cold feet
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heat a couple of handfulls of pebbles in the fire and pop em in your boots, wear em untied and you'll have toasty and somewhat massaged feet.
don't try walking anywhere in em mind...
don't try walking anywhere in em mind...
I can't really add anything more than whats been said, sort of.. lol The way you lace your boots can have a huge difference in the way your feet feel. I lace up using a slightly different way than many peoples. I was shown it many many moons ago while in the army, it was a trial method of lacing up to prevent shin splints(sp?) It takes the strain out of the top of the foot, and thus also helps circulation. You may of course already do it in a similar fashion, so might be preaching to the choir.
I'll try to describe it. Get your lace and thread it through the left and right bottom holes or hooks as normal, making sure it's an equal length on each side. However instead of then crossing over and so on, bring the left hand side lace up and then through the next hole /hook and same with the right hand side lace. Then you cross over, through the hole and up and into the next hole above. Basically you are using 2 holes / hooks before crossing over. It's amazingly comfortable way to lace - it also has the added benefit of being very fast to lace and unlace, as you only need to slacken them off if you have holes (Good for 'bug out' or 'stand to' situations
)
Probably not explained that very well have I? Oh well. Hope it helps someone..
I'll try to describe it. Get your lace and thread it through the left and right bottom holes or hooks as normal, making sure it's an equal length on each side. However instead of then crossing over and so on, bring the left hand side lace up and then through the next hole /hook and same with the right hand side lace. Then you cross over, through the hole and up and into the next hole above. Basically you are using 2 holes / hooks before crossing over. It's amazingly comfortable way to lace - it also has the added benefit of being very fast to lace and unlace, as you only need to slacken them off if you have holes (Good for 'bug out' or 'stand to' situations
)Probably not explained that very well have I? Oh well. Hope it helps someone..
Probably not explained that very well have I? Oh well. Hope it helps someone..
Clear as mud mate
Been meaning to try this for ages, thanks for reminding me
just because its sub zero dose nt mean everything in frozenFirst thing, sub zero, ground not wet.
A layer of dry grass, twigs, someone elses sleeping bag, under your feet to insulate you from the cold, hard, ground.
0 degrees is the point ice melts not water freezes
People get cold extremities because heat is being lost from them faster than it's being replaced. There are two factors, the heat loss and the heat replacement.
Heat lost through the skin surface can be reduced in three ways.
1. Insulate. In was once common in winter for people to wrap their feet in rags and then pour water on the rags so that it would freeze. Ice is a pretty good insulator. There are better ways available to us now.
2. Reduce the surface area from which heat is lost. Put both feet (with or without boots, it's the same principle) in a large carrier bag stuffed with dry leaves for example. One bag for both feet is a lot better than one for each foot because you are more or less halving the surface area from which heat will be lost. This is why mittens are so much warmer than gloves and why grandma has that thing that looks like a stuffed cat which she puts both her feet in.
3. Reduce the temperature difference between the skin and the environment. You don't want the skin to be colder so you have to make the environment warmer. Put your feet somewhere warm, for example. You might want to take off your boots, for example if they're cold and wet, or likely to be damaged by heat. Incidentally wet boots (or any wet clothing) will have a much greater cooling effect than the same things do when dry because evaporating water takes a huge amount of heat. That's why you sweat, and why you have those wet sock things to put over milk bottles. If you can't get your feet warm enough when wearing wet boots, take them off and dry them out.
Heat replacement is through the blood stream, and there are two things to think about there.
1. The body has a thermostat. It controls the temperature of the vital organs primarily by using the blood stream as a coolant. When the body heats up it sends more blood to the extremities and skin surface in order to keep the vital organs from overheating. If that isn't enough then sweat is created to cool the skin (by the evaporation of water), which in turn cools the blood. Conversely, as the body cools down it will first stop sweating, then reduce the circulation to the extremities in order to keep the core temperature up in the safe zone. Reducing any heat loss from the body or putting heat into the body anywhere will help keep the extremities warmer because the body will carry on pumping heat (blood) around the extremities instead of reducing the flow. This is why a hat can help to keep your feet warm. A hot water bottle up your jumper may help too.
2. The circulation will artificially be reduced by things like wearing tight clothing, gloves and boots; sitting down and doing nothing for long periods; drinking alcohol etc.. Don't do those things if they cause problems. Some people have better circulation than others. If you're on the unfortunate end of the scale you will have to work harder to keep the extremities warm than others do. There isn't one single answer. Keeping fit through regular exercise can help a lot. Using power tools for example is notorious for causing problems with the circulation. A joiner who sometimes rides motorcycles with me has cold hands even in the summer, because his lifelong use of power tools has left him with 'vibration white finger'. In winter he has to go to quite extreme lengths to keep his hands warm, but it's doable.
Some people will try to hide the problem as if it's a personal defect. It isn't. It's just how we're made. You have to deal with it the best way you can.
I think that, er, wraps it up but if I missed anything please chip in.
/
Heat lost through the skin surface can be reduced in three ways.
1. Insulate. In was once common in winter for people to wrap their feet in rags and then pour water on the rags so that it would freeze. Ice is a pretty good insulator. There are better ways available to us now.
