INSULATED CLOTHING FOR 6000-7000m WINTER ASCENTS*

INSULATED CLOTHING IS CURRENTLY A REAL AREA OF INNOVATION. AS CONDITIONS FALTER IN THE TRADITIONAL SEASONS FOR THE HIMALAYA AND KARAKORAM, WINTER BECOMES MORE AND MORE OUR FOCUS, WITH DEVELOPMENTS IN CLOTHING MATCHING PERFECTLY WITH COLD ASCENTS IN TIBET AND XINJIANG.

WE HAVE BEEN ADAMANT ABOUT INSULATION SYSTEMS BEFORE, BEING IN A NICHE WHERE THE STUFF USED ELSEWHERE DOESN’T ALWAYS FIT WHAT WE NEED. THE KARAKORAM AND TIBETAN RANGES ARE ON AVERAGE THREE TO FOUR DEGREES COLDER – OFTEN BEING THE UPPER END DIFFERENCE OF WHETHER THINGS RISE ABOVE FREEZING OR NOT – WITH SIGNIFICANTLY LESS DIRECT SUN SHINE THAT MEANS SHORTER DAYS AND LESS HEAT HITTING ROCK.

THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HIMALAYAN DIVIDE IS UNIQUELY SET FOR WINTER ASCENTS, BEING DRIER AND HAVING BETTER ACCESS, WHICH MEANS SAFER AND LESS RESOURCES SPENT ON LOGISTICS. IN FACT, UNLIKE THE AREAS SOUTH OF THE DIVIDE WHERE THE HIGHER AREAS ARE RETREATED FROM DURING THE COLDEST MONTHS, ON THE NORTH SIDE THEY ARE USUALLY LIVED IN AND IN SOME AREAS LIKE XINJIANG THIS IS THEIR PRIME TIME AS PASTURE FOR THE HERDERS. THE WATER LEVELS ARE LOWER, CONDITIONS MORE STABLE, AND THOUGH OF COURSE VERY COLD IT’S A TIME WHERE PLACES INACCESSIBLE DURING SUMMER BECOME OPEN, OFTEN BY FOLLOWING FROZEN RIVERS DOWN ICY RAVINES.

*WINTER HERE MEANS METEORLOGICAL WINTER, ie THE THREE COLDEST MONTHS OF DECEMBER, JANUARY & FEBRUARY. EACH MONTH HAS ITS OWN ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS – DECEMBER THE SHORTEST DAYS, JANUARY THE LOWEST ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, FEBRUARY THE MOST SNOW – WITH OUR TRIPS MOSTLY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFER DECEMBER/JANUARY PERIOD.

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WHAT’S NEW?

FOR A START, WINTER 6000 & 7000m CLIMBING HAS NEVER BEEN POPULAR. BIG TICKET ASCENTS OF WINTER 8000m STUFF ARE ABOUT THE LARGEST PRODUCTIONS HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING PRODUCES, SEVERLY PUSHING ANY IDEAS ABOUT ALPINISM DUE TO THE UNIQUE LOGISTICS INVOLVED, WHILST WINTER ASCENTS OF 6000m PEAKS ARE USUALLY PRODUCTS OF INDUSTRY, AS A WAY TO SCRAPE IN TRIPS TO STUFF LIKE ISLAND PEAK TO WRING THE MOST OUT OF A COMPANIES SEASON. 7000m WINTER ASCENTS CAN BE COUNTED ALMOST ON ONE HAND.

ALL THIS MEANS THAT THE CLOTHING AND SYSTEMS FOR 6000 & 7000m WINTER ALPINE STYLE ASCENTS ARE STILL IN THEIR INFANCY DESPITE THE HUGE POTENTIAL FOR ASCENTS THAT MIGHT BE IMPOSSIBLE AT ANY OTHER TIME. THIS IS AN AVENUE OF CLIMBING WITH A LOT OF SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS BACKED UP BY THE EVOLUTION OF GEAR TO DO IT.

WE THINK THAT WINTER ASCENTS OF 6000m & 7000m PEAKS PAVES THE WAY TO CLIMBING 8000m PEAKS IN WINTER IN BETTER STYLE AND MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN BEFORE. WE SEE THIS AS ANOTHER FRONTIER OF CLIMBING AS AN EXTENSION OF WINTER NORTH FACES IN THE ALPS, THAT WORKS IN STEP WITH CLIMATE CHANGES THAT ARE CLEARLY MAKING SUMMER ASCENTS MORE VOLATILE, WITH SOME ROUTES DEEMED NOW IMPOSSIBLE MAYBE SEEING A RETURN UNDER WINTER CONDITIONS.

