The Best Value in Lightweight Winter Gear?

[Genkenx2]

Hey, I know there's several winter gear topics, but I'm looking for some specific ideas on building the least cumbersome and most price effective set of riding gear for cold weather (I figure like anywhere between 10-35 degrees).

What I have currently is:

Body: Thermal Top, whatever clothes I'm wearing, 2 Liners, Mesh Jacket.
Legs: Thermal Underwear, Jeans
Hands: $10 leather gloves from Burlington Coat Factory
Head: Helmet and a fleece Gaitor (covers chin, some of the neck).

my current issues are..

Body: pretty warm, but alot of bulk - how can I make my body area as warm/warmer but shed alot of the layers that I have? (For instance, my mesh jacket provides absolutely no isulation or wind resistance, but I'm not in the market to buy a $100+ leather jacket for the winter)

Legs: Just the jeans and long johns make my legs cold below 40 and at speed.

Hands: They get cold.. how can I heat these up better at the best value? (trying to stay under $30-40 for toasty hands)

Head: Fine with the gaitor for the current 38-40 weather, don't know how it will fair lower.. what's the best type of Balaclava to get (and by best I mean best value - quality and price balance)?

Any other feedback?

Thanks!

[Randy G]

Go to newenough and check out the closeout tour master jean riding pants, I bought a pair and you can use them as overpants over your jeans or wear them by themselves. They come with armor in the knees and hip padding. They are a steal at $39!! They are made for cool and cold weather riding, too hot for summer.
They also have winter gloves on closeout.

[md86]

Well , I layer up . And the outer layer is cheapy windbreaker stuff . Does WONDERS when it's chilly out .

[Genkenx2]

With a windbreaker how do you avoid becoming a driving parachute at higher speeds?

[ctandc]

What MD said. It's not about the high $$ stuff. I've been riding down to 34 degrees (temp when I left for work)

Legs: Jeans, with lined windbreaker pants over the top (They are Starter brand...like $15 from Walmart or some other department store)

They make a HUGE difference. Just jean + these over top was warmer than my thermal underwear with jeans over those.

Upper body: Coldweather mock turtleneck..like Underarmour. It's actually Remington brand, I use it for hunting. Like $16 at Walmart. Over that, a mock turtleneck long sleeve, t-shirt material. Then my mesh jacket w/ armor and liner.

Hands: MotoGP leather gloves. I need to go buy some cheap liners, as my fingertips get a bit cold.

HTH

Chris

[eviilil0ne]

get a windbreaker that fits decently and there wont be any parachute effect something with a tie around the bottom and just button it or zipper it all the way up .. i use a neoprene full head skimask and have little to no problems helmet gets a bit more snug .. but you will survive

[BLACKACIDEVIL]

I picked up some Faded Glory fleece lined carpenter jeans for $19.83 at Walmart the other day and they work really well.

[md86]

get a windbreaker that fits decently and there wont be any parachute effect something with a tie around the bottom and just button it or zipper it all the way up ..

. Look for elastic at the waist and cuffs . Don't buy too big . They will flap and make SOME noise , but it ain't all that bad . I been using the same stuff for the last 3 or 4 winters , and it's still in almost new shape .

[HS2020]

I use this http://www.firstgear-usa.com/fgweb2....6?opendocument Best money ever spent. I have ridden down into the near single digits. Works great. for my gloves I wear the Alpinestars ST-1. Other thing I would suggest is the ST-Wind plus head gear. sold alot of them when I worked as the Assitant Manager at Cycle Gear here. Plan on picking up one for my dad and myself.

[Black_peter]

I have a silk long sleeve undershirt that works well, also an REI fleece that is very thin but very warm..

[bubba]

the other night it was about 50 (which feels about like 45 here in FL with the moisture) and i had on 2 long sleeve shirts, a windbreaker, a hoodie, a ski jacket, jeans, mesh gloves and a helmet. My fingers got a lil cold, my chin and noes got a lil cold, and it took my knees about 2 hours before I got feeling back in them. I was coming from visiting my parents, which was a lil over an hour drive. I dont think I would want to drive in weather any cooler.

[thetable]

Alright, anyone want to join me in my trip down to FL to lay the smack down. Yesterday on my ride to work, it was sub 30F. Today, I had to draw the line when it was snowing.

[brooder]

Alright, anyone want to join me in my trip down to FL to lay the smack down. Yesterday on my ride to work, it was sub 30F. Today, I had to draw the line when it was snowing.

I'll meet you in. Of course, it's stupposed to be 70 for me on Monday...

I'm going to try the windbreaker pants. I remember a post CP did a while about about his gf putting fleece and windbreaker material in a pair of jeans. The windbreaker material deflects the wind from penetrating your jeans and the jeans trap body warmth.

[bubba]

Alright, anyone want to join me in my trip down to FL to lay the smack down. Yesterday on my ride to work, it was sub 30F. Today, I had to draw the line when it was snowing.

u gotta a realize that us floridians are used to 80+ degree weather all summer, then in about a 2 weeks time it goes from being 82 high to 62 high. There is no gradual transition. Its just hot one week, then cold the next. PLUS, since there is so much moisture in the air it makes it feel a lot colder than what it really is. The cold up north is a dry cold. I went Skiing in NC a few years back and I had to strip down my clothes because I was getting so hot, and I think it was like 35 degrees out.

[thetable]

u gotta a realize that us floridians are used to 80+ degree weather all summer, then in about a 2 weeks time it goes from being 82 high to 62 high. There is no gradual transition. Its just hot one week, then cold the next. PLUS, since there is so much moisture in the air it makes it feel a lot colder than what it really is. The cold up north is a dry cold. I went Skiing in NC a few years back and I had to strip down my clothes because I was getting so hot, and I think it was like 35 degrees out.

Um, we need to classify things here, NC is NOT "up north", hell Virginia is even south of the Mason Dixon. As to the humidity factor, I think that is pretty negligible, both have similar humidity levels. But for grins, lets compare the weather forecast:
Mine: http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdet...nav_undeclared
Yours: http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdet...nav_undeclared

Our high is your low today. Humidity 86% here, 54% there, but we can check back later. FTR, we have to walk up hill, both ways, 5 miles, in the snow, barefoot just to get to the beer store. And now waiting for the Canadia to jump in and bust both our chops.