Archive for January, 2009
The Secret to Staying Warm is Layers
You might have the warmest jacket around, but if you don’t layer your clothes, it may not be enough. Stacking your clothes in layers around your body is the best way to retain body heat when you are out in the elements.
As body heat escapes, your layers act as barriers to that escape. One layer will only retain so much body heat (the amount of retention varies), and the rest will escape. If you have two layers, the first will capture some of the heat and the rest will pass through. But that heat isn’t all going to get away from you. Another portion of it will be retained by your second layer, increasing your total percentage of heat retention. The more layers you add, the higher your retention will be.
There is something else to consider, too. Since your layers let some heat out, they are also capable of letting the cold in. You have to wear enough layers to not only retain body heat, but also to fight against the invading cold. An easy way to do this is to make sure your outer layer is thick and solid.
Many materials will work, but you need to make sure it is solid. Your grandmother’s knitted shawl might be pretty, but it won’t be very effective keeping out the biting wind. All those holes knitted in for looks will let the cold straight through!
Everyone is different, and everyone has varying levels of cold tolerance. For example, my wife says it’s freezing when I think it’s comfortable. Some people are just different. Take what you know about yourself and create a layer system that works for you. It can get really cold in some parts of the world, and you need to be prepared to deal with whatever weather nature throws at you.
Layer up and stay warm!
OSI #3: The Most Important Survival Tool
What is the most important survival tool? What does everyone need to have in their survival pack? In this episode of the OSI Podcast, I answer those questions and discuss the hows and the whys.
Download the episode here: OSI Podcast #3.
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