Question:
I'm planning on doing some amatuer astronomy this winter, which
involves driving to the middle of nowhere in northern New Enlgand (VT,
ME, NH) to get away from the streetlights, and standing stock still
for hours on end all night long.
I'm gonna need cold weather gear to do this, and I don't have a lot of
money to blow, so a nice set of Filson mackinaws is out of the
equation, as is "Expedition Level" gear from the neon-goretex set. A
Carhartt Arctic coat & bib is $180 or so from Sears, while the
Timberland 4-in-1 coat and 2-in-1 pants are a bit more... $220 for the
combo.
Is the teflon coating and removeable lining worth the extra expense?
Does anyone have one and wish they had the other? I will be using
polypro long johns and "fleece" sweats as the first and second layers
beneath (generic stuff from Campmor). Will I need more layers with one
or the other?
Answer:
If you are going to be standing still Carhartt is overkill. Carhartt is
durable work clothing. Find a down jacket on sale. Get some of those
chemical heaters you can put in your pockets and boots. Wal-mart sells
them.
I'm viciously allergic to down. Windproof + insulated is key... hence
Carhartt and/or Timberland. They cost about as much as snowboarder
stuff, only it looks warmer, will last a few years, won't get ripped
up when setting up/breaking down camp and telescope, and they come in
big sizes. It will also shed water if I need to work in wet snow for
whatever reason. They're also less than half the price of expedition
level cold weather stuff.
As for the boots, I take an odd size (EEEEEE width, 9 long, 13 wide)
so I'm looking at insulated overboots and really nice socks with my
workboots rather than a dedicated winter boot.
Have you considered a snowmobile suit, looking on the web I quickly
found one for $210: http://www.bigmen.com/skiwear/snowsuit.html I know
the way they let the air move around inside keeps a person a lot warmer
than any two piece settup. I'm sure Carhartt also has the full
suit/coveralls.
Then for you feet, there are either of these: http://www.40below.com/
or http://www.overshoe.com/
