Clothing and Survival

Filed in archive Winter Adventures on October 31, 2006

One of the most important aspects to cold weather survival outdoors is your choice of clothing. But even with the proper clothing, a lack of knowledge can be fatal.

Most people who brave the outdoors know that covering their heads is vital to retaining body heat. We've heard that you can lose 80% to 90% of your body heat through your head - it's actually more like 40% to 45% according to Army survival guides. What we may not realize is that a sizeable amount of heat is lost through our necks, wrists and ankles. These parts of your body have little if any insulating fat and blood travels close to the surface of your skin.

According to Survive the Outdoors:

There are four basic principles to follow to keep warm. An easy way to remember these basic principles is to use the word COLD--

C - Keep clothing clean.

O - Avoid overheating.

L - Wear clothes loose and in layers.

D - Keep clothing dry.

The site goes into detail on these principles - why it's important to keep clothing clean, how to avoid overheating and more. It also links to other aspects of cold weather survival. Read up before you head out, OK?