Cure for the cold girlfriend?

Hey all, great forum. My girlfriend is an excellent skier and its a joy to be in a relationship where we can do this together. Only problem is she gets genuinely cold. She hardly complains but I know she's shivering on the colder days and seeing that we ski at a notoriously cold mountain (Sugarloaf) I can't blame her. Do you all have any suggestions in terms of what I can find her for a base/mid layer that might make it a little more enjoyable for her? It looks like the Patagonia Capilene 4 is highly rated, any other ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Just some general comments;

Use layers and avoid cotton. Wear a fleece layer with a hood and wear the hood under the helmet. This will keep her head, neck, throat and upper body warm with some protection from the wind.

Michael

Down top.   Second choice:  Polartec Thermal Pro high-loft (sometimes known as "monkey fur") under a really good windproof coat.

Polartec  PowerStretch  bottoms or similar  on top of the baselayer & under the pants.

Helmet+balaclava.   Second choice: furry-type windproof hat.    No fleecy hats, no knitty hats.

Does she wear a warm hat or helmet?  If not get her into one.  There are thin fleece helmet liners for more warmth.

Convince her that adequate insulation layers is more important than the sleekest look.  She must have thickness in the layers to have warmth.  Skin tight thin layers don't work regardless of the brand or technology.  She needs puffy gloves or mittens (mittens are warmer), and pants big enough for thick layers.  Her boots must allow blood flow, so only one pair of medium thickness socks there.

I'm one of those women that's always cold. I wear Patagonia or Smartwool/Ibex wool long underwear, a fleece, a Patagonia down sweater, and a ski jacket over the top. Oh and insulated ski pants, with long underwear. Plus a helmet and often a fleece neck gaiter. Handwarmers in the little pocket on the back of my ski gloves/mittens are nice, too. This keeps me warm most of the time. So it's not just about long underwear--all your layers need to be warm.

Here in WA state it doesn't get that cold compared to the NE, though. I have tried skiing when it's about 10 and that was pretty miserable. I was COLD. If those are your conditions maybe an insulated ski jacket over the top, or a down jacket rather than a down sweater underneath the parka.

What does she currently wear?

Thanks for the replies so far all. Right now she wears a helmet w/ a skull cap, insulated pants with one or two baselayers and an insulated jacket with various layers underneath. It is mostly her thorax that gets cold, I think she is good on the legs and head. She has a nice patagonia shell that she was hoping to switch to this year as its over overall higher quality/more wind resistant than her old jacket which has just about had it, I was hoping to find some suggestions on what to layer-up with underneath, if not, we might be jacket shopping (never a bad thing to have more gear :-) ). Will be checking into the suggestions so far, any more are welcome!

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Aloveitt: One comment from above that you did not mention in your reply is what her base layers are. NO cotton anywhere. Its going to how moisture and make her cold.

Also the Underarmor coldgear is supposed to be fantastic. I don't wear it because I don't get cold, but those that I know who wear it swear by it.

Gloves with hand warmer pockets on the top help to warm the top of the hand.

To avoid the bulky look that she may not like you could like for 3 layer setup not including the jacket where the top layer is a fleece and the first 2 layers are thinner. Starting with a heavy base layer.

Good luck. A warm girlfriend is a happy girlfriend. . . for the most part.

Pretty familiar with this topic, as Sugarloaf is home to us. My wife's a life long skier, and a good one, and she does not like being cold. At this point, will not ski if she's cold. I have a few ideas, most of which you're probably well aware of. Head, hands and feet all need to be warm, or the core will chill. I find that a lot of people are a full layer "short" in terms of what they wear on the top when they first ski at Sugarloaf. My 25 year old niece is a great skier, former racer, etc. and a year ago her first comment was "damn, I love this place but I always forget that extra layer the first morning."

I have a couple of Cloudveil shells that I really like, and they'll last me a lifetime as they don't get much mid winter wear at home. Spring stuff. On the average winter day at Sugarloaf, my wife wears a mid weight Patagonia base layer, a light fleece T-neck, and a heavier fleece pullover. On top of that it's a very well insulated coat. On the colder days, the fleece pullover might be replaced by a Patagonia puffy pullover, or a Patagonia puffy vest might go over the fleece{or both!}. Has a few jacket options. The warmest is a down jacket, a bit on the long side, that has a down insulated hood big enough to cover her helmet on the chair rides up. I might consider a good vest as an extra layer, or re-thinking the shell as outerwear. Even the best shell for some folks requires a lot of layering on a cold day up there. My advice on the outer jacket is always buy up in size, so that you can layer a lot. As you well know, it can be cold, damp and windy....all at once. Maybe she needs the "average cold" jacket and the "really cold" one?

Three other constants for us. We normally change our socks midday, and may use a bit of baby powder. My wife always wears a neck-up pulled up high, and that often gets changed midday. She also wears a synthetic glove liner....inside a Reusch mitten, which already comes with an internal glove. And, we will often duck into a lift shack, or the patrol hut at the top of spillway to warm up for a few minutes.  Always seems to mean something to my wife when I suggest it!  After 30+ years of skiing together, I'm better at it.

