Sweat management

“What do y'all do to manage sweat while hiking in the winter. These are the things I try to do to keep from getting too sweaty (and then freezing when I hit an exposed and windy place at altitude):

1) Slow down if I sweat too much.
2) Open the Zips... I have pit zips on my jacket and side zips on my pants, and can open up the pockets if need be.
3) Layer... a wicking long sleeve layer, an insulating layer, and waterproof breathable shell.
4) Carry a headband and a fleece vest. The headband can cover my ears and forehead while allowing allowing for a lot of evaporation. The vest covers the core and allows for lots of evaporation. I also carry a liner balaclava and a thicker balaclave and a fleece jacket for additional options for insulation. Also, my water-proof breathable has a hood.”

“1) I'm already going pretty slow, don't worry about this too much
2) Yes.
3) Yes. I have gotten condensation on the inside of my jacket before.
4) Usually already wearing the vest. If it's cold out, I usually have my fleece cap on too. I pull it up a little if my head is getting hot.”

“I'm a serious sweater. I just accept that I'm going to drip buckets.

I strip down to a baselayer.
It's not uncommon for me to be backpacking in only midweight thermal bottoms and raingear in the snow. Say at 20 deg with wind. I also keep a pack towel handy to wipe down when I stop. Gotta layer up quick though.

Granted it gets a heck of a lot colder up where you are than what I can usually reach for a backpacking trip.”

“I'm the same as HPM. I sweat, there's no way to manage it. I hike with light layers and bundle up during rest stops. I do keep dry articles to change into when I reach camp and try to dry my hiking gear (especially shirts) while camped.”

“Having a pack towel handy is a nice idea - I think I'll try it HPM.”

“Not much you can do in the summer here in California besides strip down to your basics; it gets pretty dang warm in summer and is not too cool in winter either.

One universal piece of gear I use all year long is a good old cotton t-shirt (yep, even in winter). It absorbs the sweat, which helps me keep cool, while the fabric keeps me from getting too much sun. I usually stop hiking by mid-afternoon, which will give it a chance to dry out with body heat and sunshine before nightfall. At night I change into a poly top.

Cotton clothing does have its benefits. I'll bet the person who came up with the notion of never wearing cotton in the winter was a desk-bound thinker who never actually went out in winter.”

“Don't stop moving! If you've already started sweating, go with the flow.

If you haven't started yet, strip off the layers as you heat up. Me, I like a good sweat and just keep dry warm clothes for the end of the day/workout. Especially my wool and fleece beanie.”

“This is one of my biggest problems I have with winter hiking and I haven't found any good solutions to it. I sweat incredible amounts regardless of how low the temperature is on my skin and how little clothing I have on. Once my heart rate reaches a certain level which is actually pretty low, my sweat glands open up and there's no way to stop it. I could strip down to the point where my hands and arms go numb and still drip with sweat. I'd have to be barely moving to not sweat so that's not even a good solution. I just accept the fact that I will get wet and use all synthetic clothing. It works with limited success, but when the temperatures reach below 15 degrees it becomes a problem. For dayhikes I just keep moving, but on overnights there's no way to dry anything and it just freezes. Being soaked it's hard to stay warm no matter how many layers I have on if I'm just standing around. I've given up on using down outerwear on winter trips for anything but dayhikes. With the amount of vapor that runs through it after I put it on it starts to lose too much loft.”

“I keep the wind proof layer off unless I absolutely need it. I wear my insulating stuff only. I never get cold (then again I've never been out at -20°) and I don't get sweaty. I do use my pit and leg zips freely on my fleece stuff.”

“Layers on, layers off.

Last FYAO on the march in and out I hiked in light nylon hiking trousers and short T-shirt and long T-shirt, both synthetic.

When I would stop I would allow as much convection from the wind as I could stand to take away moisture.

I would pull on rain pants and fleece jacket and (supposedly) breathable shell and wool cap to save some heat.

When the chill started to set in I took it all off and started stompin' again.”

“I always wear a headband. Usually turtle fur but a bandanna will do. I let one dry out (after I wring it) & wear a dry one. I clip a pack towel to my shoulder strap too. Sometimes wicking wrist bands or gloves.

I'll wear a very light wicking thermal & long sleeve shirt only. If I get cold then I'll wear a 300 wgt fleece jacket. I like the hooded ones but rarely wear the hood.

