An old friend of mine visited Norway a few weeks back, and when he was preparing to go, he asked my advice on cold weather gear, as it’s still winter up that way. Besides, he will be staying near the very northern area of the country. I mentioned the proper layering of clothing, suggested a tent, sleeping bag, and a woolen blanket. So, I thought it might be interesting to talk a bit about the subject here on the blog as well…
Having a high quality blanket included as part of your supplies for any similar cold weather trip is important and can be the difference in life and death, versus comfort and survival. That’s even truer if the temperatures are as frigid as he is expecting, as it can take a man only moments to freeze in that sort of rough environment. Especially if he’s ill prepared. When I tour mountains and places like Norway in the winter, I pack a specialized tent and negative degree sleeping bag, and yes, a particular blanket. I look for gear that will provide me with the optimum protection and ease of use, because traveling through snow is no joke, and neither is negative degree temperatures.
There’s all sorts of gear for cold weather travel, but even a good tent is perhaps my least concern, because having a negative temp sleeping bag can help you weather the worst of almost any blizzard. Th goto here is the famous mummy style bags that excel at keeping body heat in and loss of heat at a minimum. If this is something you’re looking to invest in, buy a good one, and I’d suggest a down bag.
There’s all sorts of gear for cold weather travel, but even a good tent is perhaps my least concern, because having a negative temp sleeping bag can help you weather the worst of almost any blizzard. Th goto here is the famous mummy style bags that excel at keeping body heat in and loss of heat at a minimum. If this is something you’re looking to invest in, buy a good one, and I’d suggest a down bag.
Beyond those two typical gear additions, as I mentioned previous, I always haul a wool blanket along with me. There are lots of options out there, but only a few blanket makers that excel at creating life saving blankets with wool. Of course, Pendleton may be the big name, and rightly so. But Woolrich is another to pay attention to. Woolrich is an old American brand, who began their woolen mill in Plum Run, Pennsylvania in 1830. Ever since, they’ve become known for their Buffalo Check design (the same design you see in the photo to the right), which originally was designed as a shirt to honor the herd of buffalo he had once owned.
Woolrich produces high quality wool blankets that can save your butt during a winter storm. Or even at home, if your heater goes out. The reason is that the wool fibers are thick and retain the heat coming from your body better than most fibers. What this means is that their blankets, like Pendleton’s, are extremely warm and as I said previous, they can make all the difference in life and death when you’re traveling at frigid temperatures.
I found Woolrich’s wool blankets to be a great addition to my cold weather gear. They are high quality, and feel great; though, I know some folks who are allergic to wool fibers, and if you’re that person, search out another fiber for your cold weather blankets (perhaps down might be your best option). The Woolrich Rough Rider wool blanket in the Buffalo Check design is a striking, and iconic pattern, and I love it for its history as well as its ability to retain heat so well. While I’ve always been accustomed to Pendleton’s, I have found a love for Woolrich. And while Pendleton’s are larger, hefty blankets, the Woolrich blankets are smaller, and a bit thinner, which means they are better for travelers and backpackers, as they can be easily coiled up into a 1.5 foot by 5” roll, unlike the former which can’t even be reduced to double the size of Woolrich’s blankets. I am a fan of Woolrich, because they are soft, and warm, and feel like very high quality wool. So when I go on my next winter trek, the Buffalo Check will be coming with me everywhere I go.
If you would like to find out more about Woolrich, click here.
(Main photo by seanquito via Flickr)
Article written & product photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
Woolrich produces high quality wool blankets that can save your butt during a winter storm. Or even at home, if your heater goes out. The reason is that the wool fibers are thick and retain the heat coming from your body better than most fibers. What this means is that their blankets, like Pendleton’s, are extremely warm and as I said previous, they can make all the difference in life and death when you’re traveling at frigid temperatures.
I found Woolrich’s wool blankets to be a great addition to my cold weather gear. They are high quality, and feel great; though, I know some folks who are allergic to wool fibers, and if you’re that person, search out another fiber for your cold weather blankets (perhaps down might be your best option). The Woolrich Rough Rider wool blanket in the Buffalo Check design is a striking, and iconic pattern, and I love it for its history as well as its ability to retain heat so well. While I’ve always been accustomed to Pendleton’s, I have found a love for Woolrich. And while Pendleton’s are larger, hefty blankets, the Woolrich blankets are smaller, and a bit thinner, which means they are better for travelers and backpackers, as they can be easily coiled up into a 1.5 foot by 5” roll, unlike the former which can’t even be reduced to double the size of Woolrich’s blankets. I am a fan of Woolrich, because they are soft, and warm, and feel like very high quality wool. So when I go on my next winter trek, the Buffalo Check will be coming with me everywhere I go.
If you would like to find out more about Woolrich, click here.
(Main photo by seanquito via Flickr)
Article written & product photos by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
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