Multifaceted Layering Systems
Layering isn't flashy. It won't get the same attention as your skis, bike, or pack, yet it is the most practical and versatile piece of your kit.
Your goal should be to build a system that works across all disciplines of your life. Mountains, trails, travels, oceans, and everyday adventure. A system that moves with you from the summit to the city and carries on to commute. Done right, your layering system simplifies how you move through your world.
What is a multifaceted layering system?
Most people think layering means piling on clothing and hoping they don't get cold. That mindset is why many people feel bulky or freeze when the conditions change. Layering is not about stacking on extra clothing for warmth, it's about creating a system that manages moisture, regulates temperature, and adapts as your output and environment shift. When each piece has a clear role, your system works.
Understand layering as a system, and everything simplifies. Fewer pieces, more versatility, and gear that works wherever you go.
BASE-LAYERS
The baselayers are the foundation of your system. Its purpose is to manage moisture and provide next-to-skin comfort. It moves sweat away from your body and prevents saturation that would otherwise make you cold when you slow down or stop.
The best baselayers go unnoticed. They are comfortable, breathable, and effective across a wide range of activities and conditions.
I've linked a few base layers here:
This is what my system looks like
Recently, it has been very cold skiing in VT, so I like to pair my Mons Royale baselayer with my Florence Polartec fleece. It creates a super warm and lightweight foundation, and because both layers are moisture-wicking, if I start to sweat, they will pull the moisture away from my skin, keeping me dry and comfortable.
I also use both these pieces for winter runs, bikes, and hiking.
MID-LAYERS
Midlayers keep you warm. They trap body heat while letting go of any excess moisture when you’re moving. Typically, it is worn over your base layers and under your shell when in the more serious environments.
You want to have multiple uses for this system, so this could also be a puffer jacket you implement into daily use or for other activities
Here are a couple that catch my eye
How I use my midlayers:
Midlayers are more versatile than baselayers because they are worn more often. I have a midweight North Face puffer (60g) that I use every time I'm on the mountain, and that's its main activity.
Off the mountain, I rely on a lightweight Finisterre puffer and a Mons Royale insulated vest. These are my daily drivers, used for any run, ride, hike, or travel. They’re easy to wear, easy to pack, and work for everything I do.
OUTER-LAYERS
While the Base and Mid layers manage moisture and warmth, a shell is what protects you from anything the environment throws your way, wind, rain, snow, sleet, and whatever else. They are durable, a waterproof and/or wind-resistant layer you wear over everything. Like the rest of the system we are building, your shell should work across environments. A good shell doesn't need to do everything; it just needs to keep the weather out while your other layers do their jobs.
How I use my shells:
I have a shell specifically for skiing, which gets me through every ski day without any trouble.
Aside from skiing, I use a Patagonia rain shell, which also acts as a windbreaker. This one is for all my other things, running, biking, traveling, or simply just a rainy day.
Here are some other shells I personally like
Start building your system today. Take inventory of what you already own. Chances are, you have gear that works across multiple activities. Find the gaps and invest in the right pieces that fill your biggest need. Whether that’s a reliable mid-layer for cold mornings and long days on the mountain, or maybe it’s just a baselayer to fight the cold runs.
And don’t rush it, your system isn’t built in a day. You have to refine it through use! Test it across different conditions, see how you like to use it, and adapt to different seasons. Not to mention, you will get your money's worth out of it! I use most, if not all, of my layering system every week. From ski days, trail runs, daily wear, and travel, which is why I know it works.
What’s the first piece you’re adding to your system?
Do me a huge one and subscribe to the collective, AND an even BIGGER one by joining our Hydration waitlist
-ZP