Don't wear the hooded breathable parka unless it's VERY cold & windy. Don't wear any type of snow pants. Again a very light thermal over my same ol 50%/50% syn/cotton pants for the last 20 years.

When it gets way below zero, I'll add a goose down parka which I'll also throw on for my numerous "breaks".

I like bringing something easy-to-get-at something to sit on but not satisfied with my choices yet.”

“I use a sheet of black foam pipe insullation. It's really flexible to roll and fold up but very dense for warmth. I have no idea where you could buy the sheets of it though. I got mine from scraps at work.”

“I generally like to be cold (not quite uncomfortable but enough that I want to keep moving) at the trailhead.
This is what I am normally wearing at the trailhead:
Feet: Polypro sock liners, hytrel waterproof breathable sock, wool sock (thickness depends on temperature)
Legs: Duofold Ultra-Tec Midweight long underwear, insulated snowboard pants
Top: HydroDuct t-shirt, 55% polyester, 45% Merino wool long sleeve shirt, hooded fleece
Hands: polypro glove liners, fleece glove liners
Head: wool hat or a bandana depending on temperatures

In my pack I carry an extra fleece, a hard shell jacket with pit zips for above treeline, and extra HydroDuct shirt, 1 or 2 pair of wool socks, polypro long underwear top, fleece pants, a pair of over mitts, extra pair of polypro glove liners, a pair of insulated gloves, a fleece balaclava, and a neoprene face mask.

If I feel myself start to sweat I slow down or remove a layer. If I start to get cold I first will put on a hat and then add another layer after that.
last edited: 2/01/05 7:32:43 AM”

“Sweaty.....”

“This has been a challenge for me every sense I first started hiking. If it’s not too cold I go with a light fleece long sleeved shirt and a fleece vest. If it’s cold I wear a fleece jacket and just let the sweat flow. The fleece wicks it to the surface well enough and it still keeps me warm. I have never been able to hike with a shell on even with pit zips open.”

“Down to 25 I'll wear just my nylon long-sleeved/legged hiking outfit. Below 25 I'll add my silk long underwear (lightweight), top and bottom. My shirt and pants both have side zips so I can control my heat with the zippers. I sweat pretty bad, too, and the nylon and silk both wick very well. If its windy I'll add my silnylon rain/wind jacket, which has pit zips, too.

I always start out hikes feeling too cold because I know 10 minutes later I'll warm up and be just right. Always funny having to stop 10 minutes into a hike because everyone else is now too warm and has to strip.

Rest stops I'll put on either my silnylon jacket or for really cold temps my down coat.”

“I've discovered how warm I get while snowshoeing....

It's amazing how different people have different amounts of warmth that they can stand.

For me, I've been wearing heavy thermal underwear (leggings) under a thin and lightweight gramacci pants...

On top, if it's "warm" (i.e. mid 20s and above) I wear a lightweight short-sleeved wicking shirt under one of those button-down "travel" shirts (the kind with the vents on the side and back). Over the top, I wear my Waterproof wind breaker.

I wear my fleece hat or headband on my head-- using my hood on my jacket to keep my head warm if needed... (usually after a few minutes, I've shedded the hood.)

On my hands, I wear fleece gloves, if it's really cold, I'll wear another glove over top. (a thin, stretchy glove)

On my feet--I wear a liner sock and a thick wool sock with my hiking shoes & snowshoes.

If it's really cold (under mid-20s) or windy, I will wear a long-sleeved thermal shirt vs. the short-sleeved one, and have a fleece scarf around my neck. Or, I will forego the "travel shirt" and wear a lightweight fleece hoodie jacket (without the thermal shirt) under my wind jacket.
I don't change what I'm wearing on my legs, mostly what I'm wearing on top...)

I find that I get warm very quickly and can't stand the heat, so if I start getting over heated, I unzip the front of my jacket (unfortunately, I don't have pit zips!)”

“Lumberzac nailed one I forgot to mention - starting out cold. If you aren't cold before you start moving, you are dressed too warm.

On Northeast site, I saw some people swear by wool - moisture wicks to the outside better they say - than for many other wicking materials.

Maybe the basic strategies are:

1) try to stay cool enough to minimize sweat.
2) try to allow as much evaporation as possible.
3) try to set things up so that what moisture there is wicks away from you skin
4) have dry replacements available.
5) wear things that maintain their insulating properties when wet.”

