Winter preparations

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

Pablo

Settler
Oct 10, 2005
647
5
65
Essex, UK
www.woodlife.co.uk
What are you doing to prepare for winter?

I'm relying on a lot of kit from last year with just a few modifications. I learnt a lot last year from the wet and windy conditions.

Fleece stuff is okay for dry cold, but not for damp cold. I intend to replace fleece layers with wool. I've bought a dockers sweater for £17. I know Swaandri are good, but I just can't justify the cost. A good old wax jacket is still my favourite for a top layer. I bought an army poncho for a few quid. They're pretty bombproof and make good bashas if a bit heavy.

Head wear will be the canvas hat or tilley for wet and an over the ears hat for cold. No fashion prizes there.

The much neglected neck area will be covered by a shemagh scarf or the excellent head honcho. I found that leather gloves were useless when they got wet. Woolen mits is the way to go or possibly a higher tech waterproof glove. I'll give those a go as well.

For bimbling about my local woods, I'll stick to welly boots with insulated socks. If I have to walk anywhere, I'll stick with the Rogue Rangers with loads of dubbin on board.

Sleeping arrangements won’t change at all from last year. I’ll still use the hammock and tarp. I found this combination no problem last year except when it got really windy and wet at the same time.

I also have to get into winter mindset. It's too easy to get caught out. This is where a cookset really comes into its own.

So what are your thoughts?

Pablo.
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
I didn't get much out time last winter, although what I did get done has helped me focus on what I need for a winter trip. Tilley hats are good, but a Mountain Cap from Lowe Alpine cannot be beaten in cold and wet weather. Wool is definitely the way ahead, I could do with a woolen base layer but haven't got round to buying one yet and have pretty much ran out of funds for it. I'll keep an eye out for cheap ones, but otherwise I will be going with what I have got plus dockers shirts, swanni ranger shirt and then my swedish arctic hooded smock on top. i also have a very long wax jacket, but I need to finish off reproofing it. That was a big job as it was completely stripped of wax when I got it, and I've gone through a tin already!

Trousers are always skimmed over I find. People tend to spend a great deal of money protecting their torso from the cold, the legs are often left to fend for themselves! I have a simple pair of trousers that will do the job, but they won't keep me warm. Saying that, i will wear gaiters on my boots so that adds a bit of warmth. If it is really cold I will get the Sorels out. Gloves are the woolen mittens with a canvas and leather over glove. I think they are american issue gloves. Theyt are very good and I carry at least one spare pair of inner mittens.

Shemagh, always! A brilliant bit of kit that has hundreds of uses from filtering water to making a triangular bandage. The neck is an area that can lose a lot of heat. Bung that gap with a shemagh or scarf. Two pairs of socks can add a lot of warmth, if you have larger boots for winter use. If not, a thin pair under wool can warm you up.

As for diet, regular food with a good calorific value will help keep you warm. Regular warm drinks will do the same. My brother told me that when he goes to Norway, he doesn't drink piping hot brews. The hot brew heats the core and the body then thinks it is overheating so starts to sweat in an effort to bring the body temp down. Warm drinks are the way ahead. Go for fatty foods before you sleep, they do tend to keep you warm all night! Get plenty of choccy down your head! Winter is a great excuse to eat the foods you shouldn't.

:D
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
I've got two of those Lowe Alpine hats and they are brilliant.
I'm buying a pair of duck boots from Cotton Traders
http://www.cottontraders.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=3185
I reckon size fours will be okay if I pad them up with thick socks and so much better than wellies to wear for any length of time. OD of course :rolleyes:
That apart, my fat reserves are high enough, thank you :eek: ; the pantry is full of good things, and I'm going to make a new wax jacket :cool: And HWMBLT bougtht me a long, thick heavily woven silk & merino scarf, so that keeps the whole upper body warm under the jacket.
I hadn't thought about the hot drinks thing Spamel, sounds right though, doesn't it? So, your best advice is a kuksa of hot (tish) chocolate before bed :D

cheers,
Toddy
 

gregorach

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 15, 2005
3,723
28
50
Edinburgh
Can I just throw in a big plug for M&S merino wool longjohns? Lots of people seem to have an irrational prejudice against long underwear, but when it's cold and damp they really can't be beat. And the M&S ones are quite reasonably priced, too...
 

TallMikeM

Need to contact Admin...
Dec 30, 2005
574
0
54
Hatherleigh, Devon
Can I just throw in a big plug for M&S merino wool longjohns? Lots of people seem to have an irrational prejudice against long underwear, but when it's cold and damp they really can't be beat. And the M&S ones are quite reasonably priced, too...

yup, I've also got a pair, good compromise twixt value and quality. I've also got one of their short sleeved tee tops, perfect for wearing under my merino long sleeved tops and thin jumpers.
 

