Practical Cold Weather advice.

reply to post by CranialSponge


Clothes rated for the weather we get are a must.

It drives me nuts when watching hollywood movies about people in arctic conditions, and everyone is supposedly "freezing", and they aren't wearing hats, or scarves, the top part of their heavy jackets are wide open, with the fake snow blowing in.....

Those movies should be filmed on site, in arctic conditions, or somewhere in Saskatchewan or Manitoba, in the winter.
Then they'll know what it really feels like to be cold, what its like to be breathing with frozen nose hairs, and when the cheekbones and the nosebone hurt from the cold

That was good advice in your post up there.
Life saving advice.


I think the Americans that understand the cold weather the best, are Alaskans, and those from North Dakota

reply to post by snowspirit


Yup.

You and I both know what it's like to live in the Canadian prairies, year after year of long, freezing winters... we might as well be living in friggin' Siberia... same poop, different pile.

If there's anything most of use prairie folks can give advice on, it's winter survival !

reply to post by CranialSponge


Great advice!

reply to post by CranialSponge


You sir/ma'am are a boss. I had to log in for the first time in months just to thank you for such seasoned advice. A post that long takes dedication. You, the OP, and others here may save someone I know's life someday. Thank you all!

reply to post by HardCorps


I have heard the rule of 9 also. And it is spot on. I honestly believe the only thing that could cause civil unrest is a lack of food or entertainment.



And thanks everybody for the replies about the alpaca socks. I truly love mine and wear them every night when I get home from work and my feet never get cold.

And don't call put your tongue on a flagpole.

Back in December I thought about buying a new coat that I saw online. Then I said it does not get that cold here and it does not get that cold often. So i did not get it. One month later the coldest weather in decades . That's the story of my life.

Very good information you have presented for people who may not know. I want to touch on snow blindness myself...

Keep a pair of sunglasses handy at all times. You might not need them 100% of the time, but when you can't open your eyes because they are profusely red, watering and legitimately hurt from the glare you are going to NEED those shades

If you don't have shades find some cover of some sort. Get somewhere dark/dim. If you are driving and it starts getting really bad then pull over and cover your eyes with your hands for a short period. The complete darkness hep relieve the strain brought on by the glare.

Aw come on that is somewhat silly. People got along fine before the days of $800 thermal jackets. One of my Uncles told me that in some of the lean years in the 30's when no one could afford coal you just dealt with it. The youngest always got the worst jobs and one of them was to get up earlier than the rest to heat water for cloths to put on their faces to melt the ice where their breath had frozen them to the pillow while they slept-it was nothing-and he said it was a great way to wake up.

I mean they just dealt with it. I'm in the very same house they were in, it's 11 degrees outside, so what it's winter. Nothing changes because even now the health of your animals is more important than any individual in the family. Right this minute those silly cows are loafing out on the hill staring into space without a care in the world because they are full and the fact that icicles are almost hitting the ground from their frozen exhales they don't even care.

The media put out a 'Dangerous cold alert' because the low tonight will be around zero-closed schools of course-what is going on with people.

If you drive put in gas line anti freeze, it's only about 35 cents a pop and its good for one tank of fuel up to 50 litres.
It is basically pure alcohol but it does what is it touted to do and that is making starts in cold weather easier.

If you use a remote starter make sure everything is turned to off in the vehicle to make an easy load on the battery......
If necessary due to ice leave the front defroster on and thats it.
I had to go through this with the wife many times till my points hit home, she would leave on the heated seats/ radio/ and the front defrost.

New battery for her car last year was almost $350.00 after taxes......now its just the front window defrost on at start up.

Buy a battery charger for your cars, when you get a break in the cold snaps top up your batteries in your vehicles and you will get at least another 2 years above and beyond what they are supposed to last.

Keep your finger nails short and smooth, the corners of your fingers will split if your nails are long and it is very painful.
If you do like long nails and your fingers split, use a heavy ointment at night and put band aids on the split fingers.

If your using a snowblower buy the best boots you can find and the best mitts or gloves you can find.
If you do snowblow a good fix for wet snow that is about to freeze is to blast your unit with cooking spray from the shoot to the auger and all will be good.

On side note all will be good if you have 8 to 10 cords of fire wood and at least 5 / 24's of beer in your basement.. we have a natural fire place and I have a natural anti freeze call beer :.)


Great thread for the folks like us here that now know this cold snap is going to be good till at least next Wednesday at the earliest.

Regards, Iwinder

reply to post by Iwinder

Keep your finger nails short and smooth, the corners of your fingers will split if your nails are long and it is very painful. If you do like long nails and your fingers split, use a heavy ointment at night and put band aids on the split fingers.

I don't think that a common problem, I'm a prairie person, and I've never heard of that.

