Jacket for Finse Trip

[mjs]

Guys,

I am new to Norway and as result have not mastered written Norsk. So I apoligise for the english mail.

I am planning a 4/5 day trip to Finse at the beginning of March. There will be three of us on skis pulling pulks. I am wondering what Jacket I should buy for when I'm skiing? I have a heavy down Parka to use at camp etc.

I have a north face jacket that is breathable, water and wind proof. Is this enough with a woolen base layer when on the move? Any advice you guys could give me would be greatly appreaciated. In fact clothing advise period would be of great help.

Kind Regards

Michael

[jankj]

North Face is a well respected brand, and most likely it will work like a charm. Wool plus a good shell layer jacket (with a good hood) is a really excellent and well proven combination when moving. Your down parka is a luxury most people will envy you

I assume your legs would be covered with something similar (wool + something windproof). My concern would be the most difficult parts: Your hands, your head, your neck, your feet.

Hands: Wind proof mittens (not gloves) with warm insulation (wool). For really rough conditions I prefer the old fashion kind where you can separate the insulation and the outer shell layer (easier drying, and you can use the shell layer separately if you're working heavy and need to cool off, but the wind is too chilly to expose naked skin). I'm not saying other kind of mittens won't work, but I'm not recommending equipment I'm not familiar with. Same thing with gloves – I use gloves for light work, but will wear only mittens for winter in the mountain. That doesn't mean there's no glove in existence that will do a good job, just that I haven't found that glove….

Head and neck: The hood will protected them from the wind in bad weather, so basically anything nice and warm will do – but a wind proof hat/cap will offer some more flexibility (it's nice to peek out once in a while when the weather is just chilly and a bit windy, not really extreme). Also, it is very much easier to regulate temperature by adjusting head- and neckwear than other clothing, so head/neckgear combination that offers flexibility is nice to have. A balaclava is a really good thing to have for the worst of the worst of conditions (under your other hat/cap), but way too warm the rest of the time. If you have confidence that your other headgear will work you could consider leaving the balaclava at home.

Face and eyes: If moving straight against the wind in rough conditions you really need a face mask and skiing googles. (You really should be smart enough to stay indoors / in your tent when it gets that bad, but sometimes your choices are limited).

Feet: Keeping your feet comfortable is probably the single most complicated issue for ski+tent trips. Keeping your feet warm and dry in camp will be a challenge in skiing boots. If it's really cold (-15-20 C or colder, not likely in March but has happened) then it also gets really challenging to stay warm on your toes while moving. Standard skiing boots just aren't warm enough, and to keep your toes warm you need to generate a lot of surplus body heat. Push the "cold toes get warmer as I move"-philosophy too far and you have frost bite on your toes. Also, skiing boots will get damp when walking (sweating) and then it gets close to impossible to keep your feet warm when you stop. Further, many skiing boots aren't really made for staying dry when working in snow – they are made to keep the foot comfortable while being mounted on top of a ski, not trampled deep into a snow bank. You may also experience temperatures close to or above zero – which makes frostbite a non-issue, but then it gets close to impossible to stay dry on your feet (wet snow). Best thing is a separate pair of really warm camp shoes that are worn at all times except when putting on skis. Next best thing is a pair of thin overshoes - just a bag made of water resistant / water proof material that you pull over your shoes. Third best thing is an intimate knowledge of your limits and what your toes feel like when they're cold, but not in danger of getting frostbite – coupled with really excellent camp routines so you spend zero time waiting for each other to get ready to move.

Part of the attraction of Finse is its naked ruggedness. That also means the wind can be really brutal. You need to be prepared to deal with that, both in camp and while moving. A failure in equipment (tent, clothing, whatever) can prove deadly if conditions get rough. Moving to a more sheltered location (sometimes just a few hundred meters will do – the topo map will give you plenty of clues) can drastically improve your situation.

I don't know anything about your background – or about the group you're travelling with. This makes it really hard to give advice. Normally, my advice is to build experience, routine and confidence through "baby steps", i.e. the first time you try long trip skiing and camping should preferably be a more forgiving and sheltered place than Finse. But you take responsibility for your own judgment and actions - I can only wish you a nice trip (and hope the weather stays nice).

Please pay attention to the weather forecasts and adjust your plans as needed! The best and easiest service is http://yr.no and the cell phone http://m.yr.no will work on any phone that has a web browser (both smart and dumb phones) and consumes very little bandwith. Cell reception is good really close to Finse, but I wouldn't trust it further out (you find coverage maps on the web). The yr-services are also available in English. Please be adviced that the wind forecast in high mountains are typically far to low. In exposed areas expect at least twice as much wind as indicated by yr.no. The local hotels and huts will also give you advice about current conditions (take note of their number).