Gear-Zone Guide to Winter Insulation

Posted by Neil | November 16, 2011

If waterproofs keep the weather out – what keeps the heat in?

How do outdoor pursuits’ enthusiasts stay warm when the temperatures plummet?

The answer, of course, is in the insulation – whether in the soft down of a body-hugging jacket or the synthetic insulation of a pair of warm, winter walking trousers.

Here at Gear-Zone we’ve investigated the benefits of a real down jacket, like the renowned Nuptse from The North Face or Rab’s Neutrino Endurance.

We’ve recently discussed waterproof jackets and overtrousers, and the importance of specialist fabrics that will not only keep the worst of the weather out, but prevent any uncomfortable body moisture build-up on the inside too.

Now, it’s time to turn our attention to the lower body, where insulation can prove crucial to retaining overall body heat.

Once tightly-fitting leggings or tights have provided a baselayer, insulated trousers are just as important to staying warm in plunging winter temperatures as your choice of jacket, especially in lower-aerobic activities like walking and hiking.

At Gear-Zone, we have insulated walking trousers and trekking pants from Craghoppers – their Kiwi Pro Stretch Winter Trousers have built-in SolarDry sun protection too – Montane, whose Extreme Pants in super-warm Pile-Pertex are made for the mountains, and The North Face, with their fleece-lined Insulated Trekker Pant designed with an Alpine-style fit to give great freedom of movement.

The ladies are catered for by Montane’s Terra Thermic Pants with DryActiv suede and mesh zoned lining, Craghoppers’ women’s version of the Kiwi Pro Stretch Winter Trousers, and Nike’s All Condition Gear Cairn Insulated Trousers built for outdoor performance.

For baselayer pants, take a look at Helly Hansen, Icebreaker, Under Armour and Smartwool – and for aerobic-specific thermal leggings check out Accapi, Nike and Ronhill.

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