moving from san diego to fairbanks (price, military, housing)

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by daslowguy710

hi everybody im moving from san diego to fairbanks the 1st of jan ,im not new to cold weather as i lived in pittsburgh pa a couple years ago ,what im looking for is good places to buy good cheap cold weather gear,used is ok
thanks vf

That's real funny! I assure you that the weather in the interior of Alaska is nothing like you have experienced in Pittsburgh.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by daslowguy710

i know pittsburgh i not as cold as fairbanks but i have seen -18 there and - 5 is common and its not san diego
dont know where they got average pitt at 27.5 but i assure you it aint accurate
pitt average in jan feb is 0-5 deg

It's -32 around Fairbanks today, and it's not even January. As for winter clothing, at least if you have to walk and stay warm, I doubt that you will find it a Value Village unless you can find several items you can wear in layers. The idea for staying warm in this type of weather is to wear layers of synthetic materials. These allow perspiration to move away from your skin, and increase the amount of air space and insulation. So, if you have the money you can find the best around Fairbanks, but it won't be cheap.

-Wear synthetic garments in layer (underneath a parka), and insulated pants. You can remove some of these if you get too warm, or indoors.
-Wear arctic-grade footwear, and carry a set of comfortable shoes with you. When you go indoors, remove the warm footwear and put on the shoes.
-Cover any exposed skin (your face, and hands)
-Cover your head with a heavy and warm hat

[gobrien]

Do you plan on spending any amount of time in the cold, or will you just suffer through it going from you car to your job or store? If you will be outside running errands or going to work, you don't have to dress like you are planning an arctic expedition....just make sure you have some warm gear in the vehicle in case of breakdown.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

So, if you have the money you can find the best around Fairbanks, but it won't be cheap.

That isn't alway true either. By this time in the season, all the stores have sold out of stuff that fits a "normal" sized human. Pretty much all that's left are the Double-extra-smalls ar triple-extra-larges. I was at Big Rays on Tuesday and everything was marked 25% off, because there was nothing left in the store that would fit me!

Granted it's not as bad in Fairbanks. But this time of year in Anchorage, the only people who can find a good winter coat in a store are those with serious weight issues or thyroid problems.

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

That isn't alway true either. By this time in the season, all the stores have sold out of stuff that fits a "normal" sized human. Pretty much all that's left are the Double-extra-smalls ar triple-extra-larges. I was at Big Rays on Tuesday and everything was marked 25% off, because there was nothing left in the store that would fit me!

Granted it's not as bad in Fairbanks. But this time of year in Anchorage, the only people who can find a good winter coat in a store are those with serious weight issues or thyroid problems.

Which Big Ray's were you in, the downtown store or the one on Airport? I was told the Airport store is the clearance outlet.

[Moose Whisperer]

I was downtown, but if you ask them they know what is at the other store as well.

[gobrien]

That is pretty bad if Big Ray's is out of coats in normal sizes. You wouldn't expect that at an Alaska gear store. They should stock them year round, in my opinion.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

That isn't alway true either. By this time in the season, all the stores have sold out of stuff that fits a "normal" sized human. Pretty much all that's left are the Double-extra-smalls ar triple-extra-larges. I was at Big Rays on Tuesday and everything was marked 25% off, because there was nothing left in the store that would fit me!

Granted it's not as bad in Fairbanks. But this time of year in Anchorage, the only people who can find a good winter coat in a store are those with serious weight issues or thyroid problems.

That's true, to a point. But Big ray's is not the only place in Town, although they still have some very expensive parkas that will fit you. Some of the parkas cost from $250.00 to $600.00. Then you can find some of the best at Apocalypse Designs, but these will cost you dearly
Apocalypse Design, outdoor clothing and gear

Did you look at The Prospector? How about that place on 3rd Street above Sentry Hardware ("Frontier Outfitters," something), or even The Sportsman Warehouse?

The Sportsman Warehouse has a lot of synthetic clothing for layering, and so the one at 3rd Street. Apocalypse is more for the best made in Fairbanks, for the extremest cold weather. Then if everything fails, there is Cabela's online, but only the Arctic expedition stuff mushers wear at the Quest and such (these are similar to Apocalypse's).

Now, I don't buy the expensive stuff I mentioned, simply because I always have a warm vehicle nearby. But my emergency clothing has a set of Carhartt insulated overalls (zipper in the middle all the way to my neck, and a zipper at each leg). That's the outer garment, and the layers are several made of polypropylene, wool/synthetic blends, and so forth. There is a pair of lightweight and water-resistant mukluks, synthetic socks, mittens, wool/synthetic balaclava, and other emergency gear. But I do have some expensive but "very old and full of patches" expedition type garments I only wear when taking pictures at the local sled-dog races

[RayinAK]

By the way, it's 7:15 PM, and the temperatures are already -40 and colder in some areas of North Pole. I would not doubt that it will be around -45 by morning:
National Weather Service, Fairbanks Forecast Office, AK

MIDDLE TANANA VALLEY-
INCLUDING...FAIRBANKS...FORT WAINWRIGHT...EIELSON AFB...ESTER...
NORTH POLE...MOOSE CREEK...TWO RIVERS...FOX...CHATANIKA...CHENA
HOT SPRINGS...SOURDOUGH CAMP
358 PM AKST THU DEC 23 2010
.TONIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. PATCHY ICE FOG. LOWS 30 TO 45 BELOW
IN VALLEYS...AND AROUND 15 BELOW ON THE HILLS. LIGHT WINDS.

[daslowguy710]

most of my time will be inside the shop or house so im assuming my carhart gear will work with some additional gearthat i will buy