Now that we’ve been facing a few months of winter weather, we can all appreciate the guts and grit it takes to get out there in the blustery, blizzard-y, insolent weather conditions and brave it through our rides. But there is a whole other level of tough that it takes to accomplish ultra-distance feats in the face of truly arctic conditions.

We’re talking about riding a single-speed in the Canadian Arctic, dogsled expeditions to the South Pole, skiing from 88° North to the Geographic North Pole, and running the world’s most difficult cold weather race—the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra . This is a brutal, 300-mile race offers sadists three disciplines: running, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking. The race trails the same route as the Yukon Quest sled dog race through the most inhospitable winter terrain and conditions North America has to offer.

The fastest 300-mile ride time was posted in 2003 by Rocky Reifenstuhl, who finished the race in 98 hours and 15 minutes. Mark Kelly

This year, the race kicks off on the 30th of January and ends on February 7th in Whitehorse, Canada. Participants will face temperatures consistently in the negative double digits (we’re talking -20 to -40s)—perfect weather for hypothermia and frostbite. And the only mandatory clothing for the race is an expedition-quality down jacket (like this one from Mountain Hardwear). The rest? “We leave it up to the athletes to find out what works best for them when it comes to comfort and safety,” Robert Pollhammer , the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra race director, says.

So we asked Pollhammer and Eric Lillstrom—an expedition guide with Polar Explorers (which leads expeditions in some of the harshest arctic environments in the world)—about the gear they trust to get into (and out of) the coldest objectives on the planet. Here are the five biggest lessons for anyone headed out on a self-supported ride, ski, or run in arctic conditions.

Just like bikepacking, riders must carry their own equipment and be prepared for anything in this self-supported event. Mark Kelly

Vapor Barriers: Dry Bags for Your Feet

Yeah, really. These waterproof layers—also called Vapor barriers —are being seen more frequently in super-cold weather applications. Plastic shirts, pants, and socks are used as base layers. Wearing plastic layers serves two purposes: to trap in heat, and to keep your outerwear dry. It’s incredibly efficient. “The only way I use vapor barriers is in my boots,” Lillstrom explains. “All of the moisture coming off my foot stays inside the bag and not in the boot. And none of that heat is escaping.”

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Meanwhile, Pollhammer is a fan of SealSkinz—a company from England—which makes waterproof socks similar to a plastic vapor barrier. “Anybody venturing out in the cold for extended periods of time should give them a try,” he says.

Your Down Should Be DriDown

“DriDown has come up for me a lot,” Lillstrom says. “It’s down that’s treated so that it doesn’t lose its insulating value when it gets wet.” That means it’s great for sleeping bags (like the Sierra Designs Nitro 800 sleeping bag) because it can keep 100 percent of its warmth rating—even if you “sleep hot.” With untreated down, if you get your down coat or sleeping bag wet you’ll end up freezing cold—even more so than if you didn’t have any down on at all.

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And, fortunately, brands are becoming more responsible with their down sourcing—you just have to make sure you’re purchasing products with sustainably sourced down. Look for products with FC-free HyperDry™ down fill from ALLIED Feather & Down (like the Hometown Down Hooded Jacket from Stio ). “This down has the RDS (Responsible Down Standard) and is also Bluesign certified,” Pollhammer says. “As responsible outdoor lovers I think it is a must to look into these criteria for any gear we purchase.”

At publication (5 p.m. EST), the temperature in Whitehorse, Canada was -2 degrees Fahrenheit. Mark Kelly

Wool Is Still the Best Base Layer

Any functional clothing set-up needs a perfect first layer and there is a reason why cold countries love their merino wool. In fact, Polar Explorers is moving towards recommending all wool in their required packing lists for expeditions.

Although it is still an “old school,” choice, wool has become quite techy over the years. The wool products you can buy today are thinner and more comfortable than their predecessors. “You used to have to do with either scratchy wool that was so uncomfortable or Angora rabbit wool that was not durable at all,” Lillstrom says. “Now, it’s so much better. I love the Capilene wool collection from Patagonia. It doesn’t pill at all.”

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Pollhammer recommends the Montane Primino range. “It’s made with 50 percent merino wool, 25 percent PrimaLoft and 25 percent regular Polyester,” he says. “It’s a great combination for warmth, natural odor resistance and good breathability and quick drying.”

Gore-Tex Isn’t Always the Best Shell

“It’s great stuff for many uses—but if you ask around you will find a lot of experienced people who prefer other materials when it comes to shells for the extreme cold,” Pollhammer explains. This is because the waterproofing of Gore-Tex doesn’t allow for proper ventilation and causes moisture to get trapped inside your layers—making you much colder than you want to be.

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So what’s the alternative for an outer layer? Lillstrom usually rocks a down coat from Canada Goose , but Pollhammer swears by a smock. “I personally love the Montane Extreme Smock ,” he says. “It’s kind of ‘old school’ but it has great ventilation, it’s very warm thanks to its Pertex outer, and it’s super robust.”

In Serious Cold, Goggles > Glasses

When there is light reflecting off of every surface you are surrounded by, sunglasses aren’t going to cut it. “After trying out Julbo goggles I’ve transitioned fully from wearing sunglasses to wearing goggles only,” Lillstrom says. “They create a pocket of warm still air around your eyes, block out the wind and, help prevent eyestrain in snowy, bright, and flat conditions.”

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And thanks to advances in tech for snow goggles, the chances of you fogging goggles up is now on the slim side. The Starwind from Julbo allows the lenses physically separate from the frame without detaching to allow max airflow for zero fogging.

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