Layering in on Thick
A Look At Layering Systems And Components
By Rhett Olson and Steve Mann

The time to formulate a layering plan is in the warmth of your own home, before you hit the trail; when you can consider how the various layers will interact. The keys to a successful layering system are, in order of importance, warmth, weight, moisture management and packing the right number of layers. We won't dive into each of these concepts as most retailers are already well aware of layering principles.

With the proper clothing and good planning, achieving a balance between these four considerations results in layers that keep you warm without adding too many pounds to your pack. Failure to correctly plan your layers could mean cutting the day short on the slopes (not too serious, but a waste of money), or a chilling, if not dangerous, effect on a multi-day winter backpacking trip.

Our team carefully selected a group of quality layering pieces, from underwear to outerwear, to comprise a full set of layers. While the focus of this article is on their usage as part of layering system, our staff's time reviewing these products demonstrated the versatility of each item, whether worn alone or in conjunction with other layers.

Due to reviewing-time limitations and article length considerations we weren't able to include every layering product we reviewed. The seven products reviewed below start with outerwear and work inward. You'll find reviews of other products, such as TekWare's base layer shirt and pant with Outlast technology, and Hot Chillys' Microfiber shirt and MTF3 pant, posted on the GearReview.com Web site.

The North Face Nuptse Jacket
L.L. Bean Down Mountain Guide Jacket
Moonstone Cirrus Jacket
Cloudveil Serendipity Jacket
Ibex Wear Icefall Jacket
Ibex Wear Zephyr Zip Neck
Helly Hansen LIFA Super Lightweight

The North Face Nuptse Jacket
Weight: 23 oz.
Price: $199
Conjuring up comparisons to the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man of Ghostbusters fame, the Nuptse's 700+ fill down insulation offers plenty of loft and warmth and for the weight, I challenge anyone to find a warmer coat. The Nuptse performs admirably as a stand-alone jacket when the weather is dry and cold; however, when the rain or snow comes, you should have a waterproof shell handy, as the Z-ripstop nylon shell doesn't resist water adequately on its own. Zipping the Nuptse into TNF shells seems to work the best.

The Nuptse features a sizable inside pocket, perfect for stowing cold-sensitive items, such as a GPS or pocket camera. There also are two outer hand pockets which extend beneath the down insulation, perfect for warming hands and include zippers with pull-tabs. The right pocket also acts as a stuff sack by simply turning the jacket inside-out through the pocket. This system works well; however, the pocket is not quite large enough to hold the entire jacket and get the zipper closed.

A windbreaker-type hood with an elastic draw cord stows away in the Nuptse's insulated collar. The jacket also has loops to attach gloves near the elastic, plus Velcro-closure cuffs and a draw cord at the waist.

The Nuptse quickly became a staple with our staff, providing a solid equilibrium between warmth and weight. At just under 2 pounds, with the ability to stow away into a 6-inch-cube-sized stuff sack, the Nuptse is hard to beat.

For more information, contact:
The North Face
2013 Farallon Dr.
San Leandro, CA 94577
(800)719-6678

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L.L. Bean Down Mountain Guide Jacket
Weight: (Men's Regular Large) 34.3 oz
Price: $149
One quick note about this product: As a retailer, you aren't going to be carrying L.L. Bean products in your store, so why include an L.L. Bean down jacket in this article? The answer is that you and your sales staff need to not only know the product lines you carry, but also those of your competitors. And your competition isn't just the outdoor store in the strip mall across town, but also catalogs and online retailers.

We like the L.L. Bean Down Mountain Guide Jacket. At 34 ounces, it is almost 50 percent heavier than the Nuptse. L.L. Bean rates the jacket to -10 F. The attention to detail, such as the excellent zipper gutter and micro-chamois pocket liners, delivers excellent comfort and performance.

Other features include high-loft 650-fill power down, plus a polyester shell with EPIC by Nextec that provides water resistance, windproofness and breathablility. Elastic cuffs with hook-and-ladder closure keeps snow and weather out. Other touches include an adjustable drawcord hem, to tighten the jacket around the waist, microfleece powder cuffs inside sleeves for warmth and wind resistance, and the ultra-soft micro-chamois trim on collar and pockets. We especially liked the two zippered hand pockets with the micro-chamois lining. Other details include a YKK metal zipper with a covered fabric gutter, as well as hook-and-ladder patches that keep the gutter closed tight to block wind.

