Staying dry

Wet clothes can lose most of their insulation and pull heat from your body many times faster than dry ones. Staying dry is one of the simplest ways to avoid getting dangerously cold.

Keep the rain out

Put on waterproofs as soon as it starts to rain, not once you're already wet.
Tuck your top into your trousers and your trousers into your socks or boots in very wet ground.
A bin bag with holes for head and arms makes an emergency rain cover.
Shelter under a tarp, rock overhang or dense evergreen tree while heavy showers pass.

Keep the sweat in check

Many people get wetter from sweat than from rain.

Slow down. Work at a pace where you can talk easily.
Remove a layer before hard effort, and open zips to vent.
In the cold, it's better to feel slightly cool while moving than hot and damp.

Keep spare kit dry

Line your bag with a bin bag or dry bag.
Pack spare socks, a base layer and a hat in their own sealed bag.
Keep matches, lighters, phones and medicines in separate waterproof bags.

Drying things out

Wring out wet clothes and put them back on if you have nothing else. Damp wool still keeps you warmer than nothing.
Hang clothes near, not over, a fire. Synthetic fabrics melt easily.
Put damp socks or gloves inside your clothing against your body, or in your sleeping layers, so body heat dries them overnight.
Never put wet boots right next to a fire. The leather can crack and shrink.

Feet

Wet feet for long periods can cause painful skin damage, known as trench foot, even when it isn't freezing.

Change into dry socks at least once a day.
Dry your feet, and let them air whenever you can.
Don't sleep in wet socks.

Watch for hypothermia

Signs include:

Shivering that won't stop.
Clumsiness and fumbling.
Confusion, slurred speech or unusual tiredness.

Get out of the wind and rain, change into dry clothes, add layers and insulation from the ground, and share body warmth. Give warm, sweet drinks if the person is fully alert. If symptoms are severe or the person stops shivering while still cold, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe and many other countries, 911 in North America).

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