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Archive 2022 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?

  
 
jbphotography
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Hi everyone,

My wife and I just booked a trip to Churchill for early November 2023. Can anyone make some specific gear recommendations for base layers, jackets, gloves, etc, based on first hand experience in Churchill or similar climates? Brand recommendations are appreciated. If we’re making the investment, I’d prefer to go with the better option between brands x and y, if that makes sense. I’m not sure renting gear is an option, both with logistics of the tour and I’m bigger than the average guy.

Any recommendations are appreciated!



Nov 19, 2022 at 08:45 AM
jcolwell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


If you expect to stand more-or-less still for more than fifteen minutes, you should be wearing Baffin Boots. I haven't been to Churchill, but I do know cold.


Nov 19, 2022 at 09:45 AM
sjms
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


since you are an unknown quantity (cold weather experience and your current used to environment) start with basics:

i have been there. as of the moment today 11/19/2022 at 11:19am it is -6F. that should give you a little perspective. as it is a tour it will be a relatively controlled situation and environment. they should provide you with a list of stuff to look into. shop early.

DO NOT BRING/WEAR COTTON

first layer underwear i have been using Patagonia capilene mid weight for over 30 years. they have worn well. i much prefer zip t neck tops for heating/cooling. lots of standing around to shoot time.

as jcolwell says good boots to stand in that weather. his choice Baffin i still have sorels myself.

wind proof shell clothing

wool socks

balaclava for face coverage

good eye protection

check out LL Bean, REI, EMS and other good outdoor shops.




Nov 19, 2022 at 12:37 PM
EverLearning
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


OK, a topic I do have some expertise on! I live in Winnipeg Manitoba and we can get ambient temperatures very similar to further north, like Churchill. I have also been to Churchill (very end of October/beginning of November). One of the big differences is the wind that can come of Hudson Bay can make it feel much colder than the ambient temperature, so wind-resistent or windproof clothing is important.

You don't say (nor does info indicate) what country you are from, so I am going to assume you are not familiar with this kind of cold.

Think of your body as four zones - feet, hands, head (especially ears), the rest. If you feet, hands or ears or cold, you will be miserable! If the body gets cold, you will be unhappy. Not diminishing the importance of a warm body, but it getting cold is not the same as the pain you can experience with toes, fingers and ears.

Feet: marino wool socks, good boots. So what's "good boots"? First off, understand that temperature ratings on boots are not regulated and are next to useless in helping you pick a good boot. I have a pair of -40c rated Sorel boots in which my feet get cold in two hours outside in -10c. They are good for walking the dog and shoveling the driveway but not much else. Recommendations/reviews are far more valuable than vendor temperature ratings. I am 100% with jcolwell on Baffin Boots. I bought a pair of Baffin Evolution, which are rated for -70c and the are fantastic. I have been out for nearly four hours of photography in -35c and it was only at the end of that four hours that my toes started to feel a bit cold. This will cost you some money but your feet will be very happy. There may be other, less expensive Baffin boots that will be more suitable for what you expect to be doing.

Head: A couple of approaches for cold weather, but both start with a technical balaclava. This will cover pretty much everything but an area around your eyes, and helps to protect you from wind and snow (also wicks moisture away if you are working hard, like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, etc). It covers the head and neck. The better ones will have a different material over the mouth to make them more breathable, but you won't need that unless you plan on doing some intense cardio outside (running from polar bears?). A neck gator is inexpensive and is a nice addition over the balaclava. It is like a tube that you pull over your head down to your neck (it would go over the balaclava). Now the two options. If your parka has a hood (most do), then get a toque (a knitted winter hat that is double layered over the ears). Wool is best but others work. Also get an ear (AKA head) band. If the weather is unseasonably mild, you might just wear the ear band. If it is a bit cooler, you would wear the toque. Colder yet? Wear the balaclava and toque. Bitterly cold? Wear the balaclava, toque and put the hood up on the parka. The second option is a trappers hat instead of a toque, but unless you really dislike the cold or plan to be out in it for a long time, it might be overkill (and it is bulkier).

