thermal 't', a very light fleece and a cheap 'Ski Warehouse' soft-shell jacket on the glacier at Tignes at the end of Oct and was fine in very crappy condition (total cost for items £7+5.50+24 = £36.50 . . . you don't need to be Spyderman to be dry, warm and comfortable  )
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I use thin long sleeved wicking tops, which others may use as a base layer, two of those + a t-shirt if cold is all I've ever needed, with a gillet as a backup for brass monkey days.
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I use my long sleeve running top as base and a fleece as middle. If it is colder I'll put my Scotland rugby jersey on too.
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Sleipnir, I have a few fleeces of diferent thicknesses (and prices) but the warmist one I have is a ordinary fleece I got from tesco for £10
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 17-01-08 18:27; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Skismon
The worst thing is that my girlfriend decided to wash it recently along with her red jumper.
Now I have a rather tasteful blue and pink jersey. Brings a whole new meaning to a pride jersey.
I'm not saying she did it on purpose but she is an Aussie.
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My main advice is get a good base layer, I prefer merino wool. it cost more, but is well worth it. then you are free to wear whatever mid layer you like, a normally wear just basics fleeces, various thicknesses due to temps. My jacket is a shell only, so the fleece layer is my warmth layer.
don''t get a midlayer that is windproof or waterproof. added costs for features, that if anything will hinder you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks folks for your invaluable advice
So, in summary, the base and top layers are the most important to get right. What goes in between is not so critical
Whilst I could spend my hard earned on expensive, technical breathable stuff, really all you need is one or two layers that will allow air to circulate. This could be simply achieved by a cheapie fleece/micro fleece or two of varying thicknesses......
I'm off to TK Maxx then........how did we survive before TK Maxx, Lidl, Aldi, etc came along!!!???? 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sleipnir, Birmingham TK Maxx wasn't too well off for either base layers or fleece mid-layers when I was there two weeks ago, I go with the view that a good base-layer will do all the wicking you need. After that a decent fleece - check the length some are too short in the body to tuck into your saloettes properly- will complete the wicking to perfection. I am a bit on the lardy and sweaty side and that works fine for me. Yes, I know, too much information.
I would also add that Decathlon's Quecha stuff is the best wicking layers I have found. Long or short sleeve depending on the day.
TK maxx recently had some roll neck wicking tops by Maier for about £7. Very good. You don't need to spend big money to be warm and comfortable, as Masque says. You do need to be a good hunter-gatherer though!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Definitely merino wool. I have Icebreaker merino baselayers and also midlayers. They are expensive, but worth it for me, as I also do a lot of cycling and nordic walking during the winter, and wear them a lot. It may not be such good value if you are only doing a week or two skiing a year, but OTOH it doesn't smell so you can wear it all week.
I honestly don't like fleece - it gets wet and clammy if you get sweaty. If merino wool gets wet it stays warm, and I find two or three layers of thin merino wool is much better than one layer of thick fleece.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Another vote for merino from me. If you get a mid-weight Icebreaker as your base layer, you may not need a mid-layer at all, epecially if your shell is an insulated 'ski jacket'-type one and you tend to run a bit warm.
And beware chain store advice: "I was going to buy myself a microfleece, but the guy in the local Cotswold Outdoor shop warned me against them... He suggested looking at something that was more breathable, may be made out of Polartec or possibly a soft shell material." Really!? The main premium (expensive) microfleece is branded Polartec (ie one and the same) and a lot of the new (expensive) soft shell fabrics are not that breathable (the clue is in them being windproof) - wear them under a shell and you will be dripping wet unless it's freezing cold and blowing a gale.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have a look at SubZero gear.
The F2 midlayer close fitting, warm and very effective and are British made. If you go to their online store and look in the Substandard section at the bottom of the page, you will find their F2 midlayer zip T for £5.99 (normally £45). The price is this low because the fabric in this batch apparently changes shape after a wash. However, for a single trip £5.99 is a steal. The F1 baselayer is good too.
http://www.subzero.co.uk/
http://www.subzerostore.co.uk/
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| docsquid wrote: |
but OTOH it doesn't smell so you can wear it all week.
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I've shared a room with a guy who seemed to think his stuff wouldn't smell if worn for a week. Wrong. 
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I wore a merino top for two weeks, cycling and camping in the Western Isles. I didn't take it off once - including sleeping. At least two independent observers confirmed that it didn't smell. On the other hand, they refused to say whether I did. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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ccl, I didn't mean the baselayers - I change them every couple of days, but the midlayers last at least a week without starting to pong.
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FWIW, I have recently skied in two base layers (one silk, one thin merino) and a thin fleece on a day that started off very cold and ended up being warm. I couldn't be bothered to stop and reorganise my clothing and, at the end of the day, the two base layers were entirely pong-free but the mid-layer fleece certainly wasn't!  I think I'm going to give up on man-made fibres altogether, it will save on washing powder if nothing else!
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Another vote for microfleece, but I will us a softshell gilet or even jacket between that and my shell if it is cold enough.
Chris Bish, The Quecha wicking layers we have had for our kids have been the mutts nuts.
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my clothing -
base: merino wool long sleeve (about £45 from Howies - worn for 4 days last week with no noticeable pong, so the price is less than 4 Helly Hansens. I'd have worn it for more days, but the trip came to an end  )
mid: depends on temperature. last week I started with a polartec200 fleece, then moved to a long sleeve synthetic base layer over the merino, then moved to a short sleeve Helly over the merino, then got rid of the mid layer entirely
shell: goretex jacket with pit zips.
I never wear any more on top, but then I tend to be on the warm side compared to many others.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Merino wool all the way for me too. Icebreaker Base and Mid layers. All my Polartec gear has been lying dormant for the last few years since I discovered Merino.
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