Warmest:
http://www.westernmountaineering.com/index.cfm?section=Products&page=Jackets%20%26%20Vests&viewpost=2&ContentId=61


Next best:
http://www.backcountry.com/store/search.html?mv_session_id=&q=Polartec+Thermal+Pro



Edited by comprex - 11/13/09 at 1:24pm

Hot chocolate break in the lodge, and pull a little zip lock with little marshmellows out of your pocket for extra points

One problem I have had is when I bulk up around the neck with a gaitor or balaclava is that I can't properly close the zipper on the neck of my shell. Make sure when she is jacket hunting she takes that into consideration. Bringing what she is going to wear for warmth and testing the fit in the jacket, of course would be best.

I'm the kind of person who's always cold, yet I love to ski. So for me, finding the warmest stuff out there is a continuing quest.

This is what I do, for what it's worth:

For a cold trunk: A Patagonia capilene 4 base layer, a Patagonia down sweater, and a down jacket (I have the Cloudveil Down Patrol). Sometimes I'll throw a fleece on over the base layer, too, but only if it's below zero. If it's in the teens, I'll leave the down sweater out of the mix.

For hands: Diamond Mercury Mitts. If you need a boost, glove liners underneath, but those are the warmest mittens I've found. One caution: they run really large and they're kind of clumsy to deal with. But they are warm, warm, warm.

For Legs: Mountain Hardware Power Stretch Tight. I looked long and hard for the warmest, most comfy base layer, and this is it. Over this, the TNF  Freedom Pant. It has a little bit of insulation and a nice cut.

For Feet: Hotronics boot warmers. And not thick sox. Make sure they're thin, not only for better boot fit, but if they're too thick, your foot will sweat and you'll be even colder. 

Hope this helps!

Cover EVERYTHING. Start by ditching the skull cap for the thickest balaclava that will cover her face and fit under the helmet. Always use goggles. When you buy the new jacket or shell make sure it's helmet compatible so the hood will pull up over the helmet.Pit zips are good for ventilation so you can let the core breath without unzipping the front and actually getting cold. I see some people with too much material around their neck. I suggest an expedition weight long underwear top then the other items over it so that there is enough space inside the neck of the jacket to zip it up all the way. The jacket is your most windproof item so it needs to be zipped up all the way. If she's cold there really is no reason for less than expedition weight bottoms and insulated pants. Mittens instead of gloves. Start with the heat packets. Buy in bulk off the mountain. Do not wait until you are cold to open the heaters. Go ahead and use them - don't try and save them or get by without them.

 Heh, you said nothing about height & weght. BMI less than 20 or 21? Start with cheeseburgers...

Beyond that, I'm a big believer in a great shell. Any of the absolute top of the line (does not equal very most expensive) shells will do a great job of keeping heat in and wind & water out. All the usual suspects like Arcteryx, top end Mammut, TNF Summit, Patagucci's high end stuff, etc., etc., etc...  There are a bunch out there these days. It helps a ton to have a good sealing powder skirt &/or top/bottom matched so that they seal up.

You can put all the layers you want on - but a leaky jacket/pant system &/or being underweight will unwind it all pretty quick...

Oh - and a good helmet with the vents closed & earflaps attached & down...

Best base layer ever:  Icebreaker, 150 or 200 weight. 

I use the REI midweight MTS long underwear, coupled with a Mountain Hardwear Butter Man fleece top, Mountain Hardwear Berryllium Jacket, and North Face insulated Cargo Pants.  I can pretty much stay warm and not hot in any temperature with that set up. If it gets hot, I unzip the pit zips in the Beryllium Jacket and leg zips in the Cargo Pants and I cool down quickly. I use the Backcountry Inbounds leather ski gloves treated with NikWax, no issues there.  I wear ultra thin Wigwam socks, the key to a good boot fit.

I also wear an old style Briko Forerunner Helmet with is vented on the top.  Very warm and if I get hot, I open the top vent. 

If her feet are getting cold, her boots may be too big.  Most skiers buy boots that are at least one size too big and over tighten them, cutting off the circulation to the feet.  That's why skiers get cold feet, even though they are wearing a boot insulated enough to literally climb Everest in.

Edited by morgan1590 - 11/13/09 at 5:12pm

 Gotta weigh in about Icebreaker, too.  Worth every cent (and it's many cents).  Also suggest Swany Toaster mittens with handwarmers put inside - makes a big difference for my wife.

Wool base, down/fleece mid layers, and a newfangled fartbag. 

And mitts and Intuitions.  Then hot cocoa and schnapps.

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/TNF3502/The-North-Face-Shugga-One-Piece-Snow-Suit-Womens.html

I'd post this same question over on TGR. They'd have much more betterer answers.


Also - it's kinda hard to zero in on the problem without nekkid pix.

 What's TGR?

 Oh, this should be good...  (Jer is giving you some hints at what the maggots would be asking).

I asked my wife. She used to get cold all the time. But last couple of years we cured her. She said it has something to do with moving to UT. You should try that.

Jewelry, liquor (in moderation), and housecleaning.

And not hitting on her friends.

This ought to get her hot. 

Best advice from someone who knows....

Tomato-Grape Relish.  Excellent on grilled halibut.

 Patagonia Down sweater or one of those excellent vests suggested. Expedition weight base layer.. Patagonia or Hot Chillys..Don't go near TGR with this....