Photo by Craig Murphy

We are in the middle of winter and the Olympics are going to be in Canada this year – brrrrr. With many people headed up North to watch their favorite winter sports, talking about how to dress to stay warm seems like a good idea.

It is much different to run in and out of a car to a building in the cold than it is to stand out in it for hours at a time. Not just a comfort issue, but a safety one as well.

The one word to best describes how to protect ourselves is LAYERS.

Here are some suggestions of how to dress in the cold to stay warm.

In general, as we go over specific layers, keep the clothing loose to allow for free circulation and to help with the insulation by allowing warm air pockets to be trapped. Don’t neglect any area of the body. Often people do the right thing from the chest up but don’t worry as much as what is worn below the waist. When you think of if, there is more skin area on the lower half of the body overall.

The advantage of layering is obvious. You can add or remove as you go according to conditions. For those like me who live in a tropical climate and do not even own a winter coat, dressing for the cold is going to take some planning

The first layer should be a fabric that will wick perspiration. Cotton is not it. Silk or synthetic thermals will make a great first layer – tops and bottoms.

Next would be a light weight wool shirt and pants. For those who don’t like wool a densely knitted microfiber fleece would be a good option. Gore-Tex, Teflon or a nylon shell pant is another good option. Cotton jeans are not a good choice. They don’t keep out wet and they don’t block wind.

Thirdly, comes a lightweight button down shirt or jacket that can be easily removed.

The outer layer for extreme cold would be a heavier down filled coat that goes down past the hips and preferably with a hood.

The next areas of concern are the head, neck, hands and feet. When it is extremely cold, blood moves away from these areas to protect the vital organs leaving these areas basically unprotected and that would be when fingers and toes could succumb to frostbite.

Hopefully, your coat or a layer under it will have a hood. Top that with a warm hat that can be pulled down and to that add a warm, close knit scarf to wrap around your neck, mouth and nose.

Hands can be difficult. While mittens are best, they often restrict using the fingers. Insulated hand coverings are good. It was recommended to look in a sporting shop for mitts that had one or two fingers like hunters use.

And finally the feet. Think two pairs of socks. The first pair might be a lightweight airwicking choice – again not cotton. The outer one should be wool. If they can go up the calf all the better. Make sure you have plenty of wiggle room for circulation. Top these with water proof, over the calf boots that have a soft, warm lining. Having a thick sole will add more protection to the bottoms of your feet that likely will be tramping around on ice and snow.

If all this fails to keep you warm try doing a couple of minutes of jumping around and then head to the lodge for a warm fire and some hot cocoa.