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| All images courtesy of LL Bean - usually I must hunt for photos, but LL Bean did the work for me for this blog. |
In researching the topic I learned an interesting fact: Your biggest problem isn't getting cold, it's staying dry, i.e., not getting too hot and sweaty, which in extreme cold can be a symptom of hypothermia, a life-threatening condition that can strike in 5 minutes as your body temperature falls too low. If you start sweating in extreme cold, you need to quickly shed layers to survive. I didn't know this!😳
So let's learn from the experts the correct way to layer to prevent hypothermia. According to LL Bean (and confirmed by other sources), when temperatures hit subzero wear a:
1) Base layer - made of silk, wool, or polyester - The 1st layer is designed to keep your skin dry, which helps keep you warm. The base layer wicks (or moves) moisture (sweat) away from your skin as you engage in activity (i.e., move, walk, climb).
2) Middle layer - This is your insulating layer to hold in the heat generated by your body. Select wool, midweight fleece, or synthetic fabrics like polyester.
3) Outer Layer - Keeps wind and water out and body heat in. A nylon shell or jacket to fit over your base and middle layers will do the job. Nowadays people tend to wear a puffer coat of goose down feathers with a nylon or polyester shell -- as it works.
LL Bean is headquartered in Maine, and I'm featuring them for this topic because winter wear is their business. Likewise for competitors, Landsend and newer budget-friendly Uniqlo. Always buy products from merchants who specialize in the product area, not designers who branch into the market, unless they take the time to truly learn it.
Fortunately, I live in relatively mild winters, or I would have died by now since I have never before researched the right way to layer for winter. Now I realize that years ago I didn't wear a nylon 3rd layer ... and that's why I froze! Knowing what each layer does makes keeping warm and comfortable a certainty!⛄
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