Layering for the Vermont Backcountry or Resort tour

Exploring the backcountry, somewhere in Northern Vermont

When you're gearing up at the base of Mt. Mansfield for a dawn patrol or prepping to make a day of it in the Bolton Valley backcountry, your kit needs to be ready to handle the conditions the East Coast sends our way.

All Mola gear is handmade in Richmond, VT. Here's some recommendations on layering for your next tour with performance focused pieces of apparel.

1. Next-to-Skin: The Jay Collection

Start with the Jay Lightweight PowerWool Baselayer Top. Mola uses PowerWool because you get the thermoregulating merino natural fibers against your skin with a synthetic outer that helps moisture evaporate.

Depending on the temperature, the best baselayer pants begin with the Jay Lightweight PowerWool Baselayer pants, and move up to the Chute baselayer pants and then step up again to the Profanity baselayer pants on super cold days. The Cropped version of any of these baselayer pants were designed to sit just above your ski or snowboard boot to minimize bunching and keep your turns and steps fluid, without excess bulk.

2. Midlayer: The Nosedive Hoodie or the Profanity Hoodie.

Both the Nosedive Hoodie and the Profanity hoodie were designed with targeted protection: Tighter knit, and thicker grid fleece on your chest add warmth where you need it most when it’s windy (because Vermont wind howls in a good storm) and breathable grid fleece everywhere else. It’s built to move & breathe without extra bulk. The hoods are built minimally, intentionally, so they fit comfortably under a helmet or tucked into your jacket.

3. The Other Essentials

Accessories like hats and neck gaiters can make a big difference when it comes to regulating your body temp. Mola offers a variety of hat styles, but the beanie is low-profile enough for under your helmet but technical enough to wick moisture away and keep your noggin warm while you're sweating on the up. Wearing a Mola Neckie that you can pull up as a facemask when the ridgeline wind picks up is the ultimate shield on stormy days.

When your layering system is made by skiers and riders who get out there in the same conditions as you, you know you can trust it.