Layering advice

[TheRealMrsJohnSimm]

Ok, this is probably all common sense but I was born to over-analyze and will no doubt be back and forth from this forum with a gazillion questions before our trip in Feb! So...........

If you have a shell ski jacket such as this do you need two mid-layers as well as a base layer or are these types of jacket warm enough with a fleece and base layer only beneath?

I ask because my current jacket has a zip in fleece layer - never had a shell only jacket before. Just seems like you might end up with loads of layers beneath and therefore not very comfortable.

Also, for those of you who wear a gilet beneath their jacket, do you go for a specialist ski job or will a bog-standard high-street type gilet do the job (assuming good base layer beneath it all)?

I would probably just wear a thermal base layer plus a half zip thin fleece. I would probably also pack a thin polo neck to add as an extra layer if it was really cold.

I seem to feel the cold more than most and wear a thermal top, ordinary long sleeve top and fleece under my jacket even when it's sunny and my DH has just an ordinary Tshirt on under his jacket.

I normally do a base layer ie cotton vest, not always a thermal though, a high neck top in either cotton or lightweight fleece, and a zip in gilet(I have the compatible one). From March onwards the inner fleece gilet is often not required , just depends on conditions. Dec/January I might use the full sleeved zip in fleece instead.

Thanks for all your replies ladies.

TMP - I think I am probably more like you and feel the cold quite easily. My DH also skis with little more than t-shirt beneath ski jacket but then he is a super-skier whereas I am a potterer!

I have a decent merino long sleeve base layer so think I could prob get away with buying that particular jacket (as I love it) but then with perhaps t-shirt and fleece beneath without feeling too "layered" and busy beneath the jacket.......iyswim??! The thing with an integral fleece or an insulated jacket is that it doesn't feel like extra layers, does it? It all fits together quite well. My concern was being uncomfortable due to multiple layers beneath which don't fit together as well as an integral fleece.

Will stop waffling now . Thank you all