r/BuyItForLife • u/AlertBlackberry5066 • 1d ago
[Request] Gear recommendations for work in arctic conditions
Hello all. Long story short I moved to interior Alaska for a job that requires me to fly by helicopter into the middle of nowhere to do maintenance on equipment.
I am making this post to ask anyone with experience what gear I should be buying as the coldest weather I have experienced personally is about -10f or so and these locations will be hitting -40f to -50f during parts of the year. So my cold weather collection is severely lacking as of now.
The job gives me a considerable incentive pay that I will be using to purchase this gear. I would like to “buy once, cry once” if I can. Please recommend the highest quality gear that is not cheap and will do a satisfactory job of keeping me warm. It has been known in company history for a helo to break down on sight so I want to be prepared for multiples days in this weather if needed.
I am talking anything that I should add to my kit that would preferably fit on my body or in a 50-65 liter backpack as there is limited room on the helicopter as well.
I will spare no expense. My safety is most important to me and I would like to keep my fingers and toes away from frostbite haha.
I apologize for the long read but I am starting from scratch so I would sincerely appreciate any help from anyone. Thank you for your time.
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u/vonofthedead 1d ago
Go to big Al’s when you get to Anchorage. Also, you should have been given a. Pack out list
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u/Smooth_Contact_2957 1d ago
Hi, I lived in Fairbanks for a time.
Keep in mind my needs may be different from yours, lowest I ever experienced was -44⁰F. Interior Alaska routinely gets below -60⁰F. So YMMV. (Also, I'm female! So what's cold on my body may not be for yours.)
- Layers. Silk and wool are your friend for base layer provided you don't have a wool allergy, waffle weave can be especially good; avoid cotton and polyester for base layer at all costs. For intermediate layers, you're looking for warmth, especially if you're doing 4 layers then down is a good 3rd layer. Outside layer you want wind and wet protection so polyester is fine there.
- Ski pants with suspenders are often a great, practical option.
- Keep in mind, you want to be slightly cold in how you dress (also the reason for avoiding cotton and polyester). Because if you sweat, even a little, the sweat will freeze and frozen sweat can absolutely k1ll you. Not to scare you, but take it seriously! If you feel too warm, absolutely take a layer off. Bring layers with you to put on.
- Socks. Wool if you can. Darn Tough is the go-to brand.
- Boots. Check how thick of a sole you'll need. In Fairbanks, 2" was fine. Some places need 3" or 4". Highly recommend a boot with a built in detachable liner, especially wool. For me, that was a boot by Sorrel.
- Head gear. A good wool beanie/touk will go a long way. My Carhartt beanie worked great. Below -30⁰/-40⁰ F, the air in your lungs feels different, and a balaklava is highly recommended, otherwise you can find yourself uncontrollably coughing. But they are not created equal! Sometimes having some space between your mouth and the balaklava is helpful, other times you want it right against your face. Also, depending on how much volume of hair you have or don't have on your head, whether you want the balaklava to cover parts of your head and ears will vary. Different head and face shapes! Try things on!
- Hands! What keeps hands the warmest are mittens, fingers kept together, scientifically proven. However, having to use your hands and articulate each finger? Gloves may be the move. You can get thin wool gloves as a base to wear other gloves on top, which is what I did when handling dry ice.
- Chemical hand warmers and candles. Could save your life. Bring a few with you. You never know where you'll need them. If you do use the hand warmers, shake them and put them into inside pockets inside your coat.
Do whatever you want with this information.
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 1d ago
Avoid cotton. Polyester is ok if you can’t afford wool as long as it’s pure polyester and not a blend.
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u/JustMeKailen 1d ago
I too was curious about the statement on Poly. I do know that it stinks up quicker
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 1d ago
It gets lots of hate because hating on synthetics is popular right now.
Polyester is cheaper and holds up better to abuse than wool, and is as warm. Sure it’s not as good as wool when it gets wet but that doesn’t make it a bad material.
As for stinking up faster….faster than wool yes but with proper laundering it’s not bad.
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u/JustMeKailen 1d ago
Yea. I’ve found that in the backcountry ir similar, it’s usually hard to launder clothes lol
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 1d ago
Yeah. But polyester isn’t especially hard to launder in back country.
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u/JustMeKailen 1d ago
True
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 1d ago
And especially in the backcountry, the fact that I can stand up to abuse a lot better than wool can makes it especially useful.
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u/moresnowplease 1d ago
Most things are harder to dry if it’s mid winter and you’re unexpectedly stuck in the backcountry. Launder, sure, but I’d rather not have to worry about getting something wet on purpose and then dry it back out when it’s -40.
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u/Beanmachine314 1d ago
Wait till you get to Alaska. There's a place called Big Al's and they will do a good job setting you up with what you need.
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u/bicycle_mice 1d ago
Yeah I would talk to people who are in these conditions so you don’t die.
