Of the many popular snow sports which winter offers to those who value exercise and exploration in the natural world in cold temperatures, snowshoeing requires some very particular considerations in terms of the layering concept to adjust to weather conditions safely and comfortably.
When you’ve got your snowshoes and you’re ready to delve into the season of solace, choose your clothing wisely to better enjoy the experience. First, strap your snow shoes onto your boots indoors so you know exactly how they will fit. If you’re just starting out at this you don’t want to be fumbling around with the bindings and straps with naked fingers or you might get turned off before you even begin. After you start trekking on top of the snow pack you’ll warm up and soon you won’t even be thinking about the cold but rather the quiet, secret beauty that wintry weather offers.
LAYERING
So the first key to dressing for snowshoeing is layering your clothing to avoid overheating. In employing a layering system, your goal is to stay warm, be comfortable, and have the ability to add and subtract clothing articles to adapt to conditions. Carrying more than you think you’ll need in case of emergency is integral in learning how to dress for cold weather. So pack those extra layers with you, which these days are getting more and more light weight, while still retaining the ability to keep you warm
Soon after I begin walking, I stop and make a determination of whether I need to take a layer off or not. I seldom need to put on another layer unless it’s toward the end of the trek and the suns dipped beyond the ridges or the temperature has suddenly dropped. Even at night, I usually need to remove something after I’ve been trucking a little bit. But I’m a bit of a sweat-hog not unlike Kevin Youkilis, the tenacious infielder for the Boston Red Sox. The point is to know your body and adjust accordingly when you heat up or cool down.
The first time I ever went snow shoeing was the back side of Stratton in Vermont. It was a frigid day so I bundled way up to be warm enough standing still. I wore jeans under my ski pants plus way too many layers (starting with cotton) and was soaked in no time which greatly reduced the pleasantness of the journey. Therefore it’s vital to understand what specific types of fabrics to layer for optimum comfort and safety which is covered in How to Dress for Snowshoeing Part 2 – Layering Specifics.
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