What do you wear skiing at -26 degree Celsius (-14.8 degreeFahrenheit)

I skied yesterday quite comfortably at -26 degree, albeit my
polypropylene/wool base layer was getting moist. This was the first
time I skied below -20 deg Celsius

This morning it was even colder, at -30 degree Celsius.

I am interested to learn from those who regularly skied in this
extreme cold temperature as to what they wear

.... Mike

On Jan 16, 8:41*am, mike wrote:
I skied yesterday quite comfortably at -26 degree, albeit my
polypropylene/wool base layer was getting moist. * This was the first
time I skied below -20 deg Celsius

This morning it was even colder, at -30 degree Celsius.

I am interested to learn from those who regularly skied in this
extreme cold temperature as to what they wear

... Mike

See the FasterSkier video:
http://www.fasterskier.com/racing6005.html

On Jan 16, 11:41*am, mike wrote:
I skied yesterday quite comfortably at -26 degree
I am interested to learn from those who regularly skied in this extreme cold temperature as to what they wear

I liked the FasterSkier video, reminds me how tough I'm not!

The interesting thing about that is that there are folks w/ abnormal
thermostats, that seem to be too hot in this kind of weather with just
a tee shirt on.

I can ski (usually choosing classic) in this type of cold if my feet
and thumbs stay warm. I usually wear a balaclava of some sort with a
hat over it, maybe earmuffs or earbags. A few Craft shirts, fleece
vest and lightweight Swix jacket for my upper body; windbriefs, Craft
long underwear bottoms and the heavier Swix pants w/ the windproof
fronts. Toko lobster mitts, a mid-weight sock and the Salomon
bootwarmers complete the look.

It is important to stay hydrated and fueled in this weather, but count
on your bottle to freeze quickly. The balaclava gets pulled up over
mouth & nose to pre-warm the air you breathe - lung burn ain't
pleasant!

- Bob

Originally Posted by mike

I skied yesterday quite comfortably at -26 degree, albeit my
polypropylene/wool base layer was getting moist. This was the first
time I skied below -20 deg Celsius

This morning it was even colder, at -30 degree Celsius.

I am interested to learn from those who regularly skied in this
extreme cold temperature as to what they wear

.... Mike

Anything under -15 Celsius, I dress the same regardless if it -18 or -40. Usually from top to bottom it goes like this....

-Regular ski toque and Buff covering ears and chin (a buff is a must for all x-c skiers IMO)
-Vaseline for places where Buff isn't
-Craft top, snug/ but thin Louis Garneau vest, Swix warm-up jacket
-Craft wind briefs, Frank Shorter long underwear, Swix warm-ups
-I have chronically cold hands so I have Swix lobster claw gloves and for ultra-cold I have home made 100% fleece over mitts that cut the wind and stay warm
-My feet never get cold skiing (kinda wierd) so I wear regular white socks, the same I'd wear in the summer.

The key for me is having warm hands before I start skiing, if my hands don't get cold, my body won't.

for racing - craft windstopper top and bottom, Sporthill top and
bottom on top and bottom. Lobster gloves. Balaclava. A wool hat on
top.

On Jan 16, 11:41*am, mike wrote:
I skied yesterday quite comfortably at -26 degree, albeit my
polypropylene/wool base layer was getting moist. * This was the first
time I skied below -20 deg Celsius

This morning it was even colder, at -30 degree Celsius.

I am interested to learn from those who regularly skied in this
extreme cold temperature as to what they wear

... Mike

Living in Lake Placid, we get this weather alot- especially if you
have to ski in the mornings only, due to having to work afternoons...
At -15 F I wear:
same sox and boots as usual
windbriefs
Terinit full zip bib-pants (these have some cotton teri material
inside... I don't wear long underwear or tights, etc...)
a tank Undie shirt (d'feet)
an EMS or similar ~3/8" thick "fleece" type ski top
Yoko Classic gloves (down to about 0 F I would wear Yoko long fingered
mtn bike gloves)
ear mitts (my MUST HAVE piece of clothing!)
normal hat
I LOVED the video on faster skier!!!! Too many races where people
travel LONG, LONG distances are cancelled because it is a little
brisk... As skiers we have always just adapted to the conditions and
raced accordingly... and having been a volunteer many times in brutal
cold....it is pretty darn easy to just wear the appropriate
clothing!!!!
Rand

On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:04:56 -0800 (PST), rwintski
wrote:

Yoko Classic gloves (down to about 0 F I would wear Yoko long fingered
mtn bike gloves)

WTF! Yoko Classic's are a mild temp ski glove.

