1. Toes cold? Put on a hat. Your body loses up to halfof its total heat in 40-degree temperatures. So, when it’s below freezing andyour head is uncovered, you could be radiating more than three-fourths of youroverall body heat from your head.
2. Get off your rear end. If you’re sitting on a snowbank or a cold rock, you’re conducting the heat from your body into the surfaceof the object beneath you. Often, Northern Tier cold-weather campers stand andsit atop thin foam pads.
3. Beware of frosty fuel. Pouring fuel into a stove?Put on a pair of thick rubber gloves. If it’s sub-zero outside, so is the fuel(since it doesn’t freeze like water). Spill it on your hands and you will haveinstant frostbite.
4. Baggy clothes are back in style — at leastin the freezing-cold wilderness. Your body heats itself most efficiently whenit’s enveloped in a layer of warm air. If your clothes are too tight, you’restrangling the cold right out of your body. Dressing in loose layers helps aidthis convection layer of air. Tight clothes or too-tight boots can alsorestrict blood-flow.
5. The three W’s: Every cold-weather camper needs todress for the occasion. You’ll need a wicking layer (long underwear), a “warm”layer (fleece) and a “wind” layer (waterproof shell).
6. Bundle up! It might be a phrase often heardfrom your mother, but mom is right about this one. If you’re moving aroundoutdoors in the cold and suddenly stop to eat lunch or take a break, put yourwarmer layers on — even if you’re not cold. This change in activity will causeyour body heat to plummet. Preempt the cold with an extra layer.
7. Fuel the fire. Feeling cold? Eat a snack. Stayingwarm is just like keeping a fire burning; every fire needs a steady supply ofslow-burning fuel. Unlike a fire, you’re body will also need lots of water tohelp digest food and stay hydrated.
8. Wet feet? Grab a bag — a bread bag, that is.The long plastic bag can stretch over your foot and serve as a liner betweenyour sock and your boot.