Don't Get Snowed Under Packing Tips For Your Winter Vacation
December 1st, 2008

Vacationing in the winter can be one of the best ideas of all. You can take a snowmobile tour. It can offer you a chance to see the countryside in a different manner. You can take a tour of a city most tourists enjoy in the summer months, which might give you the opportunity to see it alone. You can even take a trip to a summery location which can help you combat those winter blues. Wherever you decide to go, there are a number of packing precautions you should take when you get ready to leave on a winter vacation.

First, be sure your car is prepared for the season you'll be traveling in. For example, if you intend to visit a snowy region in the winter you may need snow chains and extra anti-freeze in your car. Snow chains can help you get traction in a rough area. If you don't have a set of snow chains, in most cases a set of snow tires should do the trick. You need to be careful, though. If you plan to be in a mountainous area, snow chains may be the only thing that can get you out of a mess. Winterizing your car with antifreeze is also essential. Be sure to check with your mechanic for other car winterization tips.

Another thing to consider is packing an emergency kit for your car. Getting stranded in the winter is much different from being stranded in the summer, and a car emergency kit can become essential. You want to include food and water for a day for every member of your party. That may be how long it takes a road crew to find you. You will also need to include blankets for each member of your party. You will need at least one flashlight as well. Finally, you want to be sure to include things like motion sickness pills, pain relievers, and bandages. It might even be a good idea to include those new instant ice and cold packs. These chemically activated products can be really helpful when you're nowhere near an emergency clinic.

The final thing to consider is your actual suitcase. The first rule to consider is to avoid wearing clothes made of cotton at your cold destination. If your cotton clothing should get wet, it can take a very long period of time to dry. If you are doing some sort of activity that requires your body to sweat, the cotton will soak up the sweat. This means the moisture will be touching your body. This means that your chances of contracting the dangerous condition called hypothermia are increased. Most clothing companies make a number of products, including t-shirts, tank tops, and thermal underwear products out of synthetics, so it should not be difficult to find some non-cotton oriented clothes for your winter vacation. You also want to be sure to include a pair of long johns. Shopping in your blue jeans is just fine, but if you are in a cold, windy environment, the cold will cut right through you. Wearing a pair of long johns under each of your outfits, where appropriate, is not a bad idea, as it can prevent frostbite and other cold related medical conditions. You should also consider buying socks made of a synthetic or wool blend. This will wick moisture away from your feet and keep them warmer.

Another thing to consider is to dress in layers. A single winter coat is fine for basic activities, but for more serious winter vacation activities like skiing, snowshoeing, or snowmobiling, layers are the key to staying warm. This can give you the opportunity to control your body temperature in a most efficient manner. If you get hot, you can simply shed a layer. If you get cold again, you can re-add that layer to your ensemble. Remember, though, you need to have some free movement, and fifty of your warmest wool sweaters will not provide that for you. You should start with a base layer that consists of your long johns. Silk is a good choice for this layer because it is lightweight and it clings to your skin. Your next layer should be a layer of insulation. A good choice for this layer is fleece. It will keep you very warm, and if it gets wet, it has the ability to wick moisture away from the skin. Your outer layer should be a ski jacket and pants, even if you are not going skiing. These can help to protect your body from the fierce winds you might encounter. Your final layer should be a down jacket. This can provide you one more little bit of insulation to face to cold winter weather.

Packing for your winter vacation can be a tough thing to do, but pack well, and you will enjoy it more than any other vacation you have ever experienced

---

Please use the form below to comment on this page:

Name:
Email Address:	(kept private)
Comments:
Let me know if my message is replied to:	yes
Please enter the digits 513 in the box. This keeps away spam robots:

PHP Warning: Unknown(): Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\Program Files\HSphere\3rdparty\PHP\PHP5\ext\php_curl.dll' - The specified module could not be found. in Unknown on line 0 PHP Warning: Unknown(): Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\Program Files\HSphere\3rdparty\PHP\PHP5\ext\php_gd2.dll' - The specified module could not be found. in Unknown on line 0 PHP Warning: Unknown(): Unable to load dynamic library 'C:\Program Files\HSphere\3rdparty\PHP\PHP5\ext\php_mysql.dll' - The specified module could not be found. in Unknown on line 0