A THEME YOU WILL NOTICE HERE IS WE CONSTANTLY MENTION HOW FEW PRODUCTS ACTUALLY MEET THE CRITERIA NEEDED, BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING JUST ISN’T NORMAL. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS (INCLUDING THE NORTH FACES AMK AND SUMMIT L SERIES), OTHERWISE IT’S A MATTER OF SEARCHING AND TWEAKING.

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6000-7000m SPECIFICS

ANYWHERE ABOVE 6000m DURING METEORLOGICAL WINTER IS COLD, BUT UP ON THE TIBETAN PLATEAU OR OUT IN THE TURKISTANI DESERTS IT’S ANOTHER LEVEL. COMPOUND THIS WITH THE REMOTE AND UNSUPPORTED NATURE OF THESE OBSCURE RANGES WHERE NO ESTABLISHED SYSTEM FOR PORTERING STUFF EXISTS, AND THE PROBLEM TO SOLVE IS NOT WHAT IT MIGHT BE IN NEPAL.

PEAKS OF THESE ALTITUDES ARE CLIMBED MUCH FASTER THAN 8000m PEAKS, AND THE STRATEGIC DIVISION BETWEEN THE APPROACH AND CLIMBING IS LESS. THERE IS MINIMAL HANGING AROUND IN BASECAMPS WHERE THE LOGISTICS GETS DIFFICULT, AND WE ALSO PREACCLIMATE TO STREAMLINE THE TIMELINE.

THESE PEAKS DON’T HAVE LOWER SECTIONS THAT BAKING IN THE HEAT, MEANING NO DRAMATIC DAY-NIGHT FLUCTUATION AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES WITH IT. AS FAR AS MINIMAL ALPINISM GOES, WINTER IN MANY WAYS USE LESS AND SIMPLER RESOURCES, STREAMLINING THE CONDITIONS TO COPE WITH.

BY REMAINING BELOW THE UNADAPTABLE ‘DEATH ZONE’ WE REDUCE THE POTENTIAL OF COLD INJURY HUGELY. THAT SAID, THIS ONLY APPLIES IN RELATION TO NO-O2 ETHICS, SO THE EFFECTS OF LOWER PRESSURE ARE STILL A MAJOR FACTOR TO CONFRONT. INDEED, THE REDUCED AIR PRESSURE OF WINTER AND HIGHER LATITUDES IS EQUAL TO PEAKS THAT ARE HIGHER BUT CLOSER TO THE EQUATOR, SKEWING THE NUMBERS TO COMPARE TO POPULAR PEAKS OF THE SAME ALTITUDES LIKE MERA AND SPANTIK.

ADD THIS UP AND YOU ARE SPENDING LONGER IN YOUR WARM GEAR, WHICH ON NORTH FACING ROUTES OR SLOW WALLS CAN MEAN ALMOST ALL THE TIME, FORCING YOUR INSULATION TO ACT AS MUCH LIKE A SHELL AS IT DOES INSULATION. TRADITIONALLY CLOTHING HAS NOT USUALLY BEEN DESIGNED FOR THIS (WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS), SO THE IDEA OF CLIMBING IN WHAT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED A BELAY LAYER IS DISJOINTED TO SOME.

AS WITH ALL EMERGING IDEAS IN ALPINISM, NEW EQUIPMENT FOLLOWS SLOWLY, WITH THE VANGUARD HAVING TO ADAPT, MODIFY AND USE ‘OFF MARKET’ STUFF TO MAKE THINGS WORK. THIS IS WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AT – STUCK BETWEEN THE FULL 8000m GEAR THAT IS MOSTLY MADE FOR O2 COMMERCIAL ASCENTS, AND THE WINTER GEAR WORN IN PLACES LIKE EUROPE, AMERICA AND SCOTLAND.

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THE SYSTEM

THE AIM OF ALL THIS IS TO CREATE A STABLE LAYER OF INSULATION AROUND THE BODY THAT MATCHES UP TO THE ATHLETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS OF THE ASCENT. THIS MEANS A BUFFER THAT SLOWS HEAT LOSS, BUT ALSO THAT DOESN’T HEAT UP TOO MUCH WITH EXERTION.

