Bare Essential winter gear

[Boostpowered]

Its that time of the year for Essential cold weather gear, so start thinking about what to do if your stuck and there is no help for a while . I can't tell you what your going to need on your adventure but i can share what my loadout consists of, Living in north texas my needs will be different than someone in north dakota or greenland etc. The worst low temperature ive got to deal with is 20°f with lower wind chills so what i carry during the southern winter adventures is:
#1 extra fuel
#2 cold weather sleeping bag
#3 military ecwcs base layer
#4 lighters
#5 a phone book for plenty of dry firestarting material
#6 water in the cab/ frozen water in a can on the outside won't do much good
#7 gloves
#8 extra pairs of socks
#9 tarps
#10 shovel
#11 bag of kitty litter
#12 flashlight+ batteries
#13 mre meals
Let us know what you carry during winter months for Essential winter gear in your region.

 

[Fozzy325]

I would like to suggest that you add the following as well,

1. 48hr candle to keep the heat in the vehicle to conserve fuel for heating
2. a crank and solar radio

3. Toilet Paper
4. A Solid fuel burner, mess tins, metal cups with heat resistant lip, K,F,S

These mess tins fit inside each other and a sold fuel burner which would fit inside the inner tin. (i used these in the military in the same way)

5. Lastly Mini flares

 

[Smileyshaun]

in the winter I always have a bag with extra change of clothes in a compression sack .

a yank strap
Machete axe or saw
flare
tire pressure gage and a compressor
Most importantly let someone know where your headed

if you get stuck . stop ... take a min , relax then attempt to get unstuck . Being all jazzed up and excited might lead you to digging yourself in deeper .Usually in snow the holes your tires dig will be the biggest obstacle you have to overcome , now what works for getting unstuck for someone on say 31s is going to be alot different then someone on 40s . Dig out from under the undercarrage and diffs first and make a path for your tires to climb back on top of the snow And remember snow is fun and getting stuck is just part of the fun , panicking will lead to bad rushed decisions .
Practice , find somewhere close to a road that has at least some traffic or bring a buddy and purposely get stuck , spin the heck out of the tires to create some holes and find out what techniques works for getting your rig back on top of the snow .

AIR DOWN !!!! I can't tell you how many people during the winter I help to get unstuck that all they need to do is drop their tire pressure down to 20 or less. I go down to 12 sometimes but it's very dependent on your tires and your ability to reseat a tire on the rim on the trail

 

[Boostpowered]

I would like to suggest that you add the following as well,

1. 48hr candle to keep the heat in the vehicle to conserve fuel for heating
2. a crank and solar radio

3. Toilet Paper
4. A Solid fuel burner, mess tins, metal cups with heat resistant lip, K,F,S

These mess tins fit inside each other and a sold fuel burner which would fit inside the inner tin. (i used these in the military in the same way)

5. Lastly Mini flares

I always have tp on board, not a good idea to burn a candle in the cab of a vehicle, aside from catching something on fire you would asphyxiate yourself unless you rolled windows down and that defeats the purpose. Extreme cold weather clothing system from the army surplus store is all i need to stay warm. I lived in indiana for 7 years up there you had better bring a tent and a wood burning tent stove if you want to keep warm it sucked. Honestly im not sure what i would do with the solar radio. Is that better than a cellphone, cb with noaa weather alert and frs/gmrs radios? Or is it supposed to cure boredom?

 

[Fozzy325]

I always have tp on board, not a good idea to burn a candle in the cab of a vehicle, aside from catching something on fire you would asphyxiate yourself unless you rolled windows down and that defeats the purpose. Extreme cold weather clothing system from the army surplus store is all i need to stay warm. I lived in indiana for 7 years up there you had better bring a tent and a wood burning tent stove if you want to keep warm it sucked. Honestly im not sure what i would do with the solar radio. Is that better than a cellphone, cb with noaa weather alert and frs/gmrs radios? Or is it supposed to cure boredom?

When doing arctic warfare and living in an ice cave you would light a candle to bring the temperature up to just above freezing. In a vehicle you wouldn't have the bare flame showing, as for asphyxiation or CO poisoning you make sure the vents are open. this allows enough circulation.
The solar radio is also a crank radio, so it doesn't drain your vehicle battery. CB,s need a card battery (unless you have a handheld CB then its just batteries) Cell phones have a very limited distance and you may not be in cell range. In the back country between major towns and cities cell service is spotty at the best. these are great and you should have them but you can't run your vehicle for long periods of time when you are stuck and you may be stuck for days in sever weather. The radio is to listen for weather reports and keep you entertained when there is no youtube, facebook, or internet connection.

 

[Boostpowered]

When doing arctic warfare and living in an ice cave you would light a candle to bring the temperature up to just above freezing. In a vehicle you wouldn't have the bare flame showing, as for asphyxiation or CO poisoning you make sure the vents are open. this allows enough circulation.
The solar radio is also a crank radio, so it doesn't drain your vehicle battery. CB,s need a card battery (unless you have a handheld CB then its just batteries) Cell phones have a very limited distance and you may not be in cell range. In the back country between major towns and cities cell service is spotty at the best. these are great and you should have them but you can't run your vehicle for long periods of time when you are stuck and you may be stuck for days in sever weather. The radio is to listen for weather reports and keep you entertained when there is no youtube, facebook, or internet connection.

