Although the winter in the lowlands is now going to its undeserved end, it will hopefully remain cold in the mountains for quite a while. So here are the seven best tips, so you can stay warm even in the dead of winter and in the cold.
1. Wear more
The first and most important protective barrier against cold is the right clothes, Strictly after the optimized onion principle coordinated, the air heated by the body is kept in the clothes and does not escape easily. As a last reserve, I always have a really thick and warm down jacket in my backpack so that I do not have to cool down too much during breaks, for example when backing up.
2. Eat more
Fat and calories have to do directly with the heat balance of the body. Especially these two fuels ensure that the body has enough energy to stay warm. A good and rich breakfast and occasionally high calorie snacks are the basis for a day in snow and ice. With it are always: chocolate bars and salty. I love the pretzels, especially with Cheddar Cheese. Keep the chocolate bars close to the body, otherwise you can only suck on them. Instant soups or mashed potatoes are always in the backpack for long days. Lately there is also a sweet again cup of pudding in the supermarket, which one touches only with hot water!
3. Drink more
Dehydration makes for even more chill, so a big thermos is a good investment! Sweetened herbal tea, also with ginger for the extra heat boost, is my favorite. If it takes even longer: a small bag with cardboard-sweet instant herbal tea and a stove for snow melting is also there.
4. Move more
At the site already everything dressed and still cold? In a walk break almost freezing? Exercise helps to get the circulation and the body's own heating plant back on track. Whether squats or just jogging up the steep slope, it makes your heart pump. For cold hands, it helps to rotate your arms as fast as possible until the blood in your fingers tingles.
5. Cold feet and hands
If you manage to keep hands and feet warm, you've already won. Always have enough gloves and socks for the rotating change, and actually change as soon as the one pair has become a bit clammy. Water is the best heat conductor, so be sure to avoid damp gloves and socks. In case of cases, I always have hand warmers. These are small bags that generate chemical heat energy when kneading or kinking. One in each glove works wonders!
6. Acceptance
But ultimately there is only one thing: acceptance. It's winter, it's cold. You wanted it that way. It's like climbing: it's all a matter of the mind. The mind triumphs over the body. It takes a little practice, but it works better with time. Get in the cold, that's normal, since time immemorial. Keep the negative thoughts at a distance, dream yourself in the South Seas.
7. hardening
At the beginning of winter we take the cold much stronger, the longer we are exposed to the cold, the more we get used to it. I read about a climber who carried snowballs with his bare hands to get used to them. Wim Hof, down in the video, pushes it to the extreme and shows what's possible.
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What are your tips, how do you keep warm in the outdoor winter?
This article is part 4 of the series Outdoor winter:
- Part 1: Dangers in winter and effects on tour planning
- Part 2: The right clothes for the winter adventure
- Part 3: 5 cooking tips in winter
- Part 4: Seven Tips to Stay Warm in the Winter
More on the subject: Clothing: the optimized onion principle // winter bivouac // Daypack in winter // Shopping guide for winter gear
[...] we to the clothes: Apart from the tips mentioned above nothing special, you lie down depending on the temperature either with mountain pants / jacket or just without in [...]