Expedition Mountain Climbing Gear Review and Gear Recommendations

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Expedition Mountain Climbing Gear Review & Gear Recommendations

When you begin the physical training process for your first or next Mountain Climbing Expediton to one of the Continental 7 Summits or to one of the 13 or so 8000 meter global mountain summits, it's also the best time to start exploring and checking out the gear that you are going to take with you. Once you have researched the critical gear items that you are going to be wearing most of the time during the extreme cold weather conditions, you should buy it and take it for a few test drives in as cold of conditions that you can find in your local geography if possible.

The worst thing you can do is to read someones gear review on the Internet about an item, buy it and then pack it for the trip without wearing it several times well ahead of time. It is extremely important to put some wear time on the new mitts for example, so that you can get an inkling to see whether they are going to work for the thermal regulation system in "your" body. This is important because well over 60% of people in the U.S. for example, have issues related to blood circulation and blood flow, caused by various reasons(i.e. herdity, age, disease and so forth).

As a manufacturer of 100% of the mittens that we sell, manufactured right here in the United States, our opinion of the most important factors for selecting a pair of Winter mitts are as follows:

Since the "bottom" side of your hand has twice as many "sweat pores" as does the top side of your hand, you need to understand that the bottom of your hand disapates twice as much heat as does the top side. Therefore, it is extremely important that you have a mitt that has at least equal and adequate insulation on the bottom side as it does on the top side and that you also have an exceptional Thermal R-Value of Insulation on both sides.(At mimimum it should be in excess of an R-7.0 for temperatures to -15F to -20F and a minimim of R-10.0 for enduring temperatures in excess of -50F) The sad part is, is that even a goose down insulated mitt is only going to give you perhaps an R-5.0 on the top side and maybe an R-3.0 on the bottom side. By having equalized insulation on both sides of a mitt, combined with adequate thickness of non-compressible insulating materails, will them help to minimize conductive heat loss that occurs when you grip a frozen object, which is magnified with most Winter Mitts because they're only built with about 1/3 the thickness on the bottom side of the mitt, which is done on purpose so that you can easily bend and flex the mitt like a hand puppet. These mitts also generally use compressible type insulating materials within the shell, which are very poor for preventing conductive heat loss, but are great for enhancing flexibility of the mitt. Further, mitten manufacturers that use some of better known, but not necessarily the best insulating materials like thinsulate, thermolite, thermoloft, primaloft and others, generally "skimp" on an acceptable gram weight of insulation that the mitts "should" be built with and they do this to cut costs and make more profit. So in some cases you "may" find one of these mitts that appears to be somewhat equal in thickness, however because of the compression type insulation materials they are using for better flexibility inside of the mitt is not going to be thick enough to prevent "conductive hear loss when you grip a frozen object, nor are they going to give you and acceptable thermal insulation R-Value in the ranges that we suggested above.
The second most important factor in selecting a mitt, is exceptional moisture wicking capability. If the inner layer of a mitt that you are looking at only has a layer that surrounds your finger and hand area with a layer of fabric that is only as thick as the "cottton sheet for your bed", it's not going to keep up with the sweat and moisture that your hand generates. If you are an individual in the 60% or greater class that experiences blood circulation issues, this subject or factor is important to you. It is important because your body tries to pump as much blood as it can to your extremities when it is especially cold outside, which initially causes your hands to sweat profusely and then the moisture build-up and restricted blood flow causes them to cool off and eventually to get very cold or frozen. Poor wicking capability, which is the case with most mitts ends up causing frozen fingers.
The third most important thing that you want from a good or excellent Winter Mitten, is one that is built with a 100% "thermal" windblocking outer shell, that also provides water resistance and breathability. Most Winter Mitts that are built for extreme cold weather conditions, are built using a Nylon type base material for the outer shell. Nylon fabrics will do a decent job in providing water resistance to the internal construction of a mitt and if they are of a "ripstop" construction will handle punchures without tearing, but, that is where their value ends. Nylon fabrics do an extremely poor job in providing any breathabilty to the trapped moisture within the inner shell of a mitt and that is because the pores of the fabric are built so tightly for providing adequate water resistance cabability. Nylon fabric's do have some positive impact in blocking the wind, but because they offer ZERO thermal insulation value, the cold air outside of the mitt through the forces of "convective heat loss" end up penetrating into the inner shell area of the mitt and start cooling the mitt off from the outside in. Think of putting on a thin nylon windbreaker jacket over your sweatshirt and walking outside when the temperature is -10F or greater outside, as compared to pulling on a 3/16" thick soft shell thermal windblocking jacket over your sweatshirt and then going out in the same temperatures, which senerio do "you think" is going to keep you warmer - longer? Technical Advantage Gear mitts "give you" that thermal windblocking jacket on the outside of your mitts and the rest like north face, marmot, outdoor research (OR) and others don't!
Fourth, a good or excellent Winter Mitt needs to have at least one device for cinching in the generated hand heat located either around the wrist, at the end of the hand entry area into the mitt, or both. If these assets are not available, the forces of convective heat loss will again occur in a chimney effect and the warm air around the hands and fingers will be replaced by the cool or cold air.