2. Reduce the surface area from which heat is lost. Put both feet (with or without boots, it's the same principle) in a large carrier bag stuffed with dry leaves for example. One bag for both feet is a lot better than one for each foot because you are more or less halving the surface area from which heat will be lost. This is why mittens are so much warmer than gloves and why grandma has that thing that looks like a stuffed cat which she puts both her feet in.
3. Reduce the temperature difference between the skin and the environment. You don't want the skin to be colder so you have to make the environment warmer. Put your feet somewhere warm, for example. You might want to take off your boots, for example if they're cold and wet, or likely to be damaged by heat. Incidentally wet boots (or any wet clothing) will have a much greater cooling effect than the same things do when dry because evaporating water takes a huge amount of heat. That's why you sweat, and why you have those wet sock things to put over milk bottles. If you can't get your feet warm enough when wearing wet boots, take them off and dry them out.
Heat replacement is through the blood stream, and there are two things to think about there.
1. The body has a thermostat. It controls the temperature of the vital organs primarily by using the blood stream as a coolant. When the body heats up it sends more blood to the extremities and skin surface in order to keep the vital organs from overheating. If that isn't enough then sweat is created to cool the skin (by the evaporation of water), which in turn cools the blood. Conversely, as the body cools down it will first stop sweating, then reduce the circulation to the extremities in order to keep the core temperature up in the safe zone. Reducing any heat loss from the body or putting heat into the body anywhere will help keep the extremities warmer because the body will carry on pumping heat (blood) around the extremities instead of reducing the flow. This is why a hat can help to keep your feet warm. A hot water bottle up your jumper may help too.
2. The circulation will artificially be reduced by things like wearing tight clothing, gloves and boots; sitting down and doing nothing for long periods; drinking alcohol etc.. Don't do those things if they cause problems. Some people have better circulation than others. If you're on the unfortunate end of the scale you will have to work harder to keep the extremities warm than others do. There isn't one single answer. Keeping fit through regular exercise can help a lot. Using power tools for example is notorious for causing problems with the circulation. A joiner who sometimes rides motorcycles with me has cold hands even in the summer, because his lifelong use of power tools has left him with 'vibration white finger'. In winter he has to go to quite extreme lengths to keep his hands warm, but it's doable.
Some people will try to hide the problem as if it's a personal defect. It isn't. It's just how we're made. You have to deal with it the best way you can.
I think that, er, wraps it up but if I missed anything please chip in.
/
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Plenty of nettle soup meals and nettle teas at camp.
It is said to be very beneficial to the blood and for circulation issues.
Might be worth a shot in a few months time.
Ogri the trog
It is said to be very beneficial to the blood and for circulation issues.
Might be worth a shot in a few months time.
Ogri the trog
I do hand drumming and because it basically smashes the capillaries in your hands to smithereens the circulation is poor in my hands now, especially the middle finger. It can take up to 15 mins being in a warm environment for the finger to go from ghostly white back to pink again. It shouldn't be a problem unless, like you said I do not make changes to my habbits to combat it (wearing gloves, warming up my hands and such when out and about. I never used to wear gloves - "thats what pockets are for right?")
OK John
I recommend Muckboots (Tay Sports, with the thick soles) - incredibly warm and also loose fitting so plenty of room for circulation and toe-wiggling. I happily stand around for hours in the snow chatting with just a thin pair of socks on and these, and then I am mystified to watch other folk in walking boots and thick socks start to stamp their feet and look fed up. And I have quite cold feet !
NS
I recommend Muckboots (Tay Sports, with the thick soles) - incredibly warm and also loose fitting so plenty of room for circulation and toe-wiggling. I happily stand around for hours in the snow chatting with just a thin pair of socks on and these, and then I am mystified to watch other folk in walking boots and thick socks start to stamp their feet and look fed up. And I have quite cold feet !
NS
Another reccomendation for neoprene boots like Nonsuch. I have a pair of Grubs Hunter wellies, they are roomy enough to allow me to wear two pairs of woolen socks. Got them last winter and no longer suffer from cold feet, have been warm at -20 !
Doug.
Doug.
If you go for these check carefully before you buy that they will do what you want because there are several different types.
I have two pairs of Muckboots, and for comfortably wallowing around in, er, mud I would recommend them too. But in this thread there's a proviso. My older pair are black, and have a thin sole with almost no tread. They are very comfortable indeed, but if you have cold feet I don't think that by themselves they would improve things for you very much. Also I have finished up flat on my back in the mud on more than one occasion because of the lack of tread. My other pair are green, and have a much thicker sole with a good depth of tread. They are also comfortable (a fraction too tight around the calves) but they are very much warmer in cold weather because of the thick tread. I have walked many miles in both pairs -- at the moment I'm walking three or four miles every morning in the green pair -- and they seem to be able to take it without protest. I don't think I'd want to do twenty or thirty miles in them because they'd probably make my feet a bit too sweaty, but I've never actually tried it. I'd always break out the Alt-Bergs for a real hike.
I tend to consume a suitable alcohol based anti-freeze mixture when sitting round campfires; beer & a single malt is my preference..
Changing your socks and talc your feet at the same time will keep you warm for the night, and bed.
I have been waring grubs wellies without problem and a single pair of socks.
al.
I have been waring grubs wellies without problem and a single pair of socks.
al.
actually water can exist in any of its 3 states at 0.01 degree gas liquid and solid
well when i went winter camping last year in braidwood it went below zero -6 and i had hightop globe shoes and a pair of Auscam gaiters and i was fineish
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