dressing to survive a winter pandemic
Nov. 20th, 2020 06:32 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexandra_thornAt this point, it's pretty clear that the big keys to managing the pandemic are masks and ventilation. Promising vaccines have been developed, but we're probably looking at about a year before they're widely distributed. Meanwhile, here in the northern hemisphere, winter is rapidly approaching.
Masks are inexpensive and do a lot to cut down infection risks, both individually and at the population level, but they aren't perfect, especially if you need to spend extended periods indoors. Because of the risks of being indoors, a lot of us have used outdoor spaces to meet with friends, and restaurants (where for obvious reasons masks can't be worn continually) have worked to stay open by relying more on outdoor seating. But that was in the summer. How are we going to get through the winter?
"Just stay home" is one solution, but not very appealing, especially after the past 8 months. Restaurants are experimenting with heating partially enclosed outdoor spaces, but even partial enclosure reduces the ventilation benefits of being outdoors dramatically. Lots of public buildings are hurrying to retrofit their ventilation systems for better filtration, but we aren't there yet.
If we're going to be seeing other humans outside of video calls at all this winter, I think it's time to think about winter clothing. A lot of the way we dress these days is geared toward centralized HVAC systems. Most of us can get by without older technologies such as long underwear. We don't go outside much, and when we do we tend to be walking or otherwise engaged in a physical activity such as bicycling. If you're going to be walking briskly, throwing a warm coat on over one or two layers of cotton is usually sufficient. That doesn't work as well if you want to sit down and have a long conversation.
To look for clothing solutions, I think we need to look at situations where people sit around outdoors in cold weather. Basically we're talking about winter camping. Fortunately, there's a ton of good information out there on dressing appropriately for winter camping. Here's an example: https://www.campingforfoodies.com/winter-camping-clothes/
The basic principles are pretty straightforward:
* Dress in layers
* Avoid cotton and other plant-based natural fibers such as linen and hemp
* The bottom layer should be a wicking layer (synthetic fiber or silk is recommended)
* Use middle insulating layers made of wool or synthetic fleece (EDIT: as was pointed out to me elsewhere, down is also a fantastic insulator as long as it doesn't get wet)
* The outer layer should be a windbreaking "shell"
* Wear a warm hat
For sedentary activities in particular, I think it's especially important not to neglect the lower half of the body, which tends to be kept warmer when we are walking around. So, all three layers (wicking, insulating, and windbreak) should be considered for pants as well as upper layers. Appropriate footwear is crucial as well.
When you're alternating between active and sedentary (going for a walk with a friend and stopping to sit and chat), it's also important to pay attention to how your body is doing and remove layers if you're feeling too hot. Being drenched in sweat is no fun in cold weather, especially if you stop moving and cool down.
Being outside in the cold isn't everybody's thing, but it doesn't have to be miserable experience if you're willing to layer up appropriately.
Masks are inexpensive and do a lot to cut down infection risks, both individually and at the population level, but they aren't perfect, especially if you need to spend extended periods indoors. Because of the risks of being indoors, a lot of us have used outdoor spaces to meet with friends, and restaurants (where for obvious reasons masks can't be worn continually) have worked to stay open by relying more on outdoor seating. But that was in the summer. How are we going to get through the winter?
"Just stay home" is one solution, but not very appealing, especially after the past 8 months. Restaurants are experimenting with heating partially enclosed outdoor spaces, but even partial enclosure reduces the ventilation benefits of being outdoors dramatically. Lots of public buildings are hurrying to retrofit their ventilation systems for better filtration, but we aren't there yet.
If we're going to be seeing other humans outside of video calls at all this winter, I think it's time to think about winter clothing. A lot of the way we dress these days is geared toward centralized HVAC systems. Most of us can get by without older technologies such as long underwear. We don't go outside much, and when we do we tend to be walking or otherwise engaged in a physical activity such as bicycling. If you're going to be walking briskly, throwing a warm coat on over one or two layers of cotton is usually sufficient. That doesn't work as well if you want to sit down and have a long conversation.
To look for clothing solutions, I think we need to look at situations where people sit around outdoors in cold weather. Basically we're talking about winter camping. Fortunately, there's a ton of good information out there on dressing appropriately for winter camping. Here's an example: https://www.campingforfoodies.com/winter-camping-clothes/
The basic principles are pretty straightforward:
* Dress in layers
* Avoid cotton and other plant-based natural fibers such as linen and hemp
* The bottom layer should be a wicking layer (synthetic fiber or silk is recommended)
* Use middle insulating layers made of wool or synthetic fleece (EDIT: as was pointed out to me elsewhere, down is also a fantastic insulator as long as it doesn't get wet)
* The outer layer should be a windbreaking "shell"
* Wear a warm hat
For sedentary activities in particular, I think it's especially important not to neglect the lower half of the body, which tends to be kept warmer when we are walking around. So, all three layers (wicking, insulating, and windbreak) should be considered for pants as well as upper layers. Appropriate footwear is crucial as well.
When you're alternating between active and sedentary (going for a walk with a friend and stopping to sit and chat), it's also important to pay attention to how your body is doing and remove layers if you're feeling too hot. Being drenched in sweat is no fun in cold weather, especially if you stop moving and cool down.
Being outside in the cold isn't everybody's thing, but it doesn't have to be miserable experience if you're willing to layer up appropriately.