BE bothered this winter
Sharing our top tips on how to stay warm, dry and get the most out of your winter adventures.
Advice from Mountain Rescue – Always be bothered
If you’re hands are slightly cold, be bothered to put your gloves on.
If you’re slightly hungry, be bothered to stop and have something to eat.
If you think you might need a headtorch, be bothered to pack one in your rucksack.
You might get away without doing these things properly in summer, but the mountains and open moorland in winter deserve respect.
Always be bothered and think ahead.
Pack extra warm layers
As we head into winter, it’s important to have a refresher on hypothermia symptoms and treatments. Whether it be a casualty who has been immobile on the hill for a period of time, or a party member who has been sat waiting for help to arrive.
Hypothermia can occur quickly, especially if you’re exposed on the top of a wet or windy hill. Remember the higher you go, the colder it will get! Take extra warm layers, snacks and pack a warm drink to add warmth and keep your energy levels up.
Don’t forget a shelter too! We pack group shelters which are useful for team members sheltering from the wind and rain during training, callouts or for providing a casualty shelter from the elements.
#BeBothered this winter and pack extra warm layers, food and hot drinks. Ask yourself and party members if they’re okay and keep checking in with each other.
Pack the waterproofs
The weather can be unpredictable and in the mountains or moorland, the conditions can change fast. It won’t be a quick walk to the car to get the spare jacket.
Ensure you pack that waterproof jacket and trousers in your rucksack this winter. You don’t know when you might need them. Waterproof clothing doesn’t just keep you dry but can protect you from the wind too.
We suggest a waterproof jacket with a hydrostatic head of 20,000+ H/H for Dartmoor.
Not WEATHERPROOF which are not rated to the same standards as waterproof jackets. Don’t get caught out in the rain and #BeBothered to pack those waterproof layers.
Lets talk insulation
Down versus Synthetic. Down filled jackets are obviously the best, or are they? Believe it or not, Mountain Rescue volunteers mostly use Synthetic filled jackets.
Down filled jackets are lighter, better warmth to weight ratio vs Synthetic fill but come at a higher cost to purchase. When Down filled jackets get wet can and will get damaged (even the DWR treated jackets), and once wet it does NOT retain its heat properties and will be a soggy jacket providing zero benefit.
Synthetic fill is heavier, bulker and is cheaper to purchase, but when wet continues to function and provide warmth. This is why Belay jackets are typically Synthetic filled and why we within Mountain Rescue use Synthetic filled jackets as we are often working in wet environments.
Down is best in Alpine environments where it is dry and cold.
Synthetic is best in wet and cold environments, just like it is here in the UK.
Bring that torch (don’t forget the spare batteries)
The days are shorter, its colder and wetter, but don’t let that cut your adventures short. Remember to keep a torch packed, check that’s its working before you head out and don’t forget the spare batteries or means to charge the torch.
If you think you might need a torch, be bothered to pack one in your rucksack.
How bright do I need?
Torches are measured in lumen. This is the amount of visible light that the human eye can detect. Torches vary in lumen from 50 to 1,500lm.
A car headlight is about 800lm, full beam is about 1,500lm and newer HID lights can be up to 4,500lm. Now, we’re not suggesting carrying a car headlight around with you.
A brighter torch needs a bigger battery, the length of duration you need also requires larger or multiple batteries and the bigger the battery, the more it weighs. This triangle of options of weight vs lumens vs duration sits at the core of the torch purchase.
Not all torches are suitable for every activity – About 250 to 500lm is good for hillwalking. If moving faster (running or cycling) you will need more lumens, so a torch that offers multiple brightness settings is recommended.
DON’T use your mobile phone’s torch, this will drain the battery on your device, and you may need this in an emergency. Your mobile phone’s torch is only 40-50 lm which is not suitable for hillwalking. It’s a mobile phone, not a torch. Use the correct tool.
Navigating this winter
Don’t be reliant on your mobile phone to navigate, always have a backup. The solution is a paper map and compass ensuring you know how to use this method of navigation.
You can see much more of the terrain and paper maps and compasses don’t run out of battery when cold or wet.
We recommend an OS Map Active, which is laminated to protect the map from the worst of the elements. You can also get a map case to protect it further and keep your compass away from mobile phones or anything electronic.
If you’re going to use your mobile phone for navigating, ensure you have a power bank and cables spare to charge the phone. Using maps and navigating can drain the battery and in cold and wet conditions, the battery will struggle further.
The two most common ones with What3Words are either that the phone still thinks it’s somewhere else (for example, you drive to the start of your walk and then lose signal as you leave the car park… well your phone still thinks it’s in that previous location), or in transmitting the 3 words over the phone they are either spoken or heard incorrectly somewhere along the process.
You can do a few things to increase the accuracy of ALL navigation apps:
- Let your phone settle when you open the app BEFORE you read out the location (give it at least 30 seconds for your phone to establish the most accurate location it can).
- Zoom out on the What3Words app map – this increases the accuracy but also helps you realise if the app has you in the wrong place (ie does it show you next to a big lake when there clearly isn’t one).
- Read out the words clearly (and numbers if used), spell them out and repeat them.