NO CLOTHING SYSTEM WORKS OPTIMALLY IF THE BASELAYER IS NOT GOOD, SO WE ADVOCATE GETTING THAT RIGHT WITH A HIGHLY BREATHABLE NEXT-TO-SKIN LAYER THAT DOES NOTHING MORE THAN KEEP YOUR SKIN DRY. THIS IS ESSENTIAL AS A WAY TO DUMP HEAT AND MOISTURE, WITH ANYTHING ABOUT INSULATION AND PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS COMING FROM OTHER LAYERS, NOT THIS ONE.

WITH THIS SORTED, THE NEXT LAYER ON THE UPPER BODY IS A ‘LIVE-IN’ LAYER, THAT YOU PROBABLY WON’T REMOVE AND DOES THE JOB OF BEING YOUR CONSTANT MICRO-CLIMATE AND A SHELL FOR ALL BUT THE WORST CONDITIONS. THIS LAYER NEEDS TO BE SUPREMELY ABLE TO INSULATE, EXPELL MOISTURE AND REPELL OUTSIDE ELEMENTS LIKE SNOW AND WIND, IN ORDER TO WORK ACROSS ALL CONDITIONS BUT NOT OVERHEAT. USUALLY THIS HAS BEEN DONE WITH SYNTHETIC INSULATION AND THE GOOD USE OF ZIPS, THOUGH THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN BULKY WHEN THEY APPROACH THE LEVEL OF INSULATION NEEDED FOR WINTERS ABOVE 6000m, AND NEW WAYS OF CONSTRUCTING WITH DOWN HAVE FINALLY NAILED THE SPACE.

OVER THIS, FOR THE COLDEST OF TIMES, BELAYING AND AS PART OF YOUR SLEEPING SYSTEM GOES AN UPSIZED BELAY JACKET. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS OUTER LAYER TO BE BAFFLED SO IT WORKS FULLY AS A SHELTER, AND THAT IT DOESN’T RESTRICT THE LOFT OF THE INNER JACKET. FOR ASCENTS WITH GNARLY CONDITIONS OR RELYING ON OPEN BIVIES THIS CAN FEASIBLY BE SYNTHETIC, THOUGH VERY FEW SYNTHETIC JACKETS MEET THAT CRITERIA BEING TOO HEAVY AND NOT APPROPRIATELY BAFFLED.

THE VOLUME OF THE JACKETS IS SPLIT ABOUT 40/60 WITH THE COMBINED INSULATION BEING GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS. HAVING 2 LAYERS, EACH CAN HAVE MINIMAL POCKETS, AND IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE FOR BOTH JACKETS TOGETHER TO WEIGH UNDER 900g, DOWN TO AROUND 700g IF YOU BUY THE BEST STUFF AVAILABLE.

SHELL JACKETS ONLY FIT INTO THIS ARRANGEMENT EITHER OVER THE BASELAYER FOR HIGH EXERTION DOWN LOW, OR BULLET-PROOF PROTECTION OVER THE INNER JACKET FOR CLIMBING IN BAD CONDITIONS. THEY NEED TO BE SIZED FOR OVER THE INNER JACKET AND SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY SPARTAN, NOTHING MORE THAN A LITERAL SHELL. THIS JACKET SEES LITTLE USE SO PRIORITIZES BEING COMPACT, TO BE STUFFED AWAY 90% OF THE TIME.

ON THE LEGS – OVER HIGHLY BREATHABLE AND DRYING BASELAYERS – SOFTSHELLS STILL WORK LOWER DOWN BUT CAN BE REPLACED BY SYNTHETIC INSULATED PANTS. LIKE THE UPPER BODYS SECOND LAYER, THESE NEED NEVER BE REMOVED, FORGOING A TRANDITIONAL PAIR OF SHELL PANTS, SO LONG AS THEY ARE ROBUST AND VENTABLE ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THE BEATING OF ALPINE CLIMBING. VERY FEW OFFERINGS IN DOWN FIT THIS SPACE, BEING TOO BULKY, TOO FRAGILE AND NOT VENTING WELL ENOUGH FOR THE CLIMBING, WITH ALMOST ALL DESIGNS BEING EITHER FOR 8000m OR SITTING AROUND LODGES. THE IDEAL DESIGN HERE IS SLIM FITTING, STRETCHY IF POSSIBLE AND MINIMAL, WITH SIDE ZIPS ESSENTIAL TO DUMP HEAT.