The body: this is the easiest. Layers! Best for the lower body is long johns/long underwear and ski pants. A "poor man's" option would be long underwear, heavy sweatpants and quality windproof pants. Upper body would be a long sleeved moisture wicking undershirt, then a mid layer (something moderately warm with a full front zipper) and then a parka. You want the mid layer to have a full front zipper so that you can partially or even completely unzip it if the weather is unseasonably warm. You want a parka with a hood, outside pockets (can put photography gadgets, extenders, head bands, gloves, toques, etc) and at least one inner pocket (keep your batteries there because you will have the one in the camera die faster in the cold but your body will keep your spares warm and ready to go. The zipper is important. You want a velcro sealed flap that covers the zipper so the wind doesn't cut through the zipper (and it absolutely will). Not mandatory but very nice for photography is if the zipper is dual ended - you can pull one zipper tag up from the bottom to close the parka and pull another zipper tag up from the bottom to unzip from the bottom. Being able to unzip from the bottom a few/several inches is very nice for being able to kneel for shots without the parking tugging on you (or worse, the zipper literally coming apart from the bottom up and being hard to unzip/rezip). You want a winter parka, not a winter jacket. Winter jackets barely cover the bum, are generally a bit less warm and sometimes have hoods that are just shells (so just protect you from wind but of little assistance otherwise in keeping your head warm).

Hands. Ugh. It is easy to have something covering the hands and take photos. It is easy to keep the hands warm. It is difficult to keep the hands warm AND take photos. This is probably going to depend on your style of shooting. If you tend to make a lot of camera adjustments requiring fine motor movements, then you probably want to go with a dual glove system. If you just tend to turn large dials and press the shutter, good mitts with a wind shell is the way to go. It is tough to find a good pair of mitts that will keep your hands warm AND let you do BBF on your camera, so think of that. I went through a number of mitts before I found one that minimally inhibits my control of the camera, but it still does a bit (mostly with the smallish BBF button). This is my compromise for being out in -30c type weather for extended periods of time. You might be best to go with the dual glove approach. B&H has a great selection of gloves. Not saying you have to buy there, but it is a great site for checking out your options. I bought a pair of Freehands stretch gloves for the under layer. They provide a bit of protection and have material on the thumb and second finger for operating digital devices (cameras, cell phones, etc). My outer glove is a Freehands glove too. They don't have the exact glove I bought anymore, but it is similar to the softshell ski/snowboard glove. It is nice for photography because the thumb and second finger tips can be pulled back. Note that this does mean they are not as warm as some other options. So the last piece of the puzzle - chemical hand warmer packs. Shake up a pack to activate the chemicals and then put it between the inner glove and outer glove (on top of the hand is best as it doesn't get in the way of taking photos).

Now you are all set! When my friend and I went to Churchill, there were many people woefully underdressed on the tundra buggies. It was bad for them because they couldn't stay out on the platforms very long but it was great for us because we were often the only two on the platform!

Dressed like this, you will be able to stay out for extended durations but also adapt quickly and easily to warmer than usual weather. Besides batteries in your inside parka pocket, note that your camera will fog up when you go back inside the tundra buggy. Putting the cap on the lens will help the front element but for the camera overall, you will need to either keep it inside your park OR have a sweater or blanket that you can toss over it so that it doesn't warm quickly and get moisture inside (or if your camera bag is big enough, put it in there and just flip the front panel over it (you don't need to zip it in) while you sip a hot chocolate. Lastly, don't change cards while out on the platform . Even if your hands are toasty warm, thee is the chance you drop the card. The platforms are a grate and the card will fall through to the ground and you will not be able to retrieve it (although the polar bears would like you to try!). Step inside the tundra buggy, quickly make the change and head back out.

Good luck and have a great trip!



Nov 19, 2022 at 01:01 PM
Chris Court
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


^^^ One of the most useful and thorough answers to a question that I’ve seen in 15 years on this site. Well done, sir!!

C

Edited on Nov 20, 2022 at 03:29 AM · View previous versions



Nov 19, 2022 at 01:24 PM
Timkr
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Baffin boots, Canada goose pants and parka. Lots of hot hands hand warmers


Nov 19, 2022 at 02:20 PM
EverLearning
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Thank you for the kind words Chris. So many people at FM have provided so much help over the years (photographic, post-processing, critiques, gear, trip locations; you name it), it was a pleasure to be able to give even just a bit of that back and help somebody else get the most out of their trip.


