There’s cold weather, winter weather, and then there’s BRUTAL weather. Brutal is my best word to explain extreme weather when the winds are high and the temperature is below zero farenheit. These temperatures will set the snow up for what could be an excellent day of skiing and riding, but only if you can stand up to the elements. When the weather gets brutal, it’s going to take more than just a helmet or hat to combat the elements. When the going gets tough on the slopes, a balaclava made of windblock fleece will keep the tough going.
Archive for November, 2005
An old Maine saying goes “If you don’t like the weathah, wait a minute.” No matter where you are, weather can change in a minute and your best clothing protection will come from being as versatile as Mother Nature. Flexibility in the outdoors means using many layers to simulatenously provide warmth, protection, and venting to match the immediate conditions. Like in the way several ingredients make a sandwich greater than its individual parts, the right selection of clothing layers will give you the most protection from the day’s weather.
Anyone who goes outside should have at least one good fleece jacket. There’s just no other item for outdoor recreation that provides the optimal balance of warmth, durability, and functionality. With its ability to provide warmth even when wet, a fleece jacket will perform under many weather conditions to keep you comfortable and protected from the elements. Fleece jackets come in various weights and cuts that allow them to be used as outerwear or an insulating layer. No matter what you’re doing in the Great Outdoors, a fleece jacket is just the tool to get you through it.
From experience, I’m a big fan of synthetic clothing for outdoor pursuits. For warmth and durability, blends of natural and synthetic materials have every advantage over solely natural materials such as cotton and wool. I’ve found that the durability of most synthetic materials is so good that it’s tempting to wear clothing more than once between washings. Resist that urge: clean clothing is warm clothing!
A helmet or cold-weather hat will keep your head warm in most winter situations, but the weather you face while skiing and riding can often take you past most situations. Helmets and hats provide a single layer of insulation which may not be enough in a mountain environment. Use a balaclava under your headgear to dial up its warmth factor. A balaclava worn close to the skull can be tucked into other layers at the neckline and create a single, larger insulating effect. Other significant advantages of a balaclava are its ability to pull up to protect the face, its close fit stays in place, and it represents less material around the neck area than other options. Some people almost immobilize their necks with hoods and neckups and this loss of freedom can reduce your skiing/riding skills. A mask will only add warmth to your face and it’s typically a struggle to keep it in the best position.
If there’s one piece of clothing which can turn a cold winter day into a fine day of skiing, it’s a good pair of socks. With the close fit of today’s alpine ski boot, one light to moderate-thickness sock layer is the right amount of heft. A bulkier sock or more than one pair of socks will tend to close off the circulation in the foot and decrease the foot’s inherent ability to warm itself. It’s the fit of the sock as much as its material that’s important. Keep the blood flowing through your foot with a quality pair of socks and the ski boot’s insulation should be equal to the task of keeping your toes warm.
Winter�s arrival has been clearly foreshadowed here in Maine. The foliage is long past and frost is now present every night. Parts of the western mountains received a snowstorm that brought up to 40� of snow two weeks ago! It only stayed on higher elevations, but whitecap mountains are an awesome sight in November.
In anticipation of the full arrival of winter, I�m going to share a number of thoughts on cold weather clothing and dressing tips. The first rule of winter dressing and surely the most important one is to not wear cotton clothing. While cotton feels great in dress shirts, sweatshirts, and socks for inside wear, it�s about the worst fabric available for going where there�s going to be cold temperatures and moisture. It has no natural wind-blocking capability, has a limited insulation factor, and has absolutely no warming abilities once it gets even slightly wet. There are many options for better fabrics to protect all parts of your body than cotton in the winter.
So, the Golden Rule is no cotton! Anytime and anywhere outside during winter!