Less Is More
By Kelly Klein, associate gear editor
After a year as a gear editor, I’ve tested countless layers. Base layers, midlayers, outer layers, you name it. Whenever I headed out on a ski trip last winter, I brought along at least half a dozen pieces to test out over the course of the day. As part of the review process, I wanted to do each one justice, and I needed to be sure I was using them for their intended purpose. But as time wore on—time spent, it seemed, primarily thinking about what to put on or take off next—I found that I only wanted to wear one or two layers at most beneath my jacket. Whether I was spending the day resort skiing or skinning up in the backcountry, I really wasn’t concerned about regulating my body temperature to a tee. It was too exhausting, and it got in the way of my fun. If I was a little chilly or a tad warm, it didn’t bother me; I was more focused on the terrain and the experience. Plus, clothing technology has gotten so advanced that newer apparel is able to dump and retain heat to a degree that a decade ago could be accomplished only by switching out layers. These days…