Summary:

Winter Mitts constructed for enhanced "DEXTARITY" generally offer:	POOR Conductive Heat Loss Protection POOR Overall Thermal Warmth because the Top Side is generally 2X times thicker then the Bottom Side of the Mitt.
The greater the "compressibility" of the Insulation materials built into a Winter Mitt, providing puppet show dextarity, provide:	Enhanced dextarity POOR Conductive Heat Loss Protection
Winter Mitts built with "sheet thin" internal shell moisture wicking fabric provide:	POOR Overall Moisture Wicking Capability, which is easily overwhelmed leading to chilled hands - faster!
Winter Mitts built with Nylon characteristic type fabric materials provide:	Generally excellent moisture/water resistance Average wind blocking capability depending on the pore structure of the fabric. POOR Breathability of the moisture build-up inside the inner shell layers of the mitt. POOR Convective Heat Loss Protection
Winter Mitts built without adequate equalization of insulation materials on both the top and bottom sides of the mitt provide:	POOR Conductive Heat Loss Protection POOR Overall Warmth for the hand and fingers for any extended period of time

So the question that you should be thinking about before near the summit of an 8000 meter mountain with windchilled temperatures somewhere between -60F to -100F below, "Was it more important to have a flexible mitt on this trip that led to a couple "black colored" frost bitten fingers, or should I have gone with the better insulated, correctly designed mitts that allowed me to also use my gloves inside of them so my fingers are alway covered mitts from Technical Advantage Gear?

Technical Advantage Gear Recommendations:

Mitts - Mittens

Prairie Snowstorm Mitts - Recommended User Range to -30F below zero - Thermal R-Value of Insulation R-7.15

The Prairie Snowstorm Winter Mittens pack a whopping thermal insulation value of R-7.15 on "both" the top and bottom sides of the mitts. Virtually no other mitt manufacturer in the World does this, nor do they equalize the amount of insulation material on both sides of the mitt. They put it all on the top side and in reality you need it on the bottom side of the mitts even more. As you can see from the picture, these mitts are generously sized so that you can use them inconjuction with your warning protective gloves on, so that your hands and fingers are always protected from the elements. These mitts also do a great job in minimizing conductive heat loss and with a pull on the wrist area shock cord with cord-loc, your convective heat loss is also minimized.

The outer shell of these mitts block out 100% of the wind, are DWR water resistant and breathable. The inner most layer that surrounds the hand offers superior thermal moisture wicking to help keep your hands warm and dry. The recommended temperature range of to -30F is based on our actual experience and testing, using the mitts without the addition of gloves on our fingers. With some type of thermal glove on your hands, you can easily extend the "minus" temperature range of use, but again that is going to be based on the individual thermal regulation system in your body. These mitts use an extremely durable outer shell technical fabric that will take the punishment, will not tear if punchered and are equipped with the toughest gripping material in the industry. And Please note, our recommended temperature range ratings on all of our gear is based on actual use by our field testers or ourselves and therefore we are not going to contrive fictitious user ranges like they do for example on Winter Boots. (for example the best boot ratings we've seen state "good to -150F", but we question where on Earth did they find somewhere for testing where the temperatures ever hit -150F below zero?) Click here for more information.....

Extreme Element Arctic Thermal Mitts with Built-in Thumb Loc Strap - Recommended User Range to -60F + below zero - Thermal R-Value of Insulation R-10.5

The Extreme Element Arctic Thermal Mitts were first tested in the Iditarod in temperature extremes to -60F below zero and were back again in the race the following year when a full blown blizzard trapped a dozen or more mushers on top of Rainy Pass for over 24 hours in wind chilled temperatures estimated to as cold as -100F below zero. The positive result was that mushers who wore our mitts and other gear items experienced zero frostbite, which was not the same story of the other mushers who didn't, as we were told by one of the mushers that was trapped in the conditions.

