# Winter Survival Kit...



## JeepHammer (Oct 10, 2008)

.
I MENTION THIS, Because it was 0°(Zero)F. (-17.7°C.) with a wind chill of -30F. (-34.4°C.) this morning and I watched all neighborhood people jump in their cars and take off for work barely wearing coats...
Remote start vehicle won't help you if you slide off the road and can't run the engine!

With wind chill at -30°F., that gives you frost bite on exposed areas of skin in less than 15 minutes,
And the potential for death in less than 2 hours when exposed to 0°F. temps...
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*One Large Zipper Bag.*
This stuff won't do you a bit of good if you don't have it with you.

*One Large Carhartt Coveralls or Overalls with Jacket.
(Arctic 'Black' Liners!)*
There are 'Snow Mobile' and 'Ski' suits that will insulate you, but I've never seen anything like the actual 'Carhartt' brand to live for years and years!

Make sure you get coveralls or jacket large enough to fit over heavy Fleece upper garment!

*Knit Head Cover. *
Close to 50% of your heat can escape through your head.

*Knit Scarf.*
Face and neck are prime targets for frost bite, and for $3 it's just not worth the risk.

*Insulated 'Snow Mobile' Gloves.*
Dirt cheap at any discount store, get a couple of pairs because if you have to work outside, they WILL get wet!

*PAC BOOTS! GOOD BOOTS ARE MANDATORY*
Sometimes called 'Duck Boots'... Rubber bottoms, leather or canvas tops with removable liners.
Again, if you have to walk out or do any work, you will sweat so get an extra pair of liners!

*Heavy Fleece upper, pull over, jacket or whatever...*
Fleece will allow you to 'Layer' your insulation, and will about double protection to your core!

*Heavy Insulated Blanket!*
You won't always be outside of the vehicle in the weather, and when the body is at rest, you MUST add extra insulation!
ALSO,
You or someone else might be injured, and a thick blanket is always a good thing to have!

*"Instant Warm" Chemical Heat Packs.*
They are CHEAP, Effective, Easy to use, and store for years.
Just open the air tight package and they start to heat up with oxygen/moisture contact.
Again,
These are great for 'Survival' and for injured or hypothermic patients.
*
DO NOT USE COTTON BLANKETS OR CLOTHS!*
Cotton holds moisture for LONG periods of time, 
And if the atmospheric humidity moisture isn't enough, 
The human body POURS moisture every minute!
Cotton blankets, Knit Caps or Scarves will become VERY ineffective, VERY QUICKLY!
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*I also carry things like:* 
UN-salted peanuts, 
'Dark' chocolate, 
'Power' or 'Granola' bars, 
Juice BAGS, ect. 
(nuts are VERY high in calories to make body heat, unsalted nuts will keep you from being excessively thirsty, juice bags don't burst when they freeze/thaw like bottles and cans do)

Never hurts to throw in a couple of fat candles, 
especially with multiple wicks, 
Matches, Lighter, Coffee Can,
Hand Crank Flash Light, 
and if you can find one, Radiant Propane Heater with bottle of gas.

Besides the obvious, the heater will thaw out frozen doors and locks without burning the paint or plastic easily, 
Defrost windows that don't get vented heat, 
Dry out wet cloths,
And generally make things more pleasant when it's REALLY COLD!
(all safety precautions, like venting, should be used when using ANY combustible heat source!)


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## jebrown (Nov 7, 2008)

I too question the IQ. of those who don't drive to work wearing a coat. I don't like driving in a jacket. I take it off just before entering the vehicle. 
We must remeber that if it were not for the idiots of the world a large number of our firefighters, ambulance crews and police officers would be out of work


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## Washkeeton (Oct 18, 2008)

Jeep if you all are having those kinds of temps there nothing beats bunny boots. (beta being the better brand but if not you can still get some good ones that arnt beta) Google them on ebay or just google them some times you can get some deals on them... I have gotten them in price from free to 189... depends on if they are new, in good condition or crappy... the free ones have a torn liner but I have been careful to keep them dry and they are fine. I got my son's 6s for 25 and he has worn them for 2.5 yrs... he popped a hole in them or the air valve sucked water somewhere and we had to toss one so he is now using the 7's

http://www.bunnyboots.com/

the sorells and all the rest freeze my feet and have always.. I have only worn the bunny boots up here since I got here. I brought 100 below boots and let me tell you they didnt do a thing but freeze me. They have the equivalent insulation almost as the bunnies but they are sorely inferior. My feet sweat in them and the sweat then freezes there by making my feet cold.. the bunny boots have rubber outers as well as inners... when mushing we would go through over flow.. I have gotten over flow in my boots while out mushing at 30 below and all my feet do is warm the water.. when I got to the other side of the stream, river, lake I have dumped out the water and gone on. The whites will take you to -70 the blacks work well to 20 or so below...