DOWN LOW THE LEGS CAN HAVE THE LIGHTEST SHELLS AVAILABLE, KNOWING AS SOON AS THE STEEP CLIMBING STARTS YOU WILL GO INTO YOUR INSULATED LAYER. THIS LIGHT SHELL NEEDS TO HAVE SIDE ZIPS, AND CAN BE IN THE REALM OF WHAT RUNNERS WEAR.

FOR VERY COLD ASCENTS – ON NORTH SIDES AND EDGING TOWARDS 8000m – A SECOND INSULATED LAYER CAN GO OVER THE FIRST, JUST LIKE FOR THE UPPER BODY. THESE SHOULD BE FULLY BAFFLED AND ARE BASICALLY THE BELAY PANT IDEA, SIZED TO GO OVER THE LIGHTER LAYER UNDERNEATH.

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DOWN & SYNTHETIC

BOTH HAVE THEIR PLACE, AND THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THE TWO AS WELL AS THEIR PERFORMANCE IS IMPRESSIVELY HIGH NOW, WITH THE DIFFERENCE BEING THE WEIGHT-TO-FUNCTION RATIO. DOWN IS STILL LIGHTER FOR THE WARMTH/VOLUME AND SYNTHETIC IS STILL MORE IMPERVIOUS TO WEATHER, BUT MUCH OF THAT HAS MORE TO DO WITH HOW THE MATERIALS ARE USED AND THE FABRICS USED WITH THEM.

FILL POWER OF DOWN (HOW MUCH IS NEEDED TO INSULATED A SPECIFIED SPACE) CAN BE VERY HIGH NOW, WITH COMPANIES LIKE PHD AND MONTBELL USING TRUE 1000 FILLPOWER. BE AWARE THAT US AND SOME OTHER COMPANIES USE A SYSTEM THAT RATES ABOUT 10% LOWER THAN THE EURO/JAPANESE METRIC (SO US 1000 FILL IS ABOUT 900 EU/JAPAN), BUT STILL IS IMPRESSIVE.

IN THE CASE OF HIGH ALTITUDE WINTER ALPINISM, THAT 10% DIFFERENCE IS ABOUT THE SAME AS ONE DAYS DEGRADATION OF DOWN FROM USE – LOSS OF PERFORMANCE YOU CAN’T GET BACK UNTIL SOMEWHERE WARM ENOUGH TO FULLY DRY THE ITEM, LIKE A HOTEL. THIS HITS SIGNIFICANTLY ON ASCENTS AROUND 7000m AS PART OF YOU LARGER EQUATIONS.

IN CONDITIONS DISCUSSED HERE, WE THINK WATERPROOFED DOWN WORKS, AT LEAST WELL ENOUGH FOR FASTER STYLE ASCENTS.

SYNTHETIC INSULATION IS GETTING EVER CLOSER TO DOWNS PROPERTIES, WITH THE BEST OF THEM EDGING TO ABOUT 80% WHEN CONSTRUCTED THE SAME WAY AND AT A COMPETITIVE WEIGHT. STILL, VERY FEW SYNTHETIC JACKETS AND PANTS ARE CONSTRUCTED IN WAYS THAT DOWN IS, ie BAFFLED, RENDERING THEM MOSTLY AS MIDLAYERS, BUT OVER ASCENTS LASTING MORE THAN ABOUT FOUR DAYS THE DIFFERENCE BECOMES NEGLIGIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF COMPARED TO OLDER DOWN THAT MAY ONLY HAVE BEEN US 650 FILL ANYWAY.

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WE THINK THAT IN THESE CONDITONS (ABOVE 6000m, METEORLOGICAL WINTER, ALPINE STYLE, XINJIANG-TIBET LATITUDES) THAT DOWN IS FINE FOR ALL USE UNLESS IT’S EITHER BIG WALLS OR PLANNED BIVIES. BY THIS WE MEAN RECENTLY PRODUCED DOWN THAT IS PROBABLY TREATED AND IN THE 850-1000 FILL RANGE.