The coat stuffs into its own pocket, which is large enough to hold the coat without great effort. Articulated elbows offer full range of motion. The coat is machine washable.

The bottom line here is that the L.L. Bean jacket is a little heavier, a little warmer than the Nuptse, and costs $50 less.

For more information, contact:
L.L. Bean, Inc
Casco St.
Freeport, ME 04033
(800)809-7057
llbean@llbean.com

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Moonstone Cirrus Jacket
Weight: 15 oz.
Price: $149
If we were to only have one insulating layer, the Cirrus would be it. The shell, which features a Teflon HT coating that aids in protection from wind and also sheds water, makes the Cirrus a fine piece to use as an outer layer. The Teflon coating also lends a slick feel, allowing outer layers to slip over easily without a lot of bunching and twisting, common to fleece alternatives.

The Cirrus utilizes 150-gram Thermolite Micro insulation that offers a surprising amount of warmth. Although not quite as warm and lofty as down, the insulation is very light and quite compact. In fact, the Cirrus is the lightest jacket in this line-up. Like the other insulated jackets in this review, the Cirrus can be easily stowed away in its own front hand pocket.

An added feature not found in the other insulated jackets in the review, are the underarm zips, which are handy when being worn beneath a shell. The jacket has neither a hood nor an inner pocket. We didn't miss the hood; however, we would have liked an inner pocket.

For more information, contact:
Moonstone Mountain Equipment
1700 Westlake Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98109
800-390-3312

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Cloudveil Serendipity Jacket
Weight: 17 oz.
Price: $240
Cloudveil claims the Serendipity to be "the finest do-anything mountain jacket in the world." Because we haven't tried every jacket in the world, we can't substantiate their claim. But if the Serendipity isn't the finest, it's got to be close.

Made of Schoeller Dryskin Extreme, (a woven blend of Coolmax, Cordura, nylon and Lycra) the Serendipity resists water, laughs at wind, and is as tough as nails. The basic premise of the Schoeller fabric is high versatility; dry and warm in cold, wet conditions, while breathable and dry in cool to warm conditions. The Dryskin fabric features two-way stretch and high breathability, making the jacket perfect for any active sport--rain or shine. In most cases, water tends to bead and roll off the jacket. However, if water gets trapped between bunched material--like at the elbow or beneath shoulder straps on a pac--it does soak through.

The design of the jacket itself was well thought out, with each basic feature contributing to its solid fit and high-end functionality. The Serendipity sports Velcro closures at the cuffs and a drawcord at the waist for keeping out the cold. The fleece-lined collar is also a nice touch. There are two large zippered Napolean pockets located at the chest, allowing easy access while toting a pack. The inner pocket is mesh, allowing the zips to act as vents when the pockets are empty. Other notable points include sizable pull tabs on each of the zippers, and a ribbon-like lining beneath the main zipper to help eliminate snags.

The price is on the high end, but the quality matches the cost. The durability, performance and versatility of the Serendipity will please the most discriminating technical customer.

For more information, contact:
Cloudveil
P.O. Box 11810
Jacson, WY 83002
888-763-5969

Ibex Wear Icefall Jacket
Weight: 16 oz.
Price: $225
The Icefall's Schoeller Skifans fabric creates a warm, highly flexible, wind and water resistant jacket. Because the Ibex Wear line of clothing is based on wool, it is only fitting the Icefall is made of Schoeller's Skifans, a nylon/wool blend providing the best of natural and synthetic materials.

The Icefall jacket sports a drawstring at the waist, soft interior collar and adjustable cuffs. A Napolean zippered pocket allows access while wearing a pack, and two zippered hand pockets are great for keeping hands warm.

Although slightly different fabrics, the Serendipity's Dryskin Extreme and the Icefall's Skifans are quite similar. As mentioned, the Icefall and Serendipity form a new jacket category: highly versatile, broad-spectrum-conditions layering outwear.

Along with the great similarities in the jackets, there were also a few differences that stood out after some use. For example, the plastic zippers on the Icefall seemed cheap compared to the beefier metal zippers on the Serendipity, and we question how well they will wear. Another major difference we noticed was the closures at the cuffs, which felt less secure than those of the Serendipity.

