Clothes for winter

[sacks]

Hey... I will be in Pairs/ Amsterdam and around Italy during Dec 06. Im pretty confused about what pants I should take along. People say jeans are too heavy/ take too long to dry. But arent cargo pants to thin, will they keep me warm? Any tips would be good

Thanks, David

[raoulduke]

I would recomend getting some full length thermal underwear pants from your local camping store and wearing them under whatever pants you have. They will only cost around $20

A lot of people say that jeans are harder to dry but in my experience they also need to be washed less than cargo style pants.

Half of these vintage style designer jeans look dirty when they're clean anyway.

Good Luck!

[sacks]

Got the thermal underwear and I tested it out under some jeans the past few days. Luckily there was a cold front in South Africa, so the temps were around 5 C. It was very warm, but people are saying that the underwear are a bad idea, cuz once i step into a hot place (musuem) I will die of heat. (Maybe just take them off then)

[raoulduke]

Good point. I'm out of ideas.

Anyone else got an idea?

[tumblezweedz]

Hate to send you out shopping again, but you could get silk thermals (or there are some clever synthetics) which are not at all uncomfortable indoors. I have Damart and CuddlDuds thermals which work fine for me in all but bitter weather, for that I double up with stockings and I have fleece and/or flannel lined trousers - jeans and chinos - which add a lot of warmth.

You don't want to be having to undress every time you walk into a building, so if your thermals are too warm, they're not ideal for that kind of weather. Paris/Amsterdam and Italy aren't going to bitter in December (I hope, because I live in Germany, and if it's bitter there, it'll be bitter here, too!) more likely right around freezing, and damp. So you don't need to take the 30-below measures.

Another thing is that indoor places will be heated, but not piping hot, so you likely won't be sweltering. The only place I've experienced that phenomenon was in the Soviet Union, when they cranked up the heating full bore, til it was 40 C warmer outside than in. But now that fuel costs money, they don't do that anymore.

If you go into old stone churches, you'll be most glad of your thermals. The churches are too big to heat effectively, and the damp really settles into the old stones so they can be as chilly, if not more so, than outdoors. We lived in Lithuania for two years, and I used to take a blanket along to church every Sunday, and snuggle up with my baby in it. Everyone else in the church was jealous, especially my husband, whose fingers nearly seized up while he attempted to play guitar.

If you do go in churches, men are expected to remove their hats, while women are not. It never really struck me as fair, but there you go.

Be sure to take a warm hat, gloves and a scarf, they make a huge difference keeping the heat in and that makes a massive difference to your enjoyment of the day.

Winter's an awesome time to be in Europe, but it's better if you're prepared!

[Chocolaty Claire]

I wouldnt do thermals, youre not in the arcic!

I'd just go for jeans / heavy duty combats & thick socks.. and make sure youre wearing a big coat with another couple of layers with gloves and hat.

The thing is, ive never known it to be uncomfortably cold around xmas. Its rather strange it seems to be cooler around late January/February time than over xmas

[tumblezweedz]

I hate to disagree with you Claire, but I was quite glad of my thermals in Germany last winter - they're not very bulky and mine aren't the industrial strength kind so you don't swelter indoors. I'd rather wear a set of thermals under my clothes and not have to bring a bulky extra sweater, and a cold wind can bite right through a pair of jeans. If you have a full-length coat you wouldn't need them, but again, that's bulky for travel.

It's true it's usually colder in Jan/Feb, but even if it's above freezing, wind and damp can chill you through.

[expatben]

I was in Paris in Nov one year and found I was ok with a sweater and jacket. Then again we all have different ideas of what cold is.

[DJ_VeeeNoM]

Yeah I second the Thick socks, on the jean or cargo thing I'm not saying cause I've snowboarded naked with a shaved head with only socks and a wristband, what about that? snowpants or snow overall! you can always leave a short underneath, that's what I do in summer and I have jeans on, I always carry a short under.

[lauren313]

I was in Berlin during December last year, and it was very cold, but I got by wearing jeans. I hardly ever wash my jeans anyway (yeah, so I'm dirty, who cares?!) so that wasn't a problem.

I personally wouldn't worry about thermals. Take some monster thick socks though, cos your feet will get cooooold! And get some long ones that you can pull up a bit higher if it's mighty cold!

[DJ_VeeeNoM]

And gloves wear gloves, trust me gloves are awsome! try and get them skin cover type, and that way you will be able to wear more than one and handle stuff if anything.