“Chamonix makes it easy to enjoy the mountains and still live a normal life.” So says Arc’teryx athlete Stian Hagen, who moved from Oslo to Chamonix at the age of 18 and quickly ticked off the classic extreme skiing lines – including the Mallory route on the north face of Aiguille du Midi, the Couturier Couloire on Aiguille du Vert, and the East face of Matterhorn, just to name a few.

The mountain guide and pro skier competed in the Freeride World Tour for a few years before deciding to put all his energy into filming. He’s had numerous segments in ski films from Matchstick Productions, Warren Miller, Teddybear Crisis, and Wink Inc.

Although he would never turn down a chance for a heli ride, skitouring and expedition skiing has always been closest to his heart. This passion has taken him to remote places like Antarctica, the Himalaya, Bolivia, and Jan Mayen Island.

For the upcoming season, Stian is planning trips to a cabin in the north of Norway in the middle of the Arctic winter, a ski mountaineering trip to Japan, and to open a Haute Route trip thorough the mountains of Norway.

Here he explains what insulation he uses and when.

Coreloft
Developed by Arc’teryx, Coreloft™ is a synthetic insulation made of staple fibres in mixed sizes that are crimped to trap air and retain warmth. Available in different thicknesses for end-use performance and comfort.

-Lightweight and highly compressible.
-Durable and resilient.
-Retains its warmth in humid and wet conditions and dries quickly if wet.

Down Insulation
Down done differently – Minimalist design for maximum performance, built to the highest levels of craftsmanship, with innovations for increased range of comfort and conditions. Efficient, lightweight and durable enough to wear every day.

-High warmth-to-weight ratio.
-Conforms closely to the body trapping heat closer to your core.
-Highly compressible.

Thermatek
Exclusive to Arc’teryx, Thermatek™ is a continuous filament, synthetic insulation that is treated with DWR (Durable Water Repellent) to make it hydrophobic, which means that it repels moisture very efficiently. The lofty insulation is then laminated to a backing fabric to ensure an even distribution and insulation.

-Arc’teryx’s most efficient insulation when used in humid and wet conditions.
-Very resilient and durable.
-The fastest drying fill insulation in our collection.

Polartec Alpha
Polartec® Alpha® is a lofty fleece knit insulation that is specifically designed to be combined with air permeable fabrics that are useful during high aerobic activities.

-Highly stable insulation providing excellent warmth.
-Knitted insulation does not pull apart and can be combined with highly air permeable fabrics.
-Quick drying.

Check the Arc’teryx winter ’15 lookbook here.