Multipitch Climbing Layering

I'm taking a trip to the valley over spring break with the plans to do some multi-pitch routes. My last few multi-pitch climbs were struggle fests and I think it was primarily due to dressing inadequately. What clothes do you guys wear on the wall and what is your go to layering strategy?

lotsa thin layers -pants loose to roll above knees.  warm hooded belay jacket. ultra-thin balaclava.  a truly waterproof rainshell sized to accommodate belay jacket (research semi-permeable membranes, as they're constantly improving).  for outer layers, prefer nylon to polyester -- my experience with polyester fabrics they self-destruct on contact with rock or bush.  softshell is good abrasion protection in chimney/offwidth, but otherwise poor function/weight ratio.

For chilly spring and fall days, usually for me just a baselayer, R1-style hoody (Arcteryx Konseal for me) and a Houdini on my harness is all I need. Warm days, sun hoody and Houdini is plenty. 

Good long underwear adds lots of warmth without making climbing suck like 2 pairs of pants.

A good wind layer is worth it's weight in gold. Multiplies the warmth of whatever layers you're wearing in my experience. Houdini or light rain shell like a Helium II, or similar. BD is making a windshirt now too I think.

Beanie or R1 hood under the helmet.

Patagonia capaline combine in various weights
Patagonia alpine guide pants
MH ghostwhisper or OR Flashlight as a belay jacket if needed
Arc'teryx Squamish + eblanket or Rab Latok Alpine shell if it's gonna be really shitty

hope this helps

Welp, looks like I'm getting an r1

This is where tech is nice.  I love having a puffy (e.g: Patagonia Nano Puff) or rain jacket (OR Helium) that rolls up into its own pocket and clips on your harness if needed.

Keegan, you mentioned in a previous post that you heard  the "new" R1's aren't as good as the older ones. Are you referring to the 2019 models that were updated and just released? Because that video sold me...

I just bought an r1 because of this video. 

Tapawingo Markey wrote: Keegan, you mentioned in a previous post that you heard  the "new" R1's aren't as good as the older ones. Are you referring to the 2019 models that were updated and just released? Because that video sold me...

I was referring to the previous model. I wasn't aware of the new 2019 one at the time of that post. The 2019 model is most likely the one I will be getting

Personally r1 is just a tad too warm for me in temps that I can keep feeling in my fingers. Cap4 about nails it.

Bd alpine start is my go to instead of an insulated upper many days though. Breathes like a true soft shell, blocks wine like a windshirt. Really comfortable in a variety of conditions/exertion. I’m just now thinking of replacing it after four years and a shit ton of abuse.

Old dead bird nuclei has been my belay puffy. It’s loft is about as dead as the emblem. If anyone has suggestions for a synthetic puffy in that 80gr range that clocks in the stupid light 11-14oz range I’d love to hear it. Not seeing a true replacement on the market at first glance.

Also I would add that a buff under the helmet does a LOT more than you might expect and doesn’t screw with the fit like a beanie. 

+1 for buffs, I particularly like the half buffs for under the helmet. 

I usually get by with just a warm long sleeve t shirt and then a jacket or fleece I don't mind beating up. For the bottoms, I go with either shorts if it'll be warm enough in the afternoon and then long underwear. If it's really cold, then add a pair or sweat pants over the long underwear. If it's windy, I'll wear my rain layer instead of packing it. 

Warm but thin gloves for belaying, a lightweight beanie (light enough to not overheat while climbing but warm enough to stay warm at the belay. Also, nylon tends to be less itchy and scratchy than polyester and wool), sometimes a buff or something to cover the neck, and maybe socks if I'm wearing my comfy shoes. If it's too cold to climb even with all this then I'm not typically climbing. 

Nick Drake wrote: Personally r1 is just a tad too warm for me in temps that I can keep feeling in my fingers. Cap4 about nails it.

Have you compared the R1to the Nano-Air Light Hybrid? I love the hybrid but it too is pretty warm in anything over ~20F while moving. Hoping the R1 hoody might be a little more breathable and suitable for the 20-~35/40F range while moving.

