Wear proper gear for cold weather work

When temperatures drop, the clothes you wear for work and play make all the difference.

Generally, here are guidelines for winter work clothes:

• Keep clothing loose to allow blood to reach arms and legs.
• Wear loose-fitting layers for better insulation. Inner layers of wool, silk, or synthetic fabrics help trap your body’s natural warmth.
• Coats should be insulated.
• Gloves should be insulated.
• Always cover your head. A proper hat for outdoor work covers both the head and ears. For some outdoor work, you may also need a mask to cover your face. The neck should be covered as well.
• Use waterproof and insulated boots. Consider slip-resistant footwear for some jobs. Always consider steel-toed boots for heavy work.

Heated socks and gloves
With the advent of lithium-ion batteries, plus ubiquitous USB charging availability, heated gloves and socks have gained a huge new following.

You can get rechargeable battery-powered gloves and socks that stay warm for up to six to eight hours. Both socks and gloves have battery pockets. You charge your battery, then connect it inside a pocket.

With gloves, some key considerations are flexibility, durability, and waterproofing. Working hands might also benefit from glove-knuckle guards. Many offer touchscreen compatibility.

They can be expensive. The best gloves with the longest warming periods cost more than $100.

The lowest-priced choice for heated gloves isn’t the battery-powered kind. It’s chemical power. Lightweight fleece gloves and mittens with chemical heating packs run about $25. You put your chemical pack into the glove for long-lasting warmth. However, the packs are single-use only. While the mitten-glove combos are insulated with a good leather palm for grip, they might not hold up to wind, according to Bob Vila.