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mantanfwi · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: Russian winter clothing

Hi, new in this forum but already read bout the clothing issue before. However its still very vague coz i am from malaysia and where i'm at all the winter clothing sold are for european temperate climate not the extreme ones i'll be facing in moscow in january. So can anybody give a price guide (in USD) of what is expected to be the price for a good jacket, snow pants and boots in russia. Spasiba.

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

Genuine North Face Nuptse jackets retail for about $140 in Russia, boots I'd allow about $100 or so at most, overtrousers I've no idea on.

G

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1599

Be aware that if you are from a tropical country, it is important for you to dress very warmly as your body is not used to cold weather.

There are a range of prices here. I'm giving Moscow prices. Elsewhere things are much cheaper.

Budget $100-$250 for a good coat (down feather seems to be most value for money and will keep you very warm). Really good coats cost upwards of $300. If you are planning to go to other cold countries after your trip it may be a good idea to get one since it's hard to find winter clothes in Malaysia.

$10-$50 could go into a wool sweater. A really good coat would keep you warm without an additional layer, but these are often expensive. These you could buy in Malaysia as they aren't really cheaper here. (Considering they're probably China-imports anyway.)

About $30-100 for leather winter boots (these have some sort of fur on them). You need not spend too much on them--just make sure they have suitable lining. After 1 season you probably need to throw them out anyway because of anti-freeze chemicals that eat leather over months.

Jeans are actually fine. It's the boots that keep your feet warm so your legs don't freeze bottom-up.

Put aside $20-30 dollars for socks (if you can find long ski socks they are very good for extremes, but pack plenty of normal socks if you find them too warm), scarf, gloves and a hat. These are just as essential. If you can get thermal underwear, use them. You can get these in Malaysia I think. Whatever you can get, get them and save yourself from too much shopping.

The rule of thumb for budget winter shopping is to stick to natural animal fibres. Most synthetics will not keep you warm.

mantanfwi · Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:08 pm Post subject: Still wondering....Cluelesss....

Yeah, thanks a lot shark and siberia, but still clueless as the choice is limitless over the net...ranging from top of the line north face to genuine imitaitions from china....my plan is currently to buy the thermal u'wear and boots in m'sia; rough it out with the help of my parka (got those when i was in the states, colorado springs) and sweater until i find additional clothings...wonder if it will work or do i need additional antifreezing agents Laughing

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1599

Frankly I don't think you'll find suitable boots in Malaysia. They may not be warm enough or will be slippery on ice. But you need to wear something... I'm sure a north face jacket will keep you nice and toasty.

siberiamad · Lounge Lizard Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 124

Most boots are slippery when crossing ice lenses unless you get those with the fold out spikes in the sole or a pair of nets to go over your boots.

G

norge95 · Lounge Lizard Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 99

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1599

nigelinleeds · Lounge Lizard Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 108

Definately agree with a North Face jacket. I went to Siberia in January where it was a little nippy. Get some walking boots with Gortex lining and good thick socks. Don't forget to try your boots whilst wearing the thick socks. A scarf you can cover your face with too. Pick nice looking socks as you will have to take your boots off when visiting peoples houses !!

Kesha · Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject:

mediashark · Moderator Joined: 04 Nov 2004 Posts: 1599

for one there's not much surface area a pair of stiletto heels can slip on in the first place... I suppose it's not a problem for those who have perfected that balancing act on non-winter days.

matt47 · Just Starting Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 3

As the saying goes, when in Rome do as the Romans do...

Here on the northern Saskatchewan prairie we get temperatures and weather conditions that are similar to those in Russia, so I will offer this advice:

Thick fur or down is the best in subarctic cold winters. Wool is good for underlayer garments and such but not as outer garments, it is sufficient for temperate European climates but not for the subarctic as the windchill and the frost require more insulation than woolen garments can provide. To live outside in the subarctic only using wool you would have to wear an extremely heavy suit of wool which would restrict movement and get even more weighed down by moisture if not properly dried out by a fire frequently. So basically the two options in a cold climate like Russia and Canada is fur or down.

For a down coat, there is no need to buy a brand name product, one can find a suitable down coat with enough insulation for a less expensive price if you look around ( I am wearing a second-hand locally made duck down jacket at the moment) or you can make your own if you are skilled in sewing clothing; Generally the higher the fill, the more insulation, but practically you can test this by compressing and feeling the amount of air (insulative quality) and "puff" that a given down garment/sleeping bag provides. The more insulation(air pockets) that puffs up the more insulation the garment will provide. If it doesn't puff much at all or only puffs to an inch or so and looks like old insulation then I would keep looking for a more suitable down. Also look for a longer coat that reaches at least mid-thigh length. If you ever have to sleep out in the subarctic winter you will be thankful to have the extra length, also it keeps more of your body warm as a result. Down has some downsides, in that when it gets wet it decreases the level of insulation and if completely soaked it will not provide much insulation at all. One other thing I will add is that if you are wearing a down parka on the tundra, it is wise to get one that you can wear as a pull-over, rather than one with a zipper as the strip where the zipper is usually does not provide enough insulation unless you modify it to overlap and provide the same thickness as the rest of the coat.

