Playboy's Informed Source

How to Keep Warm

Winter would be enjoyable for most of us if it weren't so damn cold. We tend to bundle ourselves against the temperature and grudgingly go about our business. It needn't be so, however. With proper clothing and other gear, coupled with an understanding of how our bodies deal with cold weather, we can beat the shivers and get more out of the outdoors in winter.

Some Points of Physiology

Man is ideally a subtropical animal who is best adapted to deal with heat, not cold. When there's an imbalance between the body's heat production and its loss, the body's first response is a cyclical shutdown of circulation of blood to the skin to reduce further heat loss. The body also attempts to insulate itself by raising goose bumps, which attempts to fluff out the vestigial body hair. It's the same principle that works well for fur-bearing animals. The fur traps a layer of air next to the skin surface. This layer of dead air is the best kind of insulation, but, unfortunately, humans don't have enough hair to effectively trap enough air to make a difference. The body also attempts to warm itself by shivering--which is a rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles on the skin surface. It produces up to three times more body heat, but it doesn't help much unless the body is covered, therefore insulated.

One of the body's most important means of adjusting to the cold is simply not to let the weather bother it. The first day of a cold snap always feels the worst, no matter how cold subsequent days eventually get. We become used to it, because the body relaxes its vasoconstriction a bit, letting more heat reach the skin. A shot of alcohol produces the same temporary effect.

Clothing: The Truth Shall Make You Warm

Generally speaking, it is better to give up cotton clothing and switch to wool garments during the winter. Wool and cotton both absorb perspiration, but wool retains better insulating properties when moist, unlike cotton, which, when wet, actually draws heat away from the body. Ideally, wool underwear would be great, if you could stand the feel of it next to your skin. Dress for winter by adding layers of clothing, but don't overheat yourself; as you sweat, your clothes lose their insulating properties.

Obviously, for most of us who must endure urban winters, the most valuable piece of equipment is a warm coat or jacket. And while a wool topcoat is stylistically correct and fairly warm, and cashmere is as warm and a good deal lighter, though frailer, neither will really do the trick when the temperature dips below zero and the wind chill factors the temperature dramatically downward. A goose-down parka is the best insulator under most circumstances. When shopping for one, though, don't be confused by its manufacturer's claims. A term such as "prime Northern goose down" is virtually meaningless. Geese living in the North are no better at producing high-quality insulation than their cousins in the South. By law, a garment labeled goose down generally contains only 80 percent goose down. The best idea is to buy your coat from a reputable supplier, such as L. L. Bean or Eddie Bauer. Many down-filled garments have seams that penetrate both the outside and the inside of the shell. These will produce cold spots, though over-all insulating ability may be satisfactory. The major drawback to a down jacket is that if it gets wet, the down mats and rapidly loses its insulating properties. A number of synthetic fibers have been introduced in the past several years in jackets and they're worth considering: Fiberfill, Hollofil, Hollofil II and Polar-Guard. It generally takes one third more synthetic material to keep one as warm as down does. But, unlike down, the synthetics do not absorb moisture; so if they get wet, they can be wrung out and dried very quickly. Also, jackets made with synthetic fibers are often considerably less expensive than their down counterparts. A new entry is 3M's Thinsulate--a nonwoven 35 percent polyester and 65 percent polyolefin batting of microfibers that offers warmth without bulk. The theory is that the microfibers impose more friction on air in a given space than their bulkier counterparts--so that a Thinsulate jacket is as warm as a thicker Hollofil jacket. For the best of both worlds, wear a down vest under a water-resistant parka.

Of course, you're not going to get much out of a warm coat if your head is uncovered. Sixty percent of body heat is lost through the scalp. That occurs because, unlike other major organs of the body, the tissue and musculature that surround Insulate your body and laugh at winter the skull are not able to contract--shutting off the flow of heat from the skin. If you look silly in a wool cap or a fedora, try a beret--which least alters your unhatted appearance. We've found, too, that a scarf worn not for ornamentation but for warmth is a major asset.

Cold feet are one of the most unpleasant aspects of slushy wintry weather. Dress shoes take an awful beating from the snow and the salt and, besides, they were never meant for heavy-duty winter use. The alternatives, while not fashionable in a strict sense, have their own special charm. Our favorites include the L. L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoe, which has rubber bottoms and leather uppers. It comes in a variety of boot lengths from moccasins to just under the knee. Be sure to order inner soles with it. Another choice is the Herman Survivor. It's a good deal heavier than the Bean boot, but it's relentlessly waterproof and your feet will remain toasty, no matter what you're trekking through. Whatever shoe you wear, make sure your foot has enough room for you to wiggle your toes. If your shoes are too tight, your feet will get cold because you will have cut off warming blood circulation to them.

So button up, and don't let the cold crimp your style.

Emergency Procedures

Cold weather stops being annoying and starts being dangerous when frostbite and hypothermia set in. The best solution to frostbite is to avoid it in the first place. Once your skin surface freezes and white spots, numbness or hardness is present, the damage is done. The severe pain and danger of infection are postponed until your skin thaws, however, so it's critical to get to a doctor quickly. Warming up the victim's feet or hands or whatever area is affected should be attempted only if you're sure the frostbite is very minor. Otherwise, keep the victim in his boots and on his feet. Hypothermia occurs when your internal body temperature begins to fall below normal. It is more common in warmer climates than in cold ones and 40 degrees with rain is more dangerous than zero degrees and snow. Look for goose bumps, prolonged shivering and slow, confused speech and body movements. Victims need insulation from the cold. If all else fails, get into the same sleeping bag with them. Practice makes perfect.

mail-order houses

(A selected list of companies that specialize in footwear, foul-weather gear and winter clothing. Catalogs are free.)

L. L. Bean, Inc.,Freeport, Maine 04033. The best such mail-order company in the country. Home of the famous L. L. Bean Maine Hunting Shoe. Although many of its standard items have become fashionably chic, president Leon Gorman reminds us that Bean "sells steak, not sizzle." You can't go wrong with any of its products.

Eddie Bauer,1330 Fifth Street, Seattle, Washington 98124. Like Bean, a highly reputable company. It has outlet stores in some major cities.

Holubar Mountaineering, Ltd.,Box 7, Boulder, Colorado 80306. Lots of winter camping and mountain-climbing gear.

Other companies of interest: Kreeger & Sons, 387 Main Street, Armonk, New York 10504; Norm Thompson, P.O. Box 3999, Portland, Oregon 97208; Eastern Mountain Sports, Vose Farm Road, Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458; The North Face, 1234 Fifth Street, Berkeley, California 94710.