Q. Hey Gear Guy, I went to a cabin in the snow a few weeks ago with my Scout troop. I wore my snow jacket and pants but I still got soaked. Can you recommend good waterproof clothing for the snow?

A. Depending on your budget, there are a few things I can recommend.

LOW BUDGET: Make the snow jacket and pants that you already own more waterproof with a spray-on waterproofer like ReviveX Spray-on Water Repellant for Outerwear ($8; mcnett.com) or 3M Scotchgard ($11; scotchgard.com).

MID-RANGE: The best waterproof clothing for snow is that made with a waterproof/breathable membrane that repels water—and snow—to keep you dry but also lets your sweat escape so you don’t get wet from the inside either. Lots of companies have their own house brand waterproof/breathable tech like Columbia’s Omnitech, which is used in their Watertight Jacket and Silver Ridge Rain Pant ($71 jacket and $41 pant; columbia.com). Both are lightweight and though you’ll have to wear some insulation layers underneath, they should keep you dry. Make sure you buy a size large enough to accommodate layering.

HIGH-ROLLER: If you can afford it, look for the words Gore-Tex or eVent when shopping for jackets and pants—they are the premier waterproof/breathable fabrics and are generally more breathable and durable than the house brands. While not cheap, one of my favorites is the REI Shuksan jacket and pants ($300 jacket and $239 pants; rei.com) made with eVent.

Q. I really like hiking but I don’t have anything for covering my backpack when it rains. What should I use?

A. Dear Mr. Soaked. Excellent question. You have a couple options to consider. First, there’s a waterproof pack cover, basically like a shower cap for your pack with an elastic band around the outer edge. They are cheap (today, I found a generic pack cover for $16 bucks on Campmor.com) lightweight, work relatively well, but tend to be not so durable—especially when hiking in heavily wooded areas where trees snagging your cover is likely. Some backpackers skip the pack cover in favor of something called a pack liner, which is essentially a large waterproof sack that slips inside your pack to keep everything inside dry. You can get a lightweight Sea to Summit Ultra-sil pack liner for around $35 at www.seatosummit.com. Meanwhile some guys simply use a plastic trash bag. Though not quite as durable as an actual pack liner, a trash bag will totally do the job and for next to nothing. You might also simply consider packing certain things that you don’t want getting wet (like your sleeping bag and your clothes) inside separate dry bags. Scoutstuff.org sells waterproof 10-liter and 30-liter Dry Packsacks for $10 to $17. Depending on how much rain you expect to encounter on the trail, you can use just a pack cover or all of these items together and you should be good to go. Stay dry, Soaked.

At first glance, the JakPak ($300; www.jakpak.com) looks like any other outdoor-style rain jacket, but positioned inside the back of the jacket is a fold-down sleeping bag. Just slip your legs in, then reach over your shoulder, open the pocket, and pull the tent out and over your head. It comes with pre-curved hoop poles to hold the tent over your head and includes mosquito netting to keep biting pests out.At 2 lbs 15 oz. it’s not exactly lightweight for a jacket, but not heavy at all given it’s a jacket, sleeping bag and tent. Either way, this is definitely the sort of jacket you’d want to be wearing if you happen to get lost in the woods. A night in the JakPak may not be the best night of sleep of your life, but the sleeping bag is rated for +45 degree Fahrenheit so depending on the weather, at least you’d survive.

The designer of the JakPak was inspired to create this product as an all-in-one jacket and shelter for homeless people but soon realized it could be very handy for outdoorsmen, hunters, and sports fans too. Cool idea indeed, but we’re not going to get rid or our sleeping bags and tents just yet.

Q. Hey Gear Guy, My dad and I are planning to buy a new mess kit for me and my younger brother. For some unknown reason, the pot that you can boil water in tipped over while my brother was cooking his meal on the trail and now he is left with a horrible blister that he has had for at least two weeks so far. Do you have any suggestions to solve this problem?

A. Sorry to hear about your brother getting burned. That’s no fun. And though it’s impossible to say exactly what made his pot tip over, I’d guess it has more to do with the stove than the pot. Lots of traditional backpacking stoves have small metal arms that you rest the pot on. These arms are generally not very long so they aren’t the best for supporting large pots full of water.

My suggestions are: (1) be sure not to overfill your pot of boiling water. That’ll make it heavier and more likely to tip over; (2) When putting the pot on the burner, make sure to center it right in the middle of the stove so it’s really well balanced; (3) For that new mess kit of yours, don’t forget to buy a pot grabber. It’s a little tool that snaps onto the rim of the pot and allows you to handle very hot pots and pans safely and easily so there’s less risk of spilling there too.

Q. Dear Mr. Gear [Guy]: I’ve never had a good pair of winter gloves and I’m a real wimp when it comes to being cold. Do you have a certain pair I should get?

