How To Bug Out In Cold Weather
Bugging Out in cold weather is a whole new ballgame...
There could easily come a time when the SHTF and you are put in a situation where you have to evacuate on foot and carry your emergency essentials with you.
Bugging-out typically means you are leaving a potentially dangerous or life threatening situation for one less dangerous.
However, learning How To Bug Out In Cold Weather has its own unique set of challenges.
Good equipment is essential for cold weather survival
- Exertion will cause sweating, which in turn cools the body.
Layering of clothing is very important if you are hiking. You will have to take periodic breaks to allow your body to cool.
Having dry socks available at all times is crucial and you should always have an adequate supply with you. - You can develop trench foot or sometimes referred to as 'Emerson' foot from having wet feet for prolonged periods, and especially when exposed to cold temperatures.
However, it does not have to be below freezing for you to develop trench foot.
Wet feet will also mean a colder body.
Dry your socks over a fire if possible and if not over a fire, open air dry and warm in a coat pocket before putting back on. - Your bug-out-bag should have shelter materials and it is assumed you would have any cold weather gear on.
It is important that you have adequate clothing so you can change out of damp clothes into dry warm ones.
Always dry any article of clothing thoroughly before putting back into your pack. - Ensure your pack is protected from moisture such as rain or snow by having a poncho large enough to cover you and your pack.
A wet pack on your pack will cause your body heat to conduct to the cold wet pack. - When taking a break check your feet, fingers, ears and cheeks for frost bite.
The skin may feel number and slightly lighter in colour to the point of whiteness, which means blistering is not far off.
Blisters filled with clear fluids indicate mild frostbite and blood or cloudy liquid indicates severe frostbite.
Essential Clothing For Cold weather,
The Hypothermia Survival Wrap
To treat mild frostbite warm the body part immediately by gently blowing on it, placing under your armpits or cupping with your hands if it is an ear lobe.
Cover or otherwise protect the area once warmed to prevent irritation from friction.
In most cases, warming the main areas will help, but in extreme exposure to cold use a Hypothermia Wrap, shown left and get medical help immediately if possible..
* Treatment for severe frostbite is best done by a medical professional to prevent tissue damage. If you realize medical help is not available warm the affected area slowly and cover once warmed. There will be pain associated with severe frostbite as the affected part warms.
Core Body Temperature
The No:1 concern for survival is to keep your core body temperature stable.This is what will determine if you live or die!
Once you core body temperature starts to drop, that's when the cold becomes life threatening.
A drop of only 2 degrees from the normal 37C will be the start of hypothermia.
You can lose the odd finger or toe to frostbit, maybe even a hand or foot, but if you allow your core body temperature to plummet, you are in the real danger zone.
Essentially you must do everything possible to maintain a core temperature above the 35C danger level - ideally keeping the core temperature at the normal 37C level.
Extreme Cold Is Very Dangerous
Regardless of the amount of time you expect to be exposed, it is vitally important that you are correctly dressed for the cold.
If Hypothermia is left untreated it can quickly become a life threatening condition.
Top Essential Survival Clothing For Cold Weather Bug Out
This is your 1st level protection against hypothermia.
BASE LAYER CLOTHING
Lower Body
Emergency Heat
Severe frostbite, if left untreated, can easily result in the loss of limb and/or tissue, and even lead to gangrene around the frostbite area which, if left untreated, will be fatal.
You must carry a means of getting warmth to a cold area in case of emergency. You can the 'disposable' warmers [see below] that will give 10 hours of heat - this is constant and one off use.
I much prefer to carry the 'Boston Hand Warmer' [above] this warmer runs for 20 hours and can be switched on or off when needed.
So I think it's a far better choice than the disposable heaters.
Advanced frost bite - ouch!
The extremities and exposed areas of you body are the places that will be affected by frostbite first.
Therefore, it is vitally important to keep these areas warm and dry.
The hands, feet and face are particularly vulnerable as these are normally the most exposed. Don't be fooled - frostbite is a major concern in the cold, and especially if your bugging out - you do not want to arrive injured.!
Protect these 'frostbite' areas at all costs.
Head Gear
Thermal Multifunction Head Protection
Hands
Thermal /Waterproof Hand Protection
Feet
Thermal / Waterproof Footware
WIND CHILL
Wind-Chill is a factor that will strip the body heat away from the surface very quickly and lower the air temperature drastically.
A 30mph wind, which isn't that much really, can cut the air temperature by half.
So, our moral here is to cover up AND get out of the wind wherever possible.
It is far better to hold up and take shelter out of the wind, especially if you are not properly protected by layers of thermal clothing and a waterproof poncho.
Your survival stratagy needs to include a winter Bug Out plan
With the right clothing, you are now going to be a bit warmer at least.!
Being prepared with the correct cold weather clothing is essential for a successful winter bug out.
For anyone who thinks this sounds like fun... think again.
In fact, try it one winters night in the back garden, using only your bug out gear.
Winter Bug Out - Not Nice.!
Trust me, it's bloody hard, very cold and dam hard work.!
I have winter camped quite a few times and it requires a bit of thinking to get it right, and by thinking, I mean a lot of planning.
The overall moral here is - don't go out in the cold, snowy weather at all.
But if you have to, as in a bug out scenario, be full prepared with the right gear first.
Don't get caught out - get prepared first.
Happy Prepping Folks.
Steve
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