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Apparel and Layering
  • Apparel and Layering

  • Gear Guide

Mountain climbing demands a lot from your body. One of the biggest challenges in cold environments is regulating your body temperature, which is critical for optimum performance. The best way to stabilize your temperature is through layering. Layering allows you to:

a. Manage body temperature efficiently
b. Minimize sweat
c. Insulate from the cold
d. Protect from wind, rain, snow


There's a ton of info in this post, so we've grouped it under a few sections below. Just click the tab to get the information you're interested in!

Click below to jump to your desired section

Apparel and Layering

Baselayers

Baselayers

Advice in Motion

The Logic Behind Baselayers

Lightweight Insulation

Lightweight Insulation

Midweight Insulation

Midweight Insulation
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Base, Light, and Midweight Layers

Regular price $79.00
Sale price $79.00
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The Solstice Graphene is guide grit plus lab smarts.  This is the best baselayer we've ever made. Period. Years of development and iteration led us to a new synthetic fabric that feels like cotton,...
Regular price $65.00
Sale price $65.00
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Description Patagonia's most versatile technical top is built for use on the trail or on the water: It’s quick drying, has stretch for mobility and comfort, plus HeiQ® Pure odor control. Made with ...
70% Off
Regular price $74.70
Sale price $74.70
Regular price $249.00
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From the Summit to the Board Room We liked our Alpha Ascender hoody so much, we decided to hack the sleeves off and turn it into one of those technical vests everybody’s wearing these days. But th...
Regular price $179.00
Sale price $179.00
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Stay Warm, Move Fast The R1® Air Full-Zip Hoody is a lightweight, breathable and quick-drying technical fleece for high-exertion activities in cold conditions. Fabric is made with 100% recycled p...
Regular price $179.00
Sale price $179.00
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Perfect Layering Piece for Climbing Any Peak With a waffle weave that extends all the way into the hood, the R1 Air is the perfect second layer for high-exertion activities in the mountains. It'll...
25% Off
Regular price $224.25
Sale price $224.25
Regular price $299.00
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The Next Generation of Lightweight Insulation A highly versatile, insulating midlayer combining the benefits of Black Diamond's First Light insulation with mapped merino wool in key areas to maximi...
70% Off
Regular price $74.70
Sale price $74.70
Regular price $249.00
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From the Summit to the Board Room We liked our Alpha Ascender hoody so much, we decided to hack the sleeves off and turn it into one of those technical vests everybody’s wearing these days. But th...
Regular price $289.00
Sale price $289.00
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A Guide Pick for a Reason Warm, windproof, water-resistant—the Nano Puff® Hoody uses incredibly lightweight and highly compressible 60-g PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco 100% postconsumer recycled po...
Regular price $289.00
Sale price $289.00
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A Winner of our Guide Pick™ Choice for Midweight Insulating Layer Warm, windproof, water-resistant—the Nano Puff® Hoody uses incredibly lightweight and highly compressible 60-g PrimaLoft® Gold Insu...
25% Off
Regular price $225.00
Sale price $225.00
Regular price $300.00
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Warm-even-when-wet hoody you can hike, climb, tour, and live in. The Atom Hoody is the solution to your “which jacket should I wear?” problem. Wear it solo for chilly forest hikes with windy sum...
25% Off
Regular price $90.00
Sale price $90.00
Regular price $120.00
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Lightweight and highly versatile Rab's bestselling multi-activity softshell is back, now built with a recycled fabric and offering the unbeatable breathability and wind resistance you need wherever...
25% Off
Regular price $90.00
Sale price $90.00
Regular price $120.00
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Lightweight and highly versatile Rab's bestselling multi-activity softshell is back, now built with a recycled fabric and offering the unbeatable breathability and wind resistance you need where...
Hardshell Jackets

