Mid layer question

[Eve Alexandra]

I was at REI tonight and noticed several pieces similar to this link. Why yes, I did take my kitchen scale with me, and I can report that this item weighs less than a thin fleece quarter zip. But I have no idea how warm they are on a cold morning or post walk chill. Are they a decent mid layer assuming you have a baselayer under it and a lightweight shell over it on a very cold morning or in an unheated albergue in mid March?

REI Co-op Active Pursuits Quarter-Zip 2.0 Shirt - Men's | REI Co-op

With a new softer feel, the men's REI Co-op Active Pursuits 2.0 quarter-zip shirt is ideal for cool-weather workouts: warm before and after; breathable and wicking so you don't overheat during.

www.rei.com

 

[Rick M]

Good question. I like the full zip fleece hoodies, rather than the quarter zip style, but that's just me. The first one I took was too light for an early April camino. Even with a base layer, a long sleeve shirt, the fleece hoodie, and my rain jacket, I was cold some days when I stopped moving. I replaced it with a heavier hoodie (looks the same, but heavier cloth) for my later caminos, and that combo is just right. With a long sleeve base T-Shirt, a long sleeve polyester "sweater" which is really just a heavy-ish shirt, my trusty hoodie, and a rain jacket, I'm comfortable down to -5C, which is colder than you are likely to see.

Hard to know anything about that particular fleece without feeling it, but you are on the right track. Make sure you have a long sleeve shirt (not your base layer, wear that too) to go under it, and a rain jacket on top, and you should be fine. Its about layers. When assessing the weight of any particular layer, you have to think about it in conjunction with everything else in the pack. A very light fleece will be fine if you have a warm long sleeve as well. If your long sleeve is not very warm, a heavier fleece will be needed.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

Good question. I like the full zip fleece hoodies, rather than the quarter zip style, but that's just me. The first one I took was too light for an early April camino. Even with a base layer, a long sleeve shirt, the fleece hoodie, and my rain jacket, I was cold some days when I stopped moving. I replaced it with a heavier hoodie (looks the same, but heavier cloth) for my later caminos, and that combo is just right. With a long sleeve base T-Shirt, a long sleeve polyester "sweater" which is really just a heavy-ish shirt, my trusty hoodie, and a rain jacket, I'm comfortable down to -5C, which is colder than you are likely to see.

Hard to know anything about that particular fleece without feeling it, but you are on the right track. Make sure you have a long sleeve shirt (not your base layer, wear that too) to go under it, and a rain jacket on top, and you should be fine. Its about layers. When assessing the weight of any particular layer, you have to think about it in conjunction with everything else in the pack. A very light fleece will be fine if you have a warm long sleeve as well. If your long sleeve is not very warm, a heavier fleece will be needed.

Thank you. This helps. I took a fleece on my first Camino (mid March), and ended up shipping it back. It was both too warm and weighed a ridiculous amount. Then a week later I needed something so I picked up a half zip. It was a little bit of a “three bears” situation “this one is too hot this one’s not hot enough.” But I’ve never looked at a layering system in terms of 4 layers; I’ve only ever done a merino baselayer, mid layer and shell, but my backpacking experience in cold weather is limited to that one Camino. Is 4 the norm?

The piece I linked isn’t a fleece. It’s some sort of tech fabric, which got me wondering if tech fabric is an alternative to a fleece if it’s meant to be a warm piece.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

On my spring Caminos I have always used 3-layers; wicking t-shirt, quarter zip fleece, and a poly filled puff jacket. The t-shirt is perfect for when the weather turns warm, but also serves as a great base layer to keep my fleece cleaner for much longer.

 

[Eve Alexandra]

On my spring Caminos I have always used 3-layers; wicking t-shirt, quarter zip fleece, and a poly filled puff jacket. The t-shirt is perfect for when the weather turns warm, but also serves as a great base layer to keep my fleece cleaner for much longer.

Does your puff jacket also work as a rain shell, or would that be a 4th layer?

 

[jtc89]

Is a base layer of long sleeve wool, long sleeve shirt and gore-tex unlined jacket enough for April 1 Sarria to Santiago?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Does your puff jacket also work as a rain shell, or would that be a 4th layer?

No, sorry it does not. I forgot to mention that I use a FroggTogg rain jacket as I've needed it very infrequently.
That said, I've not needed to layer up all 4 items at the same time..

 

[Eve Alexandra]

Is a base layer of long sleeve wool, long sleeve shirt and gore-tex unlined jacket enough for April 1 Sarria to Santiago?

Kinda depends on how cold you run. When I was in Galicia in late March (2017) I was fine with a merino baselayer and a rain jacket (marmot precip) but I also am often in short sleeves when others are bundled up. If you run even a little bit cold I’d add a more traditional mid layer of some sort.

 

[PilgrimPillar]

My mid layer for years now is a skiing vest….alternative is a runners vest….serves me well and is functional by far…..

Ultreia

I was at REI tonight and noticed several pieces similar to this link. Why yes, I did take my kitchen scale with me, and I can report that this item weighs less than a thin fleece quarter zip. But I have no idea how warm they are on a cold morning or post walk chill. Are they a decent mid layer assuming you have a baselayer under it and a lightweight shell over it on a very cold morning or in an unheated albergue in mid March?

REI Co-op Active Pursuits Quarter-Zip 2.0 Shirt - Men's | REI Co-op

With a new softer feel, the men's REI Co-op Active Pursuits 2.0 quarter-zip shirt is ideal for cool-weather workouts: warm before and after; breathable and wicking so you don't overheat during.

www.rei.com

 

[Eve Alexandra]

My mid layer for years now is a skiing vest….alternative is a runners vest….serves me well and is functional by far…..

Ultreia

This question will show my complete ignorance of all things skiing, but what is your ski vest made of? Or a runner’s vest?

 

[Rick M]

But I’ve never looked at a layering system in terms of 4 layers; I’ve only ever done a merino baselayer, mid layer and shell, but my backpacking experience in cold weather is limited to that one Camino. Is 4 the norm?

It is for me. If you walked in March before (unless you were very lucky?) you know that you can set off in the morning with frost on the ground, and its 18C by lunch time. I certainly experienced this in April. To have the most flexibility, I like to wear everything I'm carrying for the coldest day, and peel it off one layer at a time as the sun heats up. I also need a combo for a 5C morning, and another for a 10C morning, you get them all over the course of a month.

My original hoodie was a "Tech" material piece. Very light, looked cool, indestructible, but not warm enough. They are all different, and I now make sure I try everything in the temperature range I want to use it in. Harder for you to do that ahead of time!

 

[Eve Alexandra]

It is for me. If you walked in March before (unless you were very lucky?) you know that you can set off in the morning with frost on the ground, and its 18C by lunch time. I certainly experienced this in April. To have the most flexibility, I like to wear everything I'm carrying for the coldest day, and peel it off one layer at a time as the sun heats up. I also need a combo for a 5C morning, and another for a 10C morning, you get them all over the course of a month.

My original hoodie was a "Tech" material piece. Very light, looked cool, indestructible, but not warm enough. They are all different, and I now make sure I try everything in the temperature range I want to use it in. Harder for you to do that ahead of time!

It was definitely a cold March. 6 inches of snow plus sleet and ice on the way out of O Ceb. I was good with a heavy merino top and my Marmot precip. Except for my hands. My gloves were not warm enough. I had heavy socks on over them and still had cold hands. Better gloves are on my list for next time.