#NationalMountaineeringSchool #SafeMountainHikingSeries #LayeringSystem #WinterLayering #MountainHikingClothing [Winter Layering System] How to dress for hiking in winter is a big homework. It is commonly called the layering system. Let's prepare the clothes that you would wear if you started hiking on a morning when the temperature is around 0 degrees Celsius at the foot of a mountain 100 meters above sea level and climbed to the summit of a mountain 1500 meters above sea level. Based on this, you can adjust your clothing according to your constitution. [Mountain Foothill Layering] @Upper Layering 1. For upper layering, use high-performance underwear as the base layer, or the basics. It should be a fiber product that quickly discharges sweat from the skin to the outside of the underwear while containing air within the tissue and effectively maintains body temperature in accordance with the layering principle. 2. Wear a T-shirt over your underwear. It should be a product that has the function of keeping you warm even when wet. @Lower Layering 1. First, wear panties made of quick-drying, thermal material. 2. The basic layering of the lower garment is high-performance tights that come into contact with the skin. They should be able to quickly wick away sweat while also providing good thermal insulation. Avoid products that are too thick, considering that you will be wearing additional layers. [Layering at high altitudes] @Layering at the top 1. When the temperature drops, the second step of layering at the top is to wear a thin thermal jacket over a T-shirt. If there is no wind, wear a breathable pile jacket, and if there is some wind, wear a synthetic thermal jacket that provides basic wind protection. There are products that use ultra-fine artificial filler that maintains some thermal insulation even when wet and dries much faster than down. 2. Down jackets are not good for layering while you are active. Down rapidly loses its thermal insulation function when it absorbs moisture. @Layering at the bottom 1. When the altitude increases and it becomes very cold, wear a layer of pants over the tights. Products that have good elasticity and have a tightly woven outer fabric that enhances windproofing are good for layering at high altitudes. These second layering pants should be designed and stretchy enough to not cause much discomfort when lifting your legs on a slope after wearing them. Many people find it cumbersome to wear them all together and end their bottom layering with a pair of thick pants that are both warm and windproof. However, no matter how functional the pants are, one pair is not as versatile as two. Therefore, when going to a high altitude where the temperature difference is large, it is recommended to layer several pairs of bottoms. With this level of top and bottom layering, you will not feel the cold as much when walking even in moderately cold weather. [Layering in extremely cold situations] @Layering the top 1. In situations where the wind is blowing hard and the perceived temperature drops sharply, layering should be done quickly. First, go to a place with less wind and put on an insulated pile jacket, and then put on a windproof jacket on top of that. The perceived temperature refers to the temperature that feels 4 times lower than the square root of the wind speed when the surrounding temperature is lower than body temperature. If the wind blows at 9 meters per second on a mountain with a temperature of -10 degrees Celsius, it means that you will feel 12 degrees more, which is 4 times the square root of 9, 3, or -22 degrees Celsius. 2. Layer differently depending on your constitution. If you sweat a lot, wear a pile jacket over a T-shirt and a synthetic insulation jacket over that. *Things to note when layering tops In order to control body temperature when walking, you have no choice but to choose a T-shirt, jacket, etc. with a zipper at the neck. However, if you layer in the order of underwear, T-shirt, and jacket, the zipper will make the neck thick and the waterproof and windproof jacket zipper may not be able to be fully tightened. This can be serious if you cannot close the neck properly when there is a strong wind. Therefore, when you have a layering system, you should pay special attention to adjusting the size of the neck. *Things to note when purchasing a waterproof and breathable windproof jacket There are things to note when purchasing a waterproof and breathable jacket for layering regardless of the season. Professional jackets have long necks because you have to turn the hood over while wearing a helmet. If you wear a professional jacket like this without a helmet, the forehead area will be lowered and block your vision. Therefore, you should buy a hiking jacket with a short hood. If you already have a professional jacket with a long neck, fold the end of the hood a little and wear it, or