Winter 2011: Gear Up!

Winter is coming, there should be no doubt about that. Those of us who live in the colder corners of the globe are in for a few months of frozen fingers and toes, and reddened ears, unless we take some precautions.

The best cold weather duty gear is here, and we take a peek at what some things that might be familiar, and some things that might be new – gear up, people, because it’s going to get cold in here! Or out there, rather.

The most important things to think about when you’re outside in cold weather, extreme or not, is to preserve your core temperature, and to be ready for things to get worse, not hope they get better. Luckily, we’re living in 2011 – we have the technology! Now, in addition to technology, you’re going to need some common sense. We realize that this is not in abundance with everyone, and so we recommend that you follow our easy list of things to do in order to survive the winter months on duty.

Tips and Tricks!

– Stay dry. This is a no-brainer, really, but it’s not always easy. Bring an extra pair of socks when you go on out there, if you bring nothing else. Dry feet is paramount in keeping your temperature up-

– Cover your head! This one gets and exclamation mark because so much heat is lost through the head. It doesn’t matter how many layers of clothing you wear on the rest of you, if your head is bare. A nice wool cap is your best friend. And it looks kinda bad-ass too.

– Plan ahead. And plan for things to get worse. Bring more clothes than you think you need at the moment. When that snow storm rolls in, you’ll be glad you brought your parka, even though the sun was shining when you set out from home.

Yeah, yeah – enough with the chatter – on with the stuff!

Must-Have Cold Weather Gear!

1. Canada Goose. Right, we know. Those oversized, down filled parkas? No, not necessarily. While still slightly on the expensive side, they have a nice selection of news, such as this nice hoodie. While it might be tough to convince your supervisor to equip the guard force with Canada Goose parkas, it might be worth it. We’ve even written a review of those before, and that one still holds true. Nothing beats Canada Goose in a real chill.

2. Watch Cap! Remember the second bullet up above? That’s why this one gets an exclamation mark as well. A fine wool watch cap is your best friend in the cold, hands down. The most common mistake that people do is to choose something other than 100% wool. Wool will keep you warm whether it’s wet or dry. Nothing else does that. We know this isn’t “new” – but it’s still so essential that it gets on this year’s list, and it’ll still be on the list for as long as there are winters coming around.

3. Merino Wool Heated Socks. Okay, we’re moving into the high tech part of this. These are merino wool (best wool there is) socks with pouches to place hand/foot warming packs. Excellent! At 12%, the wool content is a bit low, but that shouldn’t be a problem as long as you have a few heating packs handy. Those packs are supposed to last 6 hours, so even if you work long hours outside, they’ll still see you through. Put’em in when you’re starting to feel chilly, and keep’em in as long as they last.

4. Heated Gloves. Sort of like heated socks…but for your hands. You get the idea. These are electrically heated, have three temperature settings to choose from, and are guaranteed to keep you toasty. Cold hands are painful, inefficient hands, and that’s not a good thing if you’re on security duty or a law enforcement officer.

5. “Base Layer”. Which is only a fancy term for long underwear, really. Wool, people! Merino wool is the only way to go. Transports moisture, feels cuddly (if that’s important to ya) and stays warm even when wet. Synthetics do none of these things. Get a 2-piece set, and get ready to stay warm and cosy – especially if you combine it with some nice wool socks, good insulated boots and a Canada Goose parka. No amount of snow or ice will stop you.