dressing for winter

PREPARING FOR WINTER ACTIVITIES

Each year at this time I begin to receive emails or get phone calls from guys wanting advice about what to wear.

Based on experience of myself and numerous customers, the very best first layer of clothing, commonly called a base layer, is the fishnet underwear we manufacture. I say manufacture because every product we sell is manufactured in our factory in Grand Junction, CO.

The purpose of wearing the fishnet underwear is that the hole between the yarns [3/16 of an inch] allows your perspiration as a vapor to easily move away from your skin surface.

Many winter activists such as hunters have purchased close knit merino wool base layers only to experience getting a chill because the wool retains via absorption the moisture and that moisture absorbs your heat, so you get a chill. This action takes place 100 percent of the time. Fishnets allow moisture to get away from your skin surface 100 percent of the time.

The second layer should be our 2^nd layer top which becomes a spacer from the 3^rd layer. The optimum 3^rd layer should be our liner jacket. This garment has the L-3 Lamilite as its insulation which will further allow the moist vapor through it. You will now realize that you are not only dry but warm depending on the parka you are now wearing. Ideally a Wiggy park is also insulated with Lamilite. L-6 for the Barren grounds’ parka or L-12 Lamilite insulation in the Antarctic parka. The Fossil Ridge parka with the L-12 Lamilite was what I was wearing when I got lost and experienced -40F temperatures. I no longer make them, but the Antarctic parka is equal.

Someone asked about a custom balaclava and his description was our insulated headcover insulated with the L-6 Lamilite.

On your legs the “leg jackets” insulated with the L-6 Lamilite. I used them for years as cold as -40 F when I was lost. Over jeans and fishnets. It was not my plan to test these leg jackets, but I am very happy how well they worked to keep me warm.

As I have stated in the past feet give off more moisture than any other part of the body, so it is very important that you wear foot gear that does not retain moisture.

Lamilite insulated socks. They are insulated with the L-3 Lamilite. For the past 6 years that we have been manufacturing them we have heard from a multitude of customers about the same thing, warm feet. Why because the moisture coming out of their feet is going through the Lamilite getting away from their feet. Dry feet mean warm feet. Generally the temperature is about 20 degrees. For going colder to about -30 F I recommend the over boots. I used the over boots for years in the -30 F range, so I know they work, however, I also have dozens of customers with equal success. And for extreme cold the mukluks, -60 F and probably lower. I was wearing then for the whole time I was lost walking through streams and when I was back in the cook’s tent, I took them off and there was water in them. But my feet were never cold.

Wearing wool socks is a no, no. Guaranteed to give you cold feet.

And final your hands; mittens, mittens, mittens. Nothing with fingers no matter the insulation will keep your hands warm, mittens [insulated with Lamilite will]. L-6 or L-12 Lamilite. Renegades L-6 and all the other models L-12.

I say it constantly, your own body perspiration in a cold environment is your own worst enemy. What we produce at Wiggy’s with respect to clothing items is not fashionable but is performance directed, it just works.

And of course you know that your Wiggy’s bag can save your life.