Your Winter Jacket!

[gogoblender 3,070]

Juha, what kind of coats do you guys usually wear there...local made stuff? We have an amazing line of winter gear here, kind of (actually very! ) expensive, but it's made here in Canada, so much pricier than The North Face stuff.

 

It's called Canada Goose, prices are outrageous, but supposed to be warmest coat in world.

 

Is it heard of there?

 

 

gogo

[Stormwing 40]

Haven't heard of the Goose, really. We do have few local brands like Halti, Raiski and the like, which make varying clothes from windbreakers to quilted gear. Though those are quite expensive. Currently I have a quilted set from a friend. Sorta hand-me-downs.

Don't know the brand. Probably some cheap one.

Had to use them last winter few times. Had those -30 to -40C weathers. This winter sure is different. If there isn't going to be those "sub-zero" weathers, I'll make it through with my jeans and leather jacket. Well, maybe a wool shirt if it's really cold.

[chattius 2,527]

German alpine troups, mountain rescue and state equipped polar researchers do mainly stuff from Vaude. Don' t know if it is the ultimate warmest, probably not, but very light and practical. My wife likes hers a lot. We bought it when she started emergency duties again after the twins were starting kindergarten. 3 hours walking in a snow storm when street was blocked 7 years back made her wishing for better winter gear. So it should be warm if needed, not sweating at long walks, water proof,...

 

http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2011/11/06/vaudes-alpamayo-jackets-among-first-to-feature-new-neoshell

 

 

The weather: winter storm andrea unrooted some trees down in the valley. But we escaped unharmed, no damage to house, trees and animals.

The storm did some serious river flooding , but wasn't reaching the house of my brother.

[gogoblender 3,070]

lol, I split this topic off of from the weather topic, so we could get more jacket info and insight!

 

I used to ski tons, and the jacket was a big part of my "me" in those days. Schussing down properly in the correct apparel was almost everything, specially in ski lift lines These days, warmth is paramount, and with all the reading I've been doing about Canada Goose, down is looking hot (lol) and I like the idea of supporting local industry.

 

 

 

Juha, Chattius, I've noted the names, and plan on spending some recreation time reading, I want to change a lot of my habits outdoors, and having great outdoor wear/equipment is a part of the enjoyment. I'm kinda lucky to live right here on this mountain right in the city, and can get to trails within minutes, albeit not the best, but still, something to sweat on exercise on.

 

Canada Goose is 1000 dollars for their coat!

 

 

I'm looking at discount centers here in montreal now for patagonia as well. Love the brand, but again, kinda expensive.

 

 

gogo

[Knuckles 904]

That's fairly outrageous gogo...no way I would spend that kind of money for a coat. I work outside a lot and need something fairly rugged to hold up to all the punishment I'm going to give it. Typically I'll go with something like this from Carhartt

 

http://www.carhartt.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10101&storeId=10051&productId=32199&langId=-1&categoryId=10907&top_category=15056

 

Add some thermals underneath and I'm good for just about any real cold day. Plus it being one piece there's less to snag on towers

[chattius 2,527]

I think most sportswear companies start with someone who was thinking that the already existing could be made better and then the person started to do his own stuff, first for his own small niche. If surviving he expanded, adding more stuff to sell... Till reaching the point that someone else things that it is too general and widespread and no longer top and starts to do his own business. Adi Dassler soccer shoes, nike runner shoes, vaude mountaineering...

 

The other point is how likely is it that I need polar gear? The worst case scenario for my wife is: being called for an medical emergency at a storm with ice rain to a neighbour village. Ice rain is no helicopter in forests,. Ice rain has a high probability of falling trees, because the crown of a tree is covered with tons of freezing rain and the storm has an easy game to unroot a tree. The scenario for the vaude is: stuck in car, blocked by trees. temperature around -15 celcius, beaufort11 storm, rain and ice, to a lower degree snow. And yes, car has short wave radio, steel chains for wheels, axe, rope with hook and engine...

 

If you do a walk with snow shoes in polar gear above -10 celcius you are overheating quickly. Polar gear is normally in your backpack till you need it. If you really need it, best is probably just good enough.

