When I worked on the North Slope, layering was the 'in' thing.  Start with silk long johns, top and socks then some of the 'Thinsulate' garments.  The US Military, as I'm sure the Canadian, has seen the light and has some pretty decent stuff.  Down, of course, is still the best but not under all conditions - which brings up that age-old question.  Which weighs more, a pound of Goose down or a pound of Duck?.

If you need good gloves, try HESTRA - they have some good workstuff. And I'm very contend with their skigloves - they always kept me warm and dry!

Goodly morning all...

Steve having flown most of Canada and the United States for more than five decades I found this out.

Flying in Northern Ontario and the Artic the weather is a much drier cold.  It is not as damp as the weather in Southern Ontario especially around the Great Lakes.

It is the dampness that really gets to you.

Minus forty celsius was the norm in winter and being in Southern Ontario was much more uncomfortable than being in the North.

One will see the northern lads snowmobiling, skiing, skating etc. etc. with perhaps a winter jacket and in jeans where as in the south we all put on snowmobile suits, different types of winter undergarmets, insulated jeans etc. etc.

Layering is a good idea but once you start to perspire you are beat as your undergarmets are usually wet by then.
When travelling in a land vehicle or light aircraft, wait for the heat to start coming through and then remove some layers before starting off.
It may take a little longer but much more comfortable in the long run.

Check out some winter garmet sites as the clothing now for civilian use is just as good as what the military use.

Remember you only get what you pay for also.
Shop around...

I do think they have better clothing now but back in the 50s and 60s I knew Police Constables who would wear ladies pantyhose under their uniform as they would keep out the wind and were much warmer than thermal underwear....

Just some comments I thought about...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

expat wrote on Nov 27^th, 2010 at 9:32am:


Thanks Matt, the Keela gear looks fantastic. Now only if they had some stores on this side of the pond. I hesitate to buy these online because I can't try them on first. If I could find Keela around here I would certainly give them a try.

With fingers and toes, the idea is be able to move them.  If you need fingered gloves, wear a pair of silk inside - nothing tight.  When I flew in the winter, I wore Indian made mukluks with mouton (lambswool) socks - furry side in.  My outer gloves were wolf fur mitts with rabbit lining - inside the mitts, fingered gloves with silk liners.  The mitts were on a harness so I could knock them off and not have to look for them later  .