Many folks think that a pull of whiskey or brandy might warm the cockles, but booze is a poor beverage choice in cold-weather emergencies. Alcohol dehydrates the body (wasting water) and causes flushing of the skin (wasting heat). These effects make a person much more vulnerable to hypothermia. Alcohol can also impact motor skills and increase memory lapses and impulsive behavior, all of which are dangerous in a survival situation. And when the booze wears off, a person is often left tired and confused. Couple the physiological effects of alcohol with a dangerous cold-weather scenario and you have a cocktail for disaster.
If one pair keeps your feet warm, then two pairs should keep them even warmer, right? Nope, your boots were designed to hold your feet and one pair of socks, not two. The second pair compresses your foot, cutting of circulation and making your feet colder than they’d be with a single pair. This impaired blood flow makes your feet even more vulnerable to frostbite, a major winter threat.
This one has a loophole. Good long johns made from wool or synthetic fiber will definitely keep you warmer. But if you go cheap, purchasing cotton long johns, then you’re in trouble. Even without sweating, the normal moisture that your skin releases will soak into the cotton fibers and cause them to cool your body – not insulate it. If it’s cold enough for long johns, then it’s too cold to be wearing cotton. If you got suckered into buying cotton long johns like many of us have over the years, treat yourself to an upgrade and use the old ones to make char cloth or wash your truck.
Slowing muscles is usually the first sign of hypothermia—not fast twitching muscles. The forearm muscles are often the first to become sluggish. A finger dexterity check can tell you as much (or more) than any other test. This assessment is quick, and can be performed at any time in cold conditions. Simply touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of each of your fingers on the same hand. Assuming you can do this in warm weather, this full range of motion means your forearms haven’t locked up, and you are not hypothermic—not yet anyway. Failure to touch your pinky and ring finger means that muscles are locking up, and stronger hypothermia symptoms (like shivering, teeth chattering, and clumsiness) will soon follow.