Whether you are skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, winter hiking, or whatever you’re doing in cold temperatures outdoors, you’ll be miserable if you’re cold! These are some tips that we’ve learned from our guides and researching how to stay warm in crazy cold weather!
Add Layers and more layers.
Your base and mid layer will stay put but your additional layers will help you keep warm or you can adjust your temperature by unzipping or removing. You can always unlayer but if you are cold, you can’t add layers when your out and about so best to add now, unlayer later.
Mittens are better than gloves.
Mittens have less surface area than gloves, plus skin on skin contact makes a huge difference. You can curl your fingers in a ball and utilize your own heat to warm your other fingers. If you are using hand warmers, you can push the warmers down to your fingers.
Heat warmers are your best friend.
Hand warmer, foot warmer, sole warmer, body warmer, any type of warmer will help out. Don’t be embarrassed. It doesn’t mean your weak, the more the merrier and the more you will enjoy yourself outside!
Avoid wearing cotton.
Cotton absorbs up to 27x their weight in water, which is why it takes forever to dry and if you’re wearing it, cools your body in even moderate temps. If you sweat and it’s super cold, it freezes. Moisture traps everywhere that’s why airing out your boot liners after you are done is so important. Anything that wicks the sweat or prevents the sweat is the best. Wool actually repels water drops and can absorb up to 27% of its weight without feeling wet, which is why it is preferred for this reason. Merino wool is actually a wonder material that keeps you cool when its hot and warm when it’s cold, while wicking water away from your skin to keep you dry.
Bring warm drinks.
Bring an insulated bottle that will help keep your beverage warm. Warm liquid and fill it to the brim and stash it in your backpack. Also, if you’re sleeping outdoors, pour hot boiling water in your water bottle and put a sock around it and put it at the bottom of your sleeping bag. Toasty toes all night! For water, be sure to have a wide rim, non metal bottle, so your wet lips won’t stick to the metal in the sub zero temperatures!
Keep moving.
As miserable as the cold can make you feel, keep moving! Jump up and down, run around. It helps your blood circulate and keep you warm. You’ll enjoy whatever outdoor adventure you are doing SO much more if you’re warm!
Stay warm my friend! xoxo
Love my stainless steel water bottles- yeah, they dent occasionally if you are klutzy like me, but I think that just lends a certain street cred.
The dents give it character 😉 Just don’t drink out of it in sub zero temps, your tongue gets stuck! Ha!