by Kimberly Munsey-Carlton

Created on: October 21, 2007

It was a deceptively gorgeous day in northwest North Carolina, with the sun shining brightly and the sky clear and blue. To the eye it was a day to bask in the warmth of the sun but in fact it was only in the 20's. My father had some outdoor projects he had been chomping at the bit to get to and spring was too far away. He had grown up on a farm so weather did not usually stop him and since it was a fantastic looking day a little chill was surmountable. He dressed comfortably and what he thought to be appropriately. Hours later he was stubbornly finishing his outdoor remodeling project never realizing he was developing superficial frostbite on his numbed and cold feet.

Hypothermia, frostbite and trenchfoot are just some of the complications one thinks of when talking about wet and cold feet. Hypothermia and trenchfoot can occur at temperatures as high as 60 degrees F if the feet are constantly wet, like in kayaking. Cold and wet are two things you must adamantly protect against even if the temperature is not what is typically considered cold. Wet feet lose heat 25x faster than dry. Your feet and head are the two areas that your core heat escape from the quickest. Serious problems can occur by allowing your feet to become wet and/or cold, most particularly in winter. Education is key to prevent complications from just minimal discomfort to life loss.

Other than avoiding wet and low temperatures good shoes and socks are imperative. Water resistant shoes with maximum protection are optimal. The worst thing you can wear under them is cotton socks. Purchase a good pair of quality wicking socks or wear wool socks. Even when soaked, wool socks do a great job at keeping feet warm. Also, if you do get wet or even sweaty, you want to get into dry shoes & socks as soon as possible.

Everyone who spends time outdoors agrees that the feet must be protected above all else. Knowledge, preparation and a really good pair of water-resistant shoes and socks should keep you and your feet warm and dry through this next winter and many more. If only for comfort sake alone try a few of the following tips as the weather turns chilly and wet because only snowmen should ever have cold feet! These tips may sound odd but all come from seasoned outdoorsmen and women. I hope they bring you a smile and warm toes this year:

1. Wear a hat...keep all the heat you can inside your body and your feet will stay warmer longer.

2. Wear plastic garbage bags between two pairs of socks for tremendous insulation.

3. Use your antiperspirants on your feet to keep them from sweating, causing wetness and cold, especially if you choose the garbage bag tip.

4. Be sure your shoes are not laced too tight. Poor circulation can make your feet colder and also not alert you to changes.

5. My favorite tip of all comes thanks to Randi Young, a thread contributor at Ultrunr.com. Cayenne pepper keep feet warm. Turn your socks almost inside out, leaving the toe section cupped as it will be when you slide your foot in. Sprinkle a BIT of cayenne pepper into the portion of the sock where your toes and about 1" of your forefoot will be....just sprinkling the bottom of the sock seems to work well. Be certain to keep your hands clear of the pepper, because it will cause you immeasurable agony if conveyed to a contact lens or bare eye!...you won't be happy if you try this with any open cuts or blisters nearby. Be sure and wash off well later.

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/safety/hypocold.s html
http://www.ultrunr.com/coldfeet.html

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