Nov 19, 2022 at 02:24 PM
Flowernut
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Many of the tour companies have an option to rent cold weather gear. Unless you are planning alot of cold weather photography, this may be your best option.

A lot depends on whether you are in a tundra buggy or outside. Most complaints are about boots and gloves. When buying boots they rarely are warm at the coldest temperatures advertised. Even in a tundra buggy, I'd go warm because of the floor acting as a conductor. People on my last trip were complaining about how their feet were cold but the boots they had were "advertised" for some ridiculously cold temperature. My feet were actually hot in military white "bunny" boots (rated at -65F by probably a private in a freezer and not the advertising department). The big advantage of the bunny boots is they come in a raft of sizes both width and length (me 4E) and the insulation is sealed inside a rubber case so even wet, they still insulate. My first trip was with sorrels and I don't remember a problem. Pull out the liner at night to facilitate drying out perspiration that builds up during the day. My "off duty" around town boots are steger arctic mukluks. Very light weight and comfortable. I've used them for over 30 years. Wear heavy wool socks like smartwool mountaineer with any boot.

In a Tundra Buggy, I've used glove liners under fingerless gloves mostly with heaver gloves in reserve. The super cold weather gloves for photography are coming these days from "THE HEAT COMPANY", SWANY, AND VALLERRET. My experience has mainly been with the swany artic mitt and the heat company's shell. I prefer a shell from either of these companies as it allows me to switch out the liner. Take chemical heat packs as they are a must for hands. I stick mine between the liner and the outer glove. Remember, whatever you have for gloves, you must be able to manipulate the camera controls with them on.

Dress in layers. I have synthetic long underwear wearing the bottom more often than the top. Wool or synthetic flannel shirt, Filson wool vest, 300 wt full zippered polartec hooded sweat shirt. Lots of things to button unbutton lower or take off to adjust temperature. That keeps me warm generally in the buggy. I have a heavier to heavy hooded down (feathered friends) or synthetic (Patagonia) coat to go on top of the sweatshirt with a scarf and hat or stocking cap. Warmest coats will be down. Go with the mountaineering type coats as they are lighter and easier to pack than some of the heavy coats from Canada goose and others. Legs, long underwear, wool or synthetic wool pant and marmot PreCip rain pants with full leg zip. The rain pant adds little weight and a lot of warmth.

wish I'd seen everlearning's post first and I would not have spent time on mine. His went up while I was working on this. A couple of things to add. There is a big difference between riding a tundra buggy and static activities such as northern lights or sitting outside a mother polar bears den waiting for hours for her to emerge with her cubs. I've had down pants and Patagonia nano puff pants but have found them only necessary for static activity. Of course I'm sure people have been in climates where they were essential. Cabella's trans Alaskan boot is quite warm and was recommended by someone who does the polar bear mother thing. I wouldn't want to have to hike very far with it or some of the Baffin or sorrel contenders for warmest boot. On the camera I raise buttons using self sticking furniture tabs as first shown to me by a Canon Explorer of light. I does work although the buttons are very small. There is a commercial kit now available to do this with better sized buttons. I insulate the areas I grab on the camera with Dr. Shoals Molefoam padding cut to shape. This was in an article many years ago by Galen Rowel and it does help to break the thermal conductivity between your hand and the camera. It is designed to place on your skin and I've never had any problem getting it off the camera without damage.


Edited on Nov 23, 2022 at 11:34 AM · View previous versions



Nov 19, 2022 at 02:40 PM
mitesh
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


@EverLearning’s post is as definitive an answer as you will need. I might add just a couple of additional suggestions that may or may not be considerations for you.

I found ski goggles to be helpful to not only protect your eyes from the bright, reflected light, but also from the wind and blowing snow.

I second the suggestion of a good balaclava and a wool neck gaiter + wool cap. Klim is a good brand for technical balaclavas. Get one that can be tucked into your down jacket to really keep the wind out.

For layers, I like Smartwool merino tops and bottoms. I typically wore a heavy weight merino base layer, fleece pants, fleece sweater, down jacket, and then the outermost layer of a heavy down bib pant and parka. For the down bib and parka, I like Mountain Hardwear Zero Down pant and parka.

