New winter wardrobe for $200? (sale, live, store)

[Mac_Muz]

Originally Posted by cantgettheyafromheya

Sierra Trading Post.

All other retail is just foolishness.

Not too bad a site. But Ragged Mountain in intervale is a maker, outlett, where you can get spankin good deals on some items like wool socks down in their basement. This is not a used store and you can't get used socks there, but you can get new wool socks there for cheap.

They have the smart wool as well as that good old fation 40 grit, where most people would need to buy 2 new feet if they didn't wear sock liners.

They do offer used and in great condition hiking wear, like parkas, vests and that like too. Real out door gear used and new.

They are located on the Invervale just west of Nawth Conway.

So far as i care wool and down is best for heat retention. Wool is best over all if you plan to get wet any. Down is best when it is too cold to be wet. Some of the newer poly fibers are near to wool when wet.

[StAcKhOuSe]

I can get away with a simple hoodie for all of the winter. I just throw on a couple more layers of shirts underneath. Must be because I drink alot....keep some jack daniels in your wardrobe.

[Valerie C]

Just what the advertisement didn't say. Though there are several options (Item Description, Manufacturers Warranty, Specifications, Reviews, More Info) there is info on what the coats are made of. The most information is in the Item Description:

The $20 coat:
Zip front
Weather-resistant shell with thick fill
Fleece lining
Hood
2 front handwarmer pockets

The $50 coat:
Zip front
2 hand-warmer pockets
Long sleeves

I'd want to know what sort of 'thick fill' is in that coat. Coming up from FL, you would very likely be miserably cold in either of these coats. LL Bean has an outlet on Rte 28 in Manchester. Check them out, maybe you'll get lucky

Originally Posted by Mac_Muz

Val, How can you tell about the coats? I saw nothing to relate to what they could do in terms of warm.

[rmcewan]

Originally Posted by Mac_Muz

Val, How can you tell about the coats? I saw nothing to relate to what they could do in terms of warm.

Ha ha. Val works in real-estate. So she is used to trudging around in all weather showing homes and waiting for folks to show up. I imagine she knows coats. In any case, like a real estate listing - you need to read the description by what is NOT said. The first coat was listed as "weather resistant". If it were water proof it would say that. If it were wind proof it would say that. It it were warm.... The jacket has a waist - meaning it is form-fitting. Looks good, but you won't get thick layer of clothing under it. It has a hood, but no way to snug it around your head and keep it on in the wind. It comes to the hips only but does not have sinch, so wind will get under it. That is a light jacket to get you from the car to your door. Then you'll need to stuff it in the dryer before you can use it again.

Orig Poster: Don't forget thermal under-garments. In many cases, you can put those on under your lighter clothes and extend their wear a month or so into winter.

[GregW]

You might need to stuff yourself in the dryer if you wear such a coat in the real cold. Please note that warm and fashionable are at opposites sides of the equation. You are warmest when you look like a walking pillow.

[Mac_Muz]

Thanks Val.... That is what I was looking for, at least poly hollow fill, or some rating, of which none was to be found.

I use that method of many light layers, so I can adjust quickly. But I am accustomed to cold all day cold.

I lived in Fla 2 years long ago, in fact I left there in winter of 76, and was laffed at for wearing sandles when I reutrned in winter to NH. They were all I had, since all my real winter gear rotted in Fla.

Still in winter I do wear sandals with wool socks so long I am just driving or it is way to cold for anything wet, on plowed surfaces. But I bring boots. People still laff too.

That new Years Eve, I tried to make the summit on Mt Washington. No one did, but I got there the evening of jan 3rd amoungst the first.

That year the weather was ruff, 1 guy dies, many returned home with missing body parts, at least 60 people damaged baddly.

No need to dress for Mt Washington down in manch, but still for a Fla person the cold will matter.