put a sunshade hat inside to finish layering. @Layering of bottoms 1. The basics of layering in strong winds are 'quick response'. For bottoms, quickly wear pants made of waterproof and breathable fabric such as Gore-Tex that are completely windproof. It is very annoying to take off your hiking boots and put on your pants on a winter ridge where the cold wind blows. Therefore, you should wear a full-zipper style that allows you to put on or take off your hiking boots and crampons right away for quick layering. Also, keep them on top of your backpack in advance for quick layering. Waterproof and breathable fabric pants usually have little elasticity, so they are often uncomfortable to wear and walk in layers. Therefore, it is also basic to take them off as soon as you leave the strong wind situation. 2. When going to the ridges of the bare plains such as Seonjaryeong and Sobaeksan during the cold season when the weather in the lowlands is already around -10 degrees Celsius, layering is to put on high-performance underwear in advance under the first layer of pants. When wearing multiple layers like this, carefully prepare the layers according to your body type so that you do not feel uncomfortable walking. @Head layering There is a saying that if your hands and feet are cold, you should keep your head warm. The most heat is lost through the head and neck. The basic winter head layering equipment is a sun hat with ear flaps, a thick winter hat, and even a balaclava that only shows the eyes. When it is very cold, put on a winter hat over the balaclava. Then, put on a windbreaker and put on the hood to reinforce the layering. @Gloves In addition to thick finger gloves, you need down gloves or mittens to wear in extremely cold weather. Thick down gloves should be comfortable to tighten or loosen with one touch. @Spats Spats are also important equipment and clothing for layering. In addition to preventing snow from getting into your shoes or your calves from getting wet, they also prevent crampon toes from getting caught on your trouser legs, so it is best to keep your spats on before taking off your crampons. [Emergency Layering] There are times when even three layers are not enough and you encounter extreme cold. One mountaineer described the cold he encountered on Mt. Sobaeksan as feeling like his pants, which had been fine during winter hikes, were full of holes in them. In such cases, and in case you are unable to walk due to a misstep or injury, the basic rule of layering is to bring a set of high-performance, lightweight down jackets and tops and bottoms that will maintain your body temperature. @Upper Layering It is good to have a down parka for emergency layering that uses a light, tough outer material and a large amount of high-quality down, but it is heavy and bulky. If this is burdensome, you should definitely bring something with a hood, even if it is a little thin, for emergencies. @Layering down pants, or down pants, should be full-zip products that can be put on and taken off while wearing shoes. Full-zip types allow for quick layering, so you can think about layering. These types of down pants use dense fabrics that do not allow the down to escape, so they are basically windproof. Down pants with a somewhat waterproof outer fabric are the best for layering in the coldest of winters. [The essence of the layering system] It is useless to just prepare clothes like this. The essence of the layering system is to take them off as soon as you get hot and put them on as soon as you get cold. You should walk while sweating as little as possible. If you sweat a lot in the winter and are exposed to the cold wind, you can easily get chills and hypothermia, no matter how functional your clothes are. To do this, you should learn the basic principle of layering: put on when you reach a resting place and take it off just before you leave. The team leader will give the group a break before heading out into the strong wind or in situations where the cold is expected to get worse, so that they can prepare layers. @Layering Basics - Spacious Backpack The number and volume of clothing for layering in the cold season is considerable. In addition to the basic clothing, the basic layering clothing that should be packed in the backpack is pile jackets, synthetic insulation jackets, waterproof and breathable jackets, and lightweight high-performance down jackets for the top, and stretchy pants, waterproof and breathable overtrousers, and lightweight down pants for the bottom. Even if you pack ultra-light and small items, the volume is considerable. It won't fit in a small backpack of about 20 liters. Even a 30-35 liter backpack will have to be packed tightly. Then, it will be difficult to take it out and put it back in, so it is easy to just endure it while wearing it. Therefore, a spacious backpack is essential for quick layering when needed.