Cold & Wet · Reference · Basic
Dress for Cold: The Three-Layer System
Base, mid, shell — how to stay warm without sweating, and why cotton clothing gets people hurt.
This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.
- 01
Take the cotton off
Cotton absorbs a third of its weight in water and stops insulating. Wool and synthetic keep trapping air while damp. If cotton is all you have, keep it dry with a shell over it.
- 02
Base layer: move sweat away
Snug, full coverage — sleeves to the wrists, legs to the ankles. This layer's only job is to keep your skin dry.
- 03
Mid layer: trap air
Warmth lives in the air your insulation holds still. Fleece, wool, a puffy jacket, a quilt. Wear two thinner mid layers instead of one thick one so you can adjust.
- 04
Shell: stop the wind
Wind strips the warm air off your body in seconds. A cheap plastic poncho or a windbreaker over your mid layer beats a heavier coat with no shell.
- 05
Cover the exits
Most of your heat loss in cold air is head, neck and hands. Hat on, neck covered, mittens over gloves. Carry a spare dry hat and sock pair in a bag.
- 06
Vent before you sweat
Unzip and shed a layer before you start hauling wood, not after you're soaked. Sweat that freezes inside your jacket is the fastest way to get cold on a stop.