ECWCS GEN III doubt

[Eamenos]

Hi guys,

Before posting this, believe me that I've been searching in deep to try to find an answer to my ECWCS layering doubt.

I'm a winter hunter and backpacker, and I start sweating very very fast one time I start moving. My hunting/backpacking gear is ECWCS GEN III stuff and I own the levels 1, 2, 3 and 6). Cause I sweat very soon, I quickly have to get rid of the base layer (or layers) and the level 3, but then I have no more shell/jacket to stay dry while in active (level 6 breathes 0% in active and I only wear it with heavy rains).

And here there is the fact:

I can buy on the cheap the ECWCS GEN III Level 5 Softshell jacket because my brother lives near a Surplus store and there are plenty of them. Do anyone have experience with that specifically US military softshell jacket in active duty? Will it make my dry over the base layer (or layers) o just Level 3, or there are any far better options on the commercial market?

I live in the mountains of Spain and English is not my first spoken language. Wish you could understand what I'm trying to explain.


Thank you very much.

 

[Rich_S]

Your English is fine.

It seems you have discovered the principle that "you need a lot less insulation than you think when active, and a lot more than you think when static". Bundling up when on the move does in fact lead to sweating very fast, and this applies in general not just with ECWCS Gen III.

If the temps are above 50F/10C, all that I wear when active is a lightweight baselayer (e.g., ECWCS Level 1 or Patagonia Capilene Lightweight)) and a windshirt (you want something with 30-40CFM breathability, there isn't really anything in the ECWCS range like this unless you can find the old PCU Level 4 that used to be made by Patagonia or the Wild Things one made of EPIC fabric, for non-military there is the Black Diamond Alpine Start, Mountain Hardwear Kor Airshell, and Patagonia Houdini Air).

When temps are below 50F/10C, I replace the light base layer with a thermal base layer, my preference being Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight.

It's only when temps fall below 20F/-7C that I add a midlayer. My favorite is Alpha Direct 90 weight. But a grid fleece like the ECWCS Level 2 also works well.

So in summary, with ECWCS Gen II, it's really the Level 1 and 2 that are good, but they must be supplemented with other garments.