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How to Dress for the Cold - The Real Effect of Wind Chill on Your Body and Your Day Outside.
Wind will rapidly increase the chilling effect of cold temperatures and accelerate the chilling process. The air that is trapped within our garments, called our mini-environment, is the key to staying warm. Without many layers or a windproof outer jacket, pants, or hat, the wind will literally blow away the warm layer of air that is trapped close to the body. The body must then work to reheat the air within its mini-environment. If this process is repeated too many times, the body becomes dangerously chilled. At a temperature of 14 °F and winds of 18 mph, the wind chill effect on bare skin will equal a windless temperature of -17 °F. The additional wind produced while snowmobiling, skiing and other outdoor activities at speed increases the wind chill effect. 
The prepared outdoorsman (or woman) must take great care to combat the effect of the wind during times of extreme cold weather.
- Wear a wicking layer close to the skin. There are many fabrics and fibers that pull the moisture away from your body and wick it towards the outer layers where it can disperse, leaving your skin dry. Some of these materials are blends of polyester, bamboo, and wool, just to name a few. Our base layers have many options.
- Wear thermal weight garments over your wicking layers. A thermal weight garment should be made of a fabric that has a high "loft". This helps to trap the warm air within the fibers to keep you warm longer. (Our Woolpower garments from Sweden are made with a very high loft specifically for this purpose, and our thermal fleece layers have high-loft as well.)
- The outermost layer should be waterproof and windproof which will stop the wind from robbing the warm air trapped within your mini-environment. This will keep you warm longer with less effort from the body. Also, if your jacket or pants have adjustments at the opening areas, it is essential that you close them. For example, our Hycreek waterproof and windproof outer jackets have drawstrings at the bottom of the jacket, velcro at the waist and cuffs, closure snaps at the neck, and a mechanism for tightening the hood completely around your head. This will ensure that the wind can not creep inside from any angle and rob your precious body heat.
Wind Chill Temperature Chart
Wind Speed
| Air Temperature
| | 0 | 0 | -5
| -10 | -15 | -20 | -25 | -30 | -35 | -40 | | 2 | -1 | -6 | -11 | -16 | -21 | -27 | -32 | -37 | -42 | | 5 | -9 | -15 | -21 | -28 | -34 | -40 | -47 | -53 | -59 | | 8 | -13 | -20 | -27 | -34 | -41 | -48 | -55 | -62 | -69 | | 16 | -18 | -26
| -34 | -42 | -49 | -57 | -65 | -73 | -80 | | 25 | -20 | -28 | -36 | -44 | -52 | -60 | -69 | -77 | -85 |
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