Why is it that when we go skiing, we’d never go out without our polypro (or other moisture wicking fiber) underlayer, then layer(s) of synthetic fleece, then one or more layers of nylon, treated with the latest and greatest “moisture management” (Gortex or some other) system, yet on cold construction sites, about the only thing you see is cotton? When it gets even colder most of the folks I know just put an extra sweatshirt or two (usually cotton) on under our Carhartts. Is there a reason for this or am I just working with a bunch of synthetic fiber technophobes?
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I wear a lot of wool and polyfibres.
I think it has something to do with what the sell at Walmart and knowing that ypou are going to snag rip your work clothes, or get adhesive or paint or tar all over them so you go cheap.
I know that if someone proposed me taking my good parka out to the job, I'd wrap them up in Saran wrap and stick'em in the freezer for a quick snack later. First thing I would do is tear out a sleeve or get PL Premium on it.
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Good point. When I was strictly doing framing I'd look around at my crew somedays and just shake my head. I wear a layer of expedition weight polypro long underwear with a zip turtleneck. Carhartts over the bottoms is usually enough. On top of the polypro turtleneck upper I throw on a Duofold wool/synthetic longjohn top. I top that off with a hoodie sweatshirt, sometimes two. I realize that the sweatshirt is the weakest link, so I always have a couple of extra sweatshirts in the truck.
Any colder than that and I bust out the Carhart insulated overalls.
I shake my head when I see guys with their regular old workboots on in spring slush. I usually bust out the insulated Columbia's with rubber lowers and leather/Goretex uppers.
Hands......well I do whatever I can. If I have to wear gloves I've had very good luck with $20 Neoprene gloves from Gemplar's.
Someday I'm going to invest in a full Goretex rainsuit like I had in the Marines. That suit was absolutely flawless. You'd think I'd be able to justify it by now.
Wool wins and cotton kills.
For gloves, go to a bike shop or check with http://www.campmor.com or http://www.nashbar.com for polypro glove liners. These are quite thin knit gloves designed to fit under cycling gloves. They're cheap (about $6 a pair) and are designed to let you do "finger work" (eg, change a bike tire) while wearing them, but they're amazingly warm (much warmer than the thin cotton glove liners sold at building supply stores).
They do tend to snag fairly badly, but at the price that's not a big problem.
I keep a pair stuffed in the pockets of all my jackets. They're so compact they don't get in the way.
IMHO, you can take this for what it is worth as I'm in Florida and anything below 55F I call cold, a set or two of polypro underwear is one of the best investments out there. Even the Wally World variety is decent. At something like $25 a set. Top, bottom and liner socks give good coverage, they will last a few years. I also have a poly baklava and glove liners that substantially increase protection of the extremities.
Even in relative warmth I often wear the bottoms under jeans in rainy weather. The thin poly keeps the soaked cotton off the skin making them warmer, more comfortable and less likely to chafe.
A few years ago cheap poly fleece hit the discount stores. Tops for $10 and bottoms at $15 even the help can afford to get a few sets. These make a grand middle layer. When I saw these I got a couple of sets for work, and two sets for home. Much better than the old cotton sweatshirt and pants for lounging.
Carharts are good as long as they don't get wet. Gortex is the way when it is raining and I'm not likely to tear the outer layer up loading strut. For rough situations I keep a yellow PVC rain set handy. These have been patched many times, are still water tight but they don't breath. Polypro underwear, fleece and a wind stopping outer and I'm good in a steady 20 mph wind, 33F and misting rain.
I keep a set, mostly complete, on the truck all the time. All these fit in a medium stuff sack behind the seats. It raises a few eyebrows when the thermometer hovers around 100F in August. At least until I get a service call to repair wiring in a freezer at -10F with a blower running. Who says Florida can't be cold.
"IMHO, you can take this for what it is worth as I'm in Florida and anything below 55F I call cold, a set or two of polypro underwear is one of the best investments out there."
55 F I am wearing shorts !On a hill by the harbour
What do you do when it is 102F with 100% humidity and not a lick of breeze?
I usually take off my parka and enjoy the heat. LOL.
It is all relative. Given a month or two of cold I adapt. Down here we do get temperatures in the 30s, 20s at night, once in a while. Sometimes as long as a week. Then it will pop up to the 50s.
The cold here is also wet, windy and miserable when it gets cold. I once lived where there was snow and in direct sun without wind I was fairly comfortable in a tee shirt. Temperature was below freezing.
"
What do you do when it is 102F with 100% humidity and not a lick of breeze?"
I try not to move too much & make sure there is someone to serve me cold beer.
On a hill by the harbour
LOL
Even when I lived in Florida for three years, I never wore long handles. Didn't know they sold them there. I considered 55 degrees a nice comfortable working weather.
don't break out the longhandles until it gets below twenty unless the wind comes up
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Possibly my problem is genetic. My father is cold sensitive also. He also has Wide, like a duck, feet that help in Florida swamps. Family goes back in Florida for generations.
I'm more a mutt. After a week or two of continuos exposure to cold I usually adapt to cold weather. Not quite as well as some of the more northern families with antifreeze for blood but with four or five layers I get along. Buying boots is also a lot easier. My feet may be cloven but otherwise relatively normal in width.
I do have thicker long johns, a mix of poly and wool but mostly I use the thin polypropylene. Thin enough to breath if things get warm but quite warm when sealed under another layer or two. Got all my work polypro at the local big boxes.
I can do 55F in jeans, tee and flannel as long as I have a steady supply of moderately hard work. Light digging or framing for instance. Shade, misting rain and a stiff breeze changes the calculous. Electrical work, service work, is more fiddly than strenuous. At times an hour or more with little more than fingers moving. Often kneeling in the mud.
IMHO polypropylene is great. The long underwear and fleece, I have a couple of high end camping sets, even when soaked can be wrung out, given a good shake and put back on. The remaining moisture will dry with body heat. Went camping with temps at a steady 30F and rain. Fell in the river several times. Had I tried this with cotton I would have been in serious trouble. With poly I was protected and in another hour fairly warm. A small camp fire helped the last time.
Which brings up the only real problem with this stuff. It will melt and burn. I wash and dry mine with my regular clothes. If I forget it in the drier a poly top will convert itself into a small blue ball that while being quite entertaining, cats love them, is of little utility as clothing.
I wonder if there is something to that about genetic makeup and adaptation for cold. My wife's family is from here for generations and before that from the UK as fishermen.
They have a generous supply of that soft outer layer just under the skin that makes for round chubby faces. Plumbers cracks see all kinds of weather, and flannel shirts with a sweatshirt seems to be all they need until the temps get down below zero with a north wind blowing.
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Hi Pif
Here in Vermont, wool is probably the most popular.
I tend to itch, so I wear Capilene (works great.)
I always wear the oldest, beat up pants and sweatshirt I have on top.
I buy them cheap at Kmart.
Since I'm sure to put holes and cuts in them, this works great.
Once, using a big sander with a wire wheel in it, I caught the sweatshirt in it.
What a mess (of the sweatshirt), but not me (and that was the important part).
It was summer, but I knew I might need some protection.
Went to the truck and grabbed another, kept working.
Jeff
Difference for me is A) I'm not gonna tear up my expensive clothing on a jobsite and B) when I climb, and at 12k feet in winter, I cannot go over to the pickup and get a dry sweatshirt. At work, I can.