Dear Parents and Trekkers,
​
I want to take this opportunity to provide some helpful tips regarding your clothing system selection for our Philmont adventure. If you take a moment and review the recommended gear list posted on our 323 crew site, you'll see that our clothing system is divided into three layers- hiking, cool weather, and cold weather layers. The recommendations for clothing layers closely follows what Philmont recommends. The Philmont way has a proven track record, so why radically deviate, right?  Here's the catch, though, your clothing is perhaps collectively are the most bulky and heaviest items in your pack. With a little bit of careful thought and planning on your part, you will be carrying exactly just what you need and you'll leverage your clothing layers to serve multiple purposes. Here are several tips to keep in mind when selecting the right clothing system just for you and in shaving weight. The first general rule of thumb is "A pair to wash and a pair to wear." This is especially true of your hiking layer-what you will be wearing when hiking and most of the time on the trail. This may seem extreme, but plan on wearing a set of clothing two consecutive days before washing-you can go more or you can go less if you wash clothing every day. The second rule of thumb is select clothing that is fast drying and has excellent wicking properties. DO NOT WEAR COTTON! Typing in all caps is said to be like screaming. While I may not really be screaming, I am surely emphasizing a very important point. While your favorite cotton tee might be really comfortable to you, when it gets wet, it is very slow to dry and it chills your body temperature rapidly. In the backcountry, cold wet conditions can make cotton clothing a strong recipe for  hypothermia and for chafing. Synthetic blends and merino wool are the best choices for all of your clothing. I personally prefer merino wool because it is odor absorbing, to highlight some of its many attributes. Merino wool can be expensive, so synthetic blends can be an excellent choice as well. Here's another rule of thumb-we are not styling on the trail! I do not claim to be a fashion barometer- not by a long shot, except perhaps when I wear my down beanie, but you'd be surprised at what you may already have or what you can find at a deep discount at Target, TJ Max or Ross! The third tip-convertible pants are the hardest workers in your clothing kit. I suggest watching for these on sale and buying two identical pairs. That way, with the lower legs zipped off, you have two pairs you need for your hiking layer, but in cool-to-cold weather conditions, you just zip on the lower legs to whatever pair of shorts you have on. This trick enables you to also have long pants for certain program activities without carrying a dedicated pair of long pants.  Please do not buy convertible pants with a mesh liner! You will be cutting it out because it will chafe the absolute daylights out of you! Shop for seconds, too, particularly regarding socks and underwear. No one will know and no one will ask, so be smart and save! With regard to silk undies, Terrimar brand seconds can be often be found with a little persistence. I highly recommend silk thermal underwear, silk undies, and silk sleep layers. Silk is very lightweight, comfortable, and dries much better than cotton!

Hiking Layer
This is by far the most utilized layer of your clothing systems. This layer includes your underwear and your socks. If you remember from the first clinic, I recommend two pairs of liner socks and two pairs of your more thicker, cushioned primary socks. If you are not allergic to merino wool, I would recommend that you go ahead and get wool socks because wool is odor absorbing.  Two wicking tees and your convertibles will round out this layer, along with a hat for sun protection and two bandanas, the only cotton you should bring.

Cool Layer
The cool layer is a long sleeve shirt and your convertible legs zipped to a pair of your convertible shorts. This will often be what you will change into before supper when it starts to get cooler, or when you get up in the morning. 

Cold Layer
Your cold layer includes a lightweight pair of thermal underwear, a light fleece or insulated jacket, a beanie, and a pair of liner gloves (waterproof if possible). Fleece is a little bit bulkier than, say, a more compressible insulated jacket, but if you already have a nice, lighweight fleece jacket, I am not suggesting that you get an insulated one.  Liner gloves will take the edge off your hands getting cold. They will help them warm up, though, when strenuous activity begins. Some folk may elect to drop the insulated underwear to save weight.  I was glad I had it in 2010 as it was cold in the Baldy country, but did not use them in 2013.  I was glad to have them just the same, though. You can't have them shipped to you Fed Ex on the trail. Layering up your hiking and cool layers too with your cold layers can help combat the cold on a chilly morning like when we start climbing Baldy at sunrise! 

Sleep Layer
Remember, the dedicated sleep layer, a top and a pair of gym bottoms,  for example, that you ONLY wear during slumber? Your thermal underwear can be your dedicated sleep system as long as you do not eat in them or worse, spill something edible on them! We carry a dedicated sleep layer as part of our bear protocol so that we do not become bear bait by sleeping in clothing we have had on and spilled stuff on during the day.

There you go, I hope that this information on our clothing system is helpful to you in strategizing on exactly what clothing you will bring on the trail.

That's it for this installment of News You Can Use!
Mr. Brown

Dear Parents and Trekkers,

​Saturday, March 12th is the date of the next REI Members Only Garage Sale! This is when REI passes on substantial savings on gently used returned items to Co-Op members. I could not begin to tell you what will be in the sale as it varies from from sale to sale as it is based on returns. I do know this-it is one of the best times to find a fantastic sale on a pair of hiking boots! Many times I have picked up a great pair of boots in excellent condition to read a return tag that said "Worn once-did not like the fit!" Garage sales are not for the faint hearted. They are like a Black Friday sale, only REI customers behave for the most part. It is also a great time to find rain gear, apparel, etc. for the same reason! If you go, bring a chair and a cup of coffee and plan to be there early, like 7am or earlier. I promise you, you will have company. While I can't guarantee you will find exactly what you are looking for, but if you do, it is likely for a fantastic price! Items like tents, sleeping bags, and packs go fast. 

An update on the REI Dash 2. They seem to be sold out on line, BUT several are still at the REI Charlotte store, so if you want to take advantage of this sale, I would call the store immediately and have a tent and footprint held for you to purchase. If they have sold out, then call direct sales and see if there are any at other store locations. Do not tarry!

Last of all, I am packed and ready to deliver what I hope you will find to be a most informative clinic for you Tuesday! 

Let's go Hiking!
Mr. Brown