Hypothermia: What to Wear

There are so many great things about hunting. One of my favorite things has always been being in the woods on a cool, crisp morning. Unfortunately, when temperatures really drop, one wrong move can lead to trouble. We've all heard the horrible stories of hunters getting lost in the woods in the dead of winter. If you don't have the proper clothing/equipment with you on your hunting trip, it is very easy to catch hypothermia. According to WebMd, "Hypothermia occurs when the body gets cold and loses heat faster than the body can make it." The early signs of hypothermia include shivering, pale or blue skin, lack of interest of concern, poor judgement, unsteadiness, slurred speech, numb hands, fingers, and toes. If you don't get help immediately, your condition can worsen and cause the following symptoms:

The trunk of the body is cold to the touch.

Muscles becoming stiff.

Slow pulse.

Breathing that is shallow and slower.

Weakness or sleepiness.

Confusion.

Loss of consciousness.

Shivering, which may stop if body temperature drops below 90F (32C).

Even though anyone can get hypothermia, there are many ways to prevent it. The most obvious way to avoid hypothermia is to always have the appropriate clothing and supplies along on every hunting trip. Some supplies/equipment that you may want to bring along with you include matches or a lighter to start a fire if you need to, and hand/foot warmers. You should also always bring along a map and compass as well as a first aid kit. One thing that I have always taken care to do is to ALWAYS tell at least one person where I will be going in case something happens to me and I can't get back on my own.

Cabela's has a full line of men and womens hunting clothing that is made especially for colder temperatures. Under Armour also has very good clothing for freezing temperatures that come in a variety of colors, including camo.

Layers are a hunters best friend. Dressing in layers can sometimes be a life saver. Wearing a water proof or water resistant outer layer is a great idea, but wearing cotton as your outer layer is a huge mistake. Once you get cotton wet, it takes a long time to dry and it loses all insulating power. Polyester fleece, on the other hand, still has a good deal of insulation power once it gets wet. Another factor that you need to take into consideration is how much you are going to sweat. If you plan on doing a lot of walking on your hunting trip, you need to be sure that you wear something like Goretex that is waterproof but breathable enough to allow sweat to evaporate.

Dressing in layers and trying to stay dry is one of the easiest ways to avoid hypothermia.