What ro pack for Calgary in Feb??

[Monkeytrousers]

Will we need snow shoes etc? Will be city bound

What are you planning to do there? How long will you be there for? Do you have family you can borrow gear off?

You will need boots. And coats. And hats. By snowshoes, do you mean the things that look like tennis rackets?

Even with the pound as weak as it is, you're probably better off just buying stuff there, though. Go to Walmart or something. You can get cheap stuff there that will do you for your visit.

It is bloody cold, and there will be snow.

lol, no not hte tennis racket kind. I'm not actually going but dp is and if I leave it to him he will go in his trainers and a hoodie. I thought there would be snow - lots of it - minus temps. Good idea to go wo walmart! He's only there for a few days for a film festival.

Best to dress in layers, long john, pants, vest, top, coat, scarf, beanie, gloves, snow boots. When he's indoors he'll be fine. HE can buy secondhand gear when he arrives there too.

Don't be envious, it'll be dreadful!

If he's only there for a few days, probably not worth faffing too much, just take lots of layers, yes, layers under trousers, everything, for the time he's outside.

Is the film festival pretty centralised? Maybe he won't be outside much.

If he takes a large outer water/wind proof layer, and lots of underlayers, he should be ok. Maybe even wellies?

Indoor places will be very warm.

NQC - you're from the east aren't you??

right, in calgary it in Feb it may or may not be that cold. there are things called chinooks that can change the weather drastically (think 20C at christmas or snow in July)

BUT chances are that yes it'll be cold and right now I know that they have A LOT of snow. but in the city they clean the sidewalks and roads so you'll only need snowshoes if you are planning on going on a trek or something.

he'll need a warm jacket (warmer than you can get here) there's a big Mountain Equipment Coop in the downtown area and with the pound/dollar exchange he can probably get some really good stuff for a reasonalble amount.
he won't necessarily need boots unless he is planning on walking outside a lot. (and if he is outside a lot get warm winter boots. wellies WILL NOT cut it!!)
i made it through 4 winters in Calgary with just shoes so a few days will be ok.
especially if he's staying in the downtown area. most of the buildings are attached to one another with heated bridge type things (called the plus 15 and the plus 30) so you don't HAVE to go outside too much.

calgary's a great city. he'll love it!

I am from the east-ish. By English standards it'll be enormously cold, chinook or no chinook.

If he's only there for four days, maybe just an anorak with lots of layers will do? (MEC stuff is great, and an easy way to get mistaken for a Canadian after he comes back here - but may not be worth spending the money on.)

If he doesn't get a big coat, he'll need hat and gloves and so on.

Are you Canadian NQC?! I thought you were, well, cockney haha

cheers monkey

The festival is at the Rozsa Centre on the campus of the University of Calgary. Is that central? They haven't booked a hotel yet so maybe you could recommend one nearby??

U of C isn't really central BUT it's on the C-train line so easy to get to and from downtown (and just about everywhere) from there.

i'll have a look for hotels and get back to you.

Um ... my username says I'm not cockney. Yes, I'm Canadian, but not from the boring weird cold flat oilproducing cowboyhatwearing western parts, purplemonkeydishwasher knows waaaay more than me.

If the festival is on a uni campus, he probably will need to go outside to get from place to place? (I'm assuming here ...)

I know NQC, I'd thought for some reason that meant your accent - as in from london but not cockney wide-boy 'apples 'n pears' dialect. Sorry

I have reletives in Canada. haven't seen them for over 20 years though.

If you could Monkey that'sbe great. Just have a quck look though and if you find a link pass it over and I'll get dp to to the work.

Well, it does mean my accent, and me as well. I'm quite thoroughly not cockney, but was aiming for some British understatement.

ohhhh I heart MEC!!

mum over in a few weeks, might have to put in a order.

Calgary will be cold, but is gorgeous city, hope he has a great time

MT - what kind of hotel does he want to stay in? I found a best western that's within walking distance to the university.
there's also the Comfort Inn Motel Village or the Econo Lodge there are 2 of those right near the uni actually.
OR because U of C is on the train line he could stay downtown (depends if he wants to go out in the evening...there are tons of places to go have a drink downtown)

and regardless of what NQC says Calgary isn't flat or boring. (trying not to get offended here!)
i lived there for 4 years (in this part of town. it was brilliant.

just checked. there is a travelodge there too. there's an area called Motel Village right beside the UNiversity there are TONS of places to stay.

Cool Monkeycousin, I'll give him the details and let him get on with it

glad i could help!