THE HUMIDITY OF A PORTALEDGE AND CONSTANT SPINDRIFT OF OPEN BIVIES MAKES SYNTHETIC STILL THE GO TO THERE, BUT AGAIN SPECIFYING HIGH END FILLS SUCH AS PRIMALOFT GOLD OR THERMOPLUME.

ANOTHER PLACE WHERE SYNTHETIC STILL SHINES IS IN TROUSERS, WHERE ITS MANAGABILITY WHEN RIPPED BEATS DOWN. CRAMPON NICKS ARE ALMOST INEVITABLE, AND STUFFING YOUR CUFFS INSIDE YOUR BOOTS IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE,

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MITTS & BOOTIES

YOU MUST HAVE EFFECTIVE TOOLS TO STAVE OFF THE POTENTIAL OF COLD INJURY, WITH FINGERS AND TOES BEING TOP PRIORITY. HANDS BECOME COLD DURING THE HOURS OUTSIDE AT DAY, AND FEET BECOME COLD FROM LONG HOURS IMOBILE AT NIGHT, MAKING TH FINEST DOWN MITTS AND SOCKS YOU CAN BUY WORTH THEIR WEIGHT.

WHATEVER HANDWEAR YOU USE, HAVE A PAIR OF LOFTY DOWN MITTS THAT CRUSH DOWN SMALL FOR USE WHEN YOUR HANDS GET TOO COLD TO USE PROPERLY – AND USE THEM. THESE ARE NOT YOUR HEFTY WORK MITTS WITH LEATHER PALMS, NOR EVEN REALLY THOSE SPECIAL HIGH ALTITUDE GLOVES MATCHED TO GO WITH ONE PIECE SUITS. INSTEAD THESE ARE MITTS MADE OF LIGHT SHELL FABRIC, THAT CRUSH DOWN TO THE SIZE OF A SUNGLASSES CASE, AND ARE CARRIED ALWAYS IN AN INSIDE POCKET SO THEY ARE READY TO USE. THE BEST ARE MADE OF 900/1000 FILL AND THEY CAN BE FITTED WITH A SHELL, AND DOUBLE AS INSURANCE FROM SERIOUS INJURY. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET WHAT YOU PAY FOR THESE.

DOWN SOCKS REALLY ARE SOCKS, NOT THOSE FOAM-SOLED BOOTIES PEOPLE WEAR AROUND CAMP, AND THESE ARE MADE FOR NOTHING MORE THAN WEARING INSIDE YOUR TENT AND SLEEPING BAG. UNLIKE BOOTIES, THEY LOFT FULLY UNDER YOUR FOOT, AND DON’T NEED CLOSURE SYSTEMS BECAUSE LIKE THE REST OF A SLEEPING SYSTEM THEY ARE USED ALREADY DEEP WITHIN THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT. IF ANYTHING, TOO MUCH OF A CLOSURE MAKES THEM MOISTURE TRAPS EXACTLY WHERE YOU DON’T WANT IT.

LIKE THE MITTS, THE SOCKS SHOULD BE COMPRESSIBLE, AND CAN EVEN BE CARRIED INSIDE YOUR CLOTHES AS YOU CLIMB TO IMMEDIATELY WARM YOUR FEET WHEN YOU HIT THE TENT. NO REAL WALKING IS DONE IN THEM – NOT THAT YOU LEAVE THE TENT MUCH ANYWAY ON WINTER ASCENTS – BUT YOU CAN PUT YOUR BOOT SHELLS OVER THEM OR EVEN YOUR BOOT LINERS IF THAT NEED PRESENTS. FOR TRUE, ‘NIGHT NAKED’ ASCENTS YOU CAN SIZE YOUR MITTS TO WORK AS SOCKS. SOME BRANDS WORK BETTER FOR THIS THAN OTHERS.

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COMBINED WITH SLEEPING SYSTEMS

WITH THE ENTIRE SHELTER PARADIGM DONE WELL IT IS EASILY POSSIBLE TO GET BY WITH SLEEPING BAGS THAT SOUND ALARMINGLY MINIMAL. THIS MEANS LOOKING AT YOUR ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT, AND NOT JUST THINKING THINGS WILL WORK WITHOUT SPECIFIC DESIGN.

