All the winter gear secrets you need this winter

Gear for an early spring day in the Mad River Valley.

The winter is an incredible time to be outdoors in the Mad River Valley, and the right gear can make sure you're enjoying every minute of it while not missing any days out there no matter the weather! You don't have to spend a lot of money, either. Keep reading to hear about gear suggestions from MRP's Executive Director, Ross Saxton, who was once worked as an outdoors gear specialist. Get some tips on where to find gear, whether new or used, too. Keep in mind that we have some great local gear shops right here in the Valley, which are listed below!

Stay Warm & Dry
An MRV winter day can be anywhere from -30F to 65F...and some days it'll warm up from -10F to 25F. So owning layers is important.

Base layers: Make it merino wool if you can! It'll keep you warm even when wet. When it's cold and you're likely to sweat, try to stay away from cotton base layers. Synthetic base layers work fine, too, even when sweating; better than cotton and not quite as well as wool. Wool/synthetic blends are a great choice, as well, giving you the benefits of wool while keeping the price a little lower and adding durability to the garment.

Mid-Layers: These are the tops and bottoms that go right above your base layers. Wool is still a great choice, and you can choose from a variety of thicknesses or "weights." Synthetic layers are great, and can feature windproofing to help keep you warm on those blustery days. Keep in mind that mid-layers will be your outer layer if you get too hot and need to shed your jacket. One thing I wish I knew years ago was how amazing vests are; a nice vest can go a long way in keeping your core warm. 
Hot tip: Make sure your mid-layer has a zipper breast pocket--this is ideal for snacks or phone storage that's easy to access and is kept warm.

Outer Layers: Jackets and pants can range between wool, cotton, synthetic, and even wool/synthetic blends. Again, stay away from cotton here; when it gets wet it gets miserable. What the day brings will help make the choice for you; if it's a calm sunny day, just dress for the temperature. If there's wind, you may need a windproof layer. If it's snowing, sleeting, or raining, you'll want a waterproof jacket and perhaps waterproof pants, as well (more on waterproof layers below). A good down or synthetic-filled puffy with a hood is a must if you're living in the MRV (more on down below). If it's really cold and precipitating, you'll likely want to wear your puffy or insulated jacket under your waterproof jacket. You can also buy a jacket that is both insulated and waterproof, but prepare to spend several hundred dollars.

Waterproof Jackets & Pants: This is certainly one of those "you get what you pay for" categories. You can't go wrong with GORE-TEX, which is a brand of material that companies integrate into their product lines. Within GORE-TEX, you'll find a variety of options (PRO is the highest end) with some better than others depending on what you want to do. GORE-TEX is fairly breathable and can last years if you take care of it properly. Most outdoor clothing companies have their own proprietary line of waterproofing fabric, which will typically cost less than a GORE-TEX product and will sometimes work as well or close to it. Regardless of the brand, the best balance of waterpoofing, breathability, and durability is a 3 layer fabric, which all GORE-TEX products are. 2 layer fabrics work fine for a while and are much more budget-friendly, but will break down and lose waterproofing abilities much earlier than a 3 layer garment. There's always the old plastic-feeling rain slickers that will keep you dry, but they do not breath well and will leave you sweaty and wet underneath. And having a thin poncho in your pack for emergencies never hurts!
Hot tip: use Nikwax Waterpoofer product every year to keep your waterpoof layer shedding water like it's new!

Down: Geese stay warm for a reason, and it's because of their down under their feathers! You'll find a down rating, or fill power, that is usually between 450 to 900-fill. 900 is pretty much the best, which is almost pure down with no feathers. The lower fill-ratings contain less down and more feathers. The higher the rating, the more compressible the jacket or pants will be. You also need to pay attention to the fill weight, which is measured in grams. One jacket, for example, might be 850 fill power and 125g, and another jacket could be 650 fill power and 250g; these are probably going to keep you about the same warmth, but the 850 fill power jacket will compress much smaller than the other jacket when stuffed it into your backpack. Often times you'll read a temperature rating in the product's description, which can help you choose the right fill power and fill weight; any competent retail shop employee can help you choose, too. One other technical thing is that many companies treat down with a chemical so that the down will maintain its insulative properties even when wet since natural down will lose much of the insulating air pockets when wet. This is a fantastic technology!