“I used to like wool. It was the "wonder" material of years ago. Probably credit it with saving my life once or twice. Everything was worthless when wet (occasional walking break-thru over a gorge or venturing over waterfalls in a canoe) but wool could be wrung out to supply some warmth. Replaced 10-15 years ago with fleece.”

“The problem with moisture in the winter if it's very cold is that there's really no good way to get rid of it once it's there. As it migrates to outer layers it just freezes even though your body heat can dry your base layer. The best solution is not to get wet in the first place, but that's difficult to do facing steep climbs with a pack and wearing snowshoes.”

“Well, maybe I won't try wool!

The other fabric I hear and read a lot about is Schoeller Dryskin. Anyone tried that?”

“Avoiding Winter works well for me.”

“usually the first thing I will do is remove any sort of head protection such as a beenie. It may not be right but my thought process is that if 90% of my body heat is lost through my head (i've read that a million times through the years but still have a little bit of trouble believing it's really 90%) then taking off my beenie should cool me down a bit. plus, if a beenie is the most valuable thing in terms of keeping you warm then it's also got to be the easiest to take on and off too. I just carry it in my hand or hold my trekking pole with it and put it back on once i've cooled off.”

“Srperry01,
I do the same-- first take off my hat or headband to see if that will cool me down (usually, It helps immensely!)

It's funny-- when downhill skiing, we always bundle up-- I guess because 1/2 of the time, you spend standing around in lines waiting for the ski lifts... However, when snowshoeing, we warm up way too fast!

In the past we would wear a lot of cotton (t-shirts, jeans, etc.) It makes sense that we were always cold once we stopped moving because of the moisture being retained next to the skin... Now, we are much better prepared for winter weather!”

“I use merino wool mid-weight long underwear. Goes on over my lightweight silk long underwear, usually in camp but also if its really darn cold on the trail. Merino wool is soft but has high wicking action (notice the pattern with all my clothes...high wicking), plus the mid-weight underwear isn't heavy. I wouldn't use a wool sweater - way too heavy. That's what my down jacket is for. My primary hiking socks are wool, too. Again, they wick well, aren't too hot for summer and are warm for winter.

I would never use cotton "waffle" long underwear like you see in many stores.”

“I would never use cotton "waffle" long underwear like you see in many stores.”
techntrek
11:40:13 AM
2/01/05
ignore this user

I still use that stuff when I ice fish but most of the day is spent sitting so I never sweat.”

“That's different, since you aren't in the wild and depending on it to keep you alive. You get it wet while ice fishing you can jump in your truck and go home.”

“Exactly. I never wear the stuff when I hike.”

“I wear a very thin base layer. I have some high dollar Patagonia silkweight capline and and cheapo duofold poly. They both seem to work the same.

When I stop I pull off the t-shirt and everything over it is dry enough to be warm. Extra synthetic t-shirt weighs very little and the thin base layer dries in just a few minutes once it is off.”

“Polyester fleeces do an excellent job at wicking sweat away, and even if it collects on the inside of your outer shell, there's still just enough of it's own heat to keep it from freezing.

Polyester fleeces will also dry completely in your sleeping bag overnight.”

“I don't put anything wet in my sleeping bag.

My average trips have daytime temps above freezing and night temps below freezing. Advice is not universal, but if your conditions are similar to mine a thin base layer should be a solution to persperation problems.”

“If it's very cold and your clothing is very wet all the moisture will just condense into your sleeping bags insulation. If it stays cold and you aren't going home the next day that could be a big problem for staying warm the next night. I've had my down bag lose a lot its loft doing that and gain a lot of weight with condensed moisture.”

“I am a notorious sweater regardless of the season.

In winter I will hike in a longsleeve polypro top with a wicking t-shirt over it. I keep my snivel gear near the top of my pack for easy access are breaks. I also wear a thin hat which I remove as needed to help regulate my temp.

I have read (though never tried it) that in really cold snowy temps that the best way to dry sweaty clothes is to roll them in the snow immediately after you stop (after removing them of course) this is supposed to freeze the surface moisture by allowing it to abosrb into the snow then you vigorously shake the clothing to knocks the frozen sweat off. I'd like to try this sometime.”

“The old boy scout tip of putting on dry underwear before going to bed is the key to a warm sleep. You will sleep warmer if you change into a dry shirt and dry longjohns right before crawling into the bag. It is a miserable few moments getting down to the bare skin and putting on cold clothes, but worth the effort.

A knit hat is a must, but I don't even wear socks at night.”