Help me cope with the cold!

[DeeSki]

I had a great day on Saturday, but I'm worried I came a bit too close to frostbite. When I came down from the mountain my feet were like blocks of ice and then they started to tingle and hurt as they warmed up. I'm not sure what's up with me, because I never had such cold feet before, but now my feet seem to be cold all the time and not just when I'm skiing. I've tried thin socks and thick socks but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm going to try toe warmers, which I've always avoided because I thought they'd be uncomfortable, but they can't be any worse than numb feet. My hands aren't much better, so I'm planning to buy better gloves - the gloves I have aren't great, but they were the only ones I could find to fit my small hands - and maybe some glove liners. The rest of me didn't feel particularly cold, but not too warm either, so I'm wondering if I should try to warm up my core a bit too? Lately I've had 3 layers on the bottom and 4 or 5 on top (2 smart wool base layers, a thin fleece mid layer, a thicker fleece jacket and my ski jacket). Neither my jacket nor pants are really insulated, so should I shell out for these or get some warmer midlayers? Sorry for the long post, but I really don't know what to do (and I value my toes).

 

[Robyn]

I'd get some boot gloves for you feet and do the sandwich with the toe warmer on the outside if you can't get them inside. If you do go inside put them on top of your toes, not underneath. Maybe try mittens for your hands rather than gloves. What about your head, do you ski with a helmet? If so are you using a balaclava under there? Your outer shell is it windproof? I finally gave up on one of mine on windy days because it just let the wind whip through and I would freeze.

 

[volklgirl]

Helmet your head! Something like 90% of your body heat is lost through your head. It sounds like your core got too chilly and sucked what little heat it could find from your extremities to keep things functioning. Make sure your outer layer is wind proof and big enough to trap a layer of warm air between it and your inner layers.

Edit (Wow. Great minds think alike )

 

[Robyn]

Hey VG, very odd that we both went with the helmet and the windproof shell. Of all the options! :D

 

[Jilly]

I see NYC up in the corner - DeeSki. This past week has been unbearable. If you're going to ski in the north east I would suggest insulated pants and jackets. It was -25C on Saturday at Tremblant. I had 2 layers on the bottom - my heavy polarfleece pants (200 weight) and my Rossi pants. On top I had baselayer, Salomon moto-mesh zip, HH fleece and then my coat. I use a fleece bandana to close the gap in the top of my jacket. Helmet and face mask on that day. Heavy socks and boot gloves. See Skimomma's trip report.

As for your feet being cold. Were your boots in the trunk of the car before you got the hill? Keep them in the car where they are warm. Were the boots dry before you put them on? Wet/damp boots - frozen feet. We're your feet dry before you put your socks on? Don't travel in your ski socks, you might sweat into them, and again wet socks make cold feet. Just some tips from too many years at this sport!

 

[DeeSki]

Thanks for all the advice. I was in the Catskills Saturday and it was pretty cold, but nowhere near -25C, more like -9 or -10C (15F). I start getting very wimpy at around -20C! My jacket is windproof, but I don't have a helmet. I was going to buy one anyway, more for safety reasons, so this is another incentive. Boots were in the car beside me, but I did travel in my ski socks (although my feet were cold the whole way there!) Maybe it's time to start looking for some insulated pants and some warmer midlayers for my top. I used to have gloves I really liked, but I lost one of them on a trip last year. They weren't expensive, but my hands were never cold. I had to get new gloves fairly late in the season and the ones I got were basically the only ones that fit. My remaining old glove is still in a drawer with all the socks and neck gators and hats, reminding me of what I'm missing. I should just throw it out!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Okay, just for an example, here's what I had on today while skiing in ax -25 windchill (no idea of air temp - was pretty moot):

microfleece zip t-neck
polar fleece 200 vest
Windblock fleece (laminate) full front zip
fully insulated jacket

CW-X tights
4-way stretch polar fleece 200 tights
insulated Marker ski pants

Head:
microfleece full head balaclava
Polartec 300 neck gaiter
zero vent Leedom helmet (& goggles, obviously)
NO FACE SKIN SHOWING

polyester glove liners
down Gordini mittens

I was cold.

