For the chest & back Tec vest and it may save your life.

 

I wear the 509 vest. For no other reason that I could actually get one. They can be hard to find at times. Generally, whenever I actually look.

Thanks,

 

Nothing new, layers are your friend. I was always warm with Castle gear. Too warm. Used it for 8 years or so.
I'm now wearing 509 shells. Top and bottom with a base layer. So much lighter and comfortable.
This is good down to -10F for me but everyone is different. I add a mid layer on top and that's good down to -25F. We have one of those sled trips every year.
I recommend a shell outer with base layer for most conditions. Add mid layers if needed.
I also carry a bag of handwarmers in the box. Someone in the group always has cold hands and I have the cure. No brainer.

 

These days there are all sorts of levels of clothing depending on your riding environment. Sounds like your CastleX stuff may have been closer to a windproof, waterproof shell vs an insulated cold weather combo. Sounds like your Yama stuff has you covered now.

My hands must be worse than yours. I have the Klim electric gloves as well but I would still get cold on occasion. I now use gauntlets and have come to terms with their fugliness. Hands always warm now and the biggest bonus is that I only use thin mechanic type gloves so the feel of the bars/gauges is awesome.

 

X-2 on the gauntlets---They are ugly, but they work. I too now ride with a cheap set of jersey gloves. At my age I don't care if I look cool. I'm not trying to impress anyone as long as I'm comfortable.

I have Baffin boots---Ski Doo Helium gear, and I layer with Schampa underlayers 1.0--2.0--3.0 depending on temperatures. Klim, Under Armour, Ski Doo all make good technical underlayers. I use a Klim Arctic Balaclava for my head and face.

Sounds like you have a good setup for your riding style-----The biggest thing for me is LAYERING.

Don~

 

I went to the fugly muffs last year. Best move ever. I was always too cool to have them on my sled for 49 years.

 

Doo gear is very nice imo. I have a jacket with a removable inner liner. And I wear a Tekvest. So sometimes I don't wear a mid layer on top. Or if I do, then I remove the insulation from my jacket. If it's -10f maybe I wear everything. My chest never gets cold but my arms can get cold if my armpit vents are open too far. Layers are best, and It doesn't take long to figure out the best combination of gear for the riding temperature.

I used to have a Castle jacket and it seemed okay, or at least a good value. I still wear Castle gloves and bibs.

 

Everybody is different, as such being cold is different also. For me, I wear a pair of kilm socks and Baffin boots, Motofist bibs with a pair of polyester long legged pj bottoms, I have a Motorfist Redline jacket, Klim Moto-X jersey and a Tekvest. That's it!
I'm comfortable all day. When it gets below zero, I might grab a polyester pull over. Gloves are Doo grip gloves. Helmet is a 509 with Klim Arctic balaclava and 509 or different brand goggles depending on conditions. I am looking at possibly getting a CKX Titan helmet this season. I do know that I'm going to YouZee inserts instead of wearing glasses while riding, been riding with glasses since I started riding in 67. Just went to Doc and got script for the inserts. Can't wait.

 

I use klim gear but it is a fine line between warm and to warm , So glad skidoo is back with the helium enduro suit . Nice light and warm to about 10 below which is my limit anyway these days

 

Thanks all,

Notice I didn't mention my feet getting cold? I originally bought Baffin Wolfs. Okay for warmer days but toes might get a touch cold even on days above 20 deg F. Not with the Impacts. A pair of poly socks and a good set of wool socks. Boots sized two over and it's amazing. Like walking on clouds. Really happy with my boots. The Wolf boots are much less clunky to walk in. I can drive in the Wolfs. No chance in the Impacts.

One thing I also learned was to preheat my clothing before riding just by wearing it for a bit. Tough with the thick boots cause I might be driving. But the boots are fine so long as they are not cold when you put them on. They are like coolers. Cold stays cold, warm stays warm.

What I'm thinking is to look for good quality used gear for sale. Try if for a while and see. If I really hit on something great then buy it new. And don't get me wrong, I was fine with the CastleX, until I tried something else. I realized I may have been missing something.

