Loveland’s Brendan O’Connor wearing multiple layers under his ski jacket. Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter“We see a wide range of weather and climate. Some mornings, it may start out rather cold, but midday, you’re looking at a warmer environment,” Linden said, so wearing layers of various weights is key to staying comfortably warm without overheating.“I find that most people have some sort of base layer, then on top of that, some mid-layers, like a fleece that adds some warmth to cut the wind,” he added. “And if it’s super cold, you’ll want some insulation on top of that — that’s where puffy jackets and vests come in.”All the ski patrollers I spoke to wore around four to five layers under their heavy coats, and each patroller had a slightly different layering technique.Wiebold, for example, likes to wear a short-sleeved base layer with a lightweight sun-protective shirt on top. Next, she pulls on a Rab Rivelin fleece hoodie, because it’s “a really nice wind-stopper.” And on top of that, she slides into a Patagonia Nano Air Hoody insulated jacket before shrugging on her massive patrol-issued coat.Guest pickWarm yet breathable, this midlayer jacket is thin enough to wear under heavier outer layers. It also has a durable water-resistant finish.The Nano-Air Hoody is insulated with synthetic down, which is part of the reason Wiebold likes it so much. “It breathes and stays dry,” she noted. Linden, for his type of active work, recommends synthetic down over the real stuff. “Synthetic down performs better when it gets wet, and it’s going to maintain more heat,” he explained, “whereas when real down gets wet, it pretty much loses its ability to stay warm.”When Campbell is layering up for the day, she also turns to synthetic insulation. “Puffy vests are awesome. You don’t get that marshmallow feeling, but your core is really warm,” she says. “I find that a [fleece] and a puffy vest on really cold days are an amazing layering system.”The writer of our guide to the best insulated vests, Kyle Fitzgerald, who has skied for more than 30 winters, most of them in frigid Vermont, agrees with Campbell’s MO. “I do the same thing: fleece and insulated vest,” he says. “For layering, I like the Arc’teryx Atom Vest, which has stretchy side-paneling that adds breathability when you’re active or skiing.”This durable and highly water-repellent vest contains synthetic insulation, which stays warm even when wet.The same vest, in women’s sizing.Made with synthetic insulation, the Arc’teryx Atom Vest stays warm even when it gets wet, and its outer nylon shell is made of a durable material that holds up against harsh elements. We also like that its slim profile makes it easier to layer under heavier outerwear.
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