Weather Wear

This has been a disappointing winter; we had decent snow for a couple of weeks before christmas, but what ought to have been a good 20-30 cm of fresh snow on christmas day, was instead cold rain, as we hit a multi-week period of unseasonal warmth (about 5C above normal) and no snow.
The "big storm" that hit the north-east sideswiped us, but it was just nuisance snow, and it looks like the next system will pass to the west of us, giving us rain instead. Pah.
March tends to bring significant snow here, but it doesn't usually linger as nice fun powder, may give a day or two for snowmen and such, but not serious fun.
And, of course, this is the year where we didn't make it to Aspen, where apparently they have shitloads of snow (like 3m+ or so I hear). Aargh.


So, I stick with my trusty Marmot, backed up by Icelandic woolens, which I have not had a single occasion to wear this year. Nor has my trusty 66North balaclava been worn even once. (I still want my old wooly balaclava back; woe onto the bastard mover who stole it - it was hand made, and I'd recognise it...)

The Wife usually goes for serious down jackets, but the milder weather has allowed good use to be made of the "mid-layer" fleece from 66North as a stand-alone layer. Very nice.

The Big Kid swears by her Spyder jacket from Obermeyer, especially now that one of the Even Bigger Kids at school has one also. I have to say the Spyder's are totally f...ing awesome; like I want one, and I like my Marmot. The Spyder's are just really well thought out, and by all accounts extremely comfortable. And they look cool.
However for milder conditions the old 66North fleece jacket is first choice, and in any case a carefully chosen ensemble of hat and gloves from the 66North assortment is a must.

(If you're getting the impression that I am impressed by the 66North stuff, you are correct, and I am not saying this out of any misplaced sense of duty, the stuff really functions as cold weather clothing, and it is well designed).

The Munchkin is all 66North all the way, not ready for ski wear yet, but the 66North one pieces are amazing. Hat and booties work too.


Any day now, we should be getting the new rain gear selection, from of course 66North, just in time for MudSpring.

Oh, boots: we go with Timberland mostly for the adults and REI for the kids. REI has good kid stuff.
Expect we'll be acquiring some serious woolens for the kids, Icelandic wool of course; definitely socks and gloves, probably sweaters too, though they grow out of those awful fast at this age.