Two seasons ago I went to Seney to ride and grabbed my wife's jacket instead of mine. I'm kinda big and she is very small. I looked all over trying to find a jacket and no luck. I ended up wearing a Wolverine hooded winter jacket and that wool lined flannel jacket I mentioned. We rode over 200 miles without anything but a couple gas stops. Even after dark for a bit. Not a problem with the jacket.

I did have problems with gloves that day. The temp swings that I felt thru the gloves were incredible. Either freezing or blistering, literally. My hands were burnt and blistered for a week after. I'm gonna guess this is an indication that the palm insulation may have been too thick in the 509 gloves. The electric KLIMs pretty much made that problem go away. They are also not nearly as bulky and are thinner on the palms. I did also add an adjustable brake handle and adjusted that sucker way in hoping to get my brake finger back to the heat. But the gloves covered that problem too.

So I'm kind happy where I am riding my Doo with my Yamaha gear. But I'd like a back up set. I also get guest riders. I'm always concerned about how warm they are. It's not a fun sport when you are freezing. I want to know that they are just as warm as I am. So I try to keep the same gear on hand that I wear just for the guests to wear. It was a Jarhead NCO thing, if you are miserable your troops are miserable, If you are hungry, they are hungry. I try be aware of that.

Also, I will look into the "fugly muffs". Any particular model/brand? I was never worried about appearance. That's actually a personality defect, I have never cared about that.

Thank you all,

 

Also, I will look into the "fugly muffs". Any particular model/brand? I was never worried about appearance. That's actually a personality defect, I have never cared about that.

Thank you all,

I currently have the Klim gauntlets. I would consider them a "travel" gauntlet. What I mean is they can easily be rolled up and stored to carry with you when needed. They are easily installed and removed. They have a clear sight window on both to see some of the gauges. They are not solid, formed gauntlets though so although they install easily they do lay over on the top of your hands at speed. Was never an issue for me.

This year I will add the Ski-Doo branded ones to the new machine. They are formed and solid and will be more of a permanent installation.

 

As a former Castle X Brand ambassador, they make a great product but the warmth sucks. The coats and bibs fit well and are wind proof but the overall warmth factor was disappointing. Over the years castles build quality went down as the prices stayed the same. My contract ended 2 yrs ago so back to ski doo gear I went.

 

That is well put. I have no issues with the gear, I really noticed a warmth improvement I didn’t expect when I swapped jackets. Another small indicator is when I was getting a cold chest when others weren’t.

Thanks,

 

Helmet CKX Titan/ goggles Klim Aeon/ balaclava Klim glacier. I am a big fan of the helmet. It is the heated goggle version. While the heated goggles worked fine, I didn’t love them. Last season I wore the helmet pretty well plugged up, but this year I have pulled out all the ventilation plugs and the helmet works much better, even on very frigid days (-20F to start on my last ride). I believe this helmet just works better when air is moving through it.The Aeon goggle is great, the photochromic lens is great and transitions quickly. It holds my YouZee inserts well and flows a lot of air to keep every fog free. I also like not being tethered with the heated goggles. It wasn’t end the world, just one less cable swinging around to worry about. The balaclava works well and keeps things comfy. I did have an issue on this last ride where my breath condensation froze around my chin and gave me some minor frost bite. But I think I will be able to work with the balaclava on the next ride to mitigate the issue. Overall, great combo that took a little time for me to figure out for the best operation.

Pants FXR CLUTCH FX. Very warm, they are heavily insulated. I wear gym shorts or pants under these and that is it. That’s including below zero days. The vents on the quad work fine and get a little bit of air in on warmer days. The fabric is tough and everything from zippers to snaps to clasps have held up well. Great product, would purchase again.

Jacket Klim Storm. This jacket is un-insulated and works great for layering. I wear a tech vest, and this fits over it well and doesn’t limit range of motion. I can wear a T-shirt, a fleece quarter zip, and a lighter waffle quarter zip, plus the vest under this jacket, it still feels very free. I wear some sort of combo of those layers depending on the temp, but the full combo is still doable for those below zero rides. It does come with thin foam shoulder pads that I removed.

