Cold facts about cold weather clothing

PS: The Preventive Maintenance Monthly, Oct, 2004

What's your best protection against the cold? The answer is dry air. It's an excellent insulator. Cold weather clothing--like the extended cold-weather clothing system (ECWCS)--is designed to trap warm, dry air among its fibers and between its layers. All that trapped air insulates the body against heat loss and prevents cold injury.

* Wear several layers of loose-fitting clothing. The extra layers of air will keep you warmer than if you wore one or two heavy garments.

* If you get too warm, remove a layer or open some of the clothing's fasteners to get ventilation. The clothing's made so you can leave some parts open--such as the collar and cuffs--to let in cool air. You want to avoid overheating and sweating, Sweat makes clothing next to your skin wet, and wet clothing can't insulate well. What's more, as sweat evaporates, you'll chili in a hurry, especially in the wind.

* Although outer clothing is water-repellent, the surest way to stay dry is to shake or brush off any ice, snow or water drops. That's especially important before you enter a warm shelter. Another reason to brush off moisture is that it acts as a barrier that keeps your clothes from breathing.

* Keep clothing clean. Dirt and grease fill up air spaces and weaken insulation. Wash clothing when you can. Wash according to the clothing's laundry care labels and the formulas found in Appendix E of FM 42-414, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for Quartermaster Field Service Company Direct Support. If washing's not possible, brush and air dry your clothes.

* Learn more about winter clothing by reading Section II, Chapter 2 of FM 31-70, Basic Cold Weather Manual. You'll find care and repair instructions for the extreme cold weather hood and parka, the cold weather coat and the ECWCS in TM 10-8400-201-23, General/Repair Procedures for Clothing.

* lightweight polyester or polypropylene undershirt and long johns

* fiberpile or black fleece shirt and overalls

* polyester coat and trouser liners

* nylon and cotton field trousers or ECWCS trousers

* camouflage hooded parka