Need some advice from KLIM Outer clothes owners

[Admin]

HoosierSmit-

I wear the mid layer jacket over the bibs. If I am not wearing a fleece jacket, then the base layer and fleece sweatshirt goes under the bibs.

So in my case, I get the base layer and fleece sweatshirt to fit like regular clothes and the fleece jacket bigger.

You do not have to go with the Klim base or even mid layer stuff. If you need to save some money so you can get the jacket and/or bibs, then get the fleece and base layer from anywhere. I wear a lot of fleece sweatshirts that I have gotten from Cabela's. I would think any of their base and fleece stuff will work just fine.

The Keweenaw Parka is going to be a little warmer than the Klimate too by the way.

One last thing. Just about all Klim stuff runs small. I usually would take an XL in a jacket, but take a 2X for Klim.

-John

 

[Hoosier]

One more question:

If you get one of the noninsulated jackets, and you are trail riding, I would assume you want want to buy the thick fleeces like the Everest. What do wear for midlayer for the Klimate or Keeweenaw? A thinner fleece? I know it will vary based on conditions, but assuming it's a cold day on the trails.

 

[Admin]

HoosierSmit-

It really would depend a lot on the individual and the temps. For me, I would likely wear the base and a fairly thick fleece along with the Keweenaw Parka if temps were 10 degrees or colder and I were trail riding, but then I would rather be a little on the warm side than cold and with the proper base, mid layer and then the Klim outer layer, you will not even notice that you are sweating. It is just wicked away from your body.

I find that once you are cold, there is little you can do. If you are hot, you can always open a vent on the Klim outer layer and cool off.

-John

 

[elf]

I have the Klimate jacket and not sure what pants but they are not bibs. John is right, no cotton. I wear synthetic long underwear pants and shirt, fleece pants and long sleeve fleece shirt, and then my pants and jacket. When it's real cold, like 0 or below, I'll throw on a feece vest. All of my fleece is the Gander Mtn or Old Navy brand, inexpensive but works great. My Klim gear is on it's 3rd sled with me (7 yrs maybe and 10000 miles) and still looks new so it is worth the upfront costs. Of course when we stop somewhere and I take some gear off I look like I'm wearing my pajamas!
Before I got the KLIM gear I just wore my heavy Polaris jacket and bibs with regular clothes, jeans, t-shirt and sweatshirt. I was always wet from sweat and cold. Now I never get wet and never really get cold. Huge improvement.

 

[dcfroe]

Thanks for all the information folks.
Interesting comments but not what I expected, unless I want to wear a bunch of layers sounds like I do not want Klim. Not what I expected. Hmmm, now I have to rethink everything or did I missunderstand.

 

[Hoosier]

HoosierSmit-

It really would depend a lot on the individual and the temps. For me, I would likely wear the base and a fairly thick fleece along with the Keweenaw Parka if temps were 10 degrees or colder and I were trail riding, but then I would rather be a little on the warm side than cold and with the proper base, mid layer and then the Klim outer layer, you will not even notice that you are sweating. It is just wicked away from your body.

I find that once you are cold, there is little you can do. If you are hot, you can always open a vent on the Klim outer layer and cool off.

-John

Thanks for the info!!

 

[elf]

Thanks for all the information folks.
Interesting comments but not what I expected, unless I want to wear a bunch of layers sounds like I do not want Klim. Not what I expected. Hmmm, now I have to rethink everything or did I missunderstand.

I'm not sure I understand the lots of layers comment. I wear polyprop long underwear, fleece pants and shirt, and my KLIM riding gear(jacket and pants). If I didn't have the KLIM gear I would wear long underwear, jeans, a sweatshirt, and my Polaris riding gear. So I wear less than I used to and am warmer and drier. When its real cold I throw on a lightweight fleece vest. Very minimal clothes. The key is to stay dry and then you'll be warm.

 

[whitedust]

Thanks for all the information folks.
Interesting comments but not what I expected, unless I want to wear a bunch of layers sounds like I do not want Klim. Not what I expected. Hmmm, now I have to rethink everything or did I missunderstand.