Most people should not follow your example.

On Jan 19, 6:31*pm, John Forrest Tomlinson
wrote:
On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:04:56 -0800 (PST), rwintski

wrote:
Yoko Classic gloves (down to about 0 F I would wear Yoko long fingered
mtn bike gloves)

WTF! *Yoko Classic's are a mild temp ski glove.

Most people should not follow your example.

WTF indeed...Interesting to see how differently we handle cold weather
- I have to wear leather choppers with liners when it's well below
zero F or my fingers freeze. Ditto feet - I use my old, heavy, Salomon
overboots and even then my toes get cold after about 1-1/2 hours and I
quit. Some wear stuff that would cook me. The balaclava, for example,
I detest - clogs my mouth, gets all scuzzy, I only resort to a light
nylon face cover when the wind is blowing directly on my face at well
below zero F temp's, and that most often when skiing on the open lake.
We ski in whatever we find outside - I think -30F is the coldest I
recall (and that's classic only - recall last year's similar
discussion) and in those cases I wear usual wind briefs, heavy poly
long underwear, my regular Craft wind-proof bottoms, usual long
sleeved Patagonia mid weight underwear top, usual Sporthill top, and
either a wind-proof insulated vest or this year my dandy new EMS
jacket, and a hat that covers ears, sometimes light earmuffs. Even at
cold temp's I unzip at the neck and pits after about 30 minutes -
could not stand those neck wraps.

On Jan 20, 7:11*am, polarpoler wrote:
On Jan 19, 6:31*pm, John Forrest Tomlinson
wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:04:56 -0800 (PST), rwintski

wrote:
Yoko Classic gloves (down to about 0 F I would wear Yoko long fingered
mtn bike gloves)

WTF! *Yoko Classic's are a mild temp ski glove.

Most people should not follow your example.

Fer sure!!!!! Everyone is different and since the original poster
just was asking what do people wear... I would not suggest following
my example. When I wasn't so fat, anything above 0 F and sunny was
fair game for me to sometimes ski in only tall knee sox/boots, hat and
gloves (unfortunately there are pictures, but luckily for everyone- I
got fat, so no more naked skiing). I also remember 5 years ago or so
when my late doctor, Dr. David "energizer bunny" Thomashow- who I
often trained with, saw me skiing at VanHo at about -15 F with no
gloves (only because I had forgotten them, not because I like skiing
that way usually :-P It wasn't that bad unless I stopped for long...

WTF indeed...Interesting to see how differently we handle cold weather

- I have to wear leather choppers with liners when it's well below
zero F or my fingers freeze. Ditto feet - I use my old, heavy, Salomon
overboots and even then my toes get cold after about 1-1/2 hours and I
quit. Some wear stuff that would cook me. The balaclava, for example,
I detest - clogs my mouth, gets all scuzzy, I only resort to a light
nylon face cover when the wind is blowing directly on my face at well
below zero F temp's, and that most often when skiing on the open lake.
We ski in whatever we find outside - I think -30F is the coldest I

The coldest I have skied here in Lake Placid was -40F, back in March
of 1993.
At those temps I add:
a headband- which I use as a scarf (it is nice... no ends, and it is
not on my mouth/face... I HATE that!)
I might use my Yoko Arctics, or my Saranac leather palmed mittens (are
they made anymore???- what a great mitten!) I really only use my
Arctics when others are wet... they are too hot most of the time.
a jacket/windbreaker layer- preferably lined with mesh type material
long underwear bottoms or tights of some sort under the terinit bib-
pants

recall (and that's classic only - recall last year's similar
discussion) and in those cases I wear usual wind briefs, heavy poly
long underwear, my regular Craft wind-proof bottoms, usual long
sleeved Patagonia mid weight underwear top, usual Sporthill top, and
either a wind-proof insulated vest or this year my dandy new EMS
jacket, and a hat that covers ears, sometimes light earmuffs. Even at
cold temp's I unzip at the neck and pits after about 30 minutes -
could not stand those neck wraps.

I agree- most of the time (99%) I like my neck zip open- can't stand
moisture build up... which is why I hated skiing the times I grew a
beard or moustache- freezing up and then pulling on the hairs when you
smile or move your face... yuck!

Happy trails, all!! and stay warm