Need advice from my Canadian friends

**forestdale** · 09-21-2005, 06:18 PM

Most of you know my son #2 is living in Jasper.  It's coming up to his first winter and he has very few clothes suitable for your cold temps.  He also needs a duvet or blankets for his bed.  His nearest town outside jasper is Hinton, but he said the prices there are expensive.  He's going to Calgary in a couple of weeks time with some friends.  Are there any stores I should direct him to for decent inexpensive clothes for himself and for a duvet?

 

**canadian gardener** · 09-21-2005, 06:19 PM

Sure lemme think a minute

**canadian gardener** · 09-21-2005, 06:20 PM

Ok Shop at the following:

IKEA in Calgary for the duvet. Get a down one, rated for warmth, and put a wool blanket UNDER the down duvet so it doesn't compress the down. Sheet, blanket duvet going up from the bed.

**homesteadmamma** · 09-21-2005, 06:25 PM

Sears (this is one store I love. They have such a variety of things and not bad prices)

The Bay

**canadian gardener** · 09-21-2005, 06:29 PM

Warm winter clothing: (edited to add, I agree with CJ above) Sears and the Bay are both good. Work Wear World, and Mark's Work Wear House are also good.

Second hand stores often have good clean cheap items, again Calgary is the best bet. Look at Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and under THRIFT SHOPS in the yellow pages in the phone book in Calgary for others. LOOK for parkas, and duvets and heavy wool sweaters at the thrift shops first.

ZELLERS is a good cheap chain, so is WALMART. Either of them will sell good inexpensive new items. NOT always rated for extreme cold so he should shop around a bit FIRST at the Sears, Bay and Work Wearhouses so he knows what to look for.

ONE WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT BOOTS. People who don't come from here get bad boots every year.

You must tell him to get the snowmobile boots WITH THE REMOVEABLE LINERS.

the OTHER kind where the liner stays in the boot, gets wet, and stays wet and your foot gets chilblains and freezes. That is BAD but they are sold cheap so newcomers often buy them thinking it's a good deal. It's NOT.

REMOVEABLE LINERS so he can take them out and let the boot dry out overnight.

**canadian gardener** · 09-21-2005, 06:39 PM

Wool is important. Wool content in his socks will keep him warm even at night. Superwash long woolen underwear will keep him warm worn under his jeans etc. Heavy wool sweaters that he wears over Tshirts, or workshirts will keep him warm during the day. 2 of those are good.

If his place gets cold at night and he can't turn the heat up tell him to put a stocking cap kind of hat on preferably wool. Believe it or not it will warm the feet, because the greatest heat loss is thru the head.

OK another point -- when it gets really cold, you don't go running or move too fast because you don't want to suck really cold air into your lungs, it can cause a bad cough. Old timers call it freezing your lungs and they aren't far off. It's partly the dryness of the air along with the coldness that causes some inflammation.

Wear a HAT outside, always, COVER THE EARS. They get frostbitten really fast. The nose and cheeks go next. A scarf goes over the face and you breathe THRU it on really cold days so that the air is a bit warmer for the sake of your lungs. It protects your face and nose too.

as before, you lose most of your heat, over half of it, thru the head so always keep it covered with a toque. (tuke) a stocking cap arrangement, and on bad days, the hood of the parka too.

MITTS are important. Gloves just freeze the fingers. Snowmobile mitts are the best. They are a ripstop nylon, and have a padded lining.

Dh has to work outside on mountain tops around here mid winter with wind chill and all. He uses an inner mitt made of wool and a big leather gauntlet mitt which he takes off for finer work.

Work Wear world and Mark's Work Wearhouse have good coats, mitts etc.

The kind of coat he needs is a PARKA and it comes with a hood which is necessary if he is working outside in winter. They have thermal ratings, and it should be rated for extreme cold. Not all parkas sold in Canada are good for really cold weather.

Look for a windproof shell with a thick padded lining preferably with down or wool.

Dh's work parka is heavy canvas shell with a down quilted liner and he looks like the abominable snowman wearing it, but it keeps him warm.

**canadian gardener** · 09-21-2005, 06:47 PM

And the parka should come down past his hips. Bomber style jackets are worse than useless. He needs a big heavy parka or ski jacket and it should cover his bottom.

Another item-- the padded down vest. Dh has worn one under the parka for years. When he is indoors in a cold work hut, he can take the parka off and work in comfort, and outside it adds layers.

The point of layers is that you don't get all sweaty. You take them off and on as needed.

Getting sweaty means damp clothes, and that means getting chilled or worse. Keeping dry is the way to go, and that is thru using layers. Wool is best because it can absorb the damp without getting cold.

hmmmm you may have figured out why Canadian's love Australian and New Zealand wool.

**forestdale** · 09-21-2005, 07:05 PM

Thanks so much Margery and CJ for all this valuable advice. Our lowest temps here are around -5C so we really have no clue about how to stay warm in very cold temps. I think the lowest temp he's been in would be around 5C and he complained then. He's a surfer, so he likes it hot.

He works inside but he's already been up the tramway to look at the snow. He has plans to go back to learn how to ski, so he'll need warm clothing.

All he wanted to take were board shorts!, jeans and a few sweaters. I hid a heavy alpaca hat with ear coverings and an alpaca scarf in his bag. He will have to buy a fair bit so I really appreciate your advice, I'm sure he will too. I'll email this thread to him.

More questions. Would he get a blanket from Ikea as well? What is a ball park figure for a jacket, boots and mittens?

**homesteadmamma** · 09-21-2005, 07:38 PM

Jacket anywhere from $69.95 - well into the hundreds. A good jacket probably around $150 I'd say.