Fur is the most preferable clothing for subarctic winters, and you want thicker, fuller fur rather than short wooly hairs -(just like how you want a lot of air spaces and "puff" in the down to increase insulative thickness.)

Reindeer(Caribou) fur offers the most insulative value for it's weight compared to any other fur or winter clothing. The hairs of the Reindeer contain hollow air sacs and clothing made from this animal has allowed the Inuit and northern Russian peoples to live on the tundra and ice for thousands of years. Reindeer fur provides a higher level of insulation and thus less bulk and weight compered to all other furs none of which share the same insulative properties. It's advantages over down include it's ability to provide insulation while wet and it's lack of bulk compared to down garments. Reindeer skins are best dried rather than tanned by any other methods as the commercial tanning process strips reindeer skins of some of their natural insulative qualities and renders them more suitable for indoor rather than outdoor use. Dried reindeer skins will have a slight odor but remain the most suitable for winter clothing.

Fur hats, scarves, fur mitts or leather mitts with duffel wool liners and thick wool or fur socks are likewise essential..it's good if you have some sewing skill to be able to modify your own gear to increase insulation and effectiveness. For the poster who wrote that wearing jeans is sufficient in a Russian winter, I would think that if one is only staying outside for a small amount of time, it would suffice, but if one is ice-fishing or staying out for hours on end, jeans will get cold like any other cotton pants. Wool pants or sheepskin lined or fur pants with an windproof outer will keep your legs toasty, again the longer-length of the parka also helps here. The knees are a part of the body that are more susceptible to cold than the legs so wrapping them or wearing some kind of warm kneepads will help keep your legs warmer.

As far as footwear goes, nothing beats reindeer mukluks and footwear made from the fur of Reindeer, although felt boots are also quite warm and a rich tradition in Russia for keeping the feet warm > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valenki

overseas_expat · VIP Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 741 Location: Moscow

matt47--although I believe what you wrote as being true for sub Arctic Canada--reindeer mukluks??

It is likely that our poster isn't gong on a polar bear hunt on his trip to Russia. Most travelers go to Moscow and St. Petersburg, cosmopolitan European cities where reindeer mukluks would probably not quite fit in with local fauna.

I worked outside everyday in Moscow last winter, including the 5 or 6 weeks when the temps plunged to 37 below zero fareinheit and never rose above zero. I might have worn mukluks if I'd had some. Most other people avoided being outside for more than a few minutes at a time. There were extra layers of mittens and scarves to be seen, but that was a very abnormal winter and few people spend much time in the outdoors in that kind of weather. I think you've probably scared our poor Malaysian half to death with all that clothing.

When not working and just going about daily life I wore what I normally wear in winter here. ONE shirt, ONE pair of pants ( I never wear sweaters), two pair of socks inside lined boots. It's the outerwear that's important. You need an absolutely kick-a$$ winter coat that comes down below the knee, hat, mittens, scarf.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: layering clothing if you're going to be in Russian cities is a MISTAKE. As soon as you get inside of their overheated buildings you're gonna die in all those clothes.

This is the world's largest oil and gas producing nation and they show their stuff in the winter by cranking up the heat to unbearable levels. We have open windows most of the winter it's so hot in the apartment. Heat is free here and they are very generous with it.

The poster would be best to buy winter clothes here in Russia. I just last week outfitted a family member with winter outerwear for 200 bucks, boots and coat. So now all she needs is a scarf and some 250 ruble mittens. Done.

matt47 · Just Starting Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 3

Overseas_expat, I agree with you. If one is living in a city and not spending that much time out of doors and if they want to look fashionable then they can decide for themselves what to wear, I am merely offering my opinion of what works out in the countryside and in the city in Canada and Siberia (which have very similar taiga and tundra ecoregions) . Most well-to-do city people usually don't need the same kind of winter clothing (although it can't hurt) that other rural people need who spend their time fishing, trapping, hunting, or otherwise spending lots of time outdoors in the countryside in winter. Still, there are many fur and down coats one can find to meet their needs even if they are living in the city which will provide superior warmth for when one is out and about in the winter.

If you are out in Siberia or Canada living in a small cabin or something then obviously it would be most practical to dress appropriately for the environment you will be living in. My advice is mainly directed towards those wishing to spend a lot of time winter camping or living outdoors in Canada or Russia.

bigandtall · Just Starting Joined: 08 Dec 2010 Posts: 1

You can find some good winter jacket for around $300 in Moscow.

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