Gloves Klim Fusion. I love having the option to feel less in the palm. But if it is below zero, having insulation on both sides is best. I would like to add a set of warmer weather gloves to my mix, but these seem to be a great do-it-all glove.

Boots Vasque MuckLuck. These are unique to the snowmobile world at large, but are my favorite boot. They have been warm well below zero with just a wool sock, but these are very flexible. Traction is great and the sole has held up well to tough and sharp running boards. I will probably end up with regular boots in the future, but will look for something with the most mobility.

Overall I happy with my kit. I assume I will end up with Klim pants when the time comes to replace. They just make great gear that works. Yea it’s expensive, but if you are not thinking about it while you ride, then it’s working perfectly. I will also likely end up with a Klim F5 helmet. I like the way they fit, and again, Klim makes great stuff.

 

^^^^^^^^

Great write up especially on the helmet and YouZee's. Answered most my questions. I'm kind of cautious when it comes to helmets, mainly as I've always wore open face/moto-x helmets since I've been riding. I can't wear full face helmets. My kids had them when they were growing up and I couldn't take them being on for 5 seconds if that, call it claustrophobia or what not. I have no problems with being in cramped quarters, just can't handle being confined around my face, no problems wearing goggles and a bavaclava. I'm going to try one on first before deciding.

Why the Klim F5 over the Titan? Just something different? My son wears a Klim F4 and loves it.

 

^^^^^^^^

Great write up especially on the helmet and YouZee's. Answered most my questions. I'm kind of cautious when it comes to helmets, mainly as I've always wore open face/moto-x helmets since I've been riding. I can't wear full face helmets. My kids had them when they were growing up and I couldn't take them being on for 5 seconds if that, call it claustrophobia or what not. I have no problems with being in cramped quarters, just can't handle being confined around my face, no problems wearing goggles and a bavaclava. I'm going to try one on first before deciding.

Why the Klim F5 over the Titan? Just something different? My son wears a Klim F4 and loves it.

Thanks! I will start by saying the YouZee insert was the game changer for me. I could go on and on about these things.
For the F5 question. I like Klim, I know they make a great product, I know the goggles will fit perfectly, and when I tried it on, it felt great. It’s not that I don’t like my Titan, but I think it has more going on than I want or need. Between the plugs, the face opening system, and all the different combinations of pieces inside the helmet, it’s too much. The F5 is lighter and will be much more straight forward. I either wear or don’t wear the balaclava, easy. Also, CKX doesn't actually offer the Titan in the USA, so getting a new one will be more of a challenge than driving 5 miles to my dealer and picking one off the shelf.

 

Just wondering -- but what do you mean when you say that the Titan is coming to the US? Haven't CKX products been available in the US for some time through online places like DennisKirk, Kimpex USA, CKX USA? Or has it only been online and no one has then on a retail shelf?

CKX Contact is a great helmet if you don't mind being plugged in but like the freedom of absolutely nothing touching your face, nose. Mission is fantastic as well. No need for being plugged in, quiet but with a rubber breath box.

 

One night winter camping, bare minimum supplies and tips...

I am debating doing a night out in the wild on a sled trip to the UP this winter, likely on my own. My question is what would the bare minimum I need for a below 0 night? Here is what I am thinking so far, I want to keep it to a minimum as my 2022 XRS 600R doesn't have that much space on the...

www.dootalk.com

 

My Doo jacket is probably 12 years old and I’ve never been cold on the body. Wish it had more air vents. Doo helmet is just as old and I don’t mind a bit of cold air coming in. Everyone is different based of how you ride. My hands always freeze because I can never find my good gloves but buddys apex with the exhaust out the back warms the hands and gloves up nicely

 

Using long muffs I wear thin cotton gloves down to -25C. I had seen them being used on DooTalk so I decided to give them a try and I was impressed. It does create a restriction in movement, but imagine having them with you for the times it gets really cold. Or better, imagine if the grip warmers quit working which I have seen happen on a new 850.

