Dressing for Cold Weather
 

I am due to travel to Des Moines, IA in a couple of weeks. I will be there for a couple of days (including Valentine's Day :(). I am hoping to get some feedback from others in regards to cold weather dressing specific to my needs (in other words, I need more input than "layers").

I am a VERY warm blooded person (Susan says I am a human furnace). On my last trip to Des Moines in mid November, highs were in the 30's and lows in the teens. I did not have a problem with that: a leather jacket to get from building to car and vice-versa and the rest of the time I wore jeans and light-weight short-sleeved shirts. On the previous trip in early November, highs in the 40s and lows in the 20's and I never even wore my jacket. For these trips, I do not spend any time outdoors other than mentioned above.

I expect it to be colder this time and probably snowing. I was planning on getting some silk long underwear, thicker socks and some gloves. Since I am almost never outdoors, do I need anything more than this? I want to be prepared, but I don't want to go nuts. Also, I don't want to be roasting when I am indoors.

Suggestions/feedback?

A scarf?


It's cold here. It was 66 degrees F earlier. Yikes. Brrrrr!

I'm also very cold resistant (I'm constantly collecting coats and jackets that I look really good in but never get to wear because it literally never gets cold enough in SoCal to bother). My recent trip to Detroit, with freezing temps and snow taught me that, unless you plan on doing anything outdoors more than getting to and from vehicles, I wouldn't worry about it. The only things I can think of are, have a warm hat that will cover your ears, if you expect to touch snow at all make sure your gloves are water proof, and you might want to make sure you've got a good pair of boots or wellies or something for trudging through snow.

Other than that, the good jacket and a warm pair of pants should be fine.

Now the real question, why are you going to Des Moines in Febuary?

Business. I go at least six times per year.

I learned on my last trip there to not fly through Chicago: both outbound and return trips this time are through Denver.

I feel your pain man: it is down to a bone chilling 61 here right now.

Yesterday we had RAIN! It was like Armageddon!

Would you recommend the long johns?

I am going to purchase them and have in my possesion, but wanted your (fellow furnace) $0.02 on wearage.

I could've told you that;) Also don't let them try to switch you to a Chicago plane saying you will have an easier time getting out, they LIE!

From past experience, when Gary was with me, I'd say you won't need the longjohns unless you plan on outdoor activities, although silk ones sound wonderful to me! You should have something to cover your head/ears. Gloves are a great idea too.

When Gary and the boy came they got a convertible and drove around with the top down while it was snowing! Yep, I heard people talking about those crazy people for weeks. I didn't tell them it was my family! If you are mostly inside just wear a good coat and decent shoes, you don't want to slide on the ice and snow. If you layer you will just get hot quicker and then have a lot of layers to carry around with you.

Have you tried the Drake Diner? They have wonderful food. I'll have to think of other good food places. They do have great jazz clubs in Des Moines if you like that kind of music.

I had a pair of thermals with me that I found entirely unnecessary. Not that it was uber-cold (never got below 30), but it would have had to have been a fair bit colder for me to bother with the thermals if I wasn't going to spend more than 5 minutes at a time outside.

But then, they don't take up much space, so if it's threatening to get appreciably below freezing, might not be a bad idea to bring them just in case.

How long are you planning to be outside?

For me the key is extremities.

Extra warm socks, gloves, and a nice fleece hat that covers the ears.

Add nice warm coat (preferably wind resistant) and you are good to go.