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Thread: Planning for cold weather

  1. #1
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    Planning for cold weather

    After about 370 days of solid work, 7 days a week I was able to get away for 2 1/2 days to MVT for another iteration of Heat 1 their flagship team tactics class.

    It was crazy cold and having been there to train in December before I was well aware of this and planned ahead.

    Friday afternoon it rained slightly on the square range. Rain and high 30's, yeah that's fun. Saturday and Sunday on the tactical ranges it was rarely over 30 degrees and the wind was constant running up the valley.

    These kind of conditions have to be planned for correctly.

    I remember getting hypothermia two times training when I was younger. One was on a February weekend where it rained the entire time and the temperature never got above 40. We were dropped off at a training site in the middle of nowhere with a scheduled pick up on Sunday. By mid day Saturday we were soaked to the bone and two skinny little fellows with us were in real danger of dying out there, really all of us were. Later it was "called" and two of us decided to walk the 10 miles out to a phone and call for an early pickup. We tried all the "tricks" that morning to get a fire going in rain and soup, none of them worked. We had a tarp strung up over where we were attempting to start a fire. Every little fire we would get started would soon die out because of lack of dry enough tinder and the wind. It sucked, it was bad. Three of us were under 20 and one of us was "an adult" LOL. This mad for some bad decision making as no one wanted to be "that guy" that threw in the towel first and said let's walk out. Seeing one of the skinny guys shaking uncontrollably for a half hour made the decision for us. Two of us including myself took the long walk out, ditching our gear near the road where we designated a rally point and walking back to the nearest phone in the rain.

    A few years later I suffered a dry hypothermia event also. Area we were training in got down to 19 degrees and coming in after midnight from a solo night land nav course I was a little sweaty. Being a little wiser but not having much more money nor availability of quality gear, I made due without a sleeping bag. I wrapped up in all I had- poncho and a space blanket and essentially slept in the fire... Actually had burn marks on my gear in the morning. Would get a little bit of sleep until the fire died down, then would wake up shivering, stocked the fire some, got back to sleep for a little while and went through that same process all night.

    The worst part on the last example was that we had to hike and shoot for qualification the following day, so I was dragging butt big time during those events as well.

    I vowed that when I started making money I was going to be sure I had good cold weather gear.

    Until you experience "the suck" like that, you may not "get it" why you need to invest in quality extreme cold weather gear.

    One of the guys this weekend had an issue with his car when he arrived and accidentally locked the keys in his car. Had to bust a window out to get the rest of his gear out for the class. He also forgot a heavy jacket. Seeing him suffer in the cold I gave him a Snupak Sleeka Elite jacket I had brought with me.

    It made me think how many people will have to "embrace the suck" (re: bad conditions) due to poor planning on their end.

    While I used to get asked "why do you have extreme cold weather gear, you live in Florida?" I always replied that I had been in the field and gotten mild hypothermia a time or three and therefore understood the need for staying warm, getting a good night of sleep, etc. Often times when people aren't actually getting out and using their gear (like most "preppers" don't) they don't know what they don't know.

    Things I started keeping in packs year round-

    *A good set of silk weight undergarments for a base layer. These are super lightweight and take up little room.

    *All of my packs have a lightweight jacket that will compress into a stuff sack like a Sleeka Elite jacket-
    https://www.jrhenterprises.com/Snugp...-Tan-92935.htm

    This gives me options for layering.

    *Extra socks for cold weather. I'm a fan of Thorlos.

    *Quality gloves. The mechanix gloves look all cool daddy on the shooting range, but they don't seem to help much in the cold and if they get damp your totally screwed. Look at some of the Outdoor Research brand of gloves for better options for cold weather.

    *Small compressible sleeping mat. There are cut down versions of Thermarests and Multimat that work well.

    *Small compact sleeping bag like a Snugpak Merlin or a Hawk. If conditions are expected to truly suck, then a larger bag or I will double one of these inside a larger bag.

    *Combat casualty blanket. The heavy green on one side and reflective on the other side ones.

    *Wet weather fire making aids- several lighters along with a little "Starter log" brand firestarter. These are small compressed starters, not a "log" in the sense of what you think. A couple split up pencil sized sections of lighter knot or "punk"- that's pitchy pine for you non southerners- are nice also. Conditions may be so bad that you have to start a fire on top of something else. I've seen moisture in the ground kill fires that were just getting started that guys had worked on for long periods of time. That plastic outer wrapper of your Israeli bandage, or the outer plastic from an MRE can be set down on damp ground and your fire started over that. I know, I know burning plastic and crybabies that revolve around that, but we are talking about crappy conditions here and potentially survival.

    Also it's important you manage yourself as well as your gear during cold weather. This means stuff like avoiding over heating (sweat is bad in cold weather) and being willing to shed a layer when necessary. Drink something warm when you can and be sure to eat a warm meal when possible.