And let's not forget about ethically harvested down; this where The Responsible Down Standard comes into play. This certification "aims to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to any unnecessary harm."
Hot tip: Use Nikwax Down Wash to renew down clothing and keep it functioning well.

Synthetic Fill: There are many types of synthetic insulation that work great. Often times, synthetic insulated jackets and pants will be less expensive than down. The drawback is that synthetic won't squish and compact as much as down if you're looking to compress the garment in a backpack, but on the plus side, you won't lose much insulative properties if it gets wet. Synthetic insulation keeps getting better every year, so the margin between that and down are certainly getting smaller.

Gloves: If you can swing it, it's best to have a couple pairs of gloves and a pair of mittens. A thin pair of liners is great for the days that are just a little bit chilly (40-50 F) or if it's a little colder than that and you're really active like running. Wool is a great choice, as well as a material like polyester. Liners can go under mittens or thick gloves for bonus warmth on the coldest of days. A thin-medium pair of gloves will help keep your hands warm for those days in the 30's, while a heavy pair of gloves will do the trick for days in the 20's. A pair of good mittens will be really nice on any days in the teens or below. An alternative to mittens if you're wishing for better dexterity are "lobster gloves" where it looks' like you're giving folks a Spock greeting when you raise your hand. 

You'll typically see insulated gloves measured in grams of Thinsulate or Primaloft between 40-200 grams; 40 grams is appropriate for 20 F+ and 200 grams is good for the teens and single digits. You can find down mittens, too. Even with warm gloves or mittens, sometimes you'll want hand warmers (I often use hand warmers when skiing). By the way, "grams of Thinsulate" (or Primaloft) is measured as X grams per square meter, so a 200 gram Thinsulate glove doesn't mean it weighs 200 grams; it means that the thickness of insulation material used in the glove is 200 grams in one square meter.

Gloves and mittens with a GORE-TEX or waterproof lining are necessary for snowy days! Leather outer gloves are fantastic, too. I tend to use Kinko winter gloves quite a bit because they're inexpensive, can be kept waterproof with a leather waterproofer (Sno-Seal is an example), they're durable, and you can find them locally. A local leather glove brand to check out is the Vermont Glove Company. 

Feet & Traction
Boots & Shoes: In the winter, waterproof boots or shoes are a necessity if you're out hiking, walking, or running in the snow. Like gloves, GORE-TEX or a good waterproof liner are a great way to go, or use leather boots and keep them conditioned and waterproofed. Usually what you'll look for in an insulated boot is Thinsulate, which is measured in grams between 100 and 2,000 grams. A winter boot in the 200-400 gram range should be fine for most of your activities, especially if you're moving. Too much insulation, and your feet will get sweaty and uncomfortable. If you're doing a lot of sitting or standing, then a boot with a higher number of grams Thinsulate will be good. 

Some folks prefer to use waterproof shoes in the winter, but if you choose this route, be sure to use waterproof gaiters to close up the gap between the top of your shoes and pants. Waterproof gaiters are fantastic to have handy for boots, too, in deeper snow or when snowshoeing.
Hot tip: wipe down your shoes and boots after walking on salted areas; the salt will break down your footwear more quickly over time.

