Mountaineering - Page 4

Mountaineering clothes for thin air

We were born on a rock, so this is the category we have the least patience for getting wrong. Mountaineering clothes have to work as a system rather than a set of separate garments. A base layer moves moisture off the skin fast enough that you are not standing on a belay in a wet shirt. A mid layer traps warm air without adding bulk you have to fight through on a reach. The shell over the top blocks wind and weather while still letting vapour out, because a jacket that keeps rain off and sweat in has only solved half the problem. Cut matters as much as fabric up here. Articulated sleeves and a longer back hem keep everything in place when your arms go overhead, hoods fit over a helmet rather than under it, and pockets sit clear of a harness and hipbelt. Face fabrics are chosen to survive rock, rope and crampon points rather than a commute. For the full men's range, start with our men's mountaineering clothing and equipment.

Jackets, layers and kit above the snowline

Insulation is where the real decisions get made. Down gives you the most warmth for the least weight and packs down to nothing, which is why it lives in a summit jacket, but it needs to stay dry to work. Synthetic keeps insulating when it is damp and shrugs off the cold, wet conditions a British winter specialises in, so it earns its place as the layer you actually climb in. Many people carry both and use them for different parts of the day. Below that, think about what you are carrying it all in: a climbing pack wants a narrow profile that does not catch on rock, ice axe attachments that work with gloves on, and a stripped-back lid you can operate one-handed. Mountaineering shoes with soles stiff enough to kick steps, socks that stay put inside them, and a cap that sits under a helmet round out the kit. Size everything with your layers on rather than without them. For everything on the women's side, our women's mountaineering clothing and equipment covers the same ground.