Highly recommend Boot Gloves as a start to the cold toe situation. In these temps, no matter what, go in after an hour, even if you do not feel cold! Take your boots OFF. Get your toes WARM.
Frostbite is serious business.

I rarely wear mittens. Haven't ski a day all month in anything but. This has been an exceptionally cold month in the Northeast.

 

[CAdreaming]

I see NYC up in the corner - DeeSki. This past week has been unbearable. If you're going to ski in the north east I would suggest insulated pants and jackets. It was -25C on Saturday at Tremblant. I had 2 layers on the bottom - my heavy polarfleece pants (200 weight) and my Rossi pants. On top I had baselayer, Salomon moto-mesh zip, HH fleece and then my coat. I use a fleece bandana to close the gap in the top of my jacket. Helmet and face mask on that day. Heavy socks and boot gloves. See Skimomma's trip report.

--25C???
And you are outside and SKIING!!??
OMG.
My hats off to your dedication.

 

[ski diva]

Yesterday it was -13°F when I left the house to go skiing. I don't know what the temperature was on the hill (I don't think I WANT to know!), but here's what I had on -- and I wasn't cold:

Top:
Hot Chillys Micro Elite base layer
Ski Diva fleece
EMS Prima-Loft sweater
Mountain Hardware insulated jacket

Bottom:
Hot Chillys Micro Elite base layer
Mountain Hardware Power Stretch Tight
The North Face Insulated Freedom Pant

Feet:
Smart Wool lightweight ski sox
Hotronics boot heaters (set on #2)
Boot Gloves

Hands:
Glove liners
Black Diamond Mercury Mitt

Face:
face mask
fleece gaiter
goggles

Head:
Boeri Tactic helmet

I felt like an astronaut suited up for outer space, but hey, it worked!

 

[ski diva]

BTW, another thing you might try is to spray your feet with anti-perspirant before you start skiing. Even if you don't think your feet sweat, trust me, they do, and the perspiration can make your feet colder. I do this all the time, and I think it helps.

 

[frenchgirl]

I am very cold natured. I have lived in very warm climate for too long. Now that I live in Upstate NY, here's what I have done: I will only wear wool if it less than10F: base layer, heavy wool mid layer, heavy wool upper layer then insulated jacket. I also have 3 layers of pants. I looked like the michelin tire.
I keep my boots in the front of the car and put a heavy fleece blanket on top of them. I also put toe/hand warmers in my boots when I am not wearing them so that they will be warm before I put them on. Ditto for the gloves. Even though I wear a turtleneck I still put a neck gaither on my neck too. I also saw some body warmers at the mountain. They were selling them $3.00 for 3 of them and apparently they are popular. I would try to get insulated pants and jacket. Most stores have sales right now. Make sure the toe warmers are on TOP of your toes like the sticky is sticking to the top of the boot and your toes are facing the warm side. I had very tight boots and the toe warmers are not uncomfortable.

 

[DeeSki]

Seeing the lists of clothes all you ladies wear, I realise a shopping trip may be needed! I was thinking about why I was colder this weekend than ever before and I realised that I used to wear insulated pants, but I switched them for a less insulated more stylish pair before a trip to Utah last March. The newer pants never actually got worn in the cold until a few weeks ago. I still have my old pants, I just don't really like them - they're a bit bulky, fit could be better and the pockets are awkward. Ironically, I lent them to a first timer friend who wore them on Saturday and she wasn't cold at all! We were on our way home in the car and she announced out of nowhere that it was the best day she'd had in ages. Another one hooked!

 

[abc]

Saturday was pretty windy. Did you cover up all your exposed skins? (e.g. face & neck?)

Personally, I found two things that tend to get overlooked. One is wind-proof everything. The other is keeping sweats away.

On a cold day, my feet do get cold on the first and second lift. For reason that escaped me, I had to go in and take off my boots for a few minutes to get the bloods going again. Then I can ski the rest of the day. But if I don't, it starts to get numb and I would start worrying about my toes and such...

In a nutshell, fingers and toes have different need than the core. Blood flow trumps insulation.

Last but not least, if you ARE cold, don't just tough it out. There's one story in last year's ESA of one student you don't want to repeat...

 

[volklgirl]

I use hand warmers, toe warmers, and mittens every day it's below 35 deg.

