Dressing for temperatures ~20 degrees Celsius below zero
Why -20 degrees? That’s because I have not yet encountered temperatures below that! But I am sure I will get a chance in the not too distant future.
If one does not encounter cold weather in the place of domicile(true for many Indians), the awareness on how to dress up for cold weather is also likely to be limited. And when I say cold weather, I don’t mean +5 degrees Celsius, but temperatures upto -20 degrees Celsius in daytime. Apart from low temperatures, cold weather can also mean rain/snow and if there is wind, -5 degrees would feel like -15 degrees!
I learnt to avoid thick heavy jackets
There was a time when even I would opt for single heavy jacket. Would not always carry windcheaters. But over the years, after couple of unpleasant experiences, I have become wiser. That is why it is important to understand what clothes to carry if you are travelling to a cold/windy country/city so you are neither overdressed nor underdressed, and at the same time, not constrained.
First things first. Always remember the Two Commandments:
- Dress in appropriate layers, and
- Thicker does not necessarily mean more warmth and comfort.
The whole idea behind comfortable and appropriate dressing is as follows:
—ensure that mobility is not impacted; very important as you don’t want to feel like you are wearing a spacesuit.
—when temperature changes such as when you move indoors or the wind dies down, you are able to dress down;
—if the clothes get wet, it is easy to dry overnight in the hotel room;
—more importantly, you don’t struggle too hard to answer nature’s call when outside!
So here is my list of what your wardrobe should contain. Please understand that you will not need to wear all the layers all the time. But you will anyway have to carry them!
- Thermal underwear – Full length/sleeves of thermal set should form the base or the first layer. Generally made of natural plus synthetic fibres. There are thermal sets that even come with two layers. I generally prefer comfort wear, and not the tight, body hugging types. The question that gets often asked is whether you should also wear your regular underwear or not. I do, as that enables me to use the thermal underwear about 3 times, before putting it to laundry.
- Fleece set – full pant and full sleeves jacket. Fleece pant is very useful when it is a bit windy. For greater variety, carry woollen flannels and woollen sweaters or jackets.
- Shirt/T Shirt – Full/Half sleeves. With or without collar. I prefer to carry few cotton ones.
- Water/snow resistant pants– If you carry regular pants, make sure you have the windcheater set bottom that you can wear over your pant. Avoid jeans/chinos as it does not dry easily.
- Jacket that is designed to work in temperatures upto -20 degrees and which is water and snow proof, with hood. Don’t buy very thick jackets – the lighter ones serve the purpose as well. Note there are jackets that are designed for even lower temperatures so choose an appropriate one. Normally, these jackets also protect against wind. Instead of jackets, you may also prefer an overcoat but I find overcoats a bit inconvenient for movement and they take up more space in the luggage.
- Windcheater set-top and bottom. Ensure this is water proof. This set will not be very useful if wearing a jacket and water proof pant. But on few days, you can get away by wearing thermal set, fleece set and windcheater set, with regular shirt and trousers. I prefer the windcheater set without any additional layer of warmth, the main purpose being protection against wind and rain.
- Woollen socks, atleast ankle length(do carry regular cotton blend socks also as sometimes, it is good to wear a thin pair of regular socks and then a thicker woollen one depending on how good your shoe is).
- Water /Snow proof/resistant shoes. If the shoes are not water proof, carry appropriate shoe cover to protect against heavy rainfall/snowfall. But shoes must be water resistant, else they will not dry easily if they get wet. Shoes should atleast cover the ankle also.
- Woollen scarves/Balaclava, use it round the neck even if the jacket has a hood. You should also use it to cover the nose if it too cold to breath. If breathing become shallow, I know it is time to cover the nose.
- Woollen monkey cap ensuring the ears/head are fully covered. I normally find the jacket hood to be a bit inconvenient.
- Gloves and/or mittens. I sometimes find it useful to wear 2 sets of gloves, one a thin one followed by a slightly thicker gloves. The main purpose is to facilitate use of DSLR camera by taking off the outer glove. I have not yet shopped for photography gloves. And yes, the gloves should be water resistant.
- Glasses(not too dark) to protect your eyes as snow tend to reflect light when the sun is out.
- Women may carry stockings in addition. My wife will not travel without it.
Seems like a long list but every part of the body needs to be covered and also protected against wind and water when temperatures stay below 0 degrees Celsius! In Norway and Russia, my wife would routinely remove the monkey cap and hoodie for the photos or to click selfies. The result? Severe cold! You don’t want that, do you? Also, except the top jacket, other layers would be thin and even with all the layers, you will not look like Obelix!
The good part is that since the shirts are not visible externally, you can get away by carrying an average of one shirt for 3-4 days! That does free up space.
Overall, upto 3 layers is normally good and the combinations can vary depending on factors such as wind, temperature range and possibility of rain/snow. But as much as possible, do ensure you do not get wet. And remember, cotton will take lot more time to dry than wool.
I also find fleece to be highly effective and should definitely form one of the layers.
Do note the weather in the colder countries can change by the hour and hence, just because it is sunny on the morning, don’t expect the whole day will be sunny. Always carry the extra layers in the backpack.
Lastly, it would be good to have valuables such as wallets, mobile phone secured in a zipped pocket or in the backpack so they don’t accidentally fall out. With gloves on, it is always a struggle to get stuff out. For me, photography is also a challenge, especially changing lenses, fixing filters etc.
One of the best places to get almost all the above items is Decathlon. Since new inventory keeps coming, you will need to visit 2-3 times before you are able to buy all that you need and also like. And if you travel abroad often, it may be a good idea to consider shopping during travel as the variety you get would be enormous.
Understand that winter clothing takes up more space in the luggage and therefore, you have to be careful about how much you can buy and carry without feeling like a coolie! Fashions also change and hence don’t overload your wardrobe. At the same time, you may not want to be seen in the photograph wearing the same outer jacket for 15 days! Now you know why it is not a very easy decision!
And yes, it costs money and usage for most of us will be infrequent. But always choose quality over quantity. Another very important reason for choosing quality is that the clothes should be able to ‘breathe’. I have experienced discomfort when the layers of clothes I have worn prevented air circulation. There are options such as odour protection and moisture wicking garments. Choose wisely.
So there it is. Now you know there is no need to avoid travelling to colder countries or regions as long as you are comfortably attired! I am looking forward to travelling to Northern Europe/Northern America in winter or Antarctica in summer.
……updated March, 2020.