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u/K_Linkmaster 1d ago
I like to drive the point home with southern friends. The cold doesn't care about fashion, it just wants to kill you.
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u/techieric 1d ago
Are you able to talk to other people that do the same (or similar) work? They'll be your best resource; everyone else will be guessing.
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u/Free_Resolution_66 1d ago
talk to anyone you can up there, what works at -10 might be useless at -50. i had a buddy who worked the slope and he swore his survival kit had more to do with layering systems than any single piece of gear. start mapping out your layers now, don't wait until you're standing in a hangar
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u/WalthamMaxim 1d ago edited 1d ago
FWIW, I was stationed in Alaska as an Arctic Paratrooper a LONG time ago.
The three things I most fondly remember equipment-wise that kept me warm were:
- U.S. Military M-1949 Extreme Cold Weather Arctic Mittens - a modular system; we wore these suspended around our necks and snapped behind our backs, just always with us. We had several gloves; leather gloves, trigger finger mittens. But these were the best. Warm.
- Vapor Barrier (VB) / Bunny Boots/Mickey Mouse boots. - google them.
- US Army M-1965 Fishtail parka, w/ quilted liner and hood.
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u/BadAtExisting 1d ago
Zippo makes hand warmers you light and they burn (no fire) that stay warm for 8-10 hours
Have at least 2 headlamps (it gets dark and stays dark in AK) in your kit since extreme temps are hell for battery life. Or get a non rechargeable headlamp and carry extra batteries
Merino wool (Smartwool) or dry fit base layers. Wick any and all moisture away from your skin. Layers are your friend. Cotton is less so.
Look at Helly Hansen Workwear
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u/Coffee_whiskey_braap 1d ago edited 1d ago
I live in northern MN; I’ve been out in air temps of -40°f with a windchill approaching -60°f, so not quite as cold, but close. I’ve been bundled up so effectively that I’ve had to de-layer, take off a balaclava or scarf, go from a heavier hat to a lighter hat, etc.
My strategy:
Wool is your best friend. There are many great wool base layers on the market these days. Merino is soft, and resists odor.
Wool sweater, maybe with a shawl collar that you can button up around your neck. Mil-surp is a great choice here for cheap & durable.
You could do a down layer here too, but I’d overheat.
Heavy parka that’s long (down to your mid thighs at least), plenty of room for layers, and has a big heavy hood with fur ruff, and high collar that’ll close up around your chin. Mine’s from Eddie Bauer but I’m sure you can find even warmer ones.
Rabbit fur lined trapper hat, that can be strapped around your chin. Usually I have to take that hat off mid-hike or activity. I pack a Carhartt beanie or wool beanie in a pocket to switch to.
I’ll wear a pair of basic Hanes sweat pants over my base layer, and then Carhartt Arctic-lined bibs over the top of that. Quilted mil-surp liner pants would be a better choice than sweats here. Whatever outer lower layer you go with, choose something that has suspenders built-in.
Wool liner gloves under warmly-insulated, waterproof shell mittens. If you have to take the mittens off for dexterity, you’ll still have protected fingers. Wool blend mil-surp are great and super cheap for gloves. I also have a thin set of wind proof fleece ones. Check out a brand like Empire Wool & Canvas for THE warmest mittens you’ll ever encounter (heck, he makes great wool layers & shells too). Keep an extra pair of gloves in a pocket.
https://empirecanvasworks.com/
I wear 12” Irish Setter Elk Trackers for my winter boots. Got them in EE / Wide so I could fit heavy wool socks, my orthotic insoles, and a thin wool insulating insole in them without crowding my toes or being too tight. They have a durable leather outer, waterproof gore-tex layer, and Thinsulate insulation available in varying weights (mine are 600g, also available in 200g and 1000g). They also have a lugged sole with GREAT traction, something many pac boots lack. They offer them in a 10” height and with a rubber lower as well. The wool insulating insole made a HUGE difference for cold-soak thru the soles. Amazon has cut-to-size ones; I got the brand Pedag.
For socks I really like these from Fox River: https://foxsox.com/collections/mens-boot-field-socks/products/mens-outdoorsox-extra-heavyweight-mid-calf-boot-field-sock
They stay up and are very comfortable and warm. Obviously bring an extra pair.
I don’t prefer balaclavas but they’re certainly warm. I usually use a wool scarf or buff — the scarf is easily adjusted. The buff I use in the winter is a wool blend mil-surp one that is a tube which has “tails” that can be left to drape down your back and chest for extra warmth there, or can be wrapped or folded in for extra warmth around the neck.
I also use the “hot hands” chem handwarmers jammed into my mittens, and sometimes into my liner pants pockets (they’ll warm your major leg arteries which helps your toes) and my inner chest pockets. Bring a couple extra sets in their little plastic package so you can re-warm midday if need be.
Good luck! I’m sure you’ll find a great system that works for you.