Hardshell Jackets

Advice in Motion

Choosing a Hardshell

Expedition Parkas

Expedition Parkas

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Hardshells & Parkas

25% Off
Regular price from $60.00
Sale price from $60.00
Regular price $80.00
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Product Description The Black Diamond HighLine Stretch Shell is the most versatile, and technical, 3-layer mountain shell in our collection. The HighLine features a premier combination of our BD.d...
Regular price $179.00
Sale price $179.00
Regular price $179.00
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Simple and Unpretentious Patagonia's trusted Torrentshell 3L Jacket uses 3-layer H2No® Performance Standard technology for exceptional waterproof/breathable performance, all-day comfort and long-la...
25% Off
Regular price $450.00
Sale price $450.00
Regular price $600.00
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Light, packable, highly versatile GORE-TEX PRO shell with hybrid construction. Beta Series: All-round mountain apparel.  |  AR: All Round. Packable, breathable, durable waterproof protection across...
25% Off
Regular price $141.75
Sale price $141.75
Regular price $189.00
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Alpine squalls or urban downpours, the Fineline Stretch Rain Shell can handle it all. Featuring our BD.dry™ waterproof/breathable/windproof solution, which is engineered to shield you from whatever...
25% Off
Regular price $336.75
Sale price $336.75
Regular price $449.00
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The HighLine Stretch Shell is a versatile and technical, 3-layer mountain shell. The HighLine features a premier combination of Black Diamond's BD.dry and Empel waterproof/breathable protection wit...
25% Off
Regular price $412.50
Sale price $412.50
Regular price $550.00
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Mountain Hardwear's Ultra-Warm Down Parka in 800-fill RDS®-certified Down for Bone-Chilling Temps Our ultra-warm down parka for shiver-free belays on ice and alpine routes, après-trek warmth at Eve...
25% Off
Regular price $300.00
Sale price $300.00
Regular price $400.00
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Built for winter conditions and alpine summits The Neutrino Pro is ideally suited for climbing in winter alpine conditions. It’s filled with 800FP down in stitch-through baffles and compresses d...

Lower Body Layering

We recommend a system of 3 layers, all of which can be used in conjunction with each other. Products which combine several layers into one garment, such as traditional ski pants, don’t work well as they don’t offer the versatility of a layering system.

Guide to

Lower Body Baselayer

Depending on the weather, you'll want to go with baselayer bottoms or non-cotton underwear. A lightweight pair of baselayer bottoms provides added insulation for cold climbs when worn in conjunction with the climbing pants. Lighter is often better, as it easy to overheat, and difficult to remove baselayer bottoms mid-climb.

Guide to

Climbing Pants

Soft-shell climbing pants offer a wide range of versatility. You can wear them in combination with the base layer on colder days, or alone on warmer days.

The soft shell material breathes well and allows the sweat and heat generated during the climb to dissipate, while still offering some resistance to light wind and precipitation. These climbing pants are our main workhorse layer, often worn alone to ascend the snowfield, and with a baselayer on the upper mountain for added warmth. A fleece pant serves the same function but is not as durable, breathable, or weather resistant and as a result are rarely used by guides. Depending on the model, soft shells come in varying thicknesses If you are climbing in the middle of the summer climbing season when temperatures are higher, or you tend to run warm, aim for a lighter weight version. If you are climbing in the early or late season or find yourself always being the person wearing an extra layer, use a pair made from a thicker material. 

Guide to

Hardshell Pants

 A waterproof pant with 3/4 side zippers (sometimes called 7/8 or full side zips) are required for facilitating quick clothing adjustments over boots and crampons.

Here are a few of our favorite Hardshell Pants. 

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Base, Climbing, and Hardshell Bottoms

25% Off
Regular price $86.25
Sale price $86.25
Regular price $115.00
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A Thicker Baselayer for Cold Weather We've updated our Men's Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Bottom to bring you a better fitting, more functional tight. The technical benefits of 100% Merino woo...
25% Off
Regular price $82.50
Sale price $82.50
Regular price $110.00
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100% Merino. 100% Capable. Our Women's Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer B is always ready for what's ahead and what's next. With a fit updated to improve functionality while enhancing ae...
Regular price $149.00
Sale price $149.00
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Hike, Alpine, or Rock, this Pant does it All Fully featured, lightweight soft-shell pants with added durability for long alpine rock routes and all-day movement above the tree line. Inseam is 32 in...
Regular price $149.00
Sale price $149.00
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Great for Climbing Rainier or a Hike in the Woods Fully featured, lightweight soft-shell pants with added durability for long alpine rock routes and all-day movement above the tree line. Inseam is ...
25% Off
Regular price $119.25
Sale price $119.25
Regular price $159.00
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Our Climbing Guides Love this Pant During any spring or fall mission, the Black Diamond Alpine Pant blends extreme durability with a highly breathable construction. Designed with a four-way stretch...
25% Off
Regular price from $22.50
Sale price from $22.50
Regular price $30.00
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Product Description During any spring or fall mission, the Black Diamond Alpine Pant blends extreme durability with a highly breathable construction. Designed with a four-way stretch fabric, they c...
25% Off
Regular price $119.25
Sale price $119.25
Regular price $159.00
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A Top Choice of RMI Expeditions' Guides During any spring or fall mission, the Black Diamond Alpine Pant blends extreme durability with a highly breathable construction. Designed with a four-way st...
25% Off
Regular price from $22.50
Sale price from $22.50
Regular price $30.00
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Product Description During any spring or fall mission, the Black Diamond Alpine Pant blends extreme durability with a highly breathable construction. Designed with a four-way stretch fabric, they c...
25% Off
Regular price $134.25
Sale price $134.25
Regular price $179.00
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Breathable, Stretchy, Weather-Resistant, and Durable for Alpine Climbing The Cirque III Pants are built for alpine exploration, featuring weather-resistant materials and an alpine-forward design se...
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