How to Keep Yourself Warm While Snowmobiling
Weather can change rapidly during the time of your ride, So it’s important to keep yourself warm. Proper equipment and layering of clothing are required for a secure and pleasant ride. Understand how to properly dress for your ride.
Proper Clothing to Keep Yourself Warm
Proper riding clothes and gear are incredibly vital to confirming your snowmobile outing is safe, especially in the event of an emergency. Follow the directions shown in the “Riding Apparel” section to ensure you are properly equipped for the weather conditions. What could become a comprehensive trip in the event of an emergency?
Make sure you dress in layers to be prepared for changing weather conditions, which can vary greatly from when you start your trip to when you return. Wind chill elements must also be handled to stop possible effects from frostbite. Most importantly, always avoid cotton fabrics in all your clothing layers since they can get wet and freeze, drastically decreasing your comfort and safety.
Do not use Alcohol to Keep Yourself Warm
Never consumed Alcohol while snowmobiling, and clearly never in an emergency situation since it is a deadly myth. Alcohol consumption truly does the complete negative, forcing your body to lose precious warmth rapidly versus keeping or building warmth. It is more useful to drink hot beverages like coffee or hot chocolate while on your outing. Since these warm beverages do help warm your insides while reducing the chill from cold or extreme weather.
Fire-Making Materials to Keep Yourself Warm
Your safety kit should always include waterproof matches or regular matches stored in a waterproof container. It should also include flammable material to help start a fire. Making a fire is vital since it will help keep you warm. Make a possible signal to help saviors find your exact location.
Collect dry tree limbs and other wood to keep the fire burning until someone finds you or you leave the area to walk or ride out for help.
Moderate Exercise to Keep Yourself Warm
Exercise can help avoid frostbite and hypothermia. However, your activities should be only enough to keep your body warm while avoiding over-exercising the moment you start sweating. In this situation wearing non-cotton underlayers can be extremely important to your survival since cotton clothing would stay wet from your exercise and then freeze against your body.
Hand Warmers
There are several products that can keep your hands warm and you can easily carry them on your snowmobile or in your safety kit. Snowmobile riders use multiple hand warmers which can be usable by squeezing the package, which creates a heat reaction. Another type runs on flashlight batteries, while another uses a wick soaked in the flammable fluid that is started with a match. All can be useful when riding and become even more important if you become stranded. While hand warmers are also built into the handlebars of snowmobiles, they are of little use when you become stranded.
The best way to keep your hands and feet warm is to always carry a dry pair of extra mittens. Always carry a spare pair of non-cotton socks. As soon as your hands or feet start becoming cold, change into your extra dry pair. If possible, try to dry or warm the other pair you removed by placing them on your snowmobile’s exhaust or near your fire. The lowest line is that your hands and feet must stay dry for them to stay warm.
Wind Chill
The wind chill is the effect of wind combined with cold temperatures. The higher the wind speed, the colder the air feels. There is also wind chill caused when riding, even when the wind is not blowing, due to the speed of your snowmobile. To help avoid wind chill and frostbite when stranded, seek shelter out of the wind and ensure your clothing includes a windproof outer layer.
Conclusion
Snowmobile is a sport that can offer you multiple challenges. Always prepare for the worst in case you are riding your first snowmobile outing of the season. While riding your snowmobile you have to understand how you can keep yourself warmer in different conditions. So make sure you have the proper pieces of equipment to deal with.
Never use Alochlic liquids to keep yourself warm because they will disturb your mental state and can be too dangerous for you, So always avoid these types of liquids.