These Winter Expediton Grade Mittens are very time consumming to build, as we use a total of fourteen layers of technical fabrics, seven on top and seven on the bottom as pictured above, in building the finest pair of mitts on the planet. If you can get any other mitten manufacturer to show you a cross view cut away of their mitts and they have a better total layering package of technical fabrics and a higher Thermal R-Value of Insulation, then buy them instead. But you know what, you won't!

These mittens were designed and sized to be worn in conjuntion with thicker protective Winter grade insulating gloves. Although these mitts have less dextarity then a mitt built with compression type insulation, your overall hand use dextarity is still going to be excellent because when you need to do something with your fingers, you just pull them out of the mitt, do the task and then insert them back inside. The shock cording on the end of our mitts with the clip hooks will allow you to hook them to plastic loops supplied on most jacket sleeves, to keep them from falling on the ground, or from having to hold onto them when your gloved hand is outside of the mitt. The retractable "thumb loc" strap on the thumbs of these mitts also allow you to lock them to the handlebar of a dog sled, around the grips on your snow/ice walking poles or anywhere else that you want to secure your mitts to for more easily moving your hand in and our of the mitts without having to hold onto them.

The reality with Winter mitts, is that as the temperature continues to drop into the negative temperature ranges, it becomes harder for the human body to continue to sufficiently pump enough blood through the arteries and veins out to the limbs (hands & feet), to enable them to maintain a level of reasonable warmth. Therefore, if you can use a mitt that "thermally" blocks out 100% of the wind, offers incredible equalized thermal insulating R-values on both the top and bottom sides of the hand, has superior moisture wicking capability (the first 2 inner layers of our mitts offer superior thermal moisture wicking) and you can eliminate or minimize conductive and convective heat loss, then you have a fighting chance for keeping your hands warmer - longer. The other reality when the temperatures start driving past the -50F below zero mark, the secert that Iditarod mushers use is to insert a chemical hand warmer pack into the palm area inside of their protective glove and then they stick it back into the mitt. With this combination and the insulating layering system that we use, your hands in most cases are going to survive without frost bite when the temperatures are driving past the -90F plus temperature mark. The Iditarod mushers that used our mitts in the 2007 Iditarod proved this point while enduring the temperatures estimated to be as cold as -100F below during the early part of the race. So the question remains, use a mitt/glove system for that next Expediton or choose the dextarity built mitten and risk a few black fingers when all is said and done? If you want more product information on our Extreme Element Arctic Themal Mitts with Thumb Loc strap, then Click here for more information.....

Extreme Element Arctic Thermal Mitts w/Detachable Thumb Loc Straps - Hardfaced Outer Shell Layer - SIZE: Medium - Temp Range to -60F + below zero - Thermal R-Value of Insulation R-9.3

We designed and cut the patterns for these mitts, especially for our base of Female Sled Dog Musher customers, however this mitt is not just limited to mushing and not just to females either. We decided to strip off some of the goodies that we build into the other larger sized Extreme Element Arctic Mitts and at the same time work to enhance the bend flexibility and gripping slightly, without sacrficing much in the way of our standards for thermal insulating values built into both the top & bottom sides of our mitts. We took out a layer of technical fabric from both the top and bottom, however these mitts were still built using 12 total layers (6 top/6 bottom) and still pack a second to no one thermal insulation value of R-9.3. We also changed the outer shell layer to a technical fabric that has a hardfaced, yet fairly soft to the touch finish, which will further enhance abrasion resistance. The outer shell is of course thermally windblocking, DWR water repellent and has very good moisture vapor breathability. We've also included fully detachable thumb loc straps as some women don't like locking their mitts to the handlebar of their sled. To learn more about these great mitts, Click here for more information>>>>>

Neck Gaiters - Straight & Drop Pad

XWick 3.4TRH Expediton Windblocking Thermal Wicking Straight Neck Gaiter - Hardfaced Outer Shell Layer - Recommended Temperature Range to -80F + below zero

The XWick 3.4TRH Expediton Series Neck Gaiters are the hottest thing on the expedition and mountain climbing gear list of things to pack with you on your next trip to the summit. These neck gaiters are designed for high physical exertion activities where you require windblocking protection during the adventure, but you also need warmth during the rest periods and superb moisture wicking and transfer during the entire climbing segment or activity.

We build these units with a 3 layer technical fabric system, with the outer shell layer consisting of a soft feeling Thermal Windblocking Hardfaced abrasion reducing, DWR water repellent and breathable technical fabric. The mid-layer is a moderate mid-range synthetic polyester fabric that provides warmth without being overly hot. The inner layer next to the face and skin is a superior thermal wicking technical fabric that helps to moderate the overall warmth, yet does a great job in transfering the breath moisture away when the unit is pulled up over the mouth and nose.

