When temperatures drop, the clothes you wear for work and play make all the difference.
Generally, here are guidelines for winter work clothes:
* Keep clothing loose to allow blood to reach arms and legs.
* Wear loose-fitting layers for better insulation. Inner layers of wool, silk or synthetic fabrics help trap your body’s natural warmth.
* Coats should be insulated.
* Gloves should be insulated.
* Always cover your head. A proper hat for outdoor work covers both the head and ears. For some outdoor work, you may also need a mask to cover your face. The neck should be covered as well.
* Use waterproof and insulated boots. Consider slip-resistant footwear for some jobs. Always consider steel toed boots for heavy work.
Heated socks and gloves
With the advent of lithium-ion batteries, plus ubiquitous USB charging availability, heated gloves and socks have gained a huge new following.
You can get rechargeable battery powered gloves and socks that stay warm for up to six to eight hours. Both socks and gloves have battery pockets. You charge your battery, then connect it inside a pocket.
With gloves, some key considerations are flexibility, durability and waterproofing. Working hands might also benefit from glove knuckle guards. Many offer touch screen compatibility.
They can be expensive. The best gloves with the longest warming periods cost more than $100.
The lowest priced choice for heated gloves isn’t the battery-powered kind. It’s chemical power. Lightweight fleece gloves and mittens with chemical heating packs run about $25. You put your chemical pack into the glove for long-lasting warmth. However the packs are single-use only. While the mitten-glove combos are insulated with a good leather palm for grip, they might not hold up to wind, according to Bob Vila.