[pct-l] clothing question

[Eric Lee (GAMES)]

Wheeew wrote:
>
You bring up good points Steel-Eye.  I was concerned about carrying "all things down" on my hike.  I was going to post a question regarding this same issue.  Here it is:  If I have serious Capilene long johns, a long sleeve shirt, DriClime wind shirt and rain gear, do I really need a down jacket too???  Or any other jacket for that matter???
>

The answer depends partly on how you like to hike and whether you tend to run warm or cold.  Bottom line is that (IMHO) you ought be well-prepared for below-freezing temperatures even in the desert.  A lot of people can get along fine without much in the way of insulation as long as they're hiking briskly, but what about when you stop for rest breaks?  Pick the gear you think you'll want and then _try it out_ in the kind of extremes you're likely to experience.

Personally, I carry a WM Flight down jacket because it's exceedingly warm for its weight and also doubles as a very comfy pillow at night.  I don't hike in it (except maybe for the first 10 minutes on a frosty morning) because I run very warm when moving but I personally find it invaluable in cold weather during rest stops and when I'm setting up or tearing down camp.  I don't at all enjoy being cold so it's definitely worth it for me.  It also gives me an extra margin of safety with my 30 degree bag in case of _really_ cold weather.

Eric