#summitsafely week 14 – how to keep warm and dry in the cold and wet

It's week 14 of the 20 week #summitsafely campaign. This week’s #summitsafely top tip – how to keep warm and dry in the cold and wet

It’s hard during a day’s activity to wear one set of clothing to meet all conditions on the fells - so how best to stay comfortable and #summitsafely?

The standard approach is to have a base layer/ mid layer/ shell, with the fleece mid layer carried in the pack, to put on when needed, for comfort or survival.

However, some occasions you may find the conventional approach isn’t to your liking and may have some draw backs:

• The wetter a fleece gets, the less it insulates. Soak a conventional fleece in water and it loses up to 95% of its insulation.
• Getting a mid layer on can be a complicated manoeuvre that cancels out the benefits – especially in high winds or precipitation. Removing your shell to put it on lets rain in and warmth out.
• Often we choose to be cold rather than risk this manoeuvre. We rush onward, unwilling to stop - and risk getting colder in the process.
• Alternatives for extreme situations, such as survival bags, often compromise mobility completely.

The overlayering alternative may be more practical for you. One different approach is offered up by Páramo. Their approach is about choosing a good base layer and Páramo Analogy waterproof for comfort on the move. They recommend to carry a Torres jacket overlayer in your pack for comfort and safety:

• Torres synthetic insulation works when wet, can be worn over wet garments, and keeps the rain out too.
• Torres overlayers are put on over your waterproof ‘shell’ – no searching for a sheltered spot, no removal of layers, no exposure to rain and wind. Instead, they’re added with minimal hassle and body heat is trapped so we get warmer immediately.
• Torres overlayers can buy time – to read a map, to eat food in comfort, or simply to enjoy the scenery or wildlife we’ve walked to see!
• Torres overlayers don’t compromise mobility – you can still walk and navigate.

For the overlayering approach, it’s about insulation. When insulations is added over your garment system it’s believed to be a practical and efficient way to adjust temperature.

Everyone has a different approach to how to keep warm and dry in the cold and wet. Everyone has a preference in styles and brands. It’s important you find what works best for you. Our advice is always be prepared when heading into the fells.

Blog post courtesy of Paramo

Date: 14 Mar 2017