Whether you’re looking to go winter camping, snowshoeing, ice climbing, or urban coffee hunting, having the right gear is like having the right tools. Sure, you can suffer through without it, but why soldier on when you can have more fun being warmer, dryer, and farther along? Here’s a quick guide to this year’s best winter sportswear midlayers. Before we get down to specifics, remember the following: baselayer, midlayer, and shell. You adjust the thickness of the midlayer based on the outside temperature, your level of exertion, and the possibility for changes in the conditions. If you’re starting early or ending late, be prepared to adjust.
Sometimes what you really need is a midlayer that does double duty:
Patagonia calls this the Kernelius Jacket and they recommend it for skiing. I don’t see it that way. I see this as an ideal double-duty midlayer with plenty of technical chops: a DWR (durable water repellent) finish that blocks moisture and wind, a high collar for warmth with an interior gasket that seals out the elements, ribbing at the cuffs and hem, and two hidden pockets-within-pockets because the fear of losing your wallet and keys shouldn’t prevent you from warming your hands. And it looks good, equal parts Johnny-outdoorsman and Johnny Depp.
If you’re looking for something more technical, maybe something you can climb with or jog in, this weather-resistant, super-lightweight, wind-blocking, moisture-beading, supremely-compressible, and 100% recycled midlayer is exactly the bulk-free warmth you’ve been looking for. Please allow me to introduce to you, the cult hit of the season, Nano Pullover.
