Cool Weather Climbing Clothing

Here are some climbing clothing options for the upcoming fall and winter season.

::GEARBOX
Mammut Gasherbrum Jacket
$600
145037
Climbers venturing out in miserable weather conditions should look at the Mammut Gasherbrum Jacket. This 3-layer Gore Pro Shell jacket delivers exceptional protection and breathability while still being light and supple enough for hard climbing. Mammut wisely uses a combination of glued and sewn construction throughout the jacket which further reduces weight and bulk. A helmet compatible hood, two large hand-warmer pockets and water resistant pit zips round out the features on this versatile alpine climbing jacket.

::GEARBOX
Arc’teryx Stryka Hoody
$120
145063
This slim fitting thermal layer is ideal for cool weather bouldering or climbing. The highly breathable fabric is treated with anti-odour finish that helps prevent the rancid smell some climbing clothing tends to acquire. A snug fitting hood adds warmth when belaying and the unadorned body panels sit comfortably under a harness. Arc’teryx adds a simple chest pocket for storing valuable essentials.

::GEARBOX
Outdoor Research Lodestar Jacket
$375
145043

Outdoor Research continues to push the standards when it comes to functional outdoor clothing. The new Lodestar jacket uses hybrid-fabric construction to achieve exceptional weather protection, warmth and breathability. On the shoulders, arms and hood, Outdoor Research (OR) uses Polartec’s Power Shield Pro. This provides breathability and wind and water protection. On the torso, OR switches to the new extremely breathable and warm Polartec Power Shield High Loft fabric. This construction results in a jacket that delivers the weather protection and warmth of traditional hard/softshell layering systems but without the layers. This is an excellent jacket for cold weather climbing.

::GEARBOX
Brooks Range Brezza Jacket
$160
145036

With its different layer of insulation, the Brezza offers climbers just the right level of warmth and breathability during long approaches. In the torso, Brooks Range uses a light layer of Primaloft insulation and lines the sleeves with a light moisture-wicking fabric. The result is a garment that offers plenty of warmth for winter climbing but minimizes overheating during strenuous climbing. As an added bonus, the Brezza’s slick outer shell is highly wind and water resistant and also slides easily under other layers.

::GEARBOX
Rab Generator Stretch Jacket
$200
145038
As a relatively new brand to North America, many climbers may not be aware of Rab – and that’s a shame because the company produces some excellent function-driven climbing clothing. Generator Stretch Jacket is just such a piece. The jacket is built with a core-warming synthetic fill insulation that’s combined to a highly breathable Polartec Power Stretch Pro fleece on the sides and under the arms. This construction gives the climber excellent wind protection and warmth where it’s needed most, while providing the required breathability necessary when moving fast. Worth checking out.

::GEARBOX
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Jacket
$300
145046
With its feather-light shell fabric and high lofting 850-fill down, the Ghost Whisperer is the ideal cold weather layering piece. The jacket’s unadorned (just two zippered handwarmer pockets) and highly compressible construction ensures the Ghost Whisperer takes up minimal space in any pack. This is the perfect layer for cool cragging belays or as extra emergency-warmth under a shell in more alpine conditions.