Falk Laboratory School
Keeping Warm at McKeever
Means Staying Dry at McKeever
The key to keeping warm outdoors is keeping your body dry. That means protecting yourself
from moisture both on the outside and from the inside. The way to do this is through 3 key
principles:
Layering
This means wearing several layers of clothing, not necessarily bulky, but efficient. When you
have several lightweight layers, you can add more or remove some as needed when your body
temperature changes with exercise or weather changes.
Start with under layers. Body Armor is an example but any kind of wicking underwear is your
best start. This layer will pull moisture away from your skin and provide insulation at the same
time.
For your second layer, it is best to AVOID cotton, if you can. The reason for this is that cotton
acts like a towel, absorbing moisture and keeping it. If this layer is wet, it will cool you down
quickly. Think about wearing a wet towel around after the heat is out of it! (Most of our clothing
is cotton – jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc.) If you have fleece (for example, Polartec or Tech
Fleece), or wool, these materials will keep you warm even if they get wet.
If you don’t have anything but cotton for your second layer, you can make up for it with a good
third layer. Your third layer should be something lightweight, windproof, and waterproof. Rain
pants and rain jackets are ideal. You can also combine the 2 and 3 layer with something like
snow pants. The only disadvantage is that you can’t take off a layer if it gets too warm.
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Waterproofing
Waterproofing is most important for your feet, seat, hands, and head. The ideal footwear is
waterproof hiking shoes or boots. Snow boots are good but often have limited traction and we
will be hiking through the woods. Even if you do not have these for your feet, you can
waterproof what you do have. Sno-Seal All Season Leather Protection is a very effective
waterproofing agent. It takes a bit of work to get it on your shoes or boots, but it is very effective.
It will even help protect sneakers. Kiwi Camp Dry is a liquid silicone that is easy to apply and is
also effective. Both are best if applied at least 24 hours in advance.
In addition to dry shoes, wearing the rights socks will help. Cotton socks are the worst. Fleece,
wool, or wool combination socks are the warmest, even when wet. If your socks are wet, you
will be cold. Bring extra pairs!
Keeping your head dry is equally important as you can lose heat through your head. Wearing a
warm, waterproof, or water resistant hat can help immensely. The blue pads we have at
McKeever will help keep your seat dry. Don’t sit on the ground without it unless you are sure it
is dry.
We will be doing a lot of things with our hands in wet places at McKeever. Waterproof gloves
will help a lot! If you don’t have waterproof gloves, fleece or wool gloves are second best. If you
have nothing but cotton gloves, bring several pairs.
Common Sense
We have had snow, rain, wind, and cold temperatures along with occasional sun at McKeever.
When outdoors, use your head, avoid occasions where you can get wet. If you have wet clothing
and you are getting cold, try exercising (jumping jacks work well.) If you continue to get colder,
you need to change clothes.