Whether it is hunting, fishing, hiking or just roaming the outdoors, winter may offer more outdoors options than summer.
The first consideration is dressing for activities in cold weather.
Keeping warm means more than being comfortable in cold times. It can also mean prevention of bigtime trouble, even death, by hypothermia.
Don’t skimp on the clothes. Take along more than you think you’ll need. Having adequate clothing can make an outing feasible and enjoyable.
Some precautions are needed, especially since the weather may be cool, cold or bone-chilling frigid. Get cold, get wet and the specter of hypothermia looms. More common is the likelihood of a fun outing becoming an unpleasant occurrence.
All right, dress warm when you go out. That’s the first rule and probably the most important. Dressing warm is best done with layers of clothes, not justone Russian-winter type overcoat.
After long underwear, and you may want to choose a long-sleeved T-shirt to go with the long handles or one-piece union suit. Most anything you choose will be suffcient for an Arkansas outing with temperature down into the teens.
Keep the perspiration factor in mind. Some underwear like the heavy polypropylene types keep you warm but also keep in perspiration instead of letting it evaporate.
A sweatshirt or a sweater, then a jacket or coveralls should finish the outfit. Many Arkansas hunters and fishermen rely on insulated coveralls or insulated bib overalls and jackets.
These can be opened partially or closed snugly depending on the exertion factor. Workers outside as well as hunters and fi shermen regard insulated coveralls as essentials.
They are basic, along with long underwear. Many people favor coveralls with zippers on the lower legs to help get them on and oft over boots.
Fishermen often use onepiece snowsuits, and these work well when water may be splashed around.
A hat is critical. Cover the head and you hold heat in. It’s that simple. If your jacket or coveralls has a hood built in, that is a major plus. Just a ball cap of the solid variety, not mesh, is better than nothing and is good under a hood, since you’ll have the bill to shield eyes.
Knit caps keep the head warm, too, and these are doubly effective under a hood.
Covering the face goes along with the head covering, especially if you are going to be sitting for long periods. A scarf of any type that can be pulled up or dropped down works well.
Gloves are needed most anytime the temperature gets under 50 degrees. These gloves can range from woolen mittens to leather gloves, from dress or driving gloves to heavy-duty work gloves. If the day is really cold, consider a two-glove system. Light gloves with heavy mittens over them is one choice. Another is gloves with a pair of socksover them.
Get wet from fi shing, peel oft the socks and the gloves should be dry enough to keep you warm. A pair of thin latex gloves topped by mittens or regular gloves will be warm, also, but your hands will tend to sweat.
Right along with head and hands, feet are the items that tend to get cold quickly on winter outings. Insulated boots are good, but the layering should start with a pair of thin socks then a pair of heavy socks.
Wool or a wool blend is functional here. The idea is for socks that allow feet to perspire and that will let the moisture escape to the outside.
Highly recommended is the practice of taking along a change of clothes.
This may remain in the vehicle, but it will be worth its weight in gold if you fall in water on a freezing day. Even if you just work up a sweat on a hike, getting back to the vehicle and changing socks can be a comforting move.
If it rains or sleets or snow on you, the change is extremely handy.
Opinion, Pages 9 on 12/24/2009