Extreme Cold Weather clothing (ECW)

This is the gear that we get issued for Antarctica. You can bring your own stuff, and most everyone does, but many of the items you get from the Clothing Distribution Center (see the next blog entry). Here's the gloves, hats, and boots: top boot is the Baffin (a new, much in demand boot), middle is the FDX (pretty warm and fairly usable), and the bottom is the "Bunny Boot" (think Disney, which I've always found to be too warm and have not enough traction).

The cap, insulated gloves, and all are good. The first time I went to the ice we had to have our Mitten, Gauntlet on for the flight. They're ridiculously warm and clumsy.







Balaclavas, more hats, goggles (am using them at Pole, but never did at McMurdo, sunglasses worked fine there), neck gaiters, and hats. On the left edge is a wind jacket in red with the US Antarctic Program logo, and thermal underwear tops and bottoms (I brought my own of the latter).








And the final items, "Big Red" on the left is the Canada Goose heavy parka, super-warm, and ubiquitous on the ice. Next up is the Carhartt parka, and then the wind pants/overalls (or Carhartt option). Carhartts are more rugged and preferred for outside work.