A. Hey Brrrrr. Thanks for the note. And BTW, you can call me Gear Guy. No mister necessary. Anyway, I’ve gotten lots of questions like yours already this winter asking about good winter gloves. So I thought I’d fill you guys in on two of my current favorites. First, let me say that you do get what you pay for when it comes to buying gloves. You might have a little sticker shock, but you’ll likely have to pay a minimum of $50 or $60 to get a pair of quality waterproof/breathable gloves. Your hands are worth it. And here are two worth checking out:

Mountain Hardwear Guajillo Glove ($80; mountainhardwear.com) These gloves are just the right thickness, warmth and weight for lots of activities. I’ve worn them snowboarding, hiking, even a massive snowball fight in six degree weather. They’re not too thick (or too thin) and they have a cuff that pulls over your sleeve to keep the snow out. Best of all, the Guajillos are made with something called OutDry Waterproof Technology. Basically the waterproof/windproof barrier is bonded to the outershell of the glove stopping the cold, wet stuff from getting in through the seams and hanging out in between the outershell and the inner glove. It’s a little tough to explain, but trust me it works well.

REI Switchback Gloves ($64.50; rei.com) For snow sports and such, I’m a big fan of gloves with these long “gauntlet-style” cuffs. They really keep the snow out, helping you stay dry and warm. These waterproof/breathable Switchbacks are cool too because they have removable fleece liners. So you can wear the fleece gloves around camp, or just the outershell glove alone when the weather isn’t frigid but you still want your hands to stay warm and dry. Finally, at about $65 bucks, I’d say these gloves are one of the best values on the market.

These days helmets are more comfortable than ever and actually help keep your head warm. One of our favorites is the 19-ounce Smith Holt ($75; smithoptics.com) which has detachable ear pads, is compatible with goggles and has plenty of ventilation. Best of all, with its swappable pad system, the Holt can also be used for skateboarding in the summer.

Q. I have bought, used and received a lot of sleeping bags, and I just can’t seem to find one that’s warm enough. Please help.

A. Good question, Cody, and a common one. It’s so common that I wrote a complete buyer’s guide to sleeping bags. The key is to check the temperature ratings of each bag and get one that fits your camping climate. You might find you’ll need more than one bag if you camp in a lot of different weather conditions. Check out the complete buyer’s guide here.

Q. Hello Gear Guy, My son will be attending a Freeze-O-Ree next month. We need to get some good thermal underwear for 30-40 degree temps. What can you recommend?

A. There are two basic types of thermal underwear: those made with synthetic fabrics and those made with wool. Both types of long underwear come in three basic weights including lightweight, midweight and expedition weight. Some brands also offer a couple more weights on either end of the thickness spectrum. I’d say for your son’s needs he should stick right there in the middle with midweight long underwear. Unless he’s very cold-natured midweight should take care of the 30-40 degree temps he’ll be experiencing and this thickness will be most useful and versatile throughout the year. Also, although there are lots of different styles, I’d recommend a simple crewneck long-sleeve top and basic pull-on bottoms — that style is most affordable and, in my experience, the fewer zippers and snaps the better.

Now, onto synthetic versus wool. Let me start by saying both types do an excellent job of keeping you warm and wicking sweat away from your body to keep you dry. Back in the day, wool was the standard for long underwear and in the past five years or so it’s really gotten popular again. Though it is more expensive (about twice as much as synthetic), wool doesn’t retain odors, is eco-friendly, and some say the natural fibers regulate your body temperature better — though I’m not sure on that. If you go the wool route be sure to choose Merino wool as it won’t be itchy. A few good brands to consider include Icebreaker and Smartwool. While I love wool (and use it myself often), I’d say for your growing Scout, synthetic would be a better, more affordable choice. Synthetic long underwear will keep you warm like wool and can wick and dry more quickly at times, making it a great choice for aerobic activities where you’ll be sweating a lot. Though most brands have worked to address the stink-ability of synthetic, it still holds odors more than wool. While synthetic fibers aren’t particularly flammable, they will melt to your skin in a fire so keep that in mind. In the end, synthetic is an affordable, great performing option that’ll keep your Scout warm and dry. All major outdoor brands make similar products, but a couple of the best values are:

• REI Midweight MTS Long-Sleeve Crew and Bottoms ($30 each; www.rei.com)
• LL Bean Polartec Power Dry Midweight Crewneck and pants ($32.50 and $29.50; www.llbean.com)
• Cabela’s MTP Polartec Medium-Weight Crew Top and Drawers ($25-$30 each; www.cabelas.com)

A. I hear you, Pete. That’s one of the hardest things to learn about packing, for an outing or a vacation or whatever. Just start with the basics by following our handy checklists linked here. You’ll be packed right in no time.