I rarely climb in a layer as warm as an R1 - it has to be be quite cold for that (for me). Like highs in 30s, climbing in the shade, no sun all day, cold. I've found the R1 to be just too warm for an active climbing layer, IMO (excluding alpine/ice). (I doubt my Cap4 would survive very long, for climbing, so I've never worn it as an outer layer.)

I'm always in my Rab Ventus or Boreas/Borealis. If its chilly, I'll add a wool baselayer T under it. Throw a windshirt or nanopuff on at belays and any temp that's cold enough to still climb in is well covered.

Just to beat this subject more to death.

Smartwool PhD Baselayer (one with thumb loops so I can keep my hands warm while belaying w/o gloves)
R1
Houdini (replace with rain jacket as needed)

That will do me well for most crisp days. If there is a possibility of epic, then I bring a nano puff as well as an emergency biv depending on conditions.

I never wear shorts climbing, so just wear regular climbing Prana pants or whatever.

For the Valley in spring, assuming mid to high 50's or above, this is my standard:

-> South facing? The Freeblast Kit: skinny capilene or t-shirt, jeans or shorts, houdini or nano puff clipped to harness.
-> North facing? The Rostrum Kit: merino wool or r1, jeans, houdini or nano puff clipped to harness

Contingency round!
-> Climbing something you might get benighted on? The Steck-Sal Kit: whatever you see fit, plus life-partner's lock of hair in your chest pocket, over your heart.

All of the above changes depending on things like temps, nature of route (chimenys? no shorts, careful w the Houdini!), wind, % chance precip + how involved raps might be, etc etc. Generally speaking, cap 2 and Houdini are my most used 1-2 combo for long climbs. Note!: I hate to carry packs and rarely do. I also rarely bring a rain shell for Valley day climbs.

Good luck!

Tapawingo Markey wrote:

Have you compared the R1to the Nano-Air Light Hybrid? I love the hybrid but it too is pretty warm in anything over ~20F while moving. Hoping the R1 hoody might be a little more breathable and suitable for the 20-~35/40F range while moving.

Note side by side, it was a few years back that I borrowed a buddies R1. I'm surprised that the nano air light hybrid was too warm for you in cold temps, I have ones of those jackets and it's great up to the mid 30 range for me if the climbing is vert to slab, but I'm not working as hard there. For a harder steep single pitch sport route it's too much for me also though.

Honestly I think I'd just opt for any old cheap "100" weight fleece. I've been using some old columbia fleece that I got for $10 at goodwill bouldering lately and it works just fine. 

Tapawingo Markey wrote:

Have you compared the R1to the Nano-Air Light Hybrid? I love the hybrid but it too is pretty warm in anything over ~20F while moving. Hoping the R1 hoody might be a little more breathable and suitable for the 20-~35/40F range while moving.

I don't have the Hybrid, but I have both the Nano-Air Hoodie & the R1. The Nano-Air is a bit warmer than the R1 and has a bit more wind resistance. Not much more resistance, I really want to stress it's not a wind protection layer at all. I'll use the R1 though for most climbing in cool days (30-40) and keep the nano-air light in my pack for belay. The R1 is better for movement as well, although again not by too much as the Nano-Air doesn't prohibit movement. R1 is just lighter and closer to skin.

Nick Drake wrote: Personally r1 is just a tad too warm for me in temps that I can keep feeling in my fingers. Cap4 about nails it.

Bd alpine start is my go to instead of an insulated upper many days though. Breathes like a true soft shell, blocks wine like a windshirt. Really comfortable in a variety of conditions/exertion. I’m just now thinking of replacing it after four years and a shit ton of abuse.

Old dead bird nuclei has been my belay puffy. It’s loft is about as dead as the emblem. If anyone has suggestions for a synthetic puffy in that 80gr range that clocks in the stupid light 11-14oz range I’d love to hear it. Not seeing a true replacement on the market at first glance.

Also I would add that a buff under the helmet does a LOT more than you might expect and doesn’t screw with the fit like a beanie.

Nuclei FL? how much use did it have before the loft disappeared? I picked one up on MP last year and have only used it a bit...