One Word GERBINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

After 21 years of snowmobiling and hunting, more then once in temps of -20° F or colder, I know a few things about keeping warm.

I will be heading out tomorrow morning with a forecast of 39° for a low with a 12 mile 70 mph ride, I pulled out my sled riding stuff to see what will adapt and not look stupid (15 years ago I would ride my Honda with my sled gear on in February, but back then it was black goretex stuff, not BRIGHT ORANGE Snow-X gear). One thing I learned was when they say "Snowmobile Use Only" on the dual lens shield on a helmet, they mean it! Works OK in the woods on the snow, but not so good with traffic lights. Screwed up my depth perception.

I will wear my FXR Racing snowmobile gloves (not a bulky leather glove), my No-FOG brand mask under my full face helmet (neoprene that covers the neck, nose & cheeks and deflects the breath out of the front of the helmet) my leather chaps and my leather jacket with liner over my work t-shirt and cotton Cintas pants. If I end up with shield fogging issues I will hook up my heated shield for my full face.

FWIW, the 99¢ chemical toe and hand warmers work AWESOME! If you are riding more than an hour and need your feet warm, spend the buck and get the warmers. They last 8+ hours and are hot.

I shouldn't need much more clothing for my ride to work. If I go any farther I will add my Terramar thermals to my legs and the Duofold Military HVY WGT fleece to my top.

If any one out there is buying thermals for the first time, or aren't used to it, be sure to buy them for the activity level. Riding a bike to work is the same as siting still like when hunting IMO, so the heavier wgt. is needed. If you buy the lightweight hiking intended thermals you will be disappointed (and cold).

For socks, the Bass Pro Shops lifetime guaranteed $9.99 ones are really hard to beat. I tried them once on a Gift Certificate, and am not convinced they are a quality item.

 

HC likes to use a themo wrap, like for back pain....uses it on her chest, the heat from the pad, over the heart keeps the rest of the body very warm under any conditions. We saw a show on discovery channel about new cold weather gear they use in the Artic and places such....they all warm at the chest, while that warmth was there they could take the gloves off and be fine, soon as the heat was removed the hands started to get unuseable....IT WORKS,HC uses it!!

 

That is a great point about keeping the chest warm!

I do the same thing with the chemical handwarmers in my flannel shirt pockets when Black Powder hunting in December. One in each pccket over the chest.

There also is a belt that you can slip the warmers into that goes around your waist and puts the warmers on the kidney's, where chills start. I have had one of those for 25 years, the old John-E Handwarmer brand that used lighter fluid to keep it burning.

 

If you're a "Do It Your-selfer", a bit handy, this is an interesting read on how to make your own "Electric Clothes".

http://www.shadowriders.org/faq/electricvests.html

Anyways..........

Budds..............'