 

But I wouldn't do skiing if I fear to need polar gear. Do you do cross country skiing, alpine, alpine telemark style? Our oldest likes telemark style most. She was fast growing, so low muscles at long legs, 63 kilogramm at 195 centimetres. Telemark is way better for the knees. How it is called in english? Open heels?

[Etherian 76]

Since the mid 80's I have sworn by my preferred brand.

 

I usually try not to fall victim to "name brands", as you usually pay mostly for a name.

 

But in Columbia Sportswear I find true value in a "name brand".

 

Insulated Jackets can be very expensive. I firmly belive in Columbia Sportswear. You get what you pay for!

 

I remain, Etherian

[gogoblender 3,070]

That's fairly outrageous gogo...no way I would spend that kind of money for a coat. I work outside a lot and need something fairly rugged to hold up to all the punishment I'm going to give it. Typically I'll go with something like this from Carhartt

 

http://www.carhartt...._category=15056

 

Add some thermals underneath and I'm good for just about any real cold day. Plus it being one piece there's less to snag on towers

 

Those overalls look very professional use. I've never heard of Carhartt before, do they only make stuff for tower climing?

 

Long Johns, keep forgetting about them, that could actually be a cost effective way of adding warmth to layers without spending so much on a silly overpriced goose coat.

 

 

Do you do cross country skiing, alpine, alpine telemark style? Our oldest likes telemark style most. She was fast growing, so low muscles at long legs, 63 kilogramm at 195 centimetres. Telemark is way better for the knees. How it is called in english? Open heels?

 

Only gone cross country a few times, but loved it. A great work out, and the equipment is not so expensive as alpine. Tele Mark...I've not heard that for a while! Yes, I think it was refered to that by same name, but I only saw it a few times on/near downhill hills I used to frequent

 

 

Since the mid 80's I have sworn by my preferred brand.

 

I usually try not to fall victim to "name brands", as you usually pay mostly for a name.

 

But in Columbia Sportswear I find true value in a "name brand".

 

Insulated Jackets can be very expensive. I firmly belive in Columbia Sportswear. You get what you pay for!

 

I remain, Etherian

 

 

Hot Dang, Etherian, you have one of the same brands I was enamored of for years! I was a huge Patagonia fan until I started reading about Mother Boyle's work,

 

 

and promptly ordered a jacket with zip out lining, you're right they are/were kind of pricey, but comlumbia has great stuff, AND is not quite as out of the atmosphere prices as some of the other clothing companies.

 

Gotta love Gert Boyle, have seen her in pix for years... has she ever broken a smile yet?

 

 

gogo

[Stormwing 40]

Gogo: I guess here could be for once.

Been ages since I was in any kind of skids. Must've been in the army. Sure is great exercise altogether, but gotta admit, I ain't too compatible with 'em..

Used to ski a lot when I was at elementary but that kinda ended. Don't really know why.

Took a look at the Colombias, nearly fell off my chair.

Sure, quality doesn't come cheap, but I could name off the bat about dozen places to invest that amount.

[chattius 2,527]

The Vaude Neoshell Jacket of my wife was around 290 Euro. So just 100 Euro more than she would have paid for a more normal jacket. I see it like an airbag in a car, you hope you never need it. Same as the hydraulic disc brakes in the bicycles of our kids, or the goalkeeper gloves with a inner skeleton for our oldest, or the chain-glove I use when butchering (can't remember to ever hit the glove), ...

 

And a clever tax help can claim the extra costs as special needs, like you are a doc and can't wait for better weather when a wife is giving birth and the roads are blocked in winter.

 

GoGo: Yes that is Telemark skiing, uphill knee is back. If you fall, you fall uphill less risc of injury. Muscles are more relaxed telemarking, less force on knees. Not as fast as normal alpine, but more stylish and elegant. Our oldest was always considered a boy 2 years back in her normal ski gear. Last year she started to do telemark in a long woolen skirt. And being 1.95 metres, long bones are bigger forces on knees, so lot of reasons she does telemarking. She does the traditional one long staff technique.

 

 

[gogoblender 3,070]

Telemarking is extremely rare here now. I think it's just plain too much exercise for most!

 

 

gogo