I hate being cold, but I can’t avoid being outside in the winter. My family runs a farm where we have to take care of livestock year-round. In fact, right now we’re in the middle of lambing season. So, I’m spending more time outside than I normally would.
I’ve learned to adapt. There’s a saying I heard early on in my farming career that changed my perspective on the cold: “There is no such thing as bad weather. Only bad clothing.” I swear, I actually don’t mind winter now, although if my toes get cold, I am done for the day. (Just kidding. I take a break to thaw my feet out and get back out there.)
With the cold snap (and maybe lots of snow?) coming next week, I wanted to share some practical knowledge I’ve picked up over the years, plus the science behind it. You don’t have to dread going outside in the winter, but it does take some forethought.
Note: This comes from my experience running a farm, but it can be applied to any outdoor cold-weather endeavor, from shoveling your sidewalk to walking your dog to playing in the snow with your kids.
THE PRINCIPLES OF STAYING WARM
“Dress in layers in the cold.” You’ve probably heard this before. But why?
Layering allows you to control your body’s thermostat as conditions or your exertion levels change. You can take one layer off if you get too warm, so you don’t start sweating, or you can add another layer on if you’re getting cold.
The main goal of staying warm is to keep yourself dry. Wet is the enemy of warmth. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air because it is denser and absorbs more energy.
The other goal is to be mobile. Allow me, for a moment, to refer to the classic film, A Christmas Story. Do you remember the scene where the mother is dressing the little brother, Randy, for their walk to school? He’s already wearing a bulky knit sweater as she stuffs him (literally) into a puffy red snowsuit. As she’s wrapping a comically long scarf around his head and neck, Randy cries, “I can’t put my arms down!”
It’s an iconic scene, but that’s not what you want to do for a couple of reasons.
First, you want to layer in a way that allows you to move around without difficulty. If you don’t or can’t move your body, you will get cold faster. This is because your blood distributes heat throughout your body, from your core out to your extremities. You can boost circulation by staying active. I’m not saying you need to do jumping jacks or run in place until you are sweating, but you need to keep moving.
Second, the goal of layering isn’t just to put a bunch of bulky clothing between you and the wind—it’s to create “dead air space.” This refers to all the small pockets of air within a clothing layer that are warmed up with body heat. Layers also trap pockets of air around your body, which helps keep you warm. Air is a poor conductor of heat (meaning heat does not move well through air), therefore, it’s a good insulator. So, make sure your layers are loose and comfortable.
YOU DO YOU: WHY BEING PRACTICAL IS BETTER THAN BEING PERFECT
Experts advise the three-layer method for maximum warmth and comfort.
Base layer: Moves moisture away from your skin. These are your long johns or another close-fitting thin layer of clothing that sits right against your skin.
Middle layer: Retains heat. It can be a wool sweater or a fleece pullover or a puffy jacket. For me, this is usually a hooded sweatshirt
Outer layer: Shields your other layers from the elements (wind, rain, snow, mud, whatever). I have a duck canvas Carhartt jacket for the winter. I also have a rain jacket if it’s going to be cold and rainy.
Experts also advise wearing certain fabrics, like wool and synthetics that wick moisture away and dry quickly, while avoiding others, like cotton. There’s a saying among outdoorsy folk that “cotton kills” because of its tendency to get wet and stay wet.
I have a small confession to make: I don’t follow these rules exactly.
Here’s my typical winter attire. Under 40 degrees F, I always wear a base layer top and bottom, my insulated canvas bib overalls and a sweater or a hooded sweatshirt. I hate having my arms constricted by a jacket, so I often wear vests. Vests keep my core warm but allow me a full range of motion.
At 32 degrees, I try to wear a beanie to cover my head and ears. Once it gets below 20 degrees, I might put on a full jacket and sacrifice some range of motion for extra warmth, and I try to keep gloves on me to wear as needed.
I own lots of wool clothing, but I don’t always wear wool. I wear long-sleeved cotton T-shirts and hoodies if that’s what’s clean. I don’t own any synthetic performance fabrics or puffy/down jackets. My farm clothes need to be sturdy, something I won’t care about getting covered with manure, birthing fluids or grease.
So, do what works for you, while keeping in mind the principles of staying warm. The three-layer method is the ideal, but you might need something different depending on what you’re doing outside or what makes you comfortable. Use what you have, making investments in your winterwear as you see fit.
Wear a hat that covers your head and ears. It doesn’t matter what it’s made out of. Wear whatever you are most likely to keep on your head. Wear insulated gloves that still allow you to have dexterity, so you’re not tempted to take them off when you need to actually use your fingers. Gloves don’t work when you don’t wear them (ask me how I know).
WHY MORE SOCKS CAN ACTUALLY MEAN COLDER FEET
When you’re out in the cold, you might notice your feet and hands are the first to go numb. And, if you are like me, having frozen feet makes you miserable.
Here’s why this happens. Your feet are the furthest thing away from your heart, so it takes longer for blood to circulate all the way down there. Also, when you are exposed to the cold, your body activates a survival mechanism called vasoconstriction. This process narrows the blood vessels in your extremities to minimize heat loss and redirect blood flow to vital organs. Additionally, since your feet are often in direct contact with the cold ground, they lose heat faster.
There are a lot of factors working against you in keeping your feet warm, and cold-weather footwear is the part that people mess up the most. They think more is better and put on multiple pairs of thick socks to stay warm, but then squish their well-insulated feet into boots that now feel two sizes too small.
If your footwear is too tight, it will constrict blood flow to your foot — and remember, blood flow = warmth. Also, tight boots mean no dead air space, so less insulating pockets of warm air.
So, put on one pair of thick, moisture-wicking socks (wool socks are the best for this) and pull on a pair of loose-fitting, insulated boots or shoes. You don’t want them so big that your boots are sliding off your heel, but you need wiggle room.
OTHER TOP TIPS
Stay hydrated. Even though you won’t feel as thirsty in the cold, you still need to drink water. All those extra clothes you’re wearing mean you’re exerting yourself more than usual. Also, you lose more moisture through respiration in the cold, dry air.
I started carrying a water bottle in my bibs to keep it warm because I don’t enjoy drinking cold water while I’m outside in the cold. While science debates whether the body absorbs warm or cold water faster, the practical truth is that drinking ice-cold water when you’re already shivering is miserable—and if it’s miserable, you won’t drink enough of it.
Protect your skin. I like to put a layer of petroleum jelly or another moisturizer on any exposed skin on my face to protect it from the wind and cold.
Use hand warmers or feet warmers. Though nothing can replace dressing right, having air-activated hand warmers in your pockets or feet warmers in your boots can make things extra pleasant.
Get acclimated. The more you are outside in the cold, the easier it is to deal with being outside in the cold. Sorry, but it’s true.
•••
Winter doesn’t have to be a season of shivering through chores or counting the minutes until you can go back inside. Whether you are tending to newborn lambs in a century-old barn or just trying to clear the driveway before work, the secret lies in respecting the science of heat and the grit of your gear.
Next week’s cold snap will be a test, but if you prioritize staying dry, keeping your circulation moving and—most importantly—giving those toes room to wiggle, you’ll find that the bad weather doesn’t feel so bad after all. Stay safe, stay dry and I’ll see you out there.
