# Winter Preparation?



## elminister (14 Dec 2004)

I just want to know about surviving on winter exercise. Does anyone have any suggestions. (dressing, gears, etc)


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## George Wallace (14 Dec 2004)

Dress in layers.  Stay dry.  Do not overheat and sweat.  If you get to warm, take off a layer.  Use the Buddy System in extreme cold to watch for Frost Bite (Just like when you go for a swim).  Keep hydrated.  Do not eat the snow, especially Yellow Snow.  Eat warm food and beverages.  No alcohol.

GW


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## Big Foot (15 Dec 2004)

Make sure that you are always wearing something on your head and hands, as your hands become quite useless if they become cold. As well, never underestimate the importance of dry socks, they are truly feet's best friend.


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## Tpr.Orange (15 Dec 2004)

bring both sleeping bags... and if you can get a polar fleece liner...thats clutch too and have your head covered at all times cause thats were you loose most of your body heat.


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## armyrules (20 Dec 2004)

dress in layers and drink enought to keep you hydrated!! good luck


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## Chewy (21 Dec 2004)

An excellent way to dry out wet clothing is to freeze it and smash the ice out of it, once it (socks, gloves etc) warms up enjoy.


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## Fusaki (21 Dec 2004)

> An excellent way to dry out wet clothing is to freeze it and smash the ice out of it, once it (socks, gloves etc) warms up enjoy.



Umm... have you actually tried this before?


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## MikeM (22 Dec 2004)

Sounds like a lot of extra time and effort..something a person usually doesn't have on an exercise, especially if its a tactical ex.


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## armyrules (13 Jan 2005)

yeah really that is way too time consuming. Does that even work?


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## I_Drive_Planes (13 Jan 2005)

Chewy said:
			
		

> An excellent way to dry out wet clothing is to freeze it and smash the ice out of it, once it (socks, gloves etc) warms up enjoy.



This actually works really well, especially when its quite cold and the wet clothing can freeze relatively quickly, once its frozen it only about 30 seconds to a minute of work to get the item dry (mostly, it won't be perfect, but it beats being soaked).


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## 2 Cdo (13 Jan 2005)

Have used it myself once many years ago. Effective but even better is to TRY to avoid getting your kit in that state to begin with!


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## Sharpey (13 Jan 2005)

Rum, for that quick pick me up in the morning. Errm, did I say that out loud?


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## chrisf (13 Jan 2005)

elminister said:
			
		

> I just want to know about surviving on winter exercise. Does anyone have any suggestions. (dressing, gears, etc)



*Where*? Cold is broken down into two categories, dry cold and wet cold... depending on what sort of cold you have in your area, the equipment you bring changes (Wet cold, you basically bring everything you own...)


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## Dogboy (13 Jan 2005)

do not get sweaty.
sweat is the death of you because once you stop moving you'll chill fast. 
get a face mask, neck toque, scarf, or other head neck cover 
i always get a chill where my neck and body met on my clothing and wind blows in, my head is warn and my body is warm but ill get a chill on my neck.
also never wear cotton socks and try and avoid any cotton clothing.

Iv heard that eating snow is not good if your cold and thirsty because it waste body energy to melt it then absorb it 
but if your running around working hard, and or really warm to start, its OK to suck on some to keep your mouth most.(a hard thing to do in the cold) 
also watch for frost bite in the wind the buddy sistom is a good one. remember in a good wind and hard cold it can take less than a min. and you will not feel it 

and IF you do get bit. iv read, do not thaw it out till you can stay out of the wether. it'll hurt like hell and will freeze way faster if you go back into the cold with it not healed. 

and watch your feet. you will not feel them and thats a bad sine
good luck in the cold i love it its always brighter in the coldist days outside 
also watch for snow blindness where you shades. 8)


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## dutchie (13 Jan 2005)

-drink lots of water
-shake snow off yourself before entering a warm tent (or building) so it doesn't melt and get you wet
-eat lots, even if your not hungry


the rest has been mentioned


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## Fusaki (14 Jan 2005)

Geez, I can't believe myself, or anyone else hasn't remembered this one yet...

DON'T FORGET TO WORK THE ACTION ON YOUR WEAPON!!

