Dalton Highway, AK.
I was recently reminded I had done reviews on all things cold weather clothing…except what pants or bibs I was using. I am very focused on staying comfortable in the extreme cold we experience in arctic Alaska. I spent many years guiding in some very cold places, but the difference now is I am generally standing around not generating a lot of my own heat. If I am going to be hiking, then I will choose lighter layer combinations. Below are the fours pants/bibs I alternate during the winter. My shooting ranges from photographing winter activities for Alaska tourism in mild conditions to standing in the dark at -40F photographing the aurora. There are a lot of down and synthetic pants on the market, but these are the ones I use during Alaskan winters.
Apocalypse Design Snow Bibs (1.). This Fairbanks company makes incredible winter clothes, and we wear their parkas all winter long. I use their middle weight ‘snow bibs’ for much of my shooting in the winter. These bibs are built like a tank, reinforced in numerous areas, and very warm. I wear a set of Patagonia expedition weight long johns under these bids and I am good to go to zero degrees. I can even add more layers for colder weather. I love wearing these bibs when we photograph dog sledding, activities that are hard on clothes. I have been wearing these bibs for years and they just keep going.
Feathered Friends Frontpoint Expedition Down Pants (2.). These are the warmest stand alone down pants I own. With my Patagonia heavy weight long johns layered underneath, I’m good to -30F wearing these pants. They are packed with 900+ fill down, and have a waterproof durable Pertex fabric. And they are incredibly light. My only wish is they made them in a bib to better seal out the cold along the waistline.
Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Pants (3.). These are the lightest weight pants of the bunch, and I use them as an additional layer under my other pants. I’ll combine the ghost whisperer pants with my Apocalypse bibs for a great layering system that keeps me warm well below zero. They are also nice to wear driving to a location, and then put on a warmer outer layer. If you are sitting around a cold campsite, these would be great.
Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero Pant (4.). These are 8000 meter peak down climbing pants, and are my go to for extreme conditions. They are warm alone to subzero temps, but for -40F I wear them with a base layer Patagonia capilene and then the ghost whisperer pants…so two pairs of down pants for the coldest of conditions. I really like the fact they are bibs to keep out cold air along the waistline. I got one size up from my normal size to accommodate layers and have a wider boot/ankle cuff to go over my mukluks or bunny boots.