The Icefall is a leader in the use of Schoeller fabric, and a highly versatile jacket, since wool's fibers are lightweight, warm and highly breathable--great for any outdoor activity. However, when comparing the two Schoeller-equipped jackets, the $15 you save on the Icefall is not quite worth the trade-off for quality.

For more information, contact:
Ibex Wear
info@ibexwear.com

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Ibex Wear Zephyr Zip Neck
Weight (Unisex Large) 12.3 oz
Price: $95
As already noted in the review of the Icefall jacket, Ibex specializes in high-tech high-performance wool clothing. The Zephyr is a long-sleeve T-neck base or mid-weight layer made of superfine high-density weave 100 percent Merino wool. When you pick up the Zephyr you can't help but be impressed with its softness, and after wearing it for a few weeks that initial impression won't change.

After a few trips, however, you'll also notice the technical performance of the Zephyr. The long neck-zipper allows for venting. Features like elastic cuffs, the high T-neck and long shirttail are nice touches that maintain warmth.

The Zephyr is a great technical piece for warmth, with a classic line and look well suited for sitting in front of the fire at the lodge. Due to its exceptional softness, the Zephyr's comfort is not easily matched. Like many of our favorite pieces, it is so nice looking and comfortable that we hate to beat it up in the backcountry, yet it stands up to the elements very well. The down side is its $95 price tag. The Zephyr is quality high-performance gear, but for economy-minded customers it may be a tough sale.

For more information, contact:
Ibex Wear
info@ibexwear.com

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Helly Hansen LIFA Super Lightweight
Weights/Prices:
Long Sleeve (Men's XL) 4.3 oz - $25
Short Sleeve (Men's XL) 3.2 oz - $22
Pant (Men's XL) 3.6 oz - $25
We love this LIFA! We've used it from winter backpacking trips to summer alpine excursions and it is one of the most versatile, lightweight, and true performing pieces of gear we've ever owned. Helly Hansen offers the Superlight LIFA in men's and women's cuts and in short and long sleeve as well as a pant.

Breathability and lightweight design are the signature features of the LIFA. Because it is polypro, it releases moisture quickly, which adds a surprising amount of warmth. The navy blue color also attracts sunlight for quick heating. Its Achilles heel is wind protection; slip a wind-resistant vest or lightweight jacket over the LIFA in breezy conditions, and you'll be comfortable.

The superlight base layers are almost sheer. While most folks will not wear it in public (except under another layer), in the backcountry we have worn it as a base layer and as a single layer when backpacking, snowshoeing and hiking. The fabric's smoothness makes it easy to put other layers over it. However, because it is so thin, it does tend to snag on just about anything rough or sharp.

It has long been accepted that 100 percent polypro will give off an odor. Now, Helly Hansen claims their new manufacturing process reduces the ability of bacteria to stick to the polypro, avoiding the well-known tendency of polypro to stink--or more specifically, to retain odors. Our field test crew wore the LIFA superlight-weight shirts and pants on a four-day distance trek, and although nothing in our packs smelled mountain fresh on day four, the LIFA was no worse than any of the rest. We let it sit a few days after arriving home then hand washed it. It came out smelling as good as new with no lingering odor.

In cold weather the LIFA is a favorite piece for sleeping as it keeps moisture away, counteracting the discomforts of being cold or overheated. For a solid lightweight base layer check out HH's Superlight weight LIFA.

For more information, contact:
Helly Hansen
(425) 883-8823

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Summary: Perhaps the most interesting products for retailers are the LIFA base layer/underwear, and the two Schoeller-equipped jackets, the Ibex Icefall and Cloudveil Serendipity. If you aren't yet familiar with these products, you should be, as both jackets occupy new ground in high-versatility technical performance wear. We preferred the Serendipity, but we did not have the opportunity to test the two jackets in as wide a range of temperatures and conditions as we would have liked. After wearing the jackets on some spring field test trips, we'll update our reviews on our Web site and in Outfitter.

Rhett Olson is a contributing editor and principal at GearReview.com, specializing in outerwear, footwear, and canyoneering. Steve Mann is a contributing editor and co-founder of GearReview.com.