THE GOAL IS TO USE YOUR CLOTHING WITH YOUR SLEEPING BAG TO BE WARM ENOUGH FOR THE PROLONGED STASIS OF NIGHT AND TO NEGATE HAVING TO CARRY A SLEEPING BAG THAT IS ANY BIGGER THAN YOU HAVE TO. THE KEY HERE IS TO GET FULL LOFT OUT OF BOTH CLOTHES AND BAG, NOT CRUSH THE TWO TOGETHER SO YOU GET A COMPROMISED VERSION OF BOTH.

TWO LAYERS OF INSULATED CLOTHING PLUS A SLEEPING BAG EQUALS A LOT OF TRAPPED AIR AND STARTS TO WARP THE OLD THINKING THAT +/-1500g OF INSULATION WILL GET YOU DOWN TO -20c. LIKE THE WAY MITTS ARE WARMER THAN GLOVES BECAUSE THEY TRAP SHARED HEAT, SO TOO A SLEEPING BAG OVER AN ALREADY WARM BODY WORKS MORE EFFICENTLY. IN THIS SYSTEM THE FANCY REFLECTIVE CONCEPTS PUT FORWARD BY RAB FINALLY WORK, SANDWICHING THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE BETWEEN TWO LAYERS OF STABLE AIR AND MINIMIZING ANY DIRECT CONTACT (THAT COUNTERACTS THE REFLECTIVE PROPERTIES AND MAKES THEM CONDUCTIVE).

THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF ALL INSULATING LAYERS SHOULD ALREADY COME TO 1400 TO 1800g OF WEIGHT YOU’RE ALREADY USING, SO A GOOD 700g BAG OVER THE TOP SHOULD GET YOU THROUGH WINTER 6000m CONDITIONS. BY GOOD HERE WE MEAN 3D BAFFLED, SIZED TO ACCOMMODATE THE CLOTHINGS LOFT AND WITH A COLLAR BAFFLE – NOT ALL THINGS THAT MANY 700g BAGS WILL HAVE.

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WHAT ABOUT TRADITIONAL ONE & TWO-PIECE SUITS?

AN OBVIOUS THOUGHT IS TO USE THE SORT OF SUITS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING, BUT WE CONFINE THESE TO THE REALM OF BOTTLED OXYGEN, FIXED LINES, HIGH ALTITUDE PORTERS AND ESTABLISHED CAMPS. THEY WORK, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, AND EVEN THOUGH TEMPERATURES AT 7000m IN WINTER ARE ON PAR WITH 8000m IN SUMMER, THESE SUITS ARE JUST NOT ADAPTABLE ENOUGH FOR THE WAY WE DO THINGS.

A CASE IS TO BE MADE FOR ‘SKINNY’ ONE PIECE SUITS, SUCH AS THE INNER PART OF PHDS DOUBLE SUIT, BUT AS IT CURRENTLY IS IT’S TOO FRAGILE FOR THE BEATING OF STEEP MIXED CLIMBING. WE HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL DOWN CLOTHING COMPANIES (INCLUDING PHD) ABOUT SOMETHING CLOSER TO WHAT WE NEED BUT AS YET TO NO AVAIL, EVEN COMPANIES CLAIMING CUSTOM.

AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCATING OTHERWISE, WE NO LONGER SEE THE EFFICACY IN OLD STYLE TWO PIECE SUITS, HAVING FOUND MUCH LIGHTER AND MORE VERSATILE SOLUTIONS. BASICALLY DESIGNED OFF THE ONE PIECE, THEY SHARE MANY THINGS THAT ARE SUPERFLOUS, INCLUDING ELEMENTS THAT ARE THERE FOR USE WITH OXYGEN SETS AS WELL AS POCKETS AND ZIPS WAY BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE EVER NEEDED.

THESE SUITS ARE TOO HEAVY FOR FAST 6000-7000m ASCENTS, AND EACH PART IS FAR TOO BULKY BEING FESTOONED WITH ALL THE GIMMICKS THE 8000m CIRCUIT SEEMS TO LIKE. BY COMPARISON, THE DOUBLE-JACKET SYSTEM WE NOW USE USUALLY COMES IN LIGHTER THAN A SINGLE 8000m JACKET, BUT PROVIDES MORE INSULATION ACROSS A WIDER SPECTRUM OF CONDITIONS, MAKING IT EASILY THE WAY TO GO.

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