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

[actaeon277]

I agree. You're not a hero if you dig yourself out of a situation you created.

 

[bdybdall]

I wear as much wool as I can find. You have to watch some of the some of the so-called wool blend clothing that you find in stores; a lot of it has only 15-30 % wool. My wife crocheted me a long scarf out of wool and it is dynamite. Usually, my outer gear is some Carrhart product, but I will have on socks, longjohns, a sweater, scarf and stocking cap that are wool.

 

[actaeon277]

Larry I'd have to disagree with you on that.

These guys were about 3-4 miles from the cabin that was their destination, that is a 2 hour hike. They gave up and hunkered down because they were so cold and wet that they were suffering from exposure. Body temperature of one of the guys was 93 degrees.

Properly insulted clothing would have allowed them to get to their destination.

And I'm not disagreeing that better equipment helps.
But too many times I've seen people relying too much on tech, and not enough on the gray matter in their skull.

Better guns work better for a given person than a piece of crap gun.
But work the person better, and he can out shoot a bad person with the good gun.

Traction control on a car, if pushed, will only do so much.


etc.

 

[LEaSH]

Does anyone have W. German surplus sweaters? I have one that fits well and is toasty as can be. But it's getting pretty worn out and I'd ike to get some more. It definitly is mostly wool.

 

[actaeon277]

Does anyone have W. German surplus sweaters? I have one that fits well and is toasty as can be. But it's getting pretty worn out and I'd ike to get some more. It definitly is mostly wool.

I had one from Sportsman's Guide. I don't know if they still have them or not.

 

[shibumiseeker]

And I'm not disagreeing that better equipment helps.
But too many times I've seen people relying too much on tech, and not enough on the gray matter in their skull.

Better guns work better for a given person than a piece of crap gun.
But work the person better, and he can out shoot a bad person with the good gun.

Traction control on a car, if pushed, will only do so much.


etc.

Virtually every mission I have been on has been a result of accumulation of errors. There have been a few that were sheer bad luck, but most started with a bad decision and then were compounded by various other factors that were under the control of the subjects.

I have also seen people survive sheer stupid simply because they lucked into not making that one extra mistake that would have made it fatal.

The stupidity of what they had been doing would have never come to light if they had simply been dressed properly for the weather.

I teach lots of people every year basic wilderness survival and regarding exposure and hypothermia the one key point I push hard is that the temperature range from 30-50f has killed more people than below zero weather for the simple fact that wet cold leads to hypothermia much faster than dry cold and once hypothermia starts the ability to make good decisions, regardless of how well present to begin with, plummets rapidly.

I think we all agree that skill and ability beats tech under most circumstances, but this type of case is different in that most people can survive a lot of stupidity in this arena if they don't succumb to hypothermia, that right there is a trump card. The biggest thing that separates people who didn't die under those circumstances from those who do is primarily the ability to not go out in the first place when it is like that and second to go out dressed properly. Yeah, being able to find shelter and to make heat are also useful skills, but I've found numerous people who spent the night out in the rain at 35f (or so) temperatures huddled out in the open with no fire, but who were wearing clothing that while soaked, still worked to a degree. That's the difference between mild hypothermia or merely being cold and miserable and death.

 

[MikeDVB]

I really need to pick up a good set of gloves - something that doesn't kill dexterity but will keep my fingers warm [if that's possible] and something for my head/neck - perhaps some sort of hat/beanie and scarf combo...

Any suggestions? I have a set of merino wool undergarments here as well as some merino wool lined socks.

I hate getting cold in the winter.

 

[SaintsNSinners]

Preparation dont always mean anything. July 4th 1999 BWCA... Ring a bell?



I went through that with a tarp, boot laces and a sleeping bag, lost the tarp about 1/4 of the way through it.

 

[Zoub]

I thought the issue with cotton was only when it got wet (that it loses its insulative properties). Otherwise, it is ok.

Here at our house we have basically been below zero, either in temp or at least windchill since mid November. Monday morning was -32. Today was a hot one with temps in the teens but wind whipping down the river valley. Even dry the cooling properties of cotton will fight you in wind. There is just no way you can plan to win with cotton on. Even extreme cold eventually your body heat will melt snow. The snow will cause melt. Last week one day the sun was out nice and bright, temps were dropping fast as sun set behind the trees and what do you see, steam/fog forming over the river. The river is frozen but the river itself is the largest open space. So the snow there had some additional moisture built up from sun exposure. You walk across that and you will get damp. 15-20 minutes later you have a huge problem.

