| PROPER CLOTHING |
| For the Weather |
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| It is very important to dress properly where ever you live; however, in this region it means life or death. Regardless of winter or summer, it is good to always wear your clothing in layers. A few tips: 1. Use silk or cotton long johns and/or undershirts. Wear them! 2. Buy your boots 1 to 2 sizes larger than your feet to allow room for heavy socks. 3. Use breathable cotton underwear. Ladies, do not wear those fancy synthetic underwear because it will cause you to sweat and chaff your skin. It will be uncomfortable. 4. Wear socks in layers. A close fitting sock and then a heavy, larger sock over those socks. Purchase home-made knitted socks from the women in the village because they know what type of yarn to use and their socks are very warm and comfortable. 5. Gloves are very important and it depends on the task that you are preforming. For example, if you are riding a snow machine, 4- wheeler, or on the dog sled; use mittens. Wear a thin glove (per- haps cotton, wool O.K.) under- neath and then pull the heavy duty mitten on over them. When just walking, mittens are also good be- cause they keep your fingers to- gether to provide warmth for each other. Separated, your fingers are more likely to get cold. Here is a picture of fur mittens and he has cotton gloves on underneath them. |
| Think of the coat as a house, or a shell that you live in. It has many important functions and will save your life. I have tried to break down the various parts and functions to help you understand. The hood is a very important part of the jacket and can make the difference between your face being warm and getting frost bite. 1. Do not buy a jacket with a hood that fits snugly around your face and does not extend outward. The hood must pull out from your face several inches in order to protect it from fierce winds. But do not have a hood so large that when the wind blows, it can easily get inside and blow the hood off your head. It is wise to purchase a coat from one of the Native women in the village as they know how to make the perfect coat for that type of environment. |
| THE COAT |
| A Few Tips |
| 1. In Winter, carry a small roll of silver duct tape in your coat pocket. If you are stuck in a snow storm on your snow machine, you can put that tape over your nose and across your cheeks underneath the face mask. This may help prevent frost bite from the severe cold as you drive your machine through the winds. When removing the duct tape from your face, press a warm cloth (as hot as you can stand) over the tape and remove slowly, put warm lotion on face afterwards. 2. Men wear a baseball cap and then the home-made fur-flap hat over that. This provides an extended bill over the face. See picture for example. It is wise to purchase a fur hat made by one of the local villagers. 3. Ladies be careful of the type of jewerly you wear. If you wear earrings that will get caught in your hats or coats, then it could tear your ears. Or, you will just always be losing your earrings. If you wear silver or metal jewerly, it is cold next to your skin. |
| A Few Tricks |
| Shirts and sweaters should be comfortable and it is best to have natural fabrics such as wool or cotton. Synthetic fabrics do not always allow proper breathing for the flesh and some just cause you to sweat continually and stick to your skin which is very uncomfortable. |
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| Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Each person is responsible to do their own research and check with their doctors if using duct tape. |
| Shirts & Sweaters |