Take the the time to unload and make sure all the different parts of your weapon should move like they are supposed to. When you fire a C7, the weapon heats up and condensation forms inside the chamber. Then when you stop shooting and the weapon cools, its possible that a round will freeze there and not eject when you do your unload drill. On more then one occasion I've seen cold and hungry troops at O-dark-thirty forget to check to see if a round was extracted when they unload, then neglect to check the chamber only to fire the action and get an ND.

Lesson learned: Once in awhile remember to unload (and make SURE its really unloaded) and c0ck the weapon a few times to make sure the parts move properly, ESPECIALLY after firing. This not only goes for the C7, but all small arms.


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## sapper332 (14 Jan 2005)

As has been asked before - where are you heading out into? Dry And Wet Cold requires a different approach to kit preparation and mindset. Examples Petawawa is a great example of Wet Cold, lots of humidity in the air, freezing rain with occasional melting. Going out in this environment at -30deg requires lots of spare (dry) kit and the right kit to layer so you reduce perspiration. Opposite side of the coin would be a place like Coppermine (30km above the Arctic circle). In is a dry cold and an environment where the snow crunches with the sound of Styrofoam, and an air temp of -50deg then add wind chill! This requires lots of layers and everything you own to add extra layers too!


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## armyrules (14 Jan 2005)

Caesar said:
			
		

> -drink lots of water
> -shake snow off yourself before entering a warm tent (or building) so it doesn't melt and get you wet
> -eat lots, even if your not hungry
> 
> ...


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## wern32 (18 Jan 2005)

If your Infantry, your going to sweat alot and get soaked and have little sleep.  If your humping alot then pak light.  Extra gloves, socks and liners is a must.  If it was only around -25 or so I would only use one liner and use your second set of fleece to sleep in only.  Fleece is light (when dry) and is great for warmth.
During ten routine hang your suff up as high as you can get it.


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## Britney Spears (18 Jan 2005)

If you don't poop, you die.


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## Bomber (18 Jan 2005)

Sleep nude, use the can everyday, bring a bunch of big baby diaper holding safety pins to hold your stuff up in the tent.   Get the old black airmattress.   Bring a book to read.   Get some good caribeeners from the Q,   In Coppermine (Kugluktuk), we used only dry weapons, CLP and any other liquid turns to frozen solid glue.   Dry is the best way to go up there, don;t worry about rust since there is basically no liquid, even machine gun barrels are ice cold after about 2 minutes.   Pour all liquid fuels with your winter mitts on, if it is -50 outside, all the liquid at the POL point that hasn't turned to stone will also be -50, when it touches your hands, they turn white and the skin falls off immediately, it is like Mr Wizard and the hotdogs he used to get the kids to smash with hammers.   Bungy cords lose their "Bungy" after about -35, they stretch out, but never unstretch.   Bring a bunch of para cord with bowlines tied in each end.   Remove the trigger guards from the weapons so they can be used with Arctic mitts on, nothing is worse than "slow rate" on the c 9 when you have taken off your gloves to fit your finger in the trigger.


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## armyrules (18 Jan 2005)

Bomber said:
			
		

> Sleep nude, use the can everyday, bring a bunch of big baby diaper holding safety pins to hold your stuff up in the tent.  Get the old black airmattress.  Bring a book to read.  Get some good caribeeners from the Q,  In Coppermine (Kugluktuk), we used only dry weapons, CLP and any other liquid turns to frozen solid glue.  Dry is the best way to go up there, don;t worry about rust since there is basically no liquid, even machine gun barrels are ice cold after about 2 minutes.  Pour all liquid fuels with your winter mitts on, if it is -50 outside, all the liquid at the POL point that hasn't turned to stone will also be -50, when it touches your hands, they turn white and the skin falls off immediately, it is like Mr Wizard and the hotdogs he used to get the kids to smash with hammers.  Bungy cords lose their "Bungy" after about -35, they stretch out, but never unstretch.  Bring a bunch of para cord with bowlines tied in each end.  Remove the trigger guards from the weapons so they can be used with Arctic mitts on, nothing is worse than "slow rate" on the c 9 when you have taken off your gloves to fit your finger in the trigger.



    Thankx great post Bomber very helpful and informative


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