Too Cold For Comfort?
How to improve your
tolerance for cold and enhance your outdoor performance.
By Buck
Tilton, BACKPACKER Contributing Editor, October 2000
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Photo by Kurt
Wilson/Rodale Images
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Exposure to cold
temperatures while backpacking or backcountry skiing causes two important
physiological responses: increased production of body heat and constriction of
blood vessels in your skin, making the skin a better insulator. Good on both
counts, though there are negative side effects: You tire quickly, your aerobic
power is reduced, and you're clumsy and have lessened muscle function. In other
words, you don't perform as well.
That's no reason to stay
indoors, though. Boost your winter tolerance and performance levels by warming
up to the following cold-weather tips:
Be
fit: Compared to thin folks, the
metabolisms of fit people generate heat more quickly and easily. The fit are
able to work harder and longer, and work makes heat. Plus, a greater aerobic
capacity means a more efficient metabolism.
Dress
for success: Stay warm by staying
dry. Winter clothing should be made of synthetics or wool that wick moisture
away from the skin. Layering lets you add and subtract clothing to control
sweating. Also, heat and moisture are lost just by breathing in the cold. Mask
your nose and mouth with some sort of material, such as a thick scarf, to trap
moisture and a little heat.
Food
is fuel: Having plenty of fuel on
board enhances heat production, so don't scrimp on food or water. During winter
trips, you should eat high-calorie meals and drink water often, even if you
don't feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol-it gives you a sensation of warmth by
dilating blood vessels in the skin, but that makes you more susceptible to heat
loss.
Get
used to it: Getting acclimatized is
a long, slow process, and prolonged exposure to extreme cold produces few, if
any, major results. Even so, months of living in frigid temps can increase
production of hormones that boost heat production, usually benefiting hands and
feet the most.
Be
plump: Fat increases the insulating
value of skin, so overweight people tend to tolerate cold better.
Unfortunately, muscle insulates poorly compared to the flabby stuff. This is
not a license to gain 30 pounds, though, just a legitimate excuse to put off
losing that holiday fat until your winter camping is done.
Put A Lid On Heat Loss
There's good advice in the old maxim, "If you have cold feet, cover your
head." That's because about half of your body's radiant heat escapes
through your head. Now you can reduce that heady heat loss with a silver hat
called the Hot-Head Thermocap. Durable, waterproof, washable, and weighing less
than an ounce, this "shower cap" contraption really does keep your
heat close to your noggin. It can also be wrapped around cold hands or feet.
The down side: It looks odd, but, hey, no one ever said comfort was cute.
Price: $24.50 for a box of 25. For a free
sample, call (888) 585-HEAT, or see www.hot-head.com.
