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Last but not least a high quality wool stocking hat and high quality wool socks.
Oh yeah! I could go on and on about the benefits of wool! I sometimes wear my wool socks in summer, and they keep my feel cool and dry. But in winter, it's a necessity if you live in cold, snow country.
Depends on the blankets... Wife and I sleep with the window open fall and winter, down to zero or a bit below. It gets shut most but not all the way if the wind is howling in. Of course, we have a heavy quilt on the bed which she made, plus a goose down comforter underneath that, as well as another homemade comforter folded on the foot of the bed if we need it. And we sleep on memory foam, which is a good insulator on its own. Getting up in the AM is a chilling experience, but I don't drink coffee, so a brisk dressing session is helpful at times. Ten degrees in the bedroom or the tent will certainly chill those without proper bedding. And chilled sleep means bad sleep, and compounds mistakes made the next day or week.
Also, one should not underestimate the extra heater in the bed that a warm woman who likes to cuddle can be... Mine is a heater, gardener, butcher, cook, cleaner, shooter, hunter, can split wood and run the stove, knows how to run a kerosene lamp, make beans and other goodies on the wood stove, and more. Keeping me warm at night is the main benefit, but the other perks are nice... Find yourself a girl who grew up dirt poor and taking care of her siblings, and you can drop a lot of snivel gear....
Oh how I miss my tiny li' lady. She grew up same way I did. Horses, cattle and such. More farm oriented than me, I was raised in more of a ranch environment and spent a lot more time in a saddle staring at the hind ends of steak on the hoof. But she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty.
I think what I miss the most is her calming influence. If I became frustrated or angry she could pull me straight out of it and get me thinking clear. With just a word or two. That was a mighty handy talent when things became real and I needed to calm down and engage my brain. We were a good team. Wasn't anything we couldn't get through together.
She had a good stash of gear for emergencies of her own. Tools and such. Which is an area I didn't address. A Leatherman or Swiss Army knife is a must-have, but various hand tools are needed as well. Pliers, saws, hammers , and a hand powered drill (brace and bit) are good to have. Ya just never know what might need a hole punched, need beating on or grabbed more securely than your fingers can doo. Various files/rasps are also handy.
Another item I've found indispensable is my hand torch. It's a fire making tool without equal. I prefer using it with MAP
but LP or even butane will work. Thing about butane is its vaporization temp. It doesn't work for beans when it's really cold. Actually the best cold weather fuel is LP. As long as it's above minus 44 you're good to go. If you're in a rural area and use LP you can also tie your camp heaters into your house tank as well. That way you can still utilize your LP for heat without power . And if your range is gas you're also still in business for cooking.
It's amazing how many people don't know a gas range with electric ignition can still be lit with a match needs be. Kinda scary. In a serious pinch the range can be utilized for supplemental heat, though it not really recommended you do so. However any port in a storm.
Funny, I lived for years with a gas stove that had to be lit with a match. Never knew folks wouldn't know to do that. I do believe the ovens in the latest variants use a glow plug in constant on mode when the oven is on. I don't think