add the little hand warmers to your gloves... the other thing we used when we were in fairbanks is the heavy duty lined rubber gloves over our regular gloves... there by the gloves stayed dry, the rubber did some insulating they also had grips so you could hold stuff. We did this when we were hauling water while it was 70 below.


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## JeepHammer (Oct 10, 2008)

I was wondering what 'Bunny Boots' were...

We former military call them 'Mickey Mouse' boots,
Makes your feet look like Mickey Mouse's.

I have a pair, but I only use them in VERY cold situations, they make my feet sweat too much.
I prefer PAC boots or 'Duck Boots' for this weather...
(around zero F.) 
If it gets any colder, I'd get out the Mickey Mouse or 'Bunny' boots, but for now, the PAC boots are OK...

*Thanks for the tip and link!
For the guys that have never seen or heard of them, this is the real stuff!

These 'Bunny Boots' are what the military issues to extreme cold weather soldiers and they are the absolute last word in warm boots!*


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## Washkeeton (Oct 18, 2008)

Im sorry I missed the 0 and was paying attention to the wind chill of 30 below.. my bad. here I wear them any way especially when I wander through my mini lake at breakup... or when I am plowing... etc... I just dont wear socks...I wear my water proof hiking boots when above 0 but if the wind chill is 25 below or more I will wear the bunny boots.


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## JeepHammer (Oct 10, 2008)

They issued us Extreme Cold Weather boots in Germany one year in the military for exercises in the field.

I fell asleep with my feet sticking out of the tent since my boots were muddy, and I woke up later with my boots frozen down solidly...
But my feet were still dry & toasty warm!

They are amazing boots! I can't recommend them highly enough if you are going to work outside in extremely cold temperatures!


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## BlackPaladin (Oct 20, 2008)

This stuff is no joke. This is life or death stuff, here. Just a reminder

Sobering news:
2 state men die in bitter cold | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press-Gazette


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## Farnorthdan (Jan 3, 2009)

*Fur Hat*

For true deep cold, a fur hat is the only way to go. I prefer Beaver myself....

Oh...by the way, this is my first post on this board so hi to everyone...

DS


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## Bearman405 (Oct 9, 2008)

Farnorthdan said:


> For true deep cold, a fur hat is the only way to go. I prefer Beaver myself....
> 
> Oh...by the way, this is my first post on this board so hi to everyone...
> 
> DS


Wolf fur trim on your parka and mitts........................


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## Washkeeton (Oct 18, 2008)

Hey another alaskan... hi there far north dan

Bever hat and mits are really nice.. oh yes they are... as are true mukluks... but bunny boots unfortunately still are best for my feet. 

If you do a wolf trim you need to do either coyote or wolverine just above your face then the wolf out from there to protect the fur... the wolf will hold the moisture from your breath where the coyote and wolverine wont...


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## BettyGF (Dec 1, 2008)

*Winter Survival Kit (Hours of Daylight)*



JeepHammer said:


> .
> I MENTION THIS, Because it was 0°(Zero)F. (-17.7°C.) with a wind chill of -30F. (-34.4°C.) this morning and I watched all neighborhood people jump in their cars and take off for work barely wearing coats...




Brrrr, guys. Sure makes me thankful for the 22F we're to have here in central Arkansas in the morning. What are your hours of daylight up there this time of the year.

Betty


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## Washkeeton (Oct 18, 2008)

sorry i have to post this... woke up to 48 degree temps here today in Alaska... I just love winter in AK.... it is raining and the roads are a sheer sheet of ice... school was cancled... Life is grand... Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day considering I go back to work........


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## TO_mike (Sep 17, 2009)

Does anyone know of a place to buy a good quality Winter survival kit for a car? I dont live in Alaska but we still get some cold temperatures in Southern Ontario.


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## Canadian (Dec 14, 2008)

Mountain Equipment Co-Op. King and Spadina.