Winter skin does dry out more in the winter, that's true.
I put Vaseline on the bottoms of my feet, but I'm in and out of the house all day long, and I tend to just slip on boots without socks, so the dryness is my own fault...

Sand bags and kitty litter in the trunk of your car are always a good idea when it's cold, sandbags help keep from sliding around and kitty litter adds some extra traction for your tires if you do happen to end up stuck. Also, flush out your water heater before your cold spell hits(this is something you should do throughout the year as well since it doesn't just apply to cold weather) to get as much sediment out as possible. If, God forbid, the power is out long enough for you to run out of your primary water surplus your water heater heater can be your backup. I'd recommend keeping some type of filtration device on hand to further filter out any impurities should you have a need to tap the heater for drinking. As a side note, flushing the water heater on a regular basis will help keep the heater as efficient as possible, thus saving you money throughout the year.

ETA: as others have said one of those cheep hibachi grills are an indispensable tool to have in cold weather, not only can it cook food and keep you warm, but if you're tapping the water heater for drinking water and it is no longer heating water, boiling that water is always a good thing to do, just in case of a bacteria build up. One more thing to add, snow is a great source of water, but it needs to be warmed first, fill something with the snow and put it into an inside pocket or into your coat(never against the skin). I keep bottled water in my car, but also a box of ziplock sandwich bags, I can fill the bags with snow and let those melt and use them to fill my empty water bottles. Fresh snow is only going to lower your core body temp, which is the exact opposite of what you want when stuck out in the cold, not to mention if your core temp is low you can end up blistering your mouth and ending up more dehydrated.

If you drive a lot, it happens tires are fairly important for dealing with this kind of weather. If you don't specifically have winter tires (I don't, since I don't have anywhere to keep them), at least make sure to get all season tires that are winter rated. (Which is what I did.) Sure they cost more, make more road noise, and may wear a little faster, but they're the difference between not going anywhere at all because you're on an icy or slushy spot or being able to move from the same spot with few problems. That difference might be a big one too, since it means you're much less likely to get out of your vehicle in some attempt to get it moving again. They also give the extra benefit of providing some traction for your traction control or ABS to work with, but keep in mind it's still no excuse to do anything stupid in terms of winter driving. (In other words - take it slow when it's bad. Even if better tires mean you can stop or manuever better, that guy behind you might get the wrong impression when he can't!) In my opinion I'd even say it's better to take a front wheel drive car with better winter tires over an AWD car with mediocre ones. (Obviously the best of all would still be a proper AWD vehicle with good winter tires and decent ground clearance.)

So yeah, winter rated tires are something to keep in mind and can be like a night and day difference, as most "all season" tires aren't when it comes to winter conditions that involve freezing or slushy conditons. Might be a bit late now, as prices will be jacked-up on the tires that do work for winter. But it's something to keep in mind for the next winter while doing car maintenance during the spring or summer.

reply to post by HardCorps


Yeah, I and my brother have experimented with those things, and they are no good.
In extreme cold, batteries lose something like 80% of they're power, but when they do work, they make your feet sweat.

I've always done well with a nylon/silk liner sock, with merino over it.
Never tried alpaca, might have to.

I was outside in about 30 degree weather at a sporting event. Team was wearing nothing but uniforms and people on this sidelines seemed fine while I was shivering so badly it was painful. Maybe it varies for everyone a little but for me - I think it was the hat. I was losing body heat so badly I couldn't control the shivering and that's the only thing I was missing.

Kemix's idea above sounds ideal. I think a nice fleece against the skin is the best for warmth. Then down - but can't they make a waterproof and fireproof down shell - still lightweight? That would help for when your standing around a camp fire - spark won't burn through - and the waterproof part - to protect against wet snow. I know they make them but they are too heavy. If someone can put all of those things together and make it lightweight - it would be the ideal for warmth.

reply to post by snowspirit


Try using "corn huskers" lotion. Kind of old fashion but it
works better than Vaseline.
I usually find it at Walgreen's drug stores.

reply to post by HardCorps


Here's some of my tips from Michigan Winters:

Around the Home
1. Before the snow and cold hit, make sure that you have at least some food that doesn't require to be cooked. For example, apples usually keep for about a week, pop-tarts, chips and twinkies will probably outlast you. Trail mix is a Boy Scout's secret ingredient (apart from fire).

2. Keep plenty of batteries and LED flashlights around - I also use a "man torch" (fancy name for a rechargeable worklight).

3. Candles or hurricane lights come in handy - Studies have shown that just looking at a candle flame makes it feel warmer. Use caution where the candles are placed though, as the last thing you need is a curious cat knocking it over.