Traction: When it hasn't snowed for a bit and the trails are compacted and icy, or if we had some freezing rain, your footwear's traction might need some help. That's where added traction, or ice grips or cleats, comes into play. There are several options here, depending on how much you want to spend and what you intend to do with them. The basic $20 YakTrax Walking Traction will do the trick for walking, although you probably won't get much more than a year out of them--these are the kind that the metal wire wraps around the rubber. Walking on hard ice feels a bit unstable. I've actually had fantastic luck with Limm Ice Traction Cleats Pro, which are less than $10 and have proved to be durable. These have little cleats on the bottom that grip very nicely and are spread out well so you don't feel the individual cleats. Spend more like $50-60, and you can find yourself walking on the YakTrax Diamond Grips. These are durable and do a very fine job of maintaining your traction on most slippery surfaces. If you want to head up a steep icy trail, you'll need to find a pair of traction cleats that have spikes on them 1/2" or longer that are full metal and minimal rubber. You won't want to do a lot of normal walking with these, as they're essentially mini-crampons. Certainly be very careful if you're headed into the icy mountains and be prepared. If winter running is your thing,  Kahtoola EXOspikes are the best I've found. They seem very durable, they grip extremely well on ice, and they let you run normally on compacted snow and ice. They're also easy to take off for stretches of pavement if needed.
Hot tip: dry out your traction cleats every time to extend their life and help prevent rust.

Snowshoeing
When we get lucky and the snow is deep, it's time to pull out the snowshoes! These days, like with most gear, the options for showshoes seem just about endless. If you have an old pair of wooden webbed showshoes, you can certainly use those, but know that new snowshoe technology is really nice to help with traction, easier walking, and to lighten the load. Sizing is based on your weight and where you intend to go. You'll find sizing info at your local gear shop, or on the manufacturer's website. But in general, sizes for adults come in 8"x21", 8"x25", and 9"x30". You can find bigger or smaller if needed. Most folks will go with a 8"x21 or 8"x25", and that's all you'll need on the Path. Bigger snowshoes will be helpful in snow greater than 2ft deep up in mountainous terrain.

A metal tubular frame and synthetic webbing is the go-to style of snowshoes these days, while you can also find molded plastic/composite decking. A few brands carry foam-like construction. If you're staying in mellow terrain, basic metal traction will work just fine. If you're headed into the mountains where it's steeper and you might find icy conditions, you'll want more aggressive traction on a snowshoe model that's designed for that. Bindings are also where you can find new technology, and in my opinion, nice bindings are worth the extra money; it can be quite frustrating when your boots slip out of the bindings! Things to look for in a nice snowshoe binding: the BOA Fit System, thick rubber straps with a locking adjustment system, clicking adjustment buckles. The older kind of bindings that are thin rubbery and synch through a plastic buckle leave a lot to be desired. My favorite binding system is Tubb's ActiveFit™ 2.0 binding.

Cross Country Skiing
When choosing cross country skis, the first thing you'll want to do is determine where you'll ski the most: groomed trails, groomed with set tracks, ungroomed and mostly flat, ungroomed and hilly terrain, or totally in the mountains. If you want to skate ski, that's easy--just head to your local ski shop and they'll set you up with the right boots, skis, and poles. The same is true for classic skiing, and here are some tips below to get you started (or maybe this info will be helpful for adjusting your existing XC ski setup):

Groomed trails: A pair of skinny skis with scales (waxless), no metal edge, and basic NNN or SNS bindings will do the trick. No need to deal with kick wax unless you're really into speed or racing. A newer technology is called grip tape, which replaces scales; it's basically a strip of tiny hairs pointed in one direction to give you traction like scales. But scales are perfectly fine for most of us. Your ski length will be based on your height and weight; all ski shops will have sizing charts to help determine the best ski size for you. XC skis are shaped like an arc with a particular flex, so when you're gliding along, the flex of the ski should keep the scales lifted up off the snow slightly. When your glide stops and you shift your weight down (technique tip: don't push back, just push your weight directly down into the ski), the flex should allow the scales to compress into the snow and prevent the ski from sliding backwards. As this ski is pressed into the snow, your other leg swings its ski like a pendulum forwards into a glide. If you want to ski in set tracks, your ski should be no wider than about 50mm (tracks are about 60-70mm wide each). When the snow isn't too deep or the consistency is dense, you can still take these skis off trail a bit; you'll just want to be pretty careful. Your poles should easily fit beneath your armpit, but don't go more than a few inches shorter than that unless you need to due to an elbow or shoulder injury.

