During a long day of Snowmobiling, the wind chill and cold can be brutal to the average snowmobile rider. Snowmobiling, while exhilarating and fun, can also be uncomfortable or even dangerous without the proper preparation.
Investing in the appropriate clothing, snow gear, and knowledge is imperative to create an epic and safe snowmobiling trip.
Improper layering techniques can be the difference between the gnarliest and the worst day of your life as a snowmobiler and can lead to a day spent wet, shivering, and miserable, instead of on that glistening white powder!
However, you will be fully prepared for any change in weather or even a sick course that you may experience while riding a snowmobile with the proper layering technique. The ultimate goal for any snowmobiler is comfort and safety while snowmobiling.
Our favorite motto is if you’re dry, you’re comfortable. If you are comfortable, you can fully enjoy the snowmobiling experience, which is where we come in. Below we take you step by step through everything you need to know about proper layering techniques for snowmobilers.
Get Ridin' with these proper layering techniques for snowmobilers!
Base Layers
First things first, you will want to tackle your base. Base layer gear is important in order to provide you with superior warmth and a comfortable ride. Your base layer is the closest to your skin and is responsible for regulating your body temperature.
Consider this layer less of an insulation tool to keep you warm and more as a transfer of moisture (i.e., sweat).
By moving your sweat away from your skin, the base keeps you dry. The base layer generally includes a long-sleeved t-shirt, lightweight pants, and socks.
We love the Motorfist Black Performance Long Sleeve because it protects against sun exposure, is UPF 50+, and is excellent for the entire family.
When selecting your gear's fabric, look for words like wick moisture, polyester, or lycra. As a rule of thumb, always avoid using cotton fabrics because cotton tends to build moisture instead of moving it outwards to evaporate. Meaning t-shirts, jeans, cotton socks, etc., are off-limits.
In addition to your long-sleeve moisture-wicking shirt, your base layer will also include pants and socks.
Like your shirt, you will want to look for a polyester or lycra fabric for your pants. Yoga pants or fleece pants are great options. Again, the type of material you select is crucial. Always look for synthetic fabrics that are moisture-wicking, breathable, and versatile.
For socks, look for fabrics like fleece or wool.
Mid Layers
Mid Layers are also commonly referred to as insulating layers. Their purpose is to insulate and retain your body heat by trapping warm air. The number of layers that you will want to add will depend on the weather and the amount of energy that you expect to exert while riding your snowmobile.
Check out our Motorfist Blitzkrieg Suit
Our advice is to consider the terrain you will be riding on before taking the time to select your clothing and laying out your gear. However, when in doubt, apply more layers instead of fewer. You can always take items off if you get too warm!
Other pants and bibs from Motorfist
To avoid heat loss while snowmobiling, your mid-layer will typically include a midweight polar fleece liner followed by a zippable jacket (great for quickly putting on or taking off layers). This is followed by another set of pants and a balaclava (not required, but it is great for added wind and cold protection).
Reminder, avoid cotton fabrics!
Exterior Layers
At this point in the layering process, you should have your base (long-sleeved t-shirt, pants, and socks) as well as your mid-layer (midweight polar fleece liner, pants, balaclava, and zippable jacket). Outer layers are meant to protect you from the elements and prevent any external moisture, snow, or cold from reaching your body while you are snowmobiling. That being said, your outer layers should be waterproof to provide complete protection. Not water-resistant, waterproof.
The exterior layer should include a jacket, a helmet, a face mask, goggles, gloves, and boots.
Motorfist's collection of Rekon X jackets are perfect for the avid mountain rider. Jackets come with a re-configured ventilation scheme, helps increase airflow, and comes with asymmetrical paneling for a fit that is highly adaptive and great for layering. The Rekon X's eVent shell fabric provides superior water-proofing and advanced temperature regulation for all terrains and gnarly adventures.
Note that your jacket should be large enough to fit over the other two layers without feeling restrictive or tight. You should still be able to move!
It should also be windproof to keep out the cold wind and keep in the warmth.
We recommend that you look for jackets with a ventilation scheme for increased airflow and temperate control like our Rekon X Jacket explicitly designed with eVent technology which allows sweat to get out instantly through the fabric membranes but effectively keeps moisture out. Truly there is no better fabric technology for the avid snowmobiler.
For head protection, invest in a helmet that is lightweight and has the most up-to-date technology. We can't stress enough how critical a helmet is to your health and safety. We love the Defender Helmet.
It is sleek, comfortable, and built with cutting-edge technology sure to keep your noggin safe.
You will also want to look for a face mask and goggles to protect for full eye and facial protection.
Our Octane 110 Goggle Photochromic are the perfect goggles for epic ridin'. Optimal lens and straps providing a superior riding experience.
The last thing you want while driving a snowmobile is for the wind to blow something into your eyes. Also, look for goggles with a good lens for both sunny and cloudy days, like the Octane 110 Goggle's from Motorfist, so that you never have an issue seeing while driving on rugged terrains.
When it comes to your feet, we recommend rubber boots lined with wool or fleece materials. Rubber will keep your feet warm and the snow out.
Most importantly, it will keep your feet dry. Fleece and wool are naturally moisture-wicking which is great for added protection. We recommend that you also look for boots with deep traction and aim for a size bigger than your standard shoe size for increased mobility.
Our Stomper Boa Boots are the perfect choice for riders with their one-of-a-kind eVent® Waterproof Breathable Membrane and Molded Rubber Toe & Heel Caps for Durability.
Lastly, invest in insulated, waterproof gloves that also offer grip control for a stable and slip-resistant grip while you navigate your snowmobile.
Proper gloves are often overlooked but are vital to your comfort and safety as a snowmobiler. Your hands will thank you!
We recommend our Redline Gloves!
Or even the lightweight Valkyrie Gloves from Motorfist
*An extra tip: snag a few hand warmers to keep in your pockets.
As experts in the snowmobiling industry, we understand firsthand how much information is available surrounding the topic of layering. We also know how hard it can be to digest and apply the knowledge to real life. We hope that this post serves as a simple guide for our snowmobiling family and makes the process of layering and discovering the right quality products a little bit easier.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the layering techniques for snowmobilers memorized yet. We promise that you will master the layering techniques for snowmobiling with enough practice and will be ready to take on your next gnarly day of snowmobile riding before you can say white gold.
Now set out on that fresh pow and get ridin'!
Contact our customer service if you have any specific questions. We are happy to help!