More packing and refining of the gear-list for Antarctica and Aconcagua going on lately, and it’s fast approaching less than two weeks away! Today we’ll touch base on the clothing, outwear and base layers that I will bring. I’ll be taking a mixture of hard and soft-shells (both jackets and pants), a couple insulating layers and I’m pretty much all merino wool these days in the base layer department, who’s odor killing properties will for sure be much appreciated by my teammates during our multiple days on Aconcagua.
Base Layers
Tops: When layering, I really like to be able to strip down to a t-shirt if the sun comes out and I start to overheat. While some think pushing up the sleeves of a long sleeve shirt is good enough, I really like full venting and cooling benefits of a short
sleeve shirt when things get hot. I’m bringing two of my favorite pieces, an Ortovox Merino130 and an IceBreaker Velocity Crew. 
I like them both mostly for their overall fit, which tends to be on the snug, form fitting side of things. I’ll take one long sleeve base layer, an Arc’teryx Rho LTW Zip, most likely only for high on Aconcagua.
Bottoms: Two pairs of base layers will come with me on this trip, so I can wash one and wear the other as the stink escalates. Wool is great at fighting odors, but sometimes the stinky source is just too powerful if you know what I mean. I 
like the Icebreaker bottoms and tend to lean on the heavier side of things, which adds warmth when the wind cuts through more breathable softshell pants. I also like bottoms that are cut short, which eliminates the extra fabric that gets tucked into your boots and can potentially cause hot spots on your shins on longer tours, especially in warmer temps. The Rapid Legging and BodyFit260 Legless layers work great for me and give me two options to wear.
Briefs: Some people don’t think it’s important to wear technical briefs, but I really like to wear briefs that keep my important parts close to my body, warm and dry.
I’m bringing three pairs of performance briefs in a variety of weights. Some IceBreaker Beast 150 
and BodyFit 200 Boxer briefs, both made with 100% merino wool. I’m also bringing a super warm pair of Cloudveil Run Don’t Walk Boxers which are made with Polartec Power Stretch and will be great if it’s super cold at over 20,000′ on Aconcagua.
Softshells
Jackets: I want to have two soft shells to choose from. A warmer option, most likely for Aconcagua when the pace is slow, and a lighter weight, more breathable jacket for Antarctica, when I’m trying to maximize my ski time.
While technically not a soft-shell since it’s made with a Polartec Power Shield laminate, the Arc’teryx Gamma MX Hoody has an outstanding trim fit, allows for unlimited mobility (the MX part of the Arc’teryx scheme) and is very comfortable. It’s got no less than five packets which I can stuff with food and lip balm, so I don’t have to take my pack off every five minutes when sucking wind with limited O’s.
This will be my third year rolling with this Epsilon SV Hoody and I feel it is the most breathable hooded soft-shell in the Arc’teryx lineup. It’s held up great since I’ve used it nearly everyday I’ve been skiing over the past two years, but is showing a little wear right at the junction of the seams near my armpits, and where the shoulder straps of my backpack ride. It fits even more trim than the Gamma, which I think is a plus, but still have two big pockets to hold larger items if you need to.
One more jacket tops off the soft-shell list, and more of a sweatshirt that I can wear chillin’ on the boat and as an extra layer at camp on Aconcagua. The Fugitive Hoody is basically a fleece, but with a smooth, Polartec Hardface fabric that is pill resistant, more wind blocking and much more durable that standard fleece. The smooth outer-face of the fabric also allows it layer better and is less grabby with whatever is layered on top of it. The Scuba hood fits tight and can be worn under a helmet if you are hardcore enough to be climbing through the maw.
Pants: I’m sure it will be rare that I will wear softshell pants in Antarctica. But if I do, I want something light that I can wear under hardshells in case the weather turns while we’re on the on the peninsula. For the majority of the time on Aconcagua, I will most likely live in them 24/7. The Arc’teryx Gamma SK pant is my go to softshell pant for warmer temps. They’ve got suspenders to keep them from falling down, two nice thigh pockets for stashing things like your ski strap and have durable Schoeller Keprotec panels on the inside of the cuffs for durability.