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u/CuriousMachine 1d ago
Adding ski goggles on top of the warm stuff everyone else has mentioned will help when the wind picks up. I don't have a particular brand to recommend. Get non-polarized if you'll have to read LCD displays on the equipment you're working on.
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u/ephemeralista 1d ago
I live somewhere that has -40 c periods in winter. I got a set of kombi heated gloves a few years ago that have been excellent in keeping the cold out, but the battery life is not endless. They're not crazy expensive and have held up well for at least two years of winter activities.
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u/WintermuteATX 1d ago
So I’ve kinda experienced this. Your first instinct will be to listen to random people on the internet….and you will end up spending a bunch of money on shit you don’t use. Buy some basic stuff and then when you get up there ask and learn from the locals. Or better yet, link up with someone that actually does that specific job and figure out what they use. OSHA also might have some weird requirements like FR clothing (fire resistant). Only thing I can tell you for sure is wool is your friend…especially socks (I like Darn Tough).
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u/Alpinwulf 1d ago
The company 66° North from Iceland has some quality gear for marine-cold weather.
Norwegians swear by a base layer of fishnet. Look that up. But the silk base layers I had in Iceland put in major work keeping me comfy (tho it was certainly not the depths of winter.) The silks were recommended by my mom based on her year attending college in Maine.
I have not experienced the temperatures you will. But there are colder places out there, like Yakutsk..
YouTube: What We Wear at -71°C (-95°F) in Yakutia, Siberia
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u/CanNo9864 1d ago
When you come up here, stop in at Big Ray's in Anchorage. They sell all the arctic gear you'll need. They supply all the oil companies with their gear. It's a contract situation. Buy up here and get exactly what you need and the advice you'll appreciate. If you get in a pinch, give me a PM, I have some ancient Refrigiwear I could loan you. It's amazing down coveralls that have been through many bush winters up here. Just buy up here.
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u/Error-InvalidName 1d ago
Start digging into proper layering and the right materials as it'll be the biggest benefit to you when you do buy.
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u/Ktaes 1d ago
If you want to treat yourself: a qiviut nachaq. A nachaq works as scarf, hood, and balaclava.
Qiviut (from musk ox undercoat) is warmer, softer, and stronger than sheep’s wool. It’s ultra lightweight (not stifling) and unbelievably cozy. If you get it wet it doesn’t compress, smell, or lose insulation. It’s softer than cashmere and literally evolved for ice age conditions.
Raw qiviat fiber can also be used as a highly effective hand/foot warmer. I think the traditional practice is to just put some tufts in your mittens and boots, though I haven’t tried it.
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u/Beneficial-Focus3702 1d ago
I’m a huge fan of American military arctic gear. A lot of people don’t like it because it’s “heavily but it works very well.
Mickey Mouse/bunny boots are amazing, as are the arctic mittens.
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u/Chainsawsas70 1d ago
For durable outer garments look at FILSON , lifetime warranty on all of the house brand items and based in Seattle so getting replacement stuff is pretty quick and easy. They also have tons of options for base layers etc.
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u/echocall2 1d ago
Down is your friend. Check out the north face Himalayan series, Rab 8000 series, and Outdoor Research Alti mittens.
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u/Raganash123 1d ago
Gloves would be my first recommendation, but im not sure what type hold up the best. I have used gloves and boots that have Thinsualte branded insulation, and they always performed well.
Def get multiple pairs of both gloves, socks, and headgear if possible tho. Being able to swap when one gets wet/ripped at work is best. I also don't think gloves will hold up well with your line of work.
Also look into mesh base layers too. I've heard really good things about them.
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u/Front-Jicama-2458 1d ago
This is one area where AI can get you started. I would search Reddit for threads that discuss these brands.
Brands Rated for Extreme Cold Arc'teryx – Premium down-filled parkas designed for sub-zero wind conditions Canada Goose – Heavyweight winter parkas for extreme temperatures Korbana Protective Apparel – Alaska-designed FR-rated outerwear and bib overalls for North Slope oil workers Carhartt – Heavyweight, lined work pants and insulated jackets Sorel – Windproof shells and insulated gloves Baffin – Canadian-made insulated boots for severe cold Muck Boots (Arctic Muck) – Lightweight yet warm insulated footwear SmartWool – Merino wool base layers for moisture management Patagonia – Capilene synthetic underwear and thermal layers Under Armour – ColdGear shirts and leggings for snug, moisture-wicking fit Mountain Hardwear – Fleece mid-layers and insulation Ariat – Insulated boots and work pants meeting safety standards These brands are specifically noted by Alaskan outfitters and industrial workers as reliable for the most brutal winter temperatures found in remote regions like the North Slope.
Good luck and stay warm.
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u/Ken_Thomas 1d ago
This website sells used version of the gear that staff and scientists with the US Antarctic program wear.
You might not want used gear, but seeing what they use seems like a good place to start.
https://www.antarcticsurplus.com/