Preparing for a winter outdoor activity

Winter sports and activities can be a lot of fun. It is a splendid time of year when it seems that you are enveloped in the pristine whiteness of the snow. But it is also a dangerous time of year for the outdoor adventurer. You have to stay warm to stay safe and enjoy this time of year. The essence of staying warm in winter is having the right layers of clothing and knowing how to use them effectively. Here are some tips.

Dress in layers

Our body loses heat through conduction, convection, evaporation, radiation, and perspiration. As activity levels increase, so does the heat produced in our body and vice versa. Therefore, it becomes important to insulate our body to keep us warm and this is done through the layering technique. When we wear our clothing in layers, we ensure that there is enough dead air space (defined as any closed air unit that is small enough that no natural convection currents arise in it), which can be shed layer by layer. , to balance your body’s heat levels. So while you need to dress warm, you should also dress in layers so that you can be ready for changes in body temperature.

As the old saying goes, if your toes are cold, put on a hat …
You can lose up to 70% of body heat from your head, which is why hats are essential for any winter activity. You may even need a mask if you are at risk of high winds and susceptible to frostbite on your face.

Put your hands in gloves

Mittens are considered warmer than gloves, as the fingers can keep warm from each other rather than being insulated on the fingers of the glove. You can also apply the layering principle here using an inner mitt and an outer layer. However, gloves are essential too, especially the waterproof variety, as various winter activities require a certain amount of dexterity, which gloves cannot provide.

Layer your feet with socks

Wear several layers of socks, starting with thin socks with a polypropylene lining, which will keep your feet dry, followed by a layer or two of wool or wool / nylon blend socks. The outer layer of the socks should be large enough to fit the inner layers.

Wear a waterproof outer layer

While it would be ideal to have a waterproof outer layer, it is essential that the outer layer of the clothing is windproof and at least waterproof. In addition, the garment must be able to ventilate. So sometimes it’s a compromise between the amount of ‘waterproof’ you want and the ventilation capacity. Ventilation is important because a fully waterproof item will trap water moving through the other layers, increasing weight and causing some heat loss.