How do you stay warm in the wild?

Answer 1

Whilst out in the wild there are three commonly known ways to stay warm.

One: Clothing. The best way to use your clothing to keep you warm is to layer (several thin layers of clothing will keep you much warmer than one thick layer). Layering works by trapping the air that your body warms up with your body heat between the layers of clothes. Think of it as counting each layer of warm air as another layer of clothing. Your first layer should be a synthetic (like UnderArmor or Smartwool) T-shirt. This will likely be the layer you never take off if on a backpacking trip. The second layer should be a long sleeve T-shirt. Smartwool is the best material to have on you in the wild, but it is expensive. So if you can only manage to get one piece of smartwool, this should be that layer. Make sure the shirt is loose-fitting and covers the base of your palms to lock in the warm air your body produces. Next, invest in a decent, medium-weight fleece that closes up around your wrists and comes up around your neck. Also, a fleece that closes around the waist is great as it will help to keep in the warmth your body produces. The final layer, the one directly exposed to the elements, should be what's called a soft-shell jacket. Soft-shell jackets are wind and rain resistant (varying between brands so do your research). As far as your legs and hands are concerned, a pair of tights under synthetic pants and a pair of gloves will help to keep in the heat.

Second: Get a good sleeping bag. Sleeping bags work the exact same way as the layering concept. It isn't the material that keeps you warm, it's the warm air that it traps inside it. *Also, a sleeping pad that stretches from head to toe will help insulate your body from the cold ground.

Third: Duh, build a fire. This is obviously far more important if you're worried about survival. If you have the luxury of being two fires, put your sleeping area between them. With any fire, you should build what's know as a fire shield. This is simply any kind of wall-like structure that you place on the side of the fire opposite of your sleeping area. This fire shield will redirect the heat of the fire that is being lost in the opposite direction back to you. *If you are positioned near a rock face, do not use it as a fire shield. Place yourself between the fire and the rock and employ the fire shield method. This will trap all the heat of fire in your sleeping area.

Bonus Tip: Most people don't think of this, but if you're very cold (which you will inevitably be during some seasons) and can't get warm, move around. Take a walk around your camp site, pump some water, jump around a bit. *But, be careful to air yourself out if you start to sweat. Sweat will only make you colder and make it very hard to get warm again. The idea is to get your heart to pump (a little) harder and get the warm blood throughout your body.

ENJOY BEING OUTSIDE!!!