crazyclimber

Need to contact Admin...
Jul 20, 2007
571
2
UK / Qatar
My preparations: mostly just digging kit out, airing and checking it. I stripped down my nova last weekend, made sure all the seals are up to scratch, filter OK, etc. Ropes checked, climbing gear all checked. Couple slings replaced (bit worn - prob would have been OK, but why take the chance)... I find I do start looking online at various bits of kit too thinking about how they'd make my life easier! I tried a friend's paramo aspira smock last year and loved it, so thats on the shopping list in case I suddenly have lots of money to spare. Like gregorach said longjohns are brilliant for when it gets really cold. Not very 'cool', but then neither is hypothermia. I've never tried merino ones though, so maybe I'll try to find some of those too.
I think you hit the nail right on the head when you mentioned the winter mindset. It's definitely partially about having the right kit, but I think much more about having confidence in and knowledge about what you do have. Knowledge in general I guess, especially if you're travelling in some of the more remote areas. Knowing you can navigate accurately in whiteout conditions (and I don't mean with GPS!), the ability to perhaps fix problems or breaks in your kit, perhaps to dig yourself a snowhole with just an ice axe, or tent pole and saucepan when the going gets tough. It's a great leveller and I love it, but it can bite you hard when you make stupid decisions or get things wrong. I wrote on here a while back about one such experience. It's taking the outdoors more seriously, planing what you're doing and where you're going, giving yourself an option B, C and D in case something goes wrong...
Nevertheless, it's a time of year I love and I can't wait :D
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,781
1,517
51
Wiltshire
I havent any fancy gear like you.

I have some army long johns and swear by them,

otheteise it plenty of layers, a skiing jacket, waterproof overtrousers and a rusky hat.
 

Jodie

Native
Aug 25, 2006
1,561
11
54
London
www.google.co.uk
How do you keep your nose warm? Mine was chilly in summer when I was out
under a tarp, but I hate having my face covered. I'll either have to get a very narrow
nose scarf or patent some other sort of nose warming device. I don't want my mouth
covered so can't pull a scarf up, nor a hat down... Perhaps my nose needs a bit
of winter toughening :)
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
I was thinking about that last night, our bedroom was Baltic, it was 2am (waking HWMBLT to steal a heat at that time of night = grump) and I hate having my face covered, but it was freezing....in the far north the advice is to cover your head and face with your jacket and breathe through your sleeve when you're sleeping 'cos otherwise you lose your nose to frostbite :eek:
Not quite sure how that all works in a cold, damp UK though......how about one of those balaclavas that make folk look like the scream ? that would work :)

cheers,
Toddy
 

Jodie

Native
Aug 25, 2006
1,561
11
54
London
www.google.co.uk
I have a mild fear of balaclavas, but probably a greater fear of nose loss so I might have
to look into that. My friend is knitting tiny hats to go on top of Innocent drinks bottle
caps (it's a nice little gimmick actually - the bottles will be sold in aid of Age Concern)
so I might ask her to adapt it for nasal protection if I can't face the balaclavas!

(What does HWMBLT mean?)
 

spamel

Banned
Feb 15, 2005
6,833
21
48
Silkstone, Blighty!
He Who Must Be Listened To! Jodie, have you seen the Bruce Parry race to the pole? They wear goggles with a nifty fur nose cover to stop burn and I suppose frost bite! You may look a bit of a twit, but at least you'd be warm!
 

Sickboy

Nomad
Sep 12, 2005
422
0
44
London
Thankfully i'll not be needing to buy any new winter kit as i've already bankrupted myself buying it all for my Norway trip, just sat there waiting for the cold weather to arrive now.
It must be said that once this kit's been purchased it does last a very long time for most people, but it can be a real pain on the wallet. Spread it out over a few months (since june) myself, the first time i've ever planned so far in advance :eek:
 

leon-b

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
May 31, 2006
3,390
22
Who knows
I'll be wearing karrimor ksb boots or my wellies on my feet, Army combats on my legs, Cotton t-shirt as a base layer then my micro fleece and my m65 coat over top and when it gets really cold i'll have my thicker fleece over the top of my micro fleece plus the M65
I'm gunna treat my combats tonight to give them a bit of waterproofing
Leon
 

Dougster

Bushcrafter through and through
Oct 13, 2005
5,254
238
The banks of the Deveron.
I always find a good fire and good company are the best winter overcomers.

Last Jan with Nigel and Rik UK3 I sat around a fire drinking beer and had a ball. Nigel's brekky was well worth getting out of my beautiful 5 season down bag - my main concession to getting old.
 
D

Deleted dude 7861

Guest
I've got 2 trips planned for far northwest of Scotland in December (4 days and 6 days) so it's out with the arctic maggot and gortex bivvi, afraid everything is army here. Shemagh is used a scarf as they have so many uses. Think the tarp is gonna be backup to my vango tent, a bit of comfort is in order I rekon lol
 

elrond

Tenderfoot
Nov 21, 2006
89
0
57
Alba
How do you keep your nose warm?

An old trick I learned when working on the trawlers during my school holidays (all those years ago) is to rub some vaseline into your face & hands. It keeps them warm in the cold & wet of scottish winters at sea, so should do the job when out for a wander. you dont need loads and make sure you rub it well in so you don't look shiny ;-)
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE