In cold weather, cotton clothing/blue jeans can kill you

[melensdad]

Folks, be careful outside when the temps are near, or below freezing.

I'm constantly amazed at the people out in the cold who are wearing cotton. Among the hiking/backpacking community you hear the mantra: COTTON KILLS.

Here is a story about three guys who went out into the woods in North Carolina and almost died ==> Special N.C. rescue team to extract hikers with chopper from national park » Knoxville News Sentinel

The story clearly says they were wearing cotton. Probably blue jeans, cotton pullover shirts, etc. These guys almost died. They got lucky and a rescue team saved them. But they couldn't walk when found.

Wear WOOL or wear some of the high priced/high tech materials to keep you warm and dry in the winter when the weather is extreme. Wear layers so you can strip them off or layer up, depending on your activity level and outdoor conditions. Cotton, when wet, can actually freeze to your skin, it offers ZERO insulation value when it absorbs sweat from the inside or rain/snow/ice from the outside.

 

[Springer]

Cotton is not good but more importantly as you mentioned layer so you can avoid sweating. Once you start sweating you are in a lot of trouble unless you get the chance to dry your clothes out.

Anybody that is going out to the woods over the next few days be safe.

 

[Snapdragon]

I don't do any hiking, but this is good to know. I wear cotton because synthetics irritate my skin, but I've never tried the pricier hi-tech stuff. If I ever do anything outdoors more serious than shoveling snow, I'll remember this.

 

[eldirector]

Something I NEVER seem to remember. I wear bluejeans for pretty much everything. I've yet to see wool pants. Guess I should look for some options....

 

[indiucky]

Something I NEVER seem to remember. I wear bluejeans for pretty much everything. I've yet to see wool pants. Guess I should look for some options....

I had the same issue and Bass Pro, Cabelas, Wal Mart, Rural King, etc... all sell canvas work pants or Blue jeans with liners of one sort or another...The fleece lined ones work great and with a decent pair of long johns (not those vintage 1970's cotton, white long johns some of us old fogies grew up wearing) but the Poly or wool blend stuff you can handle most anything the cold can throw at you...

IMHO ofcourse and your results may vary.....

 

[shibumiseeker]

Something I NEVER seem to remember. I wear bluejeans for pretty much everything. I've yet to see wool pants. Guess I should look for some options....

Wool, while better than cotton, is still way outdated. For cold weather pants, use heavy weight polypro or Capiline or similar as an underlayer and a tight weave nylon or other synthetic outer shell. Multiple under layers as necessary. Lightweight silk underlayer is good for right next to the skin for those sensitive to polypro or Capilene. For extreme cold a down underlayer over the performance wear and under the outer shell is awesome, but that is best reserved for temps where it is so cold that soaking the down is not a consideration.

I know it is fashionable around here to make fun of the folks wearing performance clothing, but speaking as someone who does a lot of extreme temperature stuff (hot and cold), it really makes a difference and is worth every penny. Around the ranch I wear my Carharts and jeans and the like because I need something extremely durable for everyday wear, but I can pretty readily step inside and change and warm up when it all gets wet. When I am any distance away from the house or my vehicle, then better performing clothing is essential.

 

[Hawkeye]

I don't do any hiking, but this is good to know. I wear cotton because synthetics irritate my skin, but I've never tried the pricier hi-tech stuff. If I ever do anything outdoors more serious than shoveling snow, I'll remember this.

Some of the best next-to-the-skin base layer stuff is silk. Maybe that would be a good cosnsideration for you. It is supposed ot have some inuslation valuee then you can go with teh synthetics?

 

[Snapdragon]

Yes, silk is great. I used to have some silk longjohns, but I don't know what ever became of them. *Heads over to Sportsman's Guide*

 

[mainjet]

The touch the feel of cotton, the fabric of our lives. (or deaths).

Merino wool baby. I sat outside in a tree deer hunting this morning. The car temp gauge said -12 degrees on my way there. I lived to tell about it.

