I have a question, what sort of cold weather gear do you folks employ up there?
Funny you should ask, I gathered film for that topic yesterday. Living at 67 North I do get some exposure due weather statistics alone, simply not possible to avoid as we have a lot of wind on top of the rain and cold (for reference, Yukon is 64N, Idaho is 44N) .
The wind and windchill is usually what gets you, I've had a full week of 30-40 kts now, bringing effective temperature down to -34 C/ -30 F which again means that I'm using a weeks worth of firewood in a single day, the wind just bleeds my old house cold. I can't wear metal glasses and you really need to use a good windbreaker allthough temperature is only -8 C / 17 F. Other than that, I don't bother with anything special as I'm only out for max 1 hour going to-from work etc.
For going out I dress like this:
From Inner to outer top:
Aklima woolnet crew neck. (It has the right quality, so I'm brand specific here)
Wool sweather with zip neck and possibly thumbholes (many options, no brand mentioned)
Optional midlayer insulation, synthethic like primaloft gold (it's COLD before I put on that)
Thinnest windbreaker (in case of excellent weather and you want to walk without a jacket)
Shell jacket with hood
Optional snowbreaker jacket (to keep the snow from entering)
Thin windcap
Optional thin shooting gloves
Wool mitten (Devold Nansen)
Shell overmitten
(No, gloves will simply not do...)
Felt insoles in boots
Wool socks
Optional wool or woolnet longjohns
Optional running tights for winter use if it isn't really that cold
Shell pants with ventilation side zippers
Optional snowbreaker pants to keep snow off your clothes.
For regulating heatloss:
Wrist pulseheater, wool (for really cold weather or when I'm shooting and mittens are on/off & expose the hands)
Wool balaclava
Wool headover
Thick wool beanie
I guess most of these products are not very well known in the US, seeing how your major hunting brands massively market their "solutions", but they seems to be unaware that there are different principles to dressing the heat in and dressing the cold out. To me, endure and thrive are two different words. Here's a link
http://www.aclima.com/collection?Filter=49¤2:49¤2_Accessories&Keep=true Safetygear:
Foam sitting pad
High end insulation jacket (synt or down)
Windbreaker bivvy bag
You don't really dress/undress, you just open up/shut down the heatloss depending on your activity.
Use limited amounts of soap in the morning and use waterfree moisturizer for hands and face to keep skin from cracking in the cold.
Try to drink heated or temperate fluids only ( keep your bottle inside the jacket, heat with body).
Don't EVER lose your mittens.