How to Stay Warm in the Most Frigid of Temperatures
Baby, it’s cold outside. The temperature is dropping, but you still want to play outdoors. After all, the crisp, fresh, air is invigorating. What to do? Well, cold weather isn’t a prison sentence, and you don’t have to bone up on your chess skills just because it’s below freezing. You do have to be smart about going outside, though. Here’s how.
Layers
Dress in layers. This can’t be overstated. Dress-in-layers. One of the best undergarments for cold weather is thermal underwear. Military-grade stuff tends to be both lightweight and warm. It’s a little more expensive than the stuff you get at a big-box store, but it will last many years.
On the same note, you should consider buying thermal tops as well. That way, you have a sort of “super suit” that will act as the base layer for your outdoor wear. Next, put on normal clothes that you would use to go hiking or whatever.
On top of those normal clothes, layer with heavier sweatshirts. Finally, wear a well-insulated coat. This might seem like a lot, but you can always remove layers if you get too warm.
Don’t forget to add a thermal hat, gloves, and a scarf to your wardrobe. As for socks, forget about commercial grade thermals. Go for professional hunting socks or military-grade thermals. Either of these will keep your feet toasty, even when you’re trudging through the snow.
Heat Packs
Heat packs are one of the best inventions for people who love outdoor activities in cold weather. It’s essentially a gel that’s encased in some type of durable plastic. It has a small metal disc floating around in the gel. When you snap the disc, it starts a chemical reaction that turns the gel into a solid.
This process produces a lot of heat – heat you can use to keep yourself warm. Other heat packs don’t use a metal disc, but they work on a similar principal. Both types of heat packs are reusable, which is also nice. You can find them in most sporting goods stores or online through companies like SportPursuit.com.
Don’t Sweat It
One of the worst things you can do when you’re out there in the cold is to sweat. Sweating, and then being exposed to cold air, can actually cause your body temperature to drop dramatically. Not good. Most clothing, like cotton, will absorb moisture, but it will also hold it in. What you want is something that absorbs and then wicks away. Since your aim is to layer your clothing when you go out, you’re probably going to stay very warm.
This is a good thing, but temperatures throughout the day can and do often change. In the morning, it’s going to be colder than at noon or 2PM. As the sun starts to set, it’s going to cool off again. During the warmest times of the day, you are at the highest risk of sweating, even in cold temperatures.
So, when you buy clothing for outdoor activities in the winter, buy polypropylene. It’ll keep you warm and dry at the same time.
Your body heat will warm up the material, but the material itself wicks away moisture without dissipating heat quickly. This means that, as your body keeps generating heat, you stay warm – very good.
About the Author
Jeff Davis lives for the outdoors. He often writes about how to enjoy outdoor activities safely and fully.
