Originally posted 2017-12-28 16:32:10.
HELLO SURVIVORS! I’ve been neglecting the site a little lately, my bad. Things get crazy with the day job, and then the demands of family and friends around the Christmas season. It happens, right? But, here we are at the end of 2017 and winter is finally settling in among us. What better time for some sweet winter survival gear? Here’s a quick list of things YOU should have in your car, or in your home, in case of an extended winter emergency like a blizzard or power outage.
Winter Survival Gear Basics: Maintaining body tempurature
First off, winter sucks. It’s cold, hard to get around, and did you know you can even get sick from not getting enough sunlight? It’s a real disorder known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short. Many claim it’s from a lack of vitamin D, which our skin creates when exposed to the sun’s rays. Anyway, enough of the biology lesson. WINTER IS COLD. Therefore, before you trek out on any frozen adventure you’re going to need some basic clothing as part of your winter survival gear. Most importantly:
Winter Gloves
There are a ton of winter gloves available out there, but I recommend something you can still somewhat be able to grip things with. Sometimes mittens (that don’t have individual fingers) can help keep your fingers a little warmer by keeping them within one larger insulated area rather than four isolated ones. You will want something that’s waterproof.
Winter Parka / Coat
Of course, you shouldn’t be going out in the elements without something to keep your core warm. Choosing the right winter jacket is vital, along side making sure you wear clothing underneath in several layers. In an extreme winter survival situation, you may have to end up adding or removing layers to prevent yourself from sweating too much (which can then drop your body temperature fast when you get soaked)
Winter Survival Gear Boots
If you’ve ever spent more than 10 minutes out in the snow, you’ll immediately know the first thing to start to freeze is your feet. Along side having adequate wool socks to help insulate your feet, you will certainly want a sturdy, waterproof pair of winter boots. Find something that lets your feet breath a little bit, but also something that you can tie up so snow doesn’t fall in through the top of the boot while you are traversing the frozen wastes! Some excellent brands include SOREL and Merrell.
Winter survival gear socks
As I mentioned above, boots are important but they won’t do you much good unless your feet are protected with some socks. In my youth I would always wear cotton socks underneath the wool socks, but this is ill advised as it’ll absorb your nasty foot sweat and your feet will then lose heat from the moisture. Thickness in a wool sock doesn’t necessarily make the sock better, either. Instead, focus on the material of the winter sock. You don’t want socks that are too big for the boots and don’t allow your feet to breath a little bit. Merino wool is probably your best bet as far as winter sock material goes.
Winter Survival gear: Snowshoes
We haven’t had a true blizzard in my neck of the woods for about a decade now, but when the last one hit my mom was prepared – you see, she owned horses and the barn was probably 50 yards from the house. In normal weather conditions, this is no big deal, but when there are 6 foot tall snow drifts, that 50 yards becomes quite the challenge to try to walk through. That’s why she invested in a solid pair of snow shoes. If you’ve never used them, they make a hell of a lot of difference in being able to walk on top of the snow, rather than sinking into it. Their large, broad footprint helps to distribute the user’s weight and prevent them from having to push through snow, and instead walk on top of it. These things can really be a lifesaver if you find yourself needing to walk a long distance when there’s several feet of snow coverage on the ground. Often times you can find these with included poles that will help to keep your balance upon the drifts.
Winter Survival Gear: hand and toe warmers
These things kick ass. Using a chemical compound, these little packets can make sure your feet and hands stay toasty for several hours – be careful with the foot pads though and make sure you have adequate insulation between your skin and the package, otherwise they can get a little too hot for comfort. The goto brand for these products is HotHands.
Hopefully this gives you some insight into the basics you’ll need for winter survival gear as far as clothing goes. Remember, don’t go outside without adequate winter protection – hypothermia can set in very quickly and will really ruin your day. Happy new year and see you in 2018!