For gloves, I definitely recommend layering wool liners under insulated gloves, with a mitten shell. You can slip handwarmers in between the liner and insulated glove. Check out The Heat Company glove system.

Baffin boots are the way to go, for sure. Don’t forget heavy wool expedition socks. I wore a thin wool liner sock under the heavier outer sock. Check out Darn Tough socks.

I kept a USB power bank connected to a dual battery charger in a small pouch in my parka’s inner pocket. I slipped a hand warmer in the pouch as well. As soon as camera batteries died, I charged them up in this pouch. I also taped hand warmers to the exterior of my camera’s battery compartment. This really helped slow battery drain, although you will definitely want to keep at least one set of spares.

Hope this helps, and have fun!









Nov 19, 2022 at 04:24 PM
rwolson
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


EverLearning provided great advice.

I suggest purchasing items like the Baffins early and walk around in them or try the boots out so you know how they feel while walking. Also, re: winter parkas. I picked up a mountaineering parka I wear while photographing the Milky Way in March, April during cold nights. I found a Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero parka onsite. The coat's like wearing a sleeping bag inside a shell.

Also, I've tried battery powered glove liners. I know people swear by them. However, my experience, batteries loose charge fast in the cold or flat out fail. Another problem, the battery's over the wrist under a coat sleeve maybe difficult to find and change settings. Next, I turned to battery powered hand warmers I find actually help. I leave mine in a coat pocket or place in an inner pocket. The heat in ithe inner pocket helps keep you warm.

Another suggest, make certain to avoid sweating before arriving at your destination. I know in the extreme cold you'll want to bundle up before heading out. The wind's sneaky finding sweat saturated clothing and the result, your bone chilled cold.

Enjoy your trip!



Nov 19, 2022 at 08:16 PM
SSISteve
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


I agree 100% with the Baffin boots. Your feet will thank you and will be toasty warm. I also have the Heat 3 gloves and they work great. For a base layer I love the Smart Wool 1/4 zip 250 and their bottom as as well. My outer pants are Mountain Hardware and I love them as they zip up the side and keep you very warm. Outer jacket is Arcteryx and while it normally was $600 if you get winter gear after winter is over there’s usually big sales. Mine ended up being $300. I also love Smart Wool socks


Nov 20, 2022 at 01:17 AM
jbphotography
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Guys, these are awesome responses and really helpful! I should have indicated that I’m from Philadelphia, PA. It gets cold in the winter, but absolutely nothing like what Churchill can bring. I can stay out 4-6 hours in freezing temps (30-32f) with my current gear, but I understand that’s not close to what Churchill can bring.


Nov 20, 2022 at 04:36 PM
jeffbuzz
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Keeping your skin protected from any contact with metal is critical when it is really cold. I've found using thin glove liners with big mittens over them works for me. Pull off the mittens to shoot and the thin liners keep your skin from contacting the equipment. Pull the mittens back on between shots. I like the Seirus brand because the ones I have are totally smooth on the inside so they slip on and off easily. Mittens that are fuzzy on the inside might be more comfy to wear alone but they get hung up on liners and pull them off defeating the whole purpose.


Nov 21, 2022 at 02:51 PM
GroovyGeek
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Many people say Baffin but do not elaborate further. Baffin makes a bewildering array of similarly spec'd boots with zero effort to explain the distinctions.

The Polar Rated line (Impact, Eiger, etc) is a dramatic overkill for anything but the most demanding use. They are too large for many snowshoes (without expansion straps) and they dont fit well around the heel - your heel will lift off the sole with every step.

The next step down is models like the Snow Monster. Not as bulky as the Impacts but nearly as ill fitting. And nearly as much overkill if you don't plan on spending hours standing around a hole in the ice.

One more grade down are the Summit and Sequoia. IMO that is a sweet spot for day use where you are never more than a few miles away from a vehicle and are unlikely to be below -30F for more than an hour or so. Of the two I prefer the Summit by a mile. Regular laces, fits more like a traditional winter boot (ie not floppy around the heel like EVERY Baffin shoe that users pull laces)

Another Baffin annoyance to be aware of is the gaiter D ring. It is too small for many popular gaiters.