Under 25 deg:
UnderArmor Cold Gear top and bottom
Marker fleece zip top and pants
Insulated Spyder Jacket and 90 weight insulated Avalanche pants

Under 15 deg add:
Hot Chillys tights
Spyder heavy weight fleece jacket
Glover liners

Always:
Turtle Fur neck gaitor
Helmet
Goggles

 

[obastable]

2 weeks ago it was about -30C without factoring in the wind (I think, with wind, it was almost -40C), and we had a ski lesson to go to.

Here's what I wore, and I was toasty warm (even sweated a bit).

Head = HELMET! Giro Ember + a thin wool toque underneath to keep the wind 100% out of my ears.

Face = Neoprene mask + Alpina Challenge goggles.

Upper = Under Armour Cold Gear Base (womens) + wool/silk blend turtleneck, regular old Burton zip-up hoodie, and my Burton Inversion Jacket (light weight & windproof).

Hands = I just have a pair of Gordini's, on the cheaper end ($30?) & they keep my hands toasty warm.

Lower = Under Armour Cold Gear Frosty Tight, regular old snow pants (nothing fancy, they cost $20).

Feet! = Hot Chilly's premier winter sports hi volume sock + one of those packet warmers stuck on top of my toes.

I attribute my overall warmth to the Under Armour, the neoprene mask, and the toque. The only thing that came close to getting chilly were my eyes when the wind blew in the vents of my goggles.

I highly recommend the mask over a balaclava any day. I've never sweat in a balaclava before ... generally, they just hold onto moisture from your breath & end up feeling cold. The neoprene mask holds in more heat & your face may end up sweating but I'll take that over cold any day!

The Under Armour is a bit pricey, but no more so than any other fancy base layer, and I've found (through years of winter camping and hiking) that it definitely works the best. It's comfy, light weight, and not only does it keep you warm but the Cold Gear has the added benefit of being compression fit.

 

[SnowHot]

Core Warmth:
I can't add much to the basics that others haven't already posted, but I have one more tip.
A friend on EpicSki suggested using hand warmers in your camera pocket/Cell phone pocket so that your battery doesn't go dead quickly. When I started doing that, I realized that the handwarmers in my interior pocket(s) keep my core warm and adds a HUGE amount of comfort to my ski day.
I tend to do this on the colder days.

 

[whitewater girl]

oh, you ladies are making me feel better! I've been having trouble keeping warm this year, and have been bundleing up to what seemed like a ridiculous amount because of it - but reading what others are wearing, I would have to add layers to match you in similar weather conditions thank you! (am now looking for more layers - in the closet & online - to supplement what I've been wearing!)

 

[Robyn]

Core Warmth:
I can't add much to the basics that others haven't already posted, but I have one more tip.
A friend on EpicSki suggested using hand warmers in your camera pocket/Cell phone pocket so that your battery doesn't go dead quickly. When I started doing that, I realized that the handwarmers in my interior pocket(s) keep my core warm and adds a HUGE amount of comfort to my ski day.
I tend to do this on the colder days.

My aunt has been known to use the Thermacare wraps on her core/back to keep her warm on super cold days. She's the tiniest little thing I know and has no insulation to keep her warm so she really battles this.

 

[DeeSki]

Thanks again, everyone! I think abc hit on a key point when she said that when her feet get cold, she goes in to warm up. This was probably the biggest mistake I made. I was just having too much fun skiing, but it was foolish. I certainly didn't want to sound flip when I said I came close to frostbite. I never had such pain in my feet as I had on Saturday evening and the tips of my fingers and toes still felt a bit tingly on Sunday. I gave myself a real fright, but I guess it was a pretty cheap way to learn a lesson about keeping warm. Thanks also for listing all your gear. I'm quite happy to spend on gear, but the selection out there can be pretty mind boggling. Of course it doesn't answer my ongoing question of why stores never seem to have gear in sizes small or medium, which I would expect to be the most common sizes for female skiers, but that's a discussion for another thread...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Of course it doesn't answer my ongoing question of why stores never seem to have gear in sizes small or medium, which I would expect to be the most common sizes for female skiers, but that's a discussion for another thread...

Look in the kids' dept. Better shops will have quality stuff that just might fit your hands better. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, with feet and hands so large, I'm often relegated to the men's dept