Sorry if i sounded like a dick didnt mean to be. but i just cant get behind the candle idea, im in volunteer fire dept and we tell folks not to try to heat houses with candles or stoves due to the asphyxiation problem. if its snowing and that snow blocks those vents while your sleeping you will likely never wake up. Alot of old and poor folks die like that in winter when the power goes out for more than a day. I see this happen every winter around december and January. Agian sorry if i sounded like a dick but id like us all to stay alive.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Staying dry is as important as staying warm. Soaking wet @ 42*F feels like below freezing. I keep a set of wet weather pants and jacket, rubber boots, lined and heat holder boot soaks. Winter gloves and a box of 20 hand warmers. Hand warmers are dirt cheap and really do help, put one in each pocket.

Water proof fire starters, some great DIY stuff on YouTube. UCO has a great match/fire starter kit that is very affordable and is about the best you can find. I need to put together a bundle of firewood so I always have dry wood on hand.

 

[T.Shack]

I would like to suggest that you add the following as well,

1. 48hr candle to keep the heat in the vehicle to conserve fuel for heating
2. a crank and solar radio

3. Toilet Paper
4. A Solid fuel burner, mess tins, metal cups with heat resistant lip, K,F,S

These mess tins fit inside each other and a sold fuel burner which would fit inside the inner tin. (i used these in the military in the same way)

5. Lastly Mini flares

Damn I have forgotten about those haxthane (tab stoves) I have an old BSA one In my back pack. The rest of your equipment appears to be a great choice.

 

[Fozzy325]

Damn I have forgotten about those haxthane (tab stoves) I have an old BSA one In my back pack. The rest of your equipment appears to be a great choice.

Lighting the hexthane blocks is a secret but when lit they burn for ever

 

[Lunch Box]

I'm too old and spent too many nights out in the sub-zero cold against my will (think Grafenwohr and Hohenfels) to go adventuring much during winter. My winter essentials in the are my old firefighter's turnout coat (super warm and the reflective stripes help keep me from getting run over by some fool if I'm alongside a road), warm gloves, jumper cables, cell phone, charger, shovel, bubba rope, and an MRE. Around this time of year, I make a trip to Farm n Fleet and load the rear of the bed with a couple hundred pounds of sandbags.
This is also the time of year when I make sure the old oil-burner has a fresh fuel-water separator installed and quit worrying how far I can go on fuel; I keep the tank topped off for the reason listed below.
One winter, my wife was driving home in a blizzard. The wind was blowing snow over the road much faster than the plow trucks could keep up with it. She made it to within 5 miles of home and took a chance that her super off-road capable (NOT) Ford Focus wagon could drive through a drift. After all, being able to see the lights of town automatically adds 4 inches of suspension clearance to a car, doesn't it? ;-)
She called me and told me where she was. When I got there, the snowdrift was about 300 yards long, with a depth of three feet on the upwind side. And she was stuck on the far side of it. Several cars had 'joined' her. Being the stupid chivalrous bastige that I am, I tried to get across to her, sticking myself in the process. Dammit.
I retrieved her from her car and called my son. He got out to us and took my wife home. I stayed with the vehicle, as did about 6 others, as we were on a marked roadway, and come morning, the state would be out plowing and towing abandoned vehicles. A long, boring night, but basically safe and sound.

 

[Desert Runner]

For snow/storm scenarios always carry gear that will help you survive a night if stranded. Things like....heavy coat, over-pants, thermal underwear, snow gaiters, beanies and or hoods, etc. Add ski gloves that are insulated. Your spending the night stranded, not camping for a week. A quilt/heavy blanket, and/or a winter sleeping bag, along with the items listed should get you thru the night okay. If travelling long distances, and in more desolate areas, then yes, beef up the gear you have or will need to survive a couple or more days stranded. That is when stoves and other heat sources can come into play. What has been mentioned, but is very important to all, is to keep your vehicles fuel tank topped off, or nearly full at all times during inclement weather. You might get stuck, but your vehicle can idle all night long running the heater, even when stuck on the road. Just make sure the tail pipe stays unobstructed. The State DOT people should be along the next day clearing roads and helping people free their cars.

You always read about stranded people in suburban settings be stranded on the hwy because of accidents and closures. The indignity of your vehicle be towed instead of pulled out of a Snow drift just adds to your misery. If your staying with your car, be personally prepared for the cold.

 

[egilbe]

In my car, snowshoes, trekking poles, stove and fuel, small pack with food, small cookpot and toilet paper, snow shovel, lithium batteries in a headlamp, down quilt, plastic tarp, chemical handwarmers and some rope and carabineers. I'll be good for a few days in subzero weather.

My GF and I do a few Winter overnights a year. Coldest so far was -15 F and we did OK. The trick is to keep yourself fueled and hydrated. Your body will create its own warmth if it's fed and watered.

 

[Billiebob]

Good boots, insulated coveralls, loose clothing underneath, winter work gloves, toque, balaclava.
High energy food, chocolate, pepperoni, WATER !!!!

I drive in a cool car, with warm clothes on. I assume I might break down.
A well maintained vehicle, a plan filed so someone knows where you are.