Hardshells
Jacket: Although I rarely use them when skiing in the Tetons, I will most likely want a hardshell for the wet environs of Antarctica. Finding the perfect hardshell is always tough, most fit super baggy and don’t breathe worth crap. The Arc’teryx Alpha SL I can honestly say is the hardshell of your dreams and fits nice and trim so you’re not pushing away extra material digging into a pocket or searching for something on you backpack waist belt or harness. It’s also made with Gore-Tex Paclite.
Pants: Light-is-right for hardshell pants in my opinion and I want something thing with full-zips on the sides so they are easy to take on and off as the 
weather changes, as well as being able to unzip partiality to vent through. The Alpha LT pant is just that and is made with Gore-Tex ProShell, which offers a durable outside fabric, as well as being highly breathable and have long lasting waterproofness. I like the Alpha LT because it has a simple and low profile single cuff at the legs, no pockets which add bulk and suspenders. They also have waterproof zippers which negate the need for extra wind flaps and sipper covers, and help keep the weight down to just over 1 pound.
Insulation
Jackets: A couple months ago, I did a video review of the Arc’teryx Fission SL and got poo-poo’d about the price and real need for a waterproof insulating jacket/parka. While the Fission SL isn’t cheap, in the wet environs of Antarctica and high winds of Aconcagua, I sure am glad I have one. Its ProShell exterior will keep its synthetic insulation dry and the wind at bay. Its awesome hood fits over a helmet great and pit zips ad versatility and breathability, all in a trim fitting package.
Now, the Fission SL isn’t an expedition weight parka and for Aconcagua I think I’m going to want some extra warmth. The new Atom LT is the perfect compliment for layering underneath the Fission and on it’s own around camp. I just got one of these jackets and I’ve been wearing it every day so far and I barely know it. Weighing less than a pound (375g/13.2) the Atom Lt is perfect for this application and I can see myself using this a lot in the warmer/sunnier days this winter and spring.
Pants: There is nothing I hate more than being cold when sitting around camp melting water and cooking (Aconcagua), and I find insulating pants an important part of the equation when camping in cold temperatures, since it’s not always that convenient to be curled up in your sleeping bag to stay warm. Arc’teryx Kappa AR pants keep the cold out with Windstopper, keep you warm with 200g Primaloft, and are easy to put on over boots with full side-zips. Not the lightest insulation pants out there (610g/1.4lbs) but they are bomber and I don’t have to worry about getting them wet since they are so weather resistant.
Steve, obviously you are limited somewhat by your sponsorships, but have you given anythought to making the move to eVent on the hardshells? It is substantially more breathable than Gortex, with all the other similar properties of durability, waterproofness and weight. Love my Westcomb Mirage jacket, and am currently looking around for a full-zip, light eVent pant shell to throw over my softshell pants in bad weather. Wild Things in NH has an interesting looking eVent Bib that is very light, and an even lighter eVent pant as well.
Nick, I haven’t had much experience with Event, but I’ve been told that Gore-Tex PacLight is more breathable like Event…and I have liked it in the Beta SL.
Steve – I have been impressed with it (and I guess I have fallen for the "hype" so to speak. I also like PacLight (although the durability is not the greatest).
The US Army ran a test on all of the fabrics on breathability, and eVent is up there with Scholler Dryskin (which in my experience is the most breathable fabric I have worn):
http://www.verber.com/mark/outdoors/gear/breathability.pdf
I wonder if it was also the most waterproof. The thing with waterproof/breathable layers is that as you gain breathability…you lose waterproofness..and visa versa. I think for me…priority goes to waterproofness in a hardshell, since I’ve got other softshell layers that breath extremely well.
FWIW – I had a Westcomb jacket in a downpour and it stayed dry. Reviews I had read is that it is as waterproof as G-tex.
Will definitely have a better idea after I put the stuff to a season of use. But I agree that in a hard shell, waterproofness/weight/breathability is a sliding scale leaning towards waterproofness.
Steve,
Nice gear list. What does every link start with "avantlink.com"?
Is it because you get referrals on every purchase made from direct clicks to those suppliers (er sponsors)?
http://www.avantlink.com
how much a shell will breath is not a big issue on aconcagua. one must have shells that breath very well if windy, not necessary laminated shells.
pile pertex things work great, just top them with insulation when gets cold.
