Finding an Ideal Outer Layer for the Cold Wind and Snow to Keep in the Car...

I've been trying to find an inexpensive solution to add to my "get-home" bag which I now keep in my car. Something I can throw on over my regular work clothes in severe weather in case I have to get home in a sever weather emergency and my car is disabled.

My requirements were simple: inexpensive, effective in staying warm but not too warm when walking in cold weather, water resistant, easy to put on over what I am wearing, and something I don't mind putting in the trunk of my car and keeping it there.

It's taken me a a while to find something which will meet these requirements, but this winter I think I have found what I've been looking for over the past year.

My solution is the British Army Windproof Smock and Trousers. Made of a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, they are windproof and water resistant. I wore these on a test hike of 2 1/2 hours in snow over my normal work attire in 15 to 25 degree Fahrenheit breezy weather and they kept me warm, but not so warm that I was sweating and never let me feel cold. While shoveling snow in 35 degree Fahrenheit weather over cotton khaki's in sunny calm weather, they proved too warm, but were an easy to remove.

The smock has a hood with a cord closure and a wire in the edge of the hood to make adjustment of it easy and windproof. There are two button flap chest pockets and two button flap waist pockets. It also has two zippered chest pockets behind the chest flap pockets. There is a drawstring waist and bottom edge to the smock. The cuffs are velcro closure and the hood can be held in place up along the collar with a button loop. The left sleeve has a very small velcro closure pocket. All the buttons on the smock are guaranteed to stay on as they are sewn on with cord, rather than thread.

The trousers have two pockets which stay closed with velcro, two side cargo pockets with button flap closures and one rear pocket with a button closure. They are button waist with a zipper and have drawstrings at the cuff, as well a velcro seam about 12 inches long at the cuff which allow you to easily pull them on or off over boots. Like the smock, the trousers buttons are guaranteed to stay on as they are sewn on with cord, rather than thread. They also have a button adjustable waist.

Both of these can be found at a variety of online sources. Mine came brand new in the original packaging from MilitaryUniformSupply.com which offered the best price and which allowed me to find the correct size. Some vendors only sell in small, medium, large, etc, but this company allowed me to buy knowing my height, chest, waist, seat and inseam. The smock can be found here for $29.99 and the trousers here for $17.99.

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