[Mac_Muz]

News: My wife just got back from a little shopping, basics, but she stopped at the local Ossippe Church Store. For 17 bucks, she got me a navy peacoat, officers type. in mid calf lenth, as new with a missing button found in the pocket. 5 real wool sweaters with name brand logo's on the tags as LL Bean and Woolrich, 2 more acrilic sweaters that match each other, and cable knitt ( no tags but we did a burn test off some plukin's) , but one is larger so we can play bobbsie twins I guess, some sort of cotton pull over house coat dress thing with a turtle neck 4 times too long, and a very dark green button down collar shirt in her size made of brushed cotton, a very Fallish Style.

[Valerie C]

Actually I don't wear a coat for much of the winter, till it gets well under freezing (unless, of course, we are having weather). Most important is to keep my feet warm and dry--as long as my feet are warm, I am warm. I like a couple of layers, topped with a cable knit sweater or a Polar Fleece shirt (boy do I miss the mill in Lawrence MA that used to sell it by the yard!) and a vest. Oh, and a hat. Absolutely a hat. I'm not one of those lucky people who look good in hats, but I'd rather be warm than a fashion nugget Agree with rmcewan, thermies are a must!!

Poor op is thinking "what have I gotten myself into..." If you dress for the winter, you won't hate it nearly so much. It's SO important to keep your feet DRY. Our parents knew that. Bet lots more people than me remember putting our stockinged feet into bread bags before slipping them into boots. C'mon, anybody??

Originally Posted by rmcewan

she is used to trudging around in all weather showing homes and waiting for folks to show up. I imagine she knows coats.<snip>
Orig Poster: Don't forget thermal under-garments. In many cases, you can put those on under your lighter clothes and extend their wear a month or so into winter.

[Mac_Muz]

The plastic bag works if you are not moving around a lot, like ice fishing, or if you can change your socks and dry your feet, maybe washing them.

To be out hiking over the first week of jan in the Mt that is a big mistake. You can buy vapor barrior socks that go over socks, for ice fishing. Sometimes i use them over wool socks sleeping under the stars up on the Range, and even have a vapor barrier sleeping bag sheet, that helps me stay hydrated sleeping and my down bag(s) dry.

I got a hard look at that once. After around the 7th morning i woke up with cold feet. Then I discovered my down bags were ices on the most outter layer. Not good.

I tore the bag assembley apart and found that liuner had a open seam for about 5 inches which I hand sewed then and there with mitts to my elbows on. I spread open my bags in what trees there are at tree line and let them sublimate to be fry for that coming night.

Down low and around towns and in the woods for a day trip it's one thing, but to really be out over an extended time it is another.

More or less if ever you toured the roads around the Range at New years on to Presidents week any time since 76 I was up stairs somewhere.

Up there I don't really wear coats either, and if I do it's a North Face 10 ounce down parka, which means I am leaning on a ice coated rock eatting something.

Up there I use special boots these days, but went long before there was any such thing. back then I wore Limmer's Boots, made in Intervale. I wore them 2 pairs of wool socks changed every evening into dry. I wore Duofold longies all the time, and slept in them, changing them everyother day. Or freezing them in day time in a fresh set. At -40 you kill everything just like washing.

In day hiking I might even wear shorts over the duofold and wear wind pants over them, and gaitors from my knee to my boots. Maybe in evening changing into wool pants to watch the moon and howel a little.

Tops are duofold, with a button down wool dress shirt, which my sock home made wool mitts go on next. Liner gloves can go on or off thru the fingers holes with this type mitt.

over that a woolrich jack shirt, and over that a 60/40 parka.

For the chills i carried a down vest and that 10 oz North face, but didn't need either much.

Hats you bet. 2 balaclava's at the same time, the hood on the parka up, some times a turtle fur skull cap, googles, and some form of face mask if needed.

After that ice axe, and spikes on my boots. But that isn't around town wear. Everything but the spikes and axe might be around town wear to me in winter.

Unless I am in the 18th or 9th century.

[Newdaawn]

The Goodwill store where I live often has brand new jackets from LL Bean. You have to keep checking every week and will be very surprized how cheaply you can look good and be warm. Their socks are always brand new.