David Combs wrote:
Am looking for heavy-duty **warm** work-pants, and can't
so far find much somewhat near the top of a google search.

Years and years (30?) ago I bought such a pair, outside
made of something strong, like canvas, maybe, with a quilted
semi-sweat-impermeable-covered thickish lining.

Carhardtt makes jeans that are very durable, available at Sears and
Roebuck, Tractor Supply and a lot of other places.

So tough that I probably could have walked through a
patch of catclaw without tearing it.

And WARM.

Partly due to the lining, and partly (or mainly?) due to
the *weight* of the material, which helps lower *radiative*
heat loss.

These days, however, I seem to find only cheap, thin stuff,
(easy to tear, wear holes into, etc)
and if with lining, then only with "fleece", which in my
experience will stretch and of course provides a ZERO
*radiative* heat-loss barrier.


QUESTION: In northern Minnesota or Alaska, say, what do
outdoor workers wear?

Or steel-workers 50 stories up, with wind-chill at -30 --
what do *they* wear?

I live in Florida now, but back in the "cold days," as a construction
electrician, working right beside steel workers in the Midwest, here's
what I used to wear:

Regular underwear ^ long johns ^ heavy socks ^ Uninsulated Carhardtt
jeans, or regular jeans ^ heavy flannel shirt ^ zippered, lined,
sweatshirt with hood ^ Insulated Carhardtt bib overalls (for better
movement) ^ Carhardt insulated jacket with hood ^ sock hat ^ work boots
^ slip over rubber boots ^ cotton gloves under deerskin gloves.
Everything slightly loose. In my case, doing electrical work,
everything needed to be 100% cotton and Carhardtt wool linings, no
plastic....something that is hard to find these days.

All that, and the coldest I've ever been, including living in Norway
for 3 years, was right here in Florida....doing some wiring inside of a
minus 40 degree F cold storage facility. Just had a winter jacket too.


The trick to staying warm is wearing slightly loose, layered clothing
and don't get wet.....even from sweating. If you start to sweat,
unzip, unbutton, or take off some clothing and go back to work until
you start to feel cold again, then put cloths back on as needed. On
sunny days sometimes I could strip down to just the flannel shirt and
bibs for 10 minutes or so. The rubber boots go a long way to keeping
your feet warm and dry. Once your feet get wet, you're screwed.