Here’s Edward Norton’s description of his clothing when he climbed Everest with George Mallory in 1924.
Personally I wore a thick woollen vest and drawers, a thick flannel shirt and two sweaters under a lightish knickerbocker suit of windproof gabardine the knickers of which were lined with light flannel … Over all I wore a very light pyjama suit of Messrs Burberry’s Shackleton windproof gabardine.
When they found Mallory’s body below the Northeast Ridge in 1999, he was wearing 7, 8 or 9 layers of clothing. So many that it was difficult to be sure.
It’s a bit easier these days. Here am I in my Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero down suit. Although I look a bit like a Teletubby, I shouldn’t have to wear too much underneath. And in case you’re wondering what gabardine or knickerbockers are, unless you make costumes for period dramas you probably don’t need to know.