Outside
1. Know your limits - never go with the assumption that you can make it back to the heat source. For example, if you are going out for a walk or hiking, even if you've done 2 miles in the snow, it's better to go a fourth of that distance out, and make it back safe, then be in dire straits coming back from a one mile commute.

2. Dress for the weather - It never fails to amuse me how some people dress in a fancy coat, Ugg boots, and fashion gloves, and just head out like that. Fact is: You want breathable layers, not just layers. For example if I have to be outside for a duration of time, I have on about two long sleeve shirts (one is tight-fitting, so it acts as thermal underwear), a winter coat, and gloves. Tennis shoes won't do it in 10-below temps; you need a pair of boots.

3. Don't hold onto metal!!! I wasn't laughing the day my trumpet stuck to my fingers, and my hand was cold-welded to the end of the instrument.

Driving
1. If there's snow or ice on the road, slow down! I'm including this because if more people did this, then then less people would get stuck, in the cold, on the side of the road.

When you are driving in these conditions, there is no speed limit; a cop won't pull you over because you are driving safe. Go whatever speed you need to in order to get to your destination. There were times where I would have to drive into work at 15mph - I've been beeped at, flipped off, and had brights flashed at me on multiple occasions. All of it was for naught - If the roads are bad, disregard the people behind you, as you main task is to stay on the road, and not hit the guy in front. It's better to be in control of your vehicle rather than lose it.

NOTE: If you ever get the chance, see if you can find an empty parking lot, and practice going into slides or skids - One of the things that I wish they taught in Driver's Ed was how to get out of a spin - had to learn the hard way, in live traffic nonetheless.

2. For emergency gear, always make sure your cell phone is charged up. I also keep a rechargeable flashlight, pocket-tool, an extra hoodie (one that zips, so in the worst case you can make a blanket from the winter coat and the hoodie), and a collapsible shovel. Cat litter is another good one - probably would help keep my car in the lane with the wind.

3. Always have enough gas so that you can enjoy the comfort of the car - Last week, I had a 3.5 hour commute coming home, I was so happy that I filled up earlier, as I had plenty to keep the heat going until I got home.

4. To keep ice from forming, keep a defroster on - Found out the hard way that if I use the "regular" heat, all my windows start to freeze over. So, I drive with the front defroster on medium level (warm environment = sleepy, so always keep it cold enough). In older cars, you might need to roll down the windows a crack.

5. If your car needs to be jumped, try to make it back to your place - any stops you make might require you to jump the car again.

6. Don't run your car too often in the cold - it's a waste of gas. Chances are, if your car starts at 5:00am in the morning, when it's below 0 degrees, it'll start when it's time for you to head home.

-fossilera

reply to post by HardCorps


I have found that keeping your head, shoulders & feet warm can really warm up the rest of the body fast. And cutting a tip off a snow hat can make a nice 1/3 face mask.

Some cool snow gear I have seen includes neoprene face masks and this rubber straps that go on your shoes that have metal or plastic spikes to dog in ice. And a fur hooded goose down military issue parka was the best coat I had for the snow.

Does anyone find that long johns run small? Is there a good brand and can you get one piece like old school ones ya know with a but flap or footy pajama style?

While I am not a survivalist by any means, I have a list of things I keep in my car at all times.

Shovel
String or rope
knife
1 gallon water
blankets
Food (usually 1 jar of peanut butter)

In case any emergency happens, I should be prepared. Hopefully it never happens though.

And another concern is, fuel. Always have a full tank or close to a full tank of fuel when you are going to be driving in snow, or snowy conditions. Be prepared for the worst case scenario.

reply to post by Johnathanandheather


I agree with the Parka. I use a lot of mil spec cold weather gear. Issued Wool glove inserts, wool socks (i recently got a thinner pair of UA wool socks I love) but the thick issued ones stay in my truck bag, wool watch cap and wool sweater. I also use my issued dry suit thermals all the time. I have Bare T100 thermals and Whites Canada bibs...with army surplus rain suit, issued boots.
Regular stuff is a Northface fleece lined winter coat, carhart thermal lined hoodie, off brand water proof snow mobile gloves, Columbia snow boots, mizzuno wool long sleeve T for running. The T was for running but I use it all the time in cold weather.

For winter, I keep a duffle in my truck with T100 thermals, issued boots, issued wool socks, gloves with issued wool liner, wool watch cap, extra hooded sweatshirt, rain suit tops and bottoms, wool sweater, regular long sleeve T (only so much wool I can handle on skin).
I have been in -20 with near - 60 WC for most of a day, without issue.
last time I was out which was last cold snap, the winds were hell, I think goggles would be a good addition to my bag of goodies. Not sure if they will fog up bad or not, I have never used any in extreme cold.

A map, 4 bottles of water, first aid kit, rope, tow strap, simple tools, knife and flashlight stay in my truck all the time.