On one of our last warm days in mid November with less than a foot of snow on the ground temp around 30, windchill 15-20, I had to get in a stream up to mid thigh to free my dog from a trap. Even with water in my boots I was able to hunt for another 1.5 hours after that. The dog was fine so we kept hunting. I know my gear and tolerances for wet in cold, been doing it for 40 years. If you are wearing cotton anything like that, you are done.

 

[Indy317]

For pants I wear a base layer that is 55% cotton, 45% polythermal, 300 grams. Works great and keeps my legs warm for sure. Loose in the pelvic area, but tight from about the thighs on down. The tags say 55% cotton, 45% nylon. Not sure how they would do if I were to break a sweat.

 

[Amishman44]

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.....

I like fleece-lined (just about) anything in the winter! With a wind-resistent outer and a fleece liner, you'll get great warmth and protection from wind!

One thing most people forget to take with them while hiking (just about any time) is a small, thinner tarp and hooks/rope/straps! It can provide cover from rain, help to collect water, and you can wrap yourself in it to help block wind and hold heat, or you can use sticks and make a litter! It doesn't have to be very big, maybe 8'x6'....but it can save your life in an emergency! It's always in my backpack while hiking!

 

[melensdad]

I like fleece-lined (just about) anything in the winter! ...

That is fine if you have a waterproof shell over your fleece.

I was wearing some fleece lined jeans from Cabela's today while out on the tractor clearing the driveway. While I was plenty warm, the heat from my legs melted the snow that settled on my thighs and soaked them right through. I wasn't out long enough to worry about frostbite, but fleece lined jeans, which are basically 2 layers of cotton, just soaked up moisture and had I stayed out longer I would have gotten very cold.

I was probably outside for an hour total and have been inside for about 90 minutes. As soon as I got inside I stripped off the wet pants and replaced them with a dry pair. My thighs are still cold 90 minutes later.

No imagine being miles from anywhere, in single digit temps, wearing fleece lined jeans. Not good. Not at all.

 

[shibumiseeker]

No imagine being miles from anywhere, in single digit temps, wearing fleece lined jeans. Not good. Not at all.

Don't even have to imagine that far out, imagine being a half mile from the house and getting a leg broken.

I had that mission twice. In one the subject died when we found him the next day and in the other he survived but his core temperature was 88F and we found him late that night. In both cases they went out on their own property, one to hunt and one to repair a fence line.

 

[lovemachine]

Ok so what do you guys recommend me to replace my Carhartt thermals with?

 

[lovemachine]

Carhartt - Product - Men's Base Force™ Super-Cold Weather Crewneck Top

That's 95% polyester...

 

[Zoub]

Ok so what do you guys recommend me to replace my Carhartt thermals with?

Under Armour Cold Gear or any similar product.

One of my favorite layers in recent years is a cold gear hoodie. I often wear it over a long sleeved cold gear shirt and can still generate steam through both layers if I am cranking out the work. Now, those two alone are not enough in sub zero windchill if you are not exerting yourself or when you slow down but they make a good combo to build on for your upper body. The other day I had these two on for my top layer while I was doing some snow cleanup outside and we had just got another 6" of snow. As I moved North past the house the wind whipping in off the river would freeze my ass for about a minute until I got back out of the wind. The win comes from not having any moisture on your skin.

 

[phylodog]

Spent about 2.5 hours outside today wearing silk undies, merino wool undies, thin fleece, thicker fleece and a gore text outer shell. Snug as a bug in a rug aside from my face.

 

[Hoosier8]

Went out today with thermal undies under jeans, a tshirt with a wool sweather with a fleece jacket under a shearling coat with a wool scarf. Could not find my mittens (which are better when it is cold) so had my military leather gloves with wool inserts. Wool socks in Baffin boots with felt liners.

So far so good but what to do for the head? Outdoor Research Gorilla Balaclava with a wool beanie on top. Not cheap but worth every dollar.

The Baffin boots are awesome.

 

[Hoosier8]

What I really miss is my Air Force parka with fox lining. Nothing beat that. Gave it to my daughter and it later fell apart.

 

[actaeon277]

I miss my navy foul weather coat.