The Middle Layer
More Articles Related to ClothingThe second layer of clothing in the three layer system is the insulation layer. This layer of insulation works by trapping dead air space around your body, thereby limiting the amount of heat being exchanged between you and the outside world.
When using the three layer clothing system, the middle layer is the thickest. The fibers of the material in the middle layer trap warm air from your body and prevent it moving away from you. This is what keeps you warm. In general the more loft a material has the more dead air space and so the more body heat it is able to retain.
As in the base layer, you do not want your insulation layer to be made of any material that easily becomes saturated with water and is difficult to dry. Cotton falls into that category. You want any moisture coming from your body to continue on through your middle layer and on its way to the outside world.
Excellent middle layer clothing materials include Fleece, Bunting, and Pile.
Fleece
Fleece is usually made of polyester that is napped on one side. This gives it a lofty warm surface on one side and a tight solid weave on the other that helps reduce the flow of air.
Bunting
Bunting is the same as fleece except that it has been napped on both sides. This gives bunting a good solid weave and lofty warm surfaces on both sides
Pile
Pile is a single sided fleece that is even more napped. Fleece is thicker and more open.
As with the inner layer, I prefer to have on hand several lighter garments for my middle insulation layer that I can wear together or singly. A couple of good medium weight wool sweaters work well.
Another good combination is a regular fleece jacket and a second fleece jacket that has a light windbreaker fabric on the outside. This gives great flexiblity in wearing either one or the other alone, or both together. The light windbreaker fleece really comes in handy.
Next in the 3-Layer System: The Outer Shell
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