The XWick 3.4TRH Expediton Series Neck Gaiters pack a combined thermal insulation value of R-3.4, perhaps the highest thermal value for neck gaiters in existence, but the combination and function of each of the three layers together allow it better regulate the heat, especially when your day is consisting of 70% or better of physical exertion as your climbing to the summit.

With the interesting stretch of the 3 technical fabrics and the design cut, we have been able to configure this as a "one size fits most unit". It also comes with our top edge pull tight built in shock cord and cord loc, for allowing you to lock it into any desired position on your face, while also sealing the heat in. How many major climbs to the summit will these units be taken on, we don't know for sure, but we're guessing many from different expeditions located around the globe. Click here for more information>>>>>

XWick 3.4TRH Expediton 1.4 Windblocking Thermal Wicking Drop Pad Neck Gaiter - Hardfaced Outer Shell Layer - Recommended Temperature Range to -80F + below zero

We've stretched the design and innovation limits with our latest entry of neck gaiter designs. In this case, we have further revolutionized the drop pad neck gaiter with our Expediton Series XWick 3.4 TRH Expedition 1.4 Windblocking Thermal Wicking Drop Pad Neck Gaiter, which is yet again in a class by itself. The XWick 3.4 TRH Expedition 1.4 is designed for the user that is under physical exertion better then 70% of the time in face biting cold temperatures, where you need to stay warm and protected from frostbite, but you also need better moisture transfer from the area around your mouth.

The 3.4 TR is the combined thermal insulation value of the entire gear unit, which is a Thermal R value of 3.4. The final alpha component of H again stands for the Hardfacing abrasion resistant finish on the outer shell layer fabric that we use for this neck gaiter. Although the outer shell fabric is hardfaced, it does have a soft feel to the hand and it does help to reduce the amount of blowing snow that could stick to it. The Expedition is the rating that we have given to this item based on how it regulates the heat, transfers moisture and protects the user from the extreme elements while under physical exertion. Finally, the 1.4 is the Drop Pad configuration on this gear unit, which is (1) one full drop pad in the front and an approximate 40% length drop pad in the rear.

Hats - Thermal Windblocking

Prairie Snowstorm Windblocking Thermal Beanie Style Hat - Recommended User Range to -40F below zero

We're putting these Technical Advantage Gear Beanie Hats on the recommended mountain climbing expedition gear list, not because they are available in 8 different colors, rather because a lot of climbers love this style of hat that pulls down over the tips of the ears and because this one also blocks out the piercing winds and does a great job of keeping your head warm with its 2 layer technical fabric design. They also besides being thermal windblocking, are also DWR water repellent for keeping the rain or wet snow from penetrating inside the hat, buy they are also breathable. We temperature rate this hat easily to -40F below zero and also believe that you will not find a hat anywhere that offers the same performance for the price that we sell it for. We also include a FREE hat gear bag with the purchase price as well. Click here for more information>>>>>

Windblocking Arctic Thermal Hat - Recommended User Range to -60F plus below zero

Our Windblocking Arctic Thermal Hat, based on the feedback from our field testers and other users that have taken them on extreme cold weather adventures, claim that this "is" the warmest hat on the Planet. We place a reasonable recommended user range of -60F plus below zero on this gear item, but quite honestly this hat will endure any extreme sub-zero temperature that you can physically stand and then some. This hat is built with our innovative 4 layer technical fabric layering system and it will stop anything that Mother Nature can throw out at you while on a climb to the summit or venturing across the endless rough ice terrain on a polar expedition.

The outer shell is 100% thermal windblocking, breathable and is DWR water resistant. This hat will not only out perform any nyloned shelled hat for thermally blocking out all of the wind, but it also minimizes convective heat loss and will take as much rain and mist moisture as the finest higher end technical nylon type fabrics can take and it still will keep the inner layers dry. The inner layer that surrounds the head is also thermal and highly moisture wicking, which is a feature that few other Winter grade expedition hats ever offer. This is an extreme temperature hat and it's designed to start wearing for the first time when the temperatures start dropping below zero, as warmer air temperatures and heavy exertion will probably cause your head to sweat.

The final caviot of this hat is that it will completely pull down over you ears and then the convective cold air flow can be sealed out with the pull tight shock cording and cord loc. At the same time, the shock cording when adjusted tighter will also keep the hat from being wind gusted off of your head or picked off by a tree branch etc. For those climbers that want a non-billed or brimmed Winter expedition grade hat, this is the one for you, bar none! Click here for more information....