For jackets you have many choices. Canada Goose is fine but you can do better. I prefer lighter technical jackets such as the Patagonia Grade 7 or Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero. Either one will set you back around $1k. There are options out there that are cheaper but not by much. Mountain Hardware sells heavy duty down pants too.

Gloves - mittens with heavy duty liners. Grabbers warmer packs. Stay away from Hotties they don't work well in very cold weather. I like the Gtech battery powered warmer pouches, though I have never attempted to use them in ultra cold weather.

Heavy windproof hat, balaclava, goggles have already been discussed so I will not repeat that.

I did not see a suggestion for knee pads though. Relatively bulky ones with a hard shell for kneeling on the ice.



Nov 22, 2022 at 12:27 AM
Frogfish
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


Flowernut wrote:
...
In a Tundra Buggy, I've used glove liners under fingerless gloves mostly with heaver gloves in reserve. The super cold weather gloves for photography are coming these days from "THE HEAT COMPANY", SWANY, AND VALLERRET. My experience has mainly been with the swany artic mitt and the heat company's shell. I prefer a shell from either of these companies as it allows me to switch out the liner. Take chemical heat packs as they are a must for hands. I stick mine between the liner and the outer glove. Remember, whatever you have for gloves, you must be able to
...Show more

Another vote for Swany Arctic Toasters Mitts. These are what I wore at -30C to -50C for a week in Inner Mongolia photographing Snowy Owls (amongst other owls). Often laying down on the tundra for 20 -30 mins at a time to get close to the owls.
They have liners inside them and unzip down the side so you can pop your lined fingers out to operate dials etc. (though you should have set your camera up properly BEFORE going out so major menu dives shouldn't be necessary) without taking them off! I ALWAYS had chemical heaters inside, on the back of my hands where they are out of the way, and my hands were never cold - except if I kept my fingers outside the mitt for too long.

My boots BTW were Irish Setters by Redwing with 1,000g Thinsulate. I wore these with extreme woollen socks & liners with chemical heat pads (be careful where you place these as you don't want to get burned). They did the job but I wouldn't recommend this set up over the Baffins or Sorels.

BTW give some thought to how you dress/undress if you are moving from warm to cold and back often. Your clothing needs to be easily removable.



Nov 22, 2022 at 04:57 AM
mpoole
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


I think it would be very helpful if you described your trip. Which week are you going? Temperatures drop quickly from the beginning to the end of bear season.
Are you in Tundra buggies or are you doing a 4x4 tour or out walking with the bears like Churchill Wild offers. The choice of clothes would vary dramatically based on the above. We just got back two weeks ago and it wasn't super cold.

I would recommend reading/watching this to save some frustration: https://backcountrygallery.com/are-lens-hoods-wrecking-your-photos-in-cold-weather/



Nov 22, 2022 at 04:01 PM
EverLearning
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


The weather can vary greatly; from day to day and year to year. We were there several years ago at the end of October/beginning of November and it was very cold; mostly because of the wind coming off Hudson Bay. And i say this as somebody who lives in one of the coldest winter cities in the world.


Nov 22, 2022 at 05:09 PM
rdeloe
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


EverLearning wrote:
OK, a topic I do have some expertise on! I live in Winnipeg Manitoba


Friendly amendment... it's called Winterpeg.



Nov 22, 2022 at 07:32 PM
cambyses
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


I am starting to think about planning a Churchill trip myself, and I came across this very helpful thread!

On the subject of boots, what do you guys think about these Fubuki boots compared to Baffin boots. They may not be as fancy-looking but seem to be much lighter and yet potentially warmer than the Baffin boots:
http://fubukiboots.com/en-us/products/niseko-2-0?variant=39474465144903

On goggles, @mitesh, I am curious, can you actually take pictures using the Viewfinder with the Ski googles on?

Thx



Mar 01, 2023 at 03:58 PM
EverLearning
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Cold weather gear for Churchill?


rdeloe wrote:
Friendly amendment... it's called Winterpeg.


Only by people from the GTA.

And on the upside, Winnipegers know how to handle winter. Get the huskies out and go. No need to call in the army for help.



Mar 01, 2023 at 06:28 PM
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