Boots and Roots

Shelter.  We’re already in our homes.  So why are we even talking about shelter?

Shelter includes anything you can do to warm yourself up.  This includes clothing, making your space smaller so you have less to heat, and can include heat sources. 

We’re going to take each of these items and cover them one at a time, in bite-size chunks, so the information is easier to digest, and you have a chance of remembering if things go sideways.

For backpackers and outdoor enthusiasts, clothing is a big deal.  We are keenly aware that the materials our clothes  are made out of can literally mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation.  You’ll often hear backpackers say that “cotton kills.”  Cotton is a fantastic fiber to wear during the hot, hot Texas summer days.  As it gets wet with sweat, it cools as it evaporates, even if it is soaked enough to stick to your skin. And this is exactly what makes it a dangerous fabric to wear when it is cold outside.  Your body sweating even a little bit—whether from stress, or from work—can cause your core temperature to drop to a dangerous level rather quickly if wearing the wrong layers.

So what are the right layers?

1. Coat, hat, scarf, gloves/mittens.  Socks if you don’t have gloves or mittens, or as another layer over gloves/mittens
2. Sleeping bag.  Even a cheap one from Walmart is better than nothing.  Get kid-size for kids, adult-size for adults.  Don’t get a double one—it’s too much space to try to heat up.
3. Wool. Bamboo. Silk. Synthetic materials like fleece or polyester.  These need to be your first next-to-skin layer, or even 2.  You can layer from there.  You can even wear cotton, as long as it’s not the closest fiber to your skin.  There’s a reason why cotton grows in the hot, dry South!!  Because it helps us Southerners stay cool when we sweat!  This is the exact opposite body response we’re looking for here.

You will lose most of your body heat through your head and feet.  Make sure to cover them.  Cover your ears, too—it’s amazing what a difference covering your ears makes!!  Since your core needs to stay warm, putting on short sleeve and sleeveless shirts over long sleeves is just fine.

If you’ve seen the Friends episode where Joey puts on ALL of Chandler’s clothes, that’s about how you might look for a few days, if your power goes out!  Embrace your inner Joey, and stay warm!

This week, take stock of what you have in the way of clothing. What can you put next to your skin? How many layers can you wear before you feel like the Michelin Man, or Randy from A Christmas Story? Do you have a sleeping bag? I assume you have blankets on your bed. Those are layers. Do you have extra comforters or blankets? Does everyone in your family have sufficient clothing/layers? Clothing, coats, and comforters should be plenty, especially after we talk more in-depth about shelter next week. But go ahead and take stock of what you have, so you know.

Here is a printable PDF file to keep on hand as a reminder.