As far as Under Armor goes, there are much less expensive alternatives. I got mine at a great discount under the Nike brand at Sam's Club. You just have to look for it. As far as cotton, I disagree that it should be avoided as I wear it over my wicking layer and it helps pull the moisture out. Gore-Tex is breathable, so as an outer shell it is primo in allowing the wicked up moisture to exit, as are breathable waders. Now, if you use a nylon shell, be prepared to stay wet inside as the moisture is wicked from your body it will settle at the nylon/plastic membraine and stay there.
We fish as many days in cold and ultra cold situations here in Idaho as we do during better weather times, and we have almost got this cold-weather layering down to a science. When it is really cold I will add a pair of thermal (yes, cotton) underwear over my wicking layer for added warmth, same up top. I prefer to wear a mock-turtle neck (yes, cotton again) as my next layer over the wicking layer.
Here's a blow-by-blow of what we normally dress to for cold-weather situations where we fish:
- Feet: Medium weight wool socks
- Legs: Medium weight Under Armor type leggings. This is a tight-fitting compression layer made of material designed to wick moisture away from your body.
- In really cold situations I will add a pair of cotton thermal underwear to aid in providing warmth and pulling the water from the wicking layer.
- Next, a pair of cotton pants, thin material as an outer layer before putting on waders.
- Lastly, breathable waders - we learned long ago that when we dress in the layers I've described that a good breathable wader is much warmer than pulling on tight-fitting neoprene waders.
- Torso: Same as down below, a compression-type long-sleeved shirt to wick away moisture
- In colder situations I will add a thermal cotton top for added warmth
- A long-sleeved, black, mock t-shirt
- Topped off by one of my many fishing shirts - again cotton
- Fleece as added warmth on colder days
- Gore-Tex shell with hood for waterproofness as well as breathability
- Head: I always wear some type of hat, usually a ball cap. In colder situations I were a beanie to keep my ears warm
- We always carry some of the air-activated hand warmers in pockets and such - some days they can make or break a trip in cold weather.
- Hands: Always we wear some type of gloves. I prefer a fingerless wool in a fairly thin weave. Why fingerless? I can't do what I do with flies, leaders, tippets and fish with non-fingerless gloves. (Thus, the handwarmers packets in pockets)
Now, I'm not dictating how this should work for others, and many of you may disagree, just stating how we do it in some of the coldest weather in the western United States. Ice in the guides is a whole other topic for discussion
Nor am I trying to start a debate on the wicking or non-wicking qualities of certain materials. Only that we've been doing this for a lot of years and this is what works the best for us in our neck of the woods. With several layers there is a fear of not being able to move freely, so we use the thinnest, most effective materials available.
Preston Singletary's info is as good as it gets, just adding my 2-cents from long experience.
Last March on the lower Henry's Fork of the Snake River, ID:
Kelly.
Tight Lines,
Kelly.
"There will be days when the fishing is better than one's most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home."
Roderick Haig-Brown, "Fisherman's Spring"