| Winter sports and activities can be a lot of fun. It's a | | | | you are at risk from high wind conditions and |
| splendid time of the year when it seems like you are | | | | susceptible to frost bite of the face. |
| enveloped by the pristine whiteness of the snow. But | | | | Put your hands in gloves |
| it is also a hazardous time of the year for the | | | | Mittens are considered warmer than gloves as the |
| outdoor adventurer. One has to keep warm to keep | | | | fingers can keep each other warm rather than being |
| safe and enjoy this time of the year. The essence of | | | | isolated in the glove's fingers. You can apply the |
| staying warm in the winter is having the proper | | | | layering principle here as well by using an inner mitten |
| clothing layers and knowing how to use them | | | | and an outer shell. However, gloves are essential too, |
| effectively. Here are some tips. | | | | especially the water proof variety, as various winter |
| Dress in layers | | | | activities require a certain amount of dexterity, which |
| Our body loses heat through conduction, convection, | | | | mittens can't provide. |
| evaporation, radiation and perspiration. As activity | | | | Layer your feet with socks |
| levels increase so does the heat produced in our | | | | Wear multiple layers of socks starting with thin |
| body and vice-versa. Thus it becomes important to | | | | polypropylene liner socks, which will keep the feet |
| insulate our body to keep warm and this is done by | | | | dry, followed by one or two layers of wool or wool |
| the layering technique. When we wear our clothes in | | | | nylon blend socks. The outer layer of socks needs to |
| layers, we ensure that there is enough dead air | | | | be big enough to accommodate the inner layers. |
| space, (defined as any enclosed unit of air that is | | | | Wear a Waterproof outer layer |
| small enough so that natural convection currents | | | | While it would be ideal to have a waterproof outer |
| would not arise in it), which can be shed off layer by | | | | layer, it is essential to make your outer most layer of |
| layer, to balance the heat levels of your body. So | | | | clothing windproof and at least water resistant. Also |
| while you need to dress warmly, you also need to | | | | the garment needs to be able to be ventilated. So |
| dress in layers so that you can be ready for | | | | sometimes it's a trade off between how much |
| temperature changes of the body. | | | | 'waterproofness' is desired and the ability to ventilate. |
| As the old adage goes, if your toes are cold, put on | | | | Ventilation is important because a completely |
| a hat .. | | | | waterproof item will keep the water that is moving |
| You can lose up to 70% of your body heat from | | | | through your other layers trapped, adding to weight |
| your head, so hats are essential for any winter | | | | and causing some heat loss. |
| activity. You may even need to get a face mask if | | | | |