 

I wear FXR and Tobe mono suits. I have both insulated and uninsulated. FXR base layers, midlayers and have a insulated mono suit liner if it's extremely cold. The mono set up is very warm and you can move around in them without restrictions. No wind gets in either.

We've been using the Doo gauntlets and Grip gloves for 4 seasons .. Those are killer and you don't have to adjust your warmers all the time.

Helmets are a tuff recommendation. I wear a CKX Titan for temps down to 18 ish Fahrenheit. It's extremely light and great field of vision. The photo chromatic lens for the goggles is pretty trick too.. This has been my all time favorite helmet.

For colder temps I bust out the O2 with smoked sunshield and I always plug it in. The helmet is pretty light , not a bad FOV and is damn warm. The sunshield works 95% of the time. It needs to warm up in the helmet before you drop it down. If your a mouth breather then the sunshield may not work as well.

 

Only been back riding 4 seasons. I've been using a Castle X jacket and bibs. Gloves are the leather 509s. I do wear a 509 vest. Boots are Baffin Impacts. I do have various windshields for my doo, but generally ride with the mid height and hand guards. Chest does get a little cold when things get into single digits. I'll often wear several layers including a wool linked flannel coat along with several other layers of the usual stuff. Gloves, either my hands are freezing or blistering due to the hand grip heaters being somewhat possessed.

Last fall I bought the KLIM heated gloves. Turns out even with them turned off my hands never got even a little cold and the grip heaters seemed a little less possessed. With them on it can easily take my gloves off for a few seconds and not be punished for the next half hour. I eventually bought a USB charger for the batteries and a spare pair of batteries. Expensive but it worked out for me.

Early in the season I found a local fella on Marketplace selling top and bottom Yamaha OEM set way cheap. My other sled is a Yamaha and figured for the price he was asking that it was a no brainer for a guess rider or even back up gear. That gear turned out to be so much warmer than my Castle X gear it was stupid. I used it the remainder of the season! The rest of season from head to toe I felt as if I was sitting in my living room while riding. Yes, it wasn't super cold last year, but I did get some night riding in near 0 conditions to compare.

Are all of you that warm when you ride? I know cold is relative and it's no fun when you are cold. But what do you put up with?

This Yamaha gear is all lined with an almost metallic foil material on the inside. The gear is lighter but warmer than my other gear. I originally started with some Arctic Cat gear but it was really inexpensive and worked as well.

How does this compare to the Doo clothing? Is their clothing as noticeably warm?

Riding gear is kind of expensive to be almost hit and miss as much as it seems to be.

Comments?

Thanks,

I could be wrong about this but I know FXR was making Yamaha gear and I think they still are. FXR gear has a silver lining in some of there jackets. So if you are really happy with your Yamaha gear I would look at FXR. I have worn FXR gear and was always happy with it. I now have Klim gear and have thought about going back to FXR. I like how versatile there gear is. There higher end jackets have liners you can take in and out which Klim doesn't offer. They want you to buy a thinner jacket you can put in in the cold days,good for boosting profits but not as good as giving the consumer more for there money.

 

I now have Klim gear and have thought about going back to FXR. I like how versatile there gear is. There higher end jackets have liners you can take in and out which Klim doesn't offer. They want you to buy a thinner jacket you can put in in the cold days,good for boosting profits but not as good as giving the consumer more for there money.

I have a Keweenaw suit and love almost everything about it. Almost. It does come with a removal fleece vest but the stuff is so warm I don't use it.

Like you, I may make a switch back to FXR though for a few reasons. 1. Floatation. I spend a lot of time on lakes and Klim doesn't offer it. 2. My Klim jacket seems is a bit short at the back (I am 6'5" though). 3. I find the neck line on the Klim jacket is low compared to my last FXR and the new FXR jacket I looked at.

If I can sell the current stuff I may make the change.

 

Another great thing about the F.A.S.T. System on FXR is how they quickly drip off the water. Makes a big difference after a ride and drying them. Drips dry as soon as the snow melts. Rather then melting the snow and then having to dry the clothing on other types. Non FAST clothing, After a couple years they tend to dry up the material and lose the insulating properties from always having to wet dry, rather then drip dry.