About the Beta SL — does it layer well with hoodies underneath? Looks like the collar might get in the way.
Bruce…I am an affiliate sales member for Backcountry.com. That is why you often see a “Support TetonAT…” blurb at the bottom of each post. AvantiLink it the organization that tracks all that stuff…and yes…I get a small percentage of each sale that derives from a link from TetonAT.com. Thanks.
Euro Rob…my bad, it actually is an Alpha SL…so with out the collar. Ooops!
http://www.arcteryx.com/Product.aspx?Mens/Jackets-Vests/Alpha-SL-Jacket#Waterproof_Shell
I like that you list Ortovox Merino as your base layer. Ortvovox is not much known for other stuff than beacons, probes and shovels but I use their base layers and their ski pack for rando racing.
The other fairly huge factor in breathability is the actual face fabric the laminate is mated to. Event is not nearly as “durably” waterproof as Gtex and other laminates and as such is sometimes mated with a slightly beefier face fabric than someone might use with Paclite, thus resulting in a less breathable finished product.
And Event and Gore and any other name brand WPB are all “waterproof” enough. It’s how “durably waterproof” the actual laminate is that matters over the long haul.
Event is also actually produced by GE who is no longer going to call it Event and market it so it’ll be interesting to see what happens to it in the next couple seasons. Consumers like stuff with names they see ads for, not generic “waterproof/breathable”.
Good stuff Ryan. One thing I always hear about Gore-tex is that it is inert. Meaning, it’s not effected by oils or other weird things it may get in contact with…there fore making it more durable. I wonder other fabrics can claim the same.
Off to Gore-Tex bootcamp next week!!!!
Actually, the inert aspect is where eVent claims to get its breathability advantage over Gore-Tex. AS I understand it, Gore uses material (separate from the coat liner) to keep oil from bonding to the membrain, whereas eVent chemically alters the membrane to allow it to resist oil without added material. Per Ryan’s point, eliminating that fabric is supposedly what drives some large percentage of the breathability advantage.
In other words, the inert nature of Gore-Tex has real costs in addition to benefits.
I’ve been intrigued by eVent, but have yet to see good info on how durable their means of repelling oil is. Of course, getting meaningful, comparable data on different clothing fabrics is right up there with cleaning the Augean stables in a day (you get nowhere, and wade through a bunch of sh#@!t in the meantime). Plus I have way to many coats as it is.
What skis are you bringing?
Steve.
Gotta put in a plug for windproof briefs. I never leave home (to ski) without em. http://www.gearwest.com/craft-gore-wind-stopper-boxer-c-2510-p-1-pr-8901889.html
Zip open your pants to vent without getting a draft where you don’t want it. Once you wear them you’ll never go back to anything else.
Have fun down there.
I hear you Rab. I’ve got some Craft and Hind wind briefs, but they are kinda done and I need to buy some new ones.
I love the icebreaker stuff. Except the thin boxer style underwear.
Took a pair on a four day ski tour and they rode themselves into tight places wherefore my Butt Crack was rash extraordinaire.
The briefs they sell are fine.
You have been warned.
Canwilf…I assume you are referring the Beast stuff? I have another pair of Bodyfit200’s…so maybe I will swap them out. Thanks!
Hey Steve-
I’m late to the party here, but we’re a little curious about your comment re: Polartec Power Shield fabric. Power Shield is a quintessential soft shell fabric that helped to usher in the ‘soft shell revolution’ over ten years ago. It offers controlled air permeability through a discontinuous membrane (unlike other full film products which allow zero air flow or some stretch wovens that allow too much), stretch, water resistance, and warmth.
Let us know if you need a place to stay if you’re coming this way for any of the COSMIC races.
I’ve also got some new Polartec layers to send you soon…
Ian…in the world of softshells…I would consider PowerShield a hard-softshell…and Gore-Tex Softshell and soft-hardshell Don’t get me wrong, I like my Gamma MX Hoody with PowerShield for colder temps…but I can’t even blow through…making it much less breathable than other classic stretch woven softshells.
Thanks for the invite. My schedule is already looking thick…so we’ll see.
SWEET! Got any with that little bird embroidered on it…or are they Polartec branded? Either way…I’d be psyched to try them out.