How to dress for freezing cold: merino wool from head to toe
When the thermometer drops below –10 °C, a thick jacket on its own is no longer enough. The secret to staying warm is layers and the right materials, especially where the body loses heat most easily: the head, neck, hands and feet. This guide shows you how to dress for freezing cold from head to toe, and where merino wool works best.
Why do hands and feet get cold first?
In the cold, the body first keeps the heart and other vital organs warm. The blood vessels in the skin, hands and feet narrow, so less warm blood reaches them. That is why fingers and toes are the first to get cold, and why they, along with the ears, are the most prone to frostbite.
The old saying that most body heat escapes through the head is a myth. In a review published in the BMJ, doctors Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll found that the head loses no more heat than any other uncovered part of the body of the same size. A hat still matters, because in freezing weather the head, ears and face are often the only parts left uncovered.
The three-layer rule
In freezing cold, dress in three layers. The base layer next to the skin should move moisture away from it. Thin merino wool or silk works well, because wool absorbs moisture and still feels dry.
The mid layer traps air, and that air is what keeps you warm. A thick merino wool sweater or jumper belongs here, such as the Frode jumper in a fluffy fisherman's rib.
The outer layer, a jacket or coat, stops wind and snow. Wind carries heat away from the body quickly, so even the warmest sweater needs a windproof layer on top.
Room to breathe keeps you warm
Layers should fit over each other without squeezing anything. Estonian doctors advise that winter gloves and shoes should be big enough not to squeeze fingers and toes, because pressure restricts circulation and with it the warming of the tissues. The same goes for a sweater: a roomier knit leaves a layer of warm air between your body and your jacket. Many ME knit designs have a relaxed fit too.
Head and neck: hat, headband, scarf or neck warmer
In freezing weather, choose a hat that fully covers the ears. The Soonik beanie has a double turn-up cuff, so there are two layers of wool over the ears and forehead. The Palmik beanie, with its thicker cable texture, and the fluffy bubble-knit Mummu beanie also keep you very warm.
A headband is for milder days, when a hat feels too warm. For the neck there are two good options. The Tuck neck warmer stays in place, has no ends to come loose and fits neatly under a jacket collar. A long scarf is more versatile: in wind and hard frost you can pull it up over your mouth and nose.
Hands: mittens, gloves and wrist warmers
In a mitten, the fingers warm each other and a smaller surface is exposed to the cold air than in a glove, where each finger is on its own. That is why mittens are warmer than gloves of the same material. Gloves are handy when you need to use your phone or keys; mittens are better when you'll be outside for longer.
Merino mittens have a simple, clean design, while Mummu mittens have a fluffy bubble knit that holds more warm air around the hand. If there's a cold gap between your coat sleeve and your mitten, wrist warmers close it: they warm the wrists, where blood vessels run close to the skin.
Feet: why wool socks?
Feet sweat even in winter. A cotton sock soaks up moisture and stays wet, and wet fabric draws heat away quickly. Wool can absorb water vapour up to about a third of its own weight and still feel dry, so a wool sock keeps you warm even when it's damp.
Our Merino socks are soft socks for home and for sleeping. They're lovely to put on after a long walk in the frost, and in a cool bedroom they keep your toes warm all night. For wearing inside boots, choose a thicker, sturdier sock, because fine merino wears faster under friction.
Three warm winter outfits
For town, wear the Mummu beanie with the Mummu scarf and Mummu mittens. A set in the same knit looks well put together with a coat.
For a long walk, choose the Soonik beanie, Soonik scarf and Soonik wrist warmers: a double-cuff hat, a long scarf over the mouth and covered wrists.
For home and the office, the Frode jumper, Tuck neck warmer and Merino socks are warm but breathable, so you don't overheat when you come indoors.
In stock and in time for Christmas
Hats, scarves, mittens and socks that are in stock are shipped within 1–2 working days, and in Estonia the parcel reaches the parcel locker in 1–3 working days. For a Christmas gift, order them by 16 December. All ME knit pieces are designed and made in Estonia, and delivery within Estonia is free. See also how to choose a merino wool Christmas gift.
Sources
Vreeman R. C., Carroll A. E. Festive medical myths. BMJ, 2008; 337: a2769.
ERR, 23 February 2018. Seven people died of hypothermia in February (doctors' advice on winter clothing, in Estonian).
The Woolmark Company. Wool is breathable (fact sheet).