Cold Weather Camping Personal Gear Guide- CRC, Northwest Hills 2015

Transcription

1 Cold Weather Camping Personal Gear Guide- CRC, Northwest Hills The most important thing that anyone brings with them on a winter camp out, or any Scouting Activity, cannot be bought in any store. It is a positive mental attitude. It is very easy to go on a camp out and be cold and miserable. A positive attitude is a must, and anyone that does not have it, should stay home. All the best gear in the world cannot make you have a rewarding winter camping experience. 2. That said, a Scout needs to Be Prepared! This guide is designed to help you understand what is needed to have great time on this and many other events. 3. Personal Equipment a. Clothing i. Cold weather conditions make the proper choice and use of clothing more vital than at other times of the year. As you prepare your cold weather clothing, keep warm by following the guidelines that spell the word COLD. ii. C Clean 1. Since insulation is effective when heat is trapped by dead air spaces, keep your insulating layers clean. Dirt, grime, and perspiration can mat down those air spaces and reduce the warmth of a garment. Make sure that your clothes are CLEAN before you pack. iii. O Overheating 1. Avoid overheating by packing layers of clothing to meet the outside temperature and exertions of your activities. Excessive sweating will dampen your clothing and cause chilling that will be very difficult to overcome when dusk arrives. iv. L - Loose Layers v. D Dry 1. A steady flow of warm blood is essential to keep all parts of your body heated. Wear several loosely fitting layers of clothing and footgear that will allow maximum insulation without impeding your circulation. 1. Damp clothing and skin can cause your body to cool quickly, possibly leading to frostbite or hypothermia. Keep dry. a. COTTON KILLS- NO COTTON CLOTHING- Wool and Synthetic fabrics wick moisture away from the body and offer insulating value when wet. b. Loosen clothing around your neck and chest when active. Body heat can drive perspiration through many layers of breathable cloth and force it out into the air. Do not wear watertight/non-breathable fabrics. vi. The best method of wearing clothing in the winter is to use the layering system. Choose loose fitting clothing in as many layers as you can. The

2 layers can be taken off or put on, depending on your activity level, temperature, wind, and precipitation. Versatility in your clothing is the key to a successful layering system. Several shirts, a sweater, and a jacket will allow you to adjust your system in many more ways than will a single heavy coat. vii. The best way to pack clothing for a winter camp out is not to just follow a list of clothing, but to actually put on what you will wear to be sure your layering system fits and is functional. viii. 1. To see if your system will keep you warm, go outside and sit in the yard or go to the park and sit for a couple hours (You may even be able to do some requirements for one of the nature related merit badges while you wait). Sitting still is the best way to test your system as this is when your body does not produce much of it's own heat. If you can stay warm sitting around, then you will have no problem staying warm moving around at camp. 2. Be sure you have enough extra clothes, try to pack at least another complete outfit just in case your first gets too wet to be used. 3. Always include spare long underwear and twice as many pairs of extra socks, then you think you need! 1. Base Layer- Long Underwear (2 Pairs Minimum Required) a. Wool blend or Synthetic-Top and Bottom (2 Pairs Minimum) b. Turtle neck tops protect the neck and other exposed skin on the lower part of the face. 2. Socks-Winter weight (3 Pairs Minimum Required) a. MINIMUM of three (3) pair of socks are recommended as long as they aren't too tight. Wool or a wool blend is best. b. Thin synthetic sock (liners) with heavy wool socks over them is the best system. 3. Hats/Scarves (1 Minimum Required) a. Stocking hats are great for wear outdoors and at night in your sleeping bag (Minimum 1) b. Best is knit hat long enough to cover your head and neck, and all of your face except your eyes. (A Ski Mask or Balaclava-Recommended 1) c. A scarf around your neck that can be used to cover your face if needed because of wind or severe cold (Recommended 1) d. Ball caps even when made of wool retain very little body heat, ears are very prone to frostbite, so ball caps are not recommended. 4. Winter Gloves/Mittens (2 Pairs Minimum Required)

3 a. 1 pair of insulated Mittens that allow your fingers to be in direct contact with one another will keep your hands warmer than gloves that isolate each finger. b. 1 pair of gloves are also required because many tasks around camp cannot not be done wearing mittens. c. 1 extra pair gloves and/or mittens are a must as gloves and mittens tend to get very wet. d. Thin synthetic gloves (liners) with worn under gloves and mittens is the best system. 5. Shirts/Sweaters-Mid layer Insulation (2 Minimum Required) a. Wool or synthetic fleece sweaters make excellent midlayers for winter camping. They insulate even when wet and wick moisture away from the body (Minimum 2) b. Having access to dry mid-layers is necessary especially if you get cold at night. By reducing heat loss at the center of your body and head, your feet and hands will stay warmer. 6. Jacket/Outer-layer (1 Minimum Required) a. Jackets and outer-layers are designed to prevent rain, & melting snow from getting your mid and base layers, getting you wet. b. They are also meant to block the wind and prevent heat from being drawn away from your body by the wind. c. Shell Jackets have no insulation. If you have a shell, you will want to have either extra mid-layers that you can double up on or heavier mid-layers. d. Most regular winter jackets have insulation. Like having extra insulation in your attic at home, this prevents heat loss. i. Down Insulation-Down feathers make excellent lightweight insulation fill for a winter jacket. However if down insulation gets wet, it loses most of its insulating value and it is very difficult to dry in the field. ii. Synthetic Insulation- Is a little heavier than down and a little bulkier but it retains most of its insulating qualities when wet and it is easier to dry in the field than down fill. iii. The safer and more cost effective approach for the youth winter camper is synthetic insulation. e. Recommended: Insulated winter jacket with a hood, rain resistant and windproof. 7. Pants (1 Pair Minimum-2 Pair Recommended) a. Similar to a jacket, pants used for winter camping need to protect you from wind, rain, & snow.

