Wind Up For Winter

Okay, it's winter. I know cos the goldfish bowl's done that paperweight thing again - they never work properly afterwards - but how do you stop yourself going the same way? Here's some quick fire advice on the extras you need if you're going out in the winter mountains.

Head We won't bore you with that heat loss stat', but in winter, you need to get it covered. A fleece hat or balaclava under a waterproof hood is one option, a hat cap like the Lowe Mountain Cap with a waterproof breathable outer is another, especially if you dislike hoods. Always carry a spare. Without an insulating layer on your head you lose heat fast.

Face Balaclavas protect the face pretty well when worn with a good, cinched down hood, but take a look at the Neoprene wet-suit material face masks as well - great for protecting your lower face from driven snow and wind.

Hands Mitts are warmer as they make your fingers into a plate, reducing the surface area available to lose heat, gloves are less efficient, but more dextrous, particularly if you're climbing and need to fiddle with gear and ropes. Again look for an insulating, fleecy lining coupled with a wind and / or waterproof shell. Again, always carry a spare set in case you lose a glove or mitt.

Legs A lot of walkers and climbers dislike overtrousers, but without them or some form of wind resistant trouser or salopette, you can lose large amounts of heat, particularly from your thighs. Start with a thermal base layer that will trap heat close to the skin as well as wicking moisture away. On top of that, you'll want some sort of mid-layer - standard fleece is warm but not particularly wind resistant and needs a shell layer over the top, variants like Ultrafleece have a denser weave and are more wind resistant, so you can often get away without an overtrouser.

Salopettes cover the small of your back and are generally snugger than straight trousers, but in either case, if you're going to need to don or remove your trousers while wearing crampons, you'll need full length zips. Finally, think about calls of nature, particularly if you're going to be wearing a harness.

Torso As with legs you need to combine base layers with an insulating layer and shell. It's much easier to regulate your upper body temperature than fiddle around with your leg wear and even in winter, you'll get hot walking up steep slopes. Often a full weight fleece is simply too warm and we'd suggest looking at a 100 weight microfleece for active use and carrying a standard fleece for stops. If it gets really cold you can swap them over and wear the standard fleece while moving. Alternatively try teaming the baselayer with a shell jacket to deflect wind.

Don't forget you can use your heat as a temperature regulator - take it off when you're warm, stick it back on if you feel chilly.

Jackets and Hoods It's in winter when a shell jacket's hood becomes really important. Look for one that moves with your head, gives some protection to your face when snow's driven in from the side and seals well enough around the face to keep draughts out. A good, stiff peak also helps, but don't le tit blind you to the shape of the hood overall. If you're going to be using a helmet, make sure the hood is big enough, but also check that it'll work properly without the extra bulk - a lot don't.

Lots of pockets are great for carrying the snacks you should be eating all day, but make sure you can open and close zips and fasteners with a gloved hand. If they don't have decent pull tags on the fasteners, buy some thin climbing cord and fit your own. Sorted.

Packs For winter walking or mountaineering you'll need something in the region of 40-45 litres - remember you'll be carrying spare clothing, food and shell garments plus water and possibly axe and crampons, a summer pack tends to be overwhelmed. Try not to leave the top lying open when you stop or the snow'll be in it like a rat up a drain pipe before melting moistly on your kit.

Gaiters Great for stopping snow coming over the tops of your boots and keeping the bottoms of your trousers dry plus preventing overtrousers from flapping about and catching your crampons. Roll them down or vent them with the zip when the snow's not deep and if you can't stand the things, consider a pair of the mini 'stop-tous' ankle gaiter variety that only cover the ankle. Make a tough, under-sole retaining strap a priority unless you like replacing them every two weeks. Yetis are pricey, but offer comprehensive protection.

In your pack As well as the spare clothing, hat and gloves, you'd be daft to go out without a polythene survival bag. It may not be a thing of beauty, but it could save your life, ditto an emergency whistle and a head torch in case you get caught out in the dark.

If you're part of a group, make sure there's at least one spare map in case of wind-generated disasters and preferably a compass as well, on your own, carry both. An Ortlieb map case is the best way to keep it dry.

A basic first aid kit can make life less painful and safer. Finally if you own a mobile phone, it makes sense to pack it for emergency use only. Remember that coverage is patchy in the hills so you can't rely on it, but again, it could save your, or someone else's life.

Okay, lecture over You can all go outside now and play, but don't come running to the staff room if it all goes horribly wrong and you fall over and graze your knees and stuff. Nothing to do with us yer hear.