Mountain Equipment Co-Op - Clothing and Equipment


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I'm aboot 50 miles further south of you in Ohio on the other side of L.E. Instead of buying a kit I would think about what you would need and what you would want it to do and piece your own together. You could have a 4 season kit that you change various features of depending on the season. I dentify your particular circumstances and build to suit.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

TO_mike said:


> Does anyone know of a place to buy a good quality Winter survival kit for a car? I dont live in Alaska but we still get some cold temperatures in Southern Ontario.


CanadianTire carries some basic winter-kits (should be on store shelves soon) that include all kinds of goodies for winter-use.

Product #30-4601-4 - Basic car kit includes shovel, gloves, flashlight, jumper-cables, etc. $40

Product #46-0390-2 - Basic 72hr kit includes backpack w/ water, basic first-aid, radio, etc. $60

Product #09-1620-0 - Good car kit includes shovel, multi-tool, flashlight, emerg-triangle, air-compressor, jumper cables, first-aid, gloves, etc. $50

Product #76-2103-4 - Emergency mini cook-stove to heat up water / snow / ice for use - just add your Cup-O-Soup :2thumb:

Of course, CanadianTire isn't the only place, but, within a couple minutes of me hitting the site I had found those products - price seems reasonable. I haven't purchased any of the kits to comment about the quality on them.

I also like PrincessAuto for a "build-it-yerself" AutoKit by starting with one of the small tool bags and filling it with the stuff that I think I need. Currently, I have 4 tool bags from PA that hold different kinds of BugOutGear (communications, electrical, weapons, small-tools) and then I use AmmoCans (also from PA) for my heavy tools (shallow sockets, deep sockets, screwdrivers, wrenches, electrical repair, brake-repair kit, U-joint-kit) and the parts in the kits to match the vehicles I drive.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

Farnorthdan said:


> For true deep cold, a fur hat is the only way to go. I prefer Beaver myself....
> 
> Oh...by the way, this is my first post on this board so hi to everyone...
> 
> DS


I agree, my fox hat is toasty warm, but my wife says I look pretty funny in it on the boat in the late fall, but then football players seem to wear baseball caps however you don't see baseball players wearing football helmets.:ignore: By the way welcome aboard! Sail:congrat::beercheer::2thumb:


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## sea_going_dude (Dec 7, 2011)

TO_mike said:


> Does anyone know of a place to buy a good quality Winter survival kit for a car? I dont live in Alaska but we still get some cold temperatures in Southern Ontario.


Mike I am sure that you can find some ready made "survival" kits BUT, I think you should put your own together. Reason, a ready mady "kit" will contain some things you will need but they will also have some items that you will never have any use for. Likewise, they will leave out some things that you will be sure to need. So, better make your own, Just start you a list of possibles and add to the list as you find other things that you might need.


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## sea_going_dude (Dec 7, 2011)

sailaway said:


> I'm aboot 50 miles further south of you in Ohio on the other side of L.E. Instead of buying a kit I would think about what you would need and what you would want it to do and piece your own together. You could have a 4 season kit that you change various features of depending on the season. I dentify your particular circumstances and build to suit.


I agree fully


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## sea_going_dude (Dec 7, 2011)

There are some very good tips here but if I may make a couple of suggestions,
The hand warmer packs....these are great and I have used them before. BUT when you purchase them at first of winter, mark packs with date and either use them THIS WINTER or replace them next year. I had some in a survival/first aid kit and they were even sealed in zip lock bags. well I decided to use one around the house for some reason and found that NONE OF THE 6 that I had would produce ANY HEAT. Maybe they should have a "use by date" on them, but be sure to not keep them too long.
I like the snowmobile suits for the fact they have all the zips to make them easy to get into and out of even in a vehicle, Also, you can zip or unzip to adjust the amount of warmth you need .
"Insulated blanket" you can buy one of the sleeping bags for maybe not so cold temps and as most of them unzip all the way around, they can be used as a blanket as well.(when unzipped). Good around the house on cold nights also.:wave:


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## oldvet (Jun 29, 2010)

There is a great amount of quality winter wear boots out there, but my all time favorite ones are the OD Green Military Issue Mukluks. Worn with the thick wool inserts, those buggers were some kinda warm and comfortable. The only drawback that I ever experienced was that above the rubber part (around the ankle) where the canvas started was not waterproof. I still have my issue Parka and for my money they are some of the best winter coats going. :2thumb:


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