G'day guys my name is Dominic from Tom's Outdoors and today we're here up at 3
Mile Dam with a video on how to layer effectively for Australian conditions.
Alright so the first layer in your layering system and arguably the most important layer is the
base layer. It's crucial for managing moisture particularly in cooler months. It needs to be
a quick drying synthetic layer or a merino wool layer. You want something that's going to help
carry moisture away from the skin so avoid cotton as it retains moisture which will make you cold.
Merino wool is a fantastic natural fibre that will help regulate body temperature, it's odour
resistant breathable and feels awesome against the skin. When looking for a base layer you're
going to want to look for something with a slim fit that will hug the skin and trap heat close
to your body. When it's warm a loose fitting base layer allows air to circulate, keeping you cool.
A good base layer will provide warmth without restricting motion during high output activities.
Moving on to the mid layers you'll have an active mid layer and a static mid layer
and it's important that you get the two right as they serve a variety of different purposes.
Put simply an active layer is the layer that you're going to throw on when you need a little
bit of warmth but you're still going to be on the move. Depending on where you are,
the weather and your activity you may need just an active mid layer or both active and static.
You want to throw in your active layer when hiking, skiing, climbing or moving around in
general. An active mid layer allows moisture to continue to move away from the skin while
trapping in body heat. Choose something breathable and moisture wicking like merino or synthetic that
way moisture continues to move away from your base layer and you'll stay dry as the day gets warmer.
Personally I like to use the Patagonia R1 fleece which has a quarter length
zip allowing me to dump heat. It's got a nice little chest pocket here to store some valuables
and overall it's quite packable and it's just a really safe go-to for your active mid layer.
Whether you're hanging around camp, stopped for a rest break or simply doing a low output activity
you might want to throw on your static layer to trap in the most amount of heat
and work well with the rest of your layers. As the name suggests a static layer is going to keep you
warm when you're static, so when you're sitting around camp when you're standing still as I am.
At the moment it's quite cold and my active layer and my base layer together really weren't cutting
it so I've thrown on a static layer. Today I've got a Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket which is a
really lightweight synthetic feel static layer. Most static layers come in either a synthetic or
a downfield insulation and there are pros and cons to each. So probably the most popular and the most
common form of insulation in a static layer is down. Now down is ultra packable, it has the best
warmth to weight ratio of most insulators. The primary benefit to synthetic insulation is that
it'll keep you warm even when wet whereas down will clump together and it won't keep you warm.
A static mid layer worn over an active mid layer and base layer when climbing hiking or skiing
is likely to be too warm and that's where the layering system really shines, you can shed layers
one at a time and provide the right amount of insulation for your chosen activity or situation
moving on to the final layer in your layering system and my personal favourite
the outer layer or shell. An outer layer provides final protection against all weather;
wind ,rain and snow. Ideally you'll want some breathability so you don't overheat and sweat
doesn't build up. Many outer layers feature zips in the underarms to allow air to escape without
compromising staying dry or a full length zip which you can open up to let out even more heat.
It's important to choose a layering system that suits you and how you feel, the cold
and your chosen activity. You might not need all four layers at once but it's handy
to have a layering system that allows you to add or subtract layers as you see fit.