Correct my layering system

[Teegan kenworthy]

Looking at changing some things up in my layering system. I spent a little over 65 days in the field last year from August-December. I previously ran
-Sitka core lightweight long sleeve
-SG glacier helio
-SG cirque lite
-SG Grumman
-Sitka dewpoint
I couldn’t ever find a decent time to use a helio/cirque lite. I’d always get pretty hot, but colder with just a helio.
Thinking I might want to try this:
-Sitka merino 120 base
-Sitka core lightweight hoody
-cirque lite
-Grumman
-dew point jacket

What’s your go to layering system from August-late season?

 

[ForlohFamily]

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[Grassymike]

Simple answer, I can't tell you what you need. I run hotter on my bottom half and colder on upper. Prefer thinner layers and more rather than 1-2. Breathable is important as is windproof above the tree line. For me these are separate layers. Puffy for static insulation and rain gear. My rain pants get use as wind proof layer glassing. Also my gear carried changes as temps drop later in the season. I back pack hunt mountains for Sheep. Experiment and keep track of what works, I would suggest changing out one thing at a time to be able to isolate how that piece helps or does not help. Maybe add in a windshirt to your gear. It will keep you warm and still breathe. Helps with the to cool but end up to hot with next layer added thing.

 

[prm]

Mine is:
Silk weight base
Kuiu Peleton 240
Arcteryx Atom
Kifaru LPP

Biased more towards Oct CO hunts. For Aug, I would add a light hoody over the base layer and leave the LPP out.

 

[fngTony]

September-mid November in Colorado,
Sun hoody or peloton 97 as my base layer
Grid fleece full zip as my mid layer
Superdown ultra with hood or a heavier down
Dewpoint jacket
Having a few alternates has worked better for me than just adding an additional layer.

 

[hereinaz]

I get my stuff from Walmart and Amazon… I just choose the least number of layers for the trip. In AZ I might only bring a puffy and a lightweight shell. Daytime temps in the sun are warm, and cold at night. Rarely get rain…

Base layer is always a light sunshirt synthetic hoodie 3/4 zip, long sleeve for summer to winter to keep the sun off my neck and face as much as possible. Even when snowing and cold, I hike in this layer cause I am a sweat monster. Breathability is huge for me.

Depending on wind, rain and temp swings, these get added:

Water resistant pull over hoodie
Shell jacket
Merino wool sweater
Puffy jacket
Frog Toggs lightweight rain jacket

 

[mtwarden]

I definitely don’t have any one system I could use August through November here and it would be pretty hard to really tell someone what would work best for them. It takes some trial and error to dial in clothing and it's something I'm always tinkering/refining.

For me what I carry varies with temps (and weather) which here can range from highs 50's and 60's early to below zero late.

I use a four piece "system" (excluding rain gear which sometimes is left behind).
-Base layer- top and bottom.
-Mid-layer top which is mostly used on the move, but can also supplement the insulting layer when not moving.
-Wind (light precip) layer which is mostly used on the move- either directly over the base layer or over the mid and base layer. It'll often get added in when not moving as well.
-Insulating layer- reserved for static use- glassing, breaks, around camp, etc.

Mine currently:

I use a Core Lightweight hoody as my upper base layer most of the year; very cold I’ll substitute it with a midweight grid fleece (Patagonia Thermal Weight hoody).

My lower base layer are merino boxers (Smartwool), colder I use the Peloton 97 zip-offs and very cold Patagonia Thermal Weight bottoms.

My mid-layer varies with temperature- if it's very warm- I might skip a mid-layer altogether and layer a lightweight windshirt over the base layer if needed on the move. For cool temps I use an Ambient UL, colder a Sitka MDWi (the Ambient 100 hoody is basically the same).

Windlayer- if it's warmer — a lightweight windshirt (Black Diamond Alpine Start), cold- Sitka Evo.

My insulting layer varies with temperature as well- warm an Enlightened Equipment Torrid, cool to cold- a custom Nunatak jacket (Apex insulated- similar to the Kifaru LPP) and very cold a Patagonia DAS parka. All synthetic insulated, down is great- warm and light, but much more susceptible to moisture vs synthetic.

 

[Fletch]

I find it interesting that no one runs a soft shell. I use my technical clothing year round for various activities but to concentrate on hunting season I typical hunt Alaska August through September and can see temperature swings from 20 F to 70 F, snow and rain, and wind.

My main upper body layer system while actively hiking and on the move consist of:

Patagonia Capilene midweight
Stone Glacier Helio
Stone Glacier De Haviland Jacket

If I get too hot I start stripping the most outer layer down. If I get too cold I usually carry a midweight merino base layer and wear that over Patagonia base layer. I also carry a Stone Glacier Grumman for static insulation such as mornings and nights in camp and glassing. I also carry a rain layer either the Sitka Dew Point of Kuiu Chugach depending on weight considerations.

On the bottoms I usually go with a light pant, sometimes just the shell/rain layer (it seems like the ground is always wet) and a light weight merino base layer.

 

[mtwarden]

I find it interesting that no one runs a soft shell.

Windlayer- if it's warmer — a lightweight windshirt (Black Diamond Alpine Start), cold- Sitka Evo.

The Evo is a soft shell, albeit a little different than most.

For day hunting I might just grab a "typical" soft-shell- something along the the lines of a Jetstream, but there is no way that would make the cut for a backpack hunt for me.