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Bcruz75 t1_itrtoq4 wrote

I'm going in a different direction and recommend that you use layers to stay warm. Almost Everything you will be doing is active/athletic which requires the ability to add and remove layers as needed. Something with pit zips would be critical because you're going to burn up, sweat, then get cold from the sweat if you wear a parka riding your bike. Same thing with skiing. Sweat is your worst enemy when you're active in cold weather.

I've done fat bike 'fun runs' at night, in the winter at 10,000 ft which typically starts at 20 degrees and ends in single digits. When I finally figured out how to dress, I would wear a baselayer, midlayer shirt, and a light softshell jacket with the pits open the entire time.

I would recommend a merino wool layer, a warm fleece jacket, and a hardshell outer layer for cold days when you're active. Ditch the wool layer or the shell on slightly warmer dry days. Ditch the fleece on much warmer days. Cold non active days are a different story..add layers because you won't be fighting sweat as much.

Don't skimp on gloves and get face covering for super cold commuting in snow or sleet. Your 20 minute commute will double if you have to contend with slick roads, heavier traffic, etc.

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__jjjjjj__ OP t1_itsb7k4 wrote

wow great, thank you!!!

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Bcruz75 t1_itsdxii wrote

I take the wisdom of the best survivalist/bushcraft expert Les Stroud aka Survivorman....his famous line is "if you sweat (dramatic pause) you die".

Ya'all get some brutal cold up there so I might have slightly underestimated the need for warmth when you're less active but I kinda fixated on your biking commute. A three mile commute should be 20-30 minutes depending on things like sitting at traffic lights...pretty sure you'll be warm by mile 2. Casually walking will require significantly more warm layers, or ideally a parka like the ones others are recommending.

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