We are headed to Yellowstone in June for a family vacation. Apparently it's going to get downright cold at night (in the 20s...yikes :) ) We know layering is essential. We do have a few night time excursions planned. So we want to get something like long johns for us and the kids. Are the old fashioned long johns sufficient or is there something else that would work better and keep us warmer? I grew up in cold climate and love it, my hubby and kids cringe at the idea. ( We live in Texas. Long johns may get used once in a blue moon....on a random cold Halloween night or hunting trip for the hubby, so we don't want to break the bank either.) TIA mams!
Although we love camping and do it often, we won't be doing it on this trip. We are staying in cabins located in Yellowstone. (Four days in Mammoth Springs and three days at Lake Lodge).
I have something called CuddleDuds. They are like UnderArmor -- slinky, thin material and I think they are warmer and more comfy than long johns because they are not bulky. Plus they don't get damp if you sweat. I wear the top under sweaters all the time -- even under thin ones.
Just make sure they are not cotton and you will be a lot warmer. I know those are more expensive but to me it is worth it. Polypropilene or capilene or some other synthetic are very warm. To save money go to an Academe or someplace like that instead of an REI.
One-ish word:
UnderArmor
Upside: They can double as Yoga gear / Workout clothes / PJs AND you can resale the kids on ebay/craigslist for 2/3s bought price
Up here in the constant 50s and drizzel, I wear UA under my jeans and tees 10mo out of the year. When I'm up in the mountains, all I need under my skigear is UA.
Wicking, no overheating (it's what well funded military units wear under bdus, because they keep you toasty but when you start *working*, you don't overheat and stroke out), magical stuff.
Plus you can wash them in a sink, and hang them and they're dry by morning. If you have a machine, they're dry in about 15 minutes.
* There are a lot of knockoff UA type 1st layers. None are as magic as UA, although they all work to some extent as long as they aren't cotton.
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- Gloves & Hats & Scarves (you don't need to go pricey here). Hats help you retain up to 70% of lost body heat through your head. Even a baseball cap helps a LOT, but a beanie will be warmer. Scarves? OMG. You want your neck to be warm. NOT to be skipped. Get long ones, fold in half, put over your shoulders, pull the 2 ends through the 1 loop. Keeps your whole neck warm and stays on without choking you or catching on things. Put the ends in your jacket before you zip it for extra warmth.
- SmartWool Socks. Preferably the kneehigh ones.
- (bonus, if you're driving). Sleeping Bags. Keep a couple in your car. They're snuggly for driving for the passengers (unzipped), kids pass out in them (esp. for coming back to the cold car after a cold night), and when you want to lay on your hood and look at the stars, you don't freeze your patoot.
- (bonus) Cheap disposable lighters. This is for lost gloves, wet gloves, etc. When you're NOT wearing gloves, you put a lighter in each hand. Even a cold icy hand. The lighterfluid warms up to body temp in about 10 seconds. Then your hands warm. Then the fluid warms further. Hands, fluid, hands, fluid. When we had to be on patrols we couldn't wear gloves, we kept a lighter in each hand. I still carry several in my car. The other night I handed my 9yo two of them, and his clammy cold white hands turned pink and healthy in 2 minutes. Both the lighters and your hands heat up to apx 100 degrees. Any plastic lighter works... I prefer the standard bic oval shaped ones because they fit palms best.
In NY, we use Under Armour to keep warm (going to Giants games, sledding, etc..). If you have an outlet mall near you, they should have a store there. It is the absolute best brand we have found to keep warm up here.
Are you camping or staying... where??
Long johns are great, undershirts, extra socks (or thick wool one's)... Walmart probably has all that stuff cheap! Make sure you bring jackets and hats for everyone... wear layers! If need be, you can get those hand warmers too.
Don't forget hot chocolate! Have fun :)
Keep cotton away from your skin. It's a cooling fabric. Instead you want your bottom layer to be either polyester, lycra, wool if you can wear it, fleece or any combination of them. Also it's super important that you keep you clothes dry, especially your socks and underwear. If you change into clean dry socks and underwear before you go to sleep it will make a huge difference. Trust me. I have a Girl Scout troop and had to take a class to be able to take them camping and that was the single best thing I learned. Have a great time.
I also agree with UnderArmor or something like that. Yes it's expensive but if your kids are athletic, it can be used as an athletic base layer for different sports. If you look online, there are probably stores having sales to clear out the "cold" UA (which keeps you warm vs the "heat" UA which cools you down).
Yeah, add me to the UnderArmour list. But I also like silk long underwear from Winter Silks. It comes in a variety of weights so you can find what will work for you.
UA can get pretty expensive. At some area sporting goods stories I've also found some other brands with similar offerings. My daughter loves her Nike turtleneck.
Have a blast!
Oh -- by the way, one more thing: I really like the disposable hand and foot warmers. They make a big difference in my comfort when I'm doing barn chores in the winter.
Try underarmor. It's light weight, comfortable and thermal. Comes in adult and kids sizes and you can get it at sports stores, like Dick's Sporting Goods.
