Helpful Tips for Staying Warm on Winter Hikes
Let’s face it, being cold just isn’t fun. Do you find yourself putting your outdoor adventure life on hold in the winter months because you hate the cold? It doesn’t have to be that way. We’re here to give you tips to help keep you warm so you can enjoy the outdoors and be physically and emotionally healthy year-round.
1) Have a Drink - Bring an insulated thermos with a hot drink or hot soup. Warming up from the inside out does wonders for the morale. We at Femme Trek love Kuju Coffee or Yogi Honey Lavender tea for a pick-me-up.
2) Go Pee - Don’t suck it up and hold your pee. Your body is using it’s energy to keep your pee warm instead of warming your core, fingers, and toes. Ladies, we get it that on a cold winter day the last thing you want to do is have your bare butt exposed, but if you can handle it, go pee. Also, check out SheFly pants with a zipper that goes from the front all the way to the back so you can unzip and pee without having to remove your pants. Brilliant!
3) Get a Good Night’s Sleep - We know this isn’t always possible, but it helps to be well rested before going on an outdoor winter adventure. Just as with pee, your body will be able to distribute energy throughout to help you stay warm instead of trying to keep your eyelids open.
4) Hand/Toe Warmers - There’s no shame in using Hot Hands or some other hand/toe warmers. We like to put them right inside the gloves/mittens so we can feel the warmth. A word of caution, that if they become too hot, take them out and place on the outside of the gloves/mittens.
5) Keep Moving - They say summer bodies are made in the winter! When we’re moving the blood is pumping so you might want to rethink the casual lunch at the lake in the winter.
6) Get in the Sunshine - If you have a choice between a trail in the sun or the shade, choose the sun. Choosing sunny trails will help your morale and hopefully make you want to keep getting outdoors in the winter.
7) Bundle Up and Wear Neoprene - Bundling up might seem obvious too, but it’s important to cover head, ears, neck, and chest and consider a neoprene face mask like this one from Seirus. Neoprene is waterproof so it won’t get wet and gross like a neck scarf or buff might. Staying dry is key to staying warm in the winter.
We hope you enjoyed these tips and feel comfortable adventuring on no matter what time of year!