Gear for riding in the winter?

[Redd Capp]

Boots seem to be a problem too,,,,I carry a pair of over the calf light weight hiking boots and a light pair of tennis shoes. Heavy Steel toes cause problems with getting on and off a moving train as the lower weight can pull you under. Merrill makes a good hiking boot and I have been able to fish these out of EMS dumpsters or a outdoor gear exchage.

 

[Dishka8643]

some good information in this video. It pertains to riding motorcycles in winter, but the principals and conditions are about the same.

http://youtu.be/VFqM-yAxCio

 

[Sprouticus]

Military issue polypropylene tops and bottoms. These things saved my life a couple of times running through the great lakes in early spring. Stay warm when your wet.

 

[travelin]

I dont know the brand name, but there is out there emergency sleeping bags made of the space blanket material. I saw one last week for 4 bucks at a surplus store. I used one winter before last and it worked well. I put one of my bags inside it and it worked well(i only had a 40 degree bag and it was hitting the low 20's)

Regular space blankets are an almost must have, tiny and never know when a couple can save your ass. makes a good windbreak/fire reflector in the woods too.

Last winter i ran across a 70% wool blanket at walmarts says it was made in the USA for ten bucks. king sized. it worked very well.

Wool sweaters like the old british commando and USMC issue ones, the green ones with the elbow patches. The navy used to(they may still) have the same sweater in blue.

Silk is very good because it does not chaffe your skin.

Old m65 field jackets with the quilted liner makes a good outer layer.

gloves, gloves, gloves! not leather.

Polypro/thermax/thinsulate socks against your feet with wool socks over them.

Mil issue bivy with whatever you can stuff inside them. space blankets work good inside the bivy.

Believe it or not, a lot of christmas wrapping material has a shiny backside. If it does, it is usable as reflective insulation and makes jam up good shelter insulation and fire reflector material.

Construction workers use a headpiece that they either attach to the inside of their harhats or just wear on the head. They work very well. Have a chinstrap to keep them secure on your head.

If you have plastic sheeting it works well as a fire reflector/windbreak.

 

[Doobie_D]

If ya got the dough to spare.

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com...46&catname=Shelter&prodname=SOL Thermal Bivvy

 

[travelin]

i forgot to mention that if you can find a "casualty blanket" they work well too, but kinda bulky.

 

[marc]

have you used one of those bivys before? i think i might get one

 

[Dead horse]

I was gonna by the Canadian military issue 4 piece arctic sleeping bag set for sleeping in my 5 man arctic bell tent but with a cost of 225.00 bucks i had to take the cheap way out and spend 56.00 for a "big boy" Sack from Wallmart, says its good for up to -6 C i haven't a clue what that is in F but I already had a shitty light one from the end of the summer so hopefully the 2 combined will get me through some -20, shouldn't be bad but i got the my wood stove and the propane

 

[travelin]

hey dead -6c is about 22f.

i scored part of the US ecws sleeping system, the bivy, the green bag and the stuff sack but the black bag thats supposed to take it down to -30f is just too high. i figure to use a wool blanket and a space blanket with the bivy and green bag.

duct taping two of those space blankets together makes a huge cover.

 

[Dead horse]

Nice! Ya stay warm we don't need anyone dying from the cold out there

 

[travelin]

oh, dont worry bout me! this is my rockhounding gear. You never know when something bad happens up in the mountains.

im living on grid in a travel trailer out by apache junction at the base of superstition mountain in arizona

 

[HUMANCONTRAST]

nice thread ron, sorry i'm making you go north when its already cold here... but it'll be warmer when you leave with me cos i HAZ 2 GET TUMORZ REMOVED.

and to those talking shit on snuggies... this girl kicked me down one and i thought the same thing fuck this shit but kept it and it saved me on my ride from muscle shoals AL, to pine bluff AK and it saved my life. kept me way warmer then I would of been because it frosted that night and at that point in time it was still summer and i had no pants just a skirt

 

[Mankini]

Everyone should watch the "Cult of Snuggie" video on youtube.