A good pair of boots around $79 - 129.00

Mitts - probably around $20

Here is the Sear's prices:

Waterproof superfit sport snow boots $59.99
Thermal winter boots - $44.97
Sorel Men's performance winter boots $89.99 (Sorel have the best winter boots in my opinion. They are built to keep your feet warm and last a long time)

Parka:

Men's Alpinetek nylon stadium jacket - $77.99
Men's Alpinetek down blend stadium jacket $119.99 (these are well made jackets and made for winter weather)
Roots parka $149.99

That gives you a rough estimate Rhonda, taken from the Sear's catalogue.

If he is going to ski, he will need ski pants which run around $50 and up.

**forestdale** · 09-21-2005, 08:51 PM

Wonderful! I just sent him an email with all this information. Thank you both.

**canadian gardener** · 09-22-2005, 12:50 PM

you are welcome, and I ditto CJ. Sorels are the only way to go with winter boots, and I agree with her list from Sears.

I might have made you worry about the lungs in the cold.

He won't need to worry about breathing in really cold air till it gets past 25 below Centigrade, and by 40 below he will need to watch out. No jogging for example or any exertion that causes really deep breathing. Most people quit jogging around 15 to 18 below. Walking, hiking, and skiing are fine.

When it gets past 20 to 25 below fortunately the winds usually stop blowing and it is clear and sunny.

Wind chill is something to be concerned with any time when the wind is blowing at below zero temps. It strips the heat trapped near your body by your clothing and can give you frostbite on exposed skin (cheeks, nose, ears, fingers, etc) even at relatively warmer temperatures.

The weather report usually lists windchill factor in the mornings, and it will say something like, temp is 10 below, with a windchill factor of 25 below.

So then you treat it as 25 below, which it is, because the wind chill factor takes it down to that temperature in terms of what it does to your body, how fast exposed skin begins to freeze.

Dealing with wind chill is a matter of wearing your parka with a good wind proof shell, and popping the hood up, rolling it out past your face, wearing the hat and scarf as well.

The mitts should be mitts and the snowmobile mitts are made with a wind proof outer and really good insulation inside. Snowmobiling gear is made to withstand the wind of sitting on what is essentially a motor bike with snow treads, going at highway speeds on the top of the snow crusts up and around mountains and hills.

Tons of fun, and if he gets a chance he should go, but he will need good windproof gear, so if he gets that, he will be fine for windchill days AND snowmobiling.

Winter really is fun.

The reason you see arctic parkas that kind of look like a tube sticking out past the face isn't just northern fashion LOL, it's to prevent wind chill passing over your face. It helps keep you warm, although it interferes with side vision.

You don't need the hood till around 18 below if you get chilled easy like me, or 25 below if you are a warmer blooded type like my dh.

**forestdale** · 09-22-2005, 02:58 PM

Thanks again margery. I'll send this weather info to him as well. I remember being on a ship on the Baltic Sea once. It was -10C. That nearly killed me so I can't imagine what -40 would be like.

**canadian gardener** · 09-22-2005, 03:59 PM

you get used to it rather quickly. I have friends from New Zealand who emigrated to Prince George and a month or two into winter they were pros.

In fact Sonia was with me when the van I was driving spun out on some ice, and we did a complete 360.

Her comment?

A half scared half delighted whoop and she shrieked out "RIDE EM COWBOY!!!" I knew then that her transition to Canadian winter was complete.

I shared with her that was why we didn't travel at normal highway speed in the winter and why snowbanks are a good thing!

**pita1213** · 09-22-2005, 04:36 PM

when you get him teh duvet, don't forget to get a washable cover to go on it. think giant pillowcase. they should be in teh same area of the store as the duvets themselves. nothing fancy, just something to protect it. plain is better anyway because most of the fancy ones are dry clean only and you really just need one to protect teh duvet from dirty and body oils. he can take it off and was the cover then put it back on the duvet. some duvets will tell you to put a cover on it as part of the warentee.

easiest way to put a duvet cover on a duvet: turn the cover inside out. match up the bottom corners of the cover with the duvet (bottom would be the end opposite the opening) holding the matched corners together, slide the duvet cover over the duvet as you turn it right side out. if it's a twin or full/queen, you probably do it without clips, but if it is a king size you may want to get the clips that keep the cover in place. makes fighting iwth it a lot easier. trying to stuff teh duvet into the cover is more work than most people think. this was the easiest way i came up with after having to change out 7 display beds at work.
i hope it was clear. if not, ask questions and maybe i can explain it better.

**peanut** · 09-23-2005, 02:46 PM

I agree with most of this advice. Sorels are the way to go with boots. Nothing else in this family for winter. $100/pr., but I found them on sale a Tent and Awning in Edmonton for $80 one year. Maybe try Camper's World in Calgary.

Winter parkas from Marks Work Warehouse. Expect to pay $150 for a good one...look for the ratings on how low a temperature they are good for. He'll want one that is good to -50C. He has to figure in windchill with actual temperature. Get one with a detachable hood and face mask.

Duvets we actually bought at Walmart. I agree with cheap covers.

Toques can be picked up at the local church bazaar/flea markets usually. At least he could find a knitter to knit him a decent one. Buffalo wool toques are best. If he's outdoors a lot, he might want to invest in a balaclava (face mask and toque combined) to keep his face from freezing.

I agree he should always dress in layers. Usually for men it's long underwear, long sleeved wool flannel shirt (or other warm shirt), down vest, followed by a down jacket.

Scarves and mitts/gloves are a must. In Jasper he'll need the ripstop nylon mitts/gloves that are windproof as well as waterproof. I've bought them at Walmart. The longer and wider the scarf the better.

Don't know that I added much, but after spending most of my adult life on the prairies, I can agree with Margery and CJ. Go with down and wool and go in layers.