 

[Scutter01]

I just avoid pants altogether.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I just avoid pants altogether.

I call BS. For my proof, I give you exhibitionist A, posted with your very own hand:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break-room/327840-why-so-cold-outside-2.html#post4696836

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Snow boots and wool socks are no longer optional for the living.

 

[lovemachine]

I wear Carhartt thermal shirt and pants under a sweatshirt and blue jeans at work. I'm only outside in the cold for a little while though.

Guess I should save up the cash and go to dicks and buy the expensive under Armour clothes...

 

[Luke76]

I wear Carhartt thermal shirt and pants under a sweatshirt and blue jeans at work. I'm only outside in the cold for a little while though.

Guess I should save up the cash and go to dicks and buy the expensive under Armour clothes...

I have a number of Under Armour items, but it's very rare that I would buy them at Dicks or any other store at full price. You can find a number of the good brands at TJ Maxx for quite a bit cheaper. The outlet stores and sales is a good choice too. I bought a pair of UA hunting pants at 50% off at Rural King a couple weeks ago. I don't think I could ever bring myself to pay full price for the majority of the clothes, but there really is no need to with all of the options out there.

 

[phylodog]

Silk base, followed by merino wool, fleece then a shell has kept me warm in some extremely cold temps. Keeping my hands and feet warm becomes the only issue if I'm wearing those layers.

 

[Indiana Camper]

Wool, while better than cotton, is still way outdated. For cold weather pants, use heavy weight polypro or Capiline or similar as an underlayer and a tight weave nylon or other synthetic outer shell. Multiple under layers as necessary. Lightweight silk underlayer is good for right next to the skin for those sensitive to polypro or Capilene. For extreme cold a down underlayer over the performance wear and under the outer shell is awesome, but that is best reserved for temps where it is so cold that soaking the down is not a consideration.

I know it is fashionable around here to make fun of the folks wearing performance clothing, but speaking as someone who does a lot of extreme temperature stuff (hot and cold), it really makes a difference and is worth every penny. Around the ranch I wear my Carharts and jeans and the like because I need something extremely durable for everyday wear, but I can pretty readily step inside and change and warm up when it all gets wet. When I am any distance away from the house or my vehicle, then better performing clothing is essential.

I've always used good synthetics but last year I sprang for some light weight Smart Wool and I love it. So far it has been just as warm as my Patagonia stuff. The great thing is that I can wear out multiple days camping or backpacking and it does not smell. It is much different with anything synthetic.

 

[JetGirl]

Saw some teen(ish) peoples going from the parking lot into the store last night. None of them had jackets. One had short sleeves. One wore yoga pants and flip flops. One had capri pants.
There's your patient zero pool for the flu.

I sat outside in a tree deer hunting this morning.

See any moving?

 

[Indiana Camper]

Yeah those people are fine until they have a vehicle break down, lock their keys in their car or are involved in an accident.

 

[melensdad]

I've always used good synthetics but last year I sprang for some light weight Smart Wool and I love it. So far it has been just as warm as my Patagonia stuff. The great thing is that I can wear out multiple days camping or backpacking and it does not smell. It is much different with anything synthetic.

Yup. Not sure what it is about the polyester base layers but they get a smelly funk going pretty good after any sort of activity. I own Merino Wool base layer stuff from Icebreaker, Redram and Terramar and while there are some differences (Icebreaker is the best of the 3) the fact is that all are odor free even after a couple days. It holds its insulating value even if its wet.

Sierra Trading Post, an online store, often has merino wool baselayers on sale.

 

[shibumiseeker]

Smartwool is good stuff too. There are performance synthetics now that don't funk up, but the cheap ones folks buy will for sure, and the older stuff would pretty readily. I also found that a lot of it depended on how it was layered. With a silk bottom layer you avoid a lot of the odor compared to wearing it directly against the skin.

There's a lot of great stuff out there now, way more options than when I started hiking and backpacking, but people have to look beyond the outdoors aisle at *mart.