    As it nears night, be sure to have any gear your going to switch out for sleeping located and prepped. This is different than car camping where you can offload all your crap and leave it laying about everywhere. Your gear should be ready to pick up and leave with at a minute's notice. So your sleeping gear shouldn't be unpacked until right before it's needed. And then it should be packed up immediately in the morning and your ruck re-packed and ready to go. Think "I need to be gone in less than a minute" and pack that way.
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  2. #2
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    My only quibble with your post:

    I vowed that when I started making money I was going to be sure I had good cold weather gear.
    You can still have effective cold weather gear without spending lots of money or having the latest and greatest hi-tech materials.

    Humans have been surviving the cold for 10,000+ years without that stuff. Old fashioned wool is still one of the best things going.

    ...but your point about having and KNOWING your gear is well taken.
    Last edited by tanksoldier; 12-15-20 at 15:35.
    "I am a Soldier. I fight where I'm told and I win where I fight." GEN George S. Patton, Jr.

  3. #3
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    A lot of valid points, but living in northern MI it does make me chuckle a little bit. It is definitely something you adapt too. For instance, it was 25 out today and I was working outside with just a sweatshirt on and felt comfortable. We will go swimming in lake MI when the water is 50 and the air temp is 60. There are plenty of people who wear shorts all year long up here.

    Cold weather gear is a must though because when it gets sub zero with gusting winds it could kill you quick.

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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by tanksoldier View Post
    My only quibble with your post:



    You can still have effective cold weather gear without spending lots of money or having the latest and greatest hi-tech materials.

    Humans have been surviving the cold for 10,000+ years without that stuff. Old fashioned wool is still one of the best things going.

    ...but your point about having and KNOWING your gear is well taken.

    Well to be clear what we "had" years ago for cold weather gear was not much more than a GI poncho and a space blanket. So ANY cold weather gear was an upgrade
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by jesuvuah View Post
    A lot of valid points, but living in northern MI it does make me chuckle a little bit. It is definitely something you adapt too. For instance, it was 25 out today and I was working outside with just a sweatshirt on and felt comfortable. We will go swimming in lake MI when the water is 50 and the air temp is 60. There are plenty of people who wear shorts all year long up here. Cold weather gear is a must though because when it gets sub zero with gusting winds it could kill you quick. Sent from my LM-Q720 using Tapatalk
    Acclimation is a thing, and hilarious when the new neighbors are from SoCal.
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lowdown3 View Post
    Well to be clear what we "had" years ago for cold weather gear was not much more than a GI poncho and a space blanket. So ANY cold weather gear was an upgrade
    A GI poncho over a GI wool blanket with a hole cut for your head over an M65 jacket and watch cap is actually pretty good... especially siting on a log, with your head propped up on your rifle and a candle burning between your feet. Call the ensemble "Guard Duty at Grafenwoehr MTA circa 1991".

    ...but wool sweaters, socks and such have existed forever, literally and good stuff can still be found at Goodwill and other second hand stores for cheap. If, at any point in history, all somebody had was a poncho and space blanket they weren't trying.
    Last edited by tanksoldier; 12-16-20 at 11:43.
    "I am a Soldier. I fight where I'm told and I win where I fight." GEN George S. Patton, Jr.

  7. #7
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    LOL.

    Well Florida and teenager without a lot of resources.

    The point of posting was in the lines of "learn from my mistakes" type of thing.
    Last edited by Lowdown3; 12-16-20 at 12:00.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lowdown3 View Post
    *Combat casualty blanket. The heavy green on one side and reflective on the other side ones.
    Is this the same as a SPACE All Weather Blanket? These are the same size, weight, and appearance, but less expensive and easier to find. Compare the two links.

    http://www.theopsdeck.com/MEDKIT%20C....RC%209069.htm
    https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/the-...eather-blanket

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Disciple View Post
    Is this the same as a SPACE All Weather Blanket? These are the same size, weight, and appearance, but less expensive and easier to find. Compare the two links.

    http://www.theopsdeck.com/MEDKIT%20C....RC%209069.htm
    https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/the-...eather-blanket

    First link looked good but probably both same or very similar products.

    These fit nicely along the hard plastic sheet frame of a pack or in that little pocket if your pack has one.
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  10. #10
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    Good post and good things to think about. I definitely enhance my family's vehicle emergency gear when the weather starts turning cold, and i think having the 10 essentials in your vehicle year round is a smart way to go.

    Being on the Sheriff Search and Rescue Team, i'm always shocked how many people we rescue every year who just simply aren't prepared at all for the conditions they are in. These type of 'preparation' conversations may seem normal to us, but it's crazy how many people don't think about this type of stuff, and don't prepare for bad situations.

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