Ungroomed, flattish: There's nothing like setting across a meadow or woods in a fresh blanket of snow on skis! For this type of XC skiing, you'll want wider waxless skis and a beefier boot and binding. Metal edges are optional, but helpful with tracking in the fresh snow, especially when it's denser. The waist of your skis should be a good 60-80mm wide, and more is fine. For bindings and boots, you'll want NNN or SNS BC ( BC stands for backcountry). The bindings are wider and can support a heavier torsional load from the wider ski and softer conditions. BC boots include a wider and thicker toe bar that slides into the binding, and they have more ankle support to help maneuver the wider ski. BC boots have stiffer soles, so the torsional support is improved. Poles should be shorter than what you use on groomed trails; adjustable XC ski poles with big baskets are a good choice.

Ungroomed, hilly: You can certainly get away with the setup described above for hillier ungroomed terrain, although you will want metal edges on your skis. The metal edges will help track through uneven snow surfaces and assist with turning while going downhill. You should go with a ski that is at least 75mm at the waist. Something to consider is going with 3 pin bindings and boots over BC NNN or SNS. 3 pin boots are even stiffer throughout the soles and ankle area, and 3 pin bindings provide more contact between the boot and ski. The result is more control, which is great for deeper snow and steeper terrain--especially the downhills. Many people can even throw down some tele turns with a 3 pin setup. A hard-shell 3 pin boot can be found, as well, if you want the extra stiffness for downhill turns; with that, you should upgrade to a beefier binding with an adjustable heel strap (a light telemark binding) like the Black Diamond O2. You'll want to use adjustable ski poles.
Hot tip: When headed out into the woods, don't forget a backpack with all the necessary gear: water, food, a first aid kit, extra clothes, a multi-tool, voile strap, duct tape, lighters/matches, tinder, emergency blanket, back-up phone battery, etc.

Totally backcountry, ski up & ski down: If you are so inclined, athletic, and a skilled skier, a 3 pin setup can get you pretty much everywhere when you add a pair of skins. But if you intend to do some serious backcountry downhill turns, you really should consider a backcountry ski setup or telemark setup. That means a hard-shell boot, a metal edged ski that is at least 95mm at the waist, tech or framed alpine touring (AT) bindings, and removable skins for climbing. There's a good amount to know about these setups before you buy, so it's best to consult a ski shop about your options. I could go on for many paragraphs about it all!

Fat Biking
Opportunities to ride a bike all winter long in the MRV woods and meadows have improved significantly in recent years thanks to the work of the Mad River Riders and their volunteers. A fat bike is like a mountain bike with, well, fatter tires. The extra surface area gives the bike better traction and allows the tires to float on snow and soft surfaces better. You can even get studded fat bike tires. You'll want to dress similarly to how you might XC ski or bike in the early spring or late fall. Tighter clothes and layers will be important, as will insulated shoe covers, good gloves, and eye protection. Check out this video from the Mad River Riders to learn more about fat biking in the MRV.
Hot tip: "Lobster gloves" are fantastic for colder weather while maintaining better dexterity than mittens.

Local MRV Gear Shops (and a few nearby)

Used Gear
Check out the following resources to save money and reduce consumption:
  • Craigslist VT has an active sporting goods category with a lot of gear being added every day.
  • Facebook Marketplace is another place to check, but look deeper and you'll find some groups focused on selling outdoor gear. One in particular is Mad River Valley Outdoor Gear Trade.
  • I see outdoor gear on Front Porch Forum all the time. You can also post if you're looking for something in particular!
  • You could try posting to the Valley Reporter classifieds section when looking for something specific.
  • The Outdoor Gear Exchange has a basement full of consignment gear, and it includes a lot of amazing deals throughout the year.
 
Mad River Path Board & Staff Favorite Winter Gear
Ross: Skis w/ framed AT binding, AT boots, and skins: allows me to ski the resorts and backcountry!
David H.: Snow!
Britton: Cleats/spikes/crampons
Pat: My snowshoes!
David E.: Snowshoes and cleats
Mac: IceBugs
Sue: Cleats on GORE-TEX shoes
Charlie: Mittens and long johns!
Nancy: My "32 Degrees" long underwear and neck/face warmer
Jess: Spikes and silk baselayer!