As we settle into the coldest part of the year I’m often asked how I keep warm doing the chores. After all, the animals still need to eat twice a day and the frozen water needs to be changed. Winter is all about enduring.
I find people fall into two categories when it comes to priorities around dressing for the cold: cold hands or cold feet. I fall into the cold feet lot and so my first pick on the list for staying warm is finding a warm pair of waterproof boots. For this task, after many, many contestants, I’ve picked Muck boots as the winner. They’re rated 100% waterproof and will keep your feet warm to -30–and they actually do both admirably well! Though, I have a love/hate relationship with the stretchy cuff. The cuff does keep out the cold but, from a man’s point of view, it chafes a bit around the calf and creates a perfect bald spot around the leg which might be why I never wear shorts in warmer weather! Still, the MuckMaster Hi gets my vote for warmest and most versatile farm boot.
Moving up the body, my legs get just as cold as my feet and I find a nice pair of long johns under whichever pair of pants I put on do a good job at keeping out the wind and keeping in the heat. Armed with my Muck boots and a pair of long johns I can concentrate on my farm chores and forget about the cold.
Finally, and this is a bit of a combo, I find a few layers topped with a hooded jacket will keep the rest of me in top condition to face the cold. I prefer a hood over a hat because I’m constantly moving in and out of the barn. Inside the barn there’s no wind and I need to take off any headgear, but as soon as I step out I want to cover my head again. Wearing a hat would mean losing the hat, but wearing a hood that’s attached to my jacket keeps it handy and impossible to misplace. What’s your formula for winter warmth?
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