General strategy
Layer up
Dressing with multiple layers of clothing essential, due to the wide use of heated buildings. It also insulates better.
Wear a warm clothing a few minutes before stepping out - then, air will be trapped inside the clothes.
Accesorize
use faceguards, gloves, etc.. for extremities. This provides additional comfort. Eg: a hood not attached to the jacket provides improved mobility.
Maintenance
Look for machine washable and dryable clothes.
Base layer
See warm/ normal weather clothing.
Purpose
Warmth, moisture control while maintaining ease of movement. Fibers will wick (move) moisture away from your skin and pass it through the fabric so it will evaporate.
Material choice
Underwear made of polyester fiber do this, but they irritate the skin.
Merino wool thermals and balaclavas have been tried successfully.
Insulation layer
Materials
Cold weather (<50F) = a polyester-wool blend rip stop fabric.
Temperate (50-80F) = a 65%/35% polyester/cotton blend rip stop fabric.
Sweatshirt
This can be used during dry days. Choose ones with light but warm hoods, for convenience. Zipped sweatshirts’ insulation is adjustable, and they are easy to remove.
80/20 and 50/50 Cotton, polyester/ fleece blends have been used before.
Pants
Use polyester, which wicks away moisture while providing warmth Eg: running pants.
Long Underwear
Wear thermal underwear over normal underwear, in order to reduce need for washing.
Avoid thermal underwear made out of artificial material, as this will lead to skin irritation. Fine merino wool thermal underwear was used successfully.
Thickness / Weight of the underwear should be chosen based on operating temperature.
Don’t buy leg warmers/ sleeves: tendency to slip. Instead modify a merino wool long underwear by cutting out the genital area: ye will use it on top of normal underwear anyway.
Pants
Can use pants made out of thick materials, such as Jeans/ Denim, Corduroy, Cargo pants.
Corduroy pants made out of a 66/33 cotton/ polyester blend have been successfully used for insulation.
Or can use down pant for excellent warmth. Eg: Made by Cabela’s.
28 inch waist, 30 inch inseam relaxed fit Denim jeans were too tight around the crotch, restricted breath while sitting down. 29 inch and 30 inch waist relaxed fit corduroy pants have been successfully used.
Outer layer
Purpose
Protection from rain and wind. Must be easily packable.
This can be same as rain clothing.
Overcoat
Buy slightly larger size to accommodate multiple layers of clothing.
Choose coats with large pockets.
This could be a rain and wind stopping shell, without insulation.
Choose coats with storm hoods, preferably detachable.
Choose clothes with strings to close sleeves.
belt for heavy coat - the waist is designed to carry weight.
Pants
Choose clothes with strings to close sleeves.
Avoid cotton or denim, as they get wet easily.
Insulation and protection of extremities
Headgear
An estimated 30% of your body heat escapes through your head.
Hoods are more effective than caps and hats, as they protect the ears. can take balaclava and alter it, so that you don’t have to pull it over.
Protecting face: Cold wind hits you while cycling. Use face guard with hole for the nose: nose drips when you return to a warm place from the cold.
Material choice
Wool can be irritating. Polyester and merino wool balaclava has been tried successfully.
Scarf
Better for mobility than attached hood. wind can get in between coat and hood.
Gloves
Leather gloves are breathable on hot days, while protecting from the wind.
All weather light weight gloves provide good insulation too.
Shoes
Instep crampons are useful for walking on ice.
Sleeping gear
Down goose: Down bags are considered superior because of their phenomenal warmth-to-weight and warmth-to-bulk ratios. While a synthetic bag will weigh somewhat more than a down bag at an equivalent temperature rating, synthetic bags perform better when wet.
Use sleeping bags with the right temperature rating. it is more difficult to stay warm in an insufficiently insulated bag than it is to vent a bag designed for cooler temperatures.
Prefer water resistant ones. Look for small stuff size and light weight.
Line the inside of the sleeping bag with a sheet, in order to reduce need to wash. Wear long underwear and layers to sleep.
Consider sleeping bag liners to add insulation.
Mateable bags can be zipped together.