How to stay warm outside in the winter.

I’m not sure what’s worse, being too cold or too hot. Too cold puts you at risk of hypothermia– too hot, and you’re Pedro Pascal. But seriously, being too hot or too cold is a matter of safety, especially when you’re outdoors.

Get it together Pedro.

What’s comfortable is subjective. What’s safe is objective.

Talking about hypothermia is not a vibe, but it can be incredibly dangerous so put on your big girl panties because we’re gonna do it. 

Hypothermia is when the body’s core temperature drops below 35 degrees Celsius (or 95 degrees Fahrenheit).  According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), core temperature for mild hypothermia ranges from 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit, Moderate hypothermia ranges from 82-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and less than 82 degrees Fahrenheit is severe. Pedro would NEVER!   Worsening degrees of hypothermia can lead to death – even in hospital care, moderate to severe hypothermia has nearly a 50% death rate.

SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR: Hypothermia can start with shivering, cold skin, slurred speech, confusion, and drowsiness. I feel like those are symptoms, easily ignored. I am a chilly billy and shivering can happen in the shade at 65 degrees! But these mild symptoms can quickly progress into loss of coordination, blue lips and finger tips, slower respiratory rate, and stiff muscles.  Beyond this you can experience pale or blue skin, memory loss, weak pulse, unconsciousness, and frostbite.

A good rule of thumb in the outdoors is: If you’re cold, you’re wrong.

Have you watched Die Hard recently? People are very sweaty– excessively sweaty IMO. 

So how do we stay warm?

SCIENCE! There are four main ways our bodies lose heat: radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.  Radiation occurs when your body temperature is warmer than your surroundings, which causes the body to lose heat through electromagnetic waves. It's why people say 90% of your heat is lost from your head— it radiates out of you, so you wear a hat! Also, that’s a myth that 90% comes from your head but if it makes you wear a hat, keep on keepin’ on! Convection occurs mostly through cold air exposure (that cool breeze on your sweaty back when you take your pack off), conduction mostly through contact with colder objects (cold water, sitting on a cool surface), and evaporation mostly through excessive sweating. See image for reference.

Things to consider when planning your excursions in Winter:  

• What are the most extreme temperatures you may experience where you’re going? 

• Fun Fact: for every 1,000 ft of elevation you gain, you lose roughly 4 degrees Fahrenheit

• Read “Death on Mount Washington” for more about this. 

• Are there any water crossings? 

• An unintentional plunge is not only embarrassing but it can be life threatening. It’s a good idea to bring extra socks or clothes depending on the seriousness of the crossing. 

•  Are you taking any medications that cause you to be more susceptible to the cold?  

• Certain medications can impair thermoregulation, reduce shivering, and cause vasodilation.  Some medications include antidepressants, sedatives, and blood pressure medications.

• Fun Fact (kind of): I had my thyroid removed recently and learned a whole lot about how important that is to body temperature regulation. The more you know. 

Taking all of this into consideration, let’s talk about how to stay warm. 

Dressing appropriately for your outdoor activities is so important.  When it’s cold outside, think about what will retain your body heat, and think about removable layers in case you sweat.  Sweating in your clothes in cold or below freezing temperatures can be dangerous – especially if the clothes don’t wick the sweat effectively.

LAYERS 

Baselayer: A thin wet wicking layer often made of Wool or synthetic materials 

Mid layer: Dead Air! This is where you create insulation to catch the heat your body is radiating. Depending on how low the temperatures you anticipate encountering this could be a fleece, a puffy jacket, a better sweater or others. 

Outerlayer: Weather resistant. 

When I snowshoed Mt. Rainier a few years ago, in a blizzard, I looked like Randy in “A Christmas Story”.  Before we started, my guide told me to “be bold, start cold”, which is some of the most solid advice I can pass along.  Start the activity in as few layers as safely and comfortably as you can, because you will warm up and sweat once you start.

Gear for sleeping outdoors

If you are planning to sleep outdoors in cold weather, there are several things you can do to have an enjoyable experience.  First, turn into a werewolf like Jacob in “Twilight”, or befriend one (iykyk).  If that’s not an option, then you’ll need to get some good gear.  Just like when gear gets lighter it gets more expensive, unfortunately the same is true for cold weather gear.  

One of the best things you can invest in for cold weather sleeping is a good sleeping bag.  Sleeping bags have two temperature ratings, a ‘comfort’ rating and a ‘limit’ rating.  The comfort rating is the temp you probably feel comfortable sleeping in. The limit rating is the temp (always lower than the comfort rating) that sleeping bag can keep you safe at.  I always take a bag that has a lower comfort rating than the anticipated temperature will be to make sure I’ll stay warm.

Another warm sleeping tip is to have a good mat and/or pad to put under the sleeping bag - sometimes a mat AND pad depending on how insulating your pad is. Pads and mats are measured with “R-Value” which stands for thermal resistance - how well you are insulated from the ground.  Depending on your tolerance, an R-Value between 1-4 can be used for three seasons. FYI: In the outdoor gear world, “3 seasons” typically gets you comfortably to about 25-35 degrees Fahrenheit, varying from person to person. For colder weather an R-Value of 4 or more is ideal.  

A popular sleeping pad is the Nemo Switchback Ultralight Sleeping Pad due to it being lightweight and durable for three seasons.  However, on a cold night it might not be enough to keep warm (R-Value 2).  If you already have something like this - instead of buying a more expensive pad made for very cold ground, you could buy a less expensive pad to put on top of the closed cell foam mat.  My favorite sleeping pads and mats are from Nemo, and if you are looking to cut weight and carry one pad that will keep you warm on its own, I can recommend the Tensor Extreme Conditions Ultralight Insulate Sleeping Pad (R-Value 8.5).

Hot Tips & Tricks 

HOT NALGENE: A handy dandy trick to keep warm when sleeping outdoors is put boiled water in your nalgene and cozy up with it. Some people will put this in the foot of their sleeping bag or even wrapped in clothing to hold while they sleep (similar to a hot water bottle). I put it between my legs, right next to that femoral artery– it warms you up so fast! 

WARNINGS: 

• If the nalgene with boiled water inside touches your skin it CAN burn you.  

• If it’s not closed and boiled water leaks out it WILL burn you and THEN get you wet which is the opposite of staying warm and safe.

CHEMICAL WARMERS: My favorite method to warm in this way is to use chemical warmers.  Specifically Ignik 24 Hour XL Warmers.  They are about the size of my hand and stay warm (hot even) all night.  I usually shake up a couple and throw them down in my sleeping bag at night.

One time Sarah put them inside her socks and she did get burns. It says not to do this on the packaging but… alas. 

EAT: You don’t have to tell me twice. 

Another one of my favorite ways to stay warm outdoors is by eating.  When you digest food, your body generates heat (thermogenesis).  Protein and carbs are the best foods for this because they have a higher thermic effect.  Also, food fuels your body, and that fuel is needed for your body to maintain your core temp (extra calories, yes!).  Lastly, hot food and drinks (especially) are a great way to temporarily boost your body temp, and quickly.  When I’m backpacking or camping I always have hot tea before I go to bed if it’s cold outside - and usually a pack of peanut butter crackers.

Just remember to put trash or anything that smells in your bearbag before going to sleep - although a bear snuggle would be so warm I bet.

Just ask this guy.