Title says it al-

I am headed up there <Fairbanks> in February. I just scored a SWEET goose-down arctic parka <from Cabella's, normally $250> for $60 on Ebay. Dug out a couple fleece anoraks and have scored a few new ones on Ebay for $3 a pop. All I lack is gloves, boots, and longjohns. Got a line on boots- Sorel Caribous from Target. I need some tips on the gloves, though- no idea what sort of features to look for in gloves.

S0- any of you folks from the arctic or Canada or other severely cold places want to clue me in here?

you may want to get a very thin pair of gloves made of thinsultae or some such material and then a big heavy pair of mitts to wear over them.

Make sure the boots are Gortex. Keep your feet dry. Get at least 600 grams on thinsulate also. I work outside all winter long. Not as cold as Alaska, but it is plenty wet and cold for me. My feet stay warm and dry. I have a nice pair of Irish Setters. Cold and wet feet and really ruin a guys day.

Layer!!! Get out the fleece!!

I still recommend silk long underwear. It wicks, and it keeps you warmer than you'd ever believe until you're wearing it.

Gloves...thinsulate. With mittens over top, as ShadyCanuck suggested. Something in a Gortex outer layer to keep your hands dry would be best. Getting wet is the LAST thing you want to do, and that includes underneath your layers.

But definitely layer. Several thinner layers do you WAY more good than one thick layer.

SC, Felix and Scaler are dead on. Gortex, Thinsulate, wicking underwear, dry feet and a good toque. Get a hypoallergenic one if the wool irritiates your forehead. Layers are crucial. A good scarf or bellaclava may also come in handy. You can also get lined blue jeans. Or go to ski pants of some sort.

I've got the hat situation well in hand:

I have a genuine Soviet Army Ushanka <fur cap> on the way from Moscow. <I LOVE Ebay!>

parka situation well in hand: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...p005008ii01.jpg <bought cheap- again, I love Ebay>

boots: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=s...asin=B00006J6V5 evidently, Target is carrying Sorel Caribous...

longjohns under control: http://www.landsend.com/cd/fp/prod/0,,1_2_...096540024129030 <taking Beth's advice>

bought 8 new fleece vests and pullovers, averaging $5 a piece on Ebay

and have the face protection under control with this http://frostyfleece.com/Black_Mountain_Out...e_Balaclava.htm . I bought one when I was in Maryland during the blizzard of 96 and the thing is WARM! Also found a couple like them on Ebay for $5 a pop, so bought two more to allow for laundering

Now the only thing I'm left with is a need for gloves. Obviously I need some with insulation-- but I'm not sure which type of insulation, what loft of that insulation, etc. Mitts are probably out, as I need some dexterity <won't be doing any soldering outside or anything like that, but driving is a must>. At the least, the ability to use a digital camera without freezing my fingers off <if I'm going to be in such an area, I'm definitely getting some pictures!>

So if you folks would be kind enough to link me to something that's worked good for you in , say, -10 F actual temp or so, that would help a great deal. I've bought "skiing gloves" before and found out they weren't worth $3 when it actually came time to keep my hands warm- and cold hands are just about miserable.

Don't think I will have too much concern about keeping dry, what with all available water being frozen...

Best damn gloves IMO are Grandoe's. Got me through 2 seasons working a ski resort and been wearing them exclusively recreating outdoors for the past 22 years.

Here's their website http://www.grandoe.com/ski.aspx - just Google on "grandoe gloves" for some deals and online stores...

For gloves, I only wear Isotoner driving gloves. Seriously. They're really warm <made with thinsulate> and thin enough that I can operate a lighter without taking them off. If I need more, then I usually just pull my leather work gloves overtop of them.

But then, I usually don't spend vast amounts of time outside when it's that cold if I can at all help it.

<you're gonna love the long johns. I have some of those exact same ones. >

Sounds good to me. I find that I am tonnes warmer if I am wearing heavy mitts instead of heavy gloves because all your fingers are together and keep each other warm.

That's the problem, though-- I can't go with mitts-- I will need the dexterity of having my fingers independently usable.

Found some gloves on Cabellas and some military thermal liners, so I think this may be taken care of as well.

so far, the most expensive thing has been the long underwear. Nuts!!

Have fun, stay warm and keep your butt into the wind. lol.

sani socks... plenty of sani socks.