4 b. NO COTTON c. Snow/Ski pants are usually insulated, wind, and water resistant. d. Wool or lined pants are a good alternative but may not provide as much protection in the wind as Ski-pants 8. Footwear (1 pair heavy winter 1 pair extra shoes) a. Footwear is important in winter camping as your feet are subject to more exposure to moisture especially if it's not too cold out and snow is melting. b. Insulated and waterproof boots with removable insulated liners are best (Sorel, Kamik, etc). The liners can be removed, warmed and dried if necessary. If you do not have winter boots with removable liners bring an extra pair of socks as an alternative. c. An extra pair of lighter shoes should also be packed to change into if needed. ix. Remember that winter camping is not a fashion show. Whatever combination of clothing it takes to keep you warm should be worn, regardless of how it looks. b. Sleeping System i. We use the word system again when talking about what you use to keep warm and comfortable at night because like your layering system you use for clothing, your sleeping system is similar. The difference is that at night it is generally colder, you are totally inactive, and you are down on the cold hard ground. ii. Tent 1. A tent is not made to keep you warm. It is a defense against wind and precipitation. You cannot expect your body heat to warm a tent. 2. With this in mind, it is important that you keep your tent's venting system open at night so that the vapor your body gives off at night can escape, preventing moisture building up in your tent. 3. To help stop melting snow from soaking through the tent floor, put a plastic tarp or ground cloth under the tent and inside the tent. This also helps protect the tent floor. iii. Sleeping Pad- You need to insulate your body from the cold ground. Even the best sleeping bag you can buy does not insulate very well on the bottom because your body weight compresses the insulation almost completely flat. 1. The best way to combat this is to use a foam pad. a. Closed Cell Foam-Like exercise mat material or RidgeRest b. Open Cell Foam-Like a Therm-A-Rest

5 c. The major difference between the two types are the Open Cell Foam pads pack smaller and tend to be more expensive. Both will insulate you from the ground. 2. Air mattresses provide little or no insulating value in the winter and should be avoided and not used fir winter camping. iv. Sleeping Bag- A sleeping bag's function is to trap body heat in a small area, while letting body moisture out, to keep you warm. 1. A Zero degree rated synthetic filled bag is strongly recommended for the youth winter camper. (See Clothing Section 6d Down versus synthetic insulation) 2. If you tend to get cold when you sleep at home or on Spring and Fall Campouts, you can use the same method of layering clothing in your sleeping bag at night as you do during the day. a. Who ever suggested that you should sleep in you underwear (or less), probably never went winter camping. b. As long as your cloths are not damp or wet, you can wear anything in your sleeping bag as you normally would outside. c. You should always change into Clean and Dry layers of clothing before getting into you sleeping bag at night. d. You can add a blanket or two inside the bag if you have room. Remember wool or synthetic fleece are best. e. Wear a Hat! i. Just remember not to fill up all the space in your bag, this will result in you being cold because there is no airspace to warm. i. Heat loss from your head can cause you to be very cold at night. ii. Never put your head into your bag and breath inside it. The moisture your breath gives off will soak your bag. Making for cold and miserable nights. f. Your sleeping bag can act as a protection from freezing for things like cameras, water bottle, and your boots. i. Items can be put into plastic bags and placed under the foot of your bag. ii. There is nothing more chilling then trying to put on frozen boots in the morning. 1. Tip: Brush all the snow off your boots or liners before putting them under your bag. iii. Your jacket can be rolled up and used as a pillow and insulation for your head.

6 c. Cooking Gear and Food 4. Other Gear a. Backpack i. As the purpose of this manual is to help the individual scout prepare for a winter campout, we will not discuss group cooking gear, or food here. These topics will be discussed at troop meetings prior to each campout. As cooking time in the winter is greatly increased and fuel consumption is also increased, along with other difficulties, scouts will be eating a vast majority of their food as a group. ii. Personal Mess Kit 1. Thermal Cup with Top 2. Knife/Fork/Spoon, or Spork! 3. Deep dish plate or Bowl-Unbreakable a. Keep in mind metal bowls lose heat quickly in the winter. A plastic deep plate or bowl works best. b. 2 leak proof water bottles capable of holding hot or warm water because water may need to be boiled and placed under the foot of sleeping bags on in them to prevent freezing and for warmth. i. One important note is that drinking water is very important during a winter campout. Dehydration makes you cold and could lead to hypothermia. Because the air is so dry in the winter, your body looses heat a lot faster! iii. Individual food such as snacks and things may be brought to winter campouts, however like all campouts, they should be stored in the patrol kitchen or bear bag. b. Flashlight/Headlamp 1. Scouts should not bring food in their packs or into their tents. i. Extra Batteries c. Personal First Aid Kit d. Pocket Knife e. Cord or Rope f. Sunglasses-Snow Glare g. Chap-Stick or Lip Balm h. Personal Hygiene-Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, small towel i. Plastic Garbage Bags- i. Use for Ground cloth, rain gear, pack cover, wet clothes, wet boots