All snomo clothing is about layering & reason for 3 & 4 in one jackets. Klim has taken layering to the next level by offering layers 1-3 all from Klim. You don't have to purchase all the layers from Klim as JD has posted many times cheap layer 1 works well no matter where you buy it. Layer 2 can come from some where else too. All makes sense to me but I have been layering since the 80s. In my cross country skiing days we didn't wear much at all even when below zero & 20 mile an hour wind you just needed to move the sweat off your skin & out thru the layers. The outer layer just cut the wind & your body was the warmth generator. For snowmobiling you don't produce as much cardio as cross country skiing so you need a warm 2 & 3 layer. Always use a poly layer 1 to move moisture off your skin never cotton & you will be warm. Hopefully I have not confused you further but layering works really well & has been used for years. Using only the outer Klim jacket is fine just layer underneath no matter who manufactures the jacket layers is the way to go. Does this make sense now?

 

[G]

Any Klim item I have ever bought is of the highest quality. I ordered my first Klim stuff through the mail and JD is right - it seems to run at least 1 size smaller than normal. Since then I have found a dealership that has a full line of Klim inner and outer wear. It works a lot better to try on the actual pieces and then choose what you think will look and work the best. It is generally colder and windier here than in Wisc or the UP. I usually end up with about 4 layers to start with on a cold day. But it is like Whitedust says - no matter whose stuff you buy you are still usually dressing in layers. The RU Outside stuff is just fine also. I like their boots and gloves. If you only ride trails a big windshield is your first best friend. They look stupid but I have had many buds switch sleds with me to warm up when they froze behind their micro-shields.

 

[snow_monkey]

I never put all this thought into dressing to ride. Good wicking base layer, fleece or insulating layer, 2 mid layers if real cold, two riding coats, one for warmer weather and one for cold. I am sure Kilm is nice stuff but I would never spend that kind of money.

 

[polarisrider1]

Thanks for all the information folks.
Interesting comments but not what I expected, unless I want to wear a bunch of layers sounds like I do not want Klim. Not what I expected. Hmmm, now I have to rethink everything or did I missunderstand.

Misunderstood, Klim layers are thin. Not like the stuff mom would bundle you in. I am fortunat that I have the option to buy the correct tools for the job. It's amazing how fast one forgets the deal they got once they get cold with the copy cats._

 

[doogirl]

layers

I understand the reluctance to layers. I was always trying to find a coat to keep me as warm as my first skidoo coat did. I remember riding in a t shirt and light long undies, bibs and coat. My new skidoo coat, I tried on during our last trip to UP, and I thought it would at last do what that first one did, and I still got cold. Then I sat down and really thought about how I ride now and how I rode in that first coat. First off, I was a LOT younger then, so higher metabolism and better circulation (rats). Second, everything was Off trail, cause the trail system was nowhere near what it is now. So we could ride all day in the woods, stopping if we got cold. Our top end was 30 MPH, so wind chill was never a factor unless you were crossing a lake. Lastly, most of the trips consisted of poker runs and family picnic rides, where total mileage was maybe 40 miles with many warm up stops. NO wonder I didn't get cold. Even with the new teck jackets, I still was putting on cotton t shirt and sweatshirt, mostly purchased on snow trips. So this year I am trying out the correct layers, and I know I'll need to do a lot of trial and error to find my right combination, but at least I have a better grip on why I get cold. We now ride all day, at fairly high speeds on trails that look like freeways. A hundred mile day is the average, and we don't stop nearly as often. Live and learn, and most of all RIDE!!!!!

 

[luke_duke]

I took Johns advice 4 years ago and changed how I dress...it is the best thing I ever did to improve my sledding experience.

I am a trail rider. Do EXACTLY what John mentioned in his earlier post although I have the Klimate coat and Arctic Cat bibs. I usually wear the polypropylene base layer(cheap stuff) and also wear the not so cheap Under Armor stuff. I also have fleece long underwear to wear over that on cold days. For my upper torso I wear one fleece sweatshirt over my base layer and carry a fleece sleeveless zip vest in my sled for cold days(less restriction on my arms). Its really that simple and effective. You can pick a lot of this stuff up cheaply in the off season. I bought a new arctiva coat last year that I wear on warm to moderately cold days but I wear my proven klimate coat on the cold days. My .02

I remember several years ago on a backpack trip riding through a town and saw the thermometer read -17 degrees(think it was Ishpeming). I was warm the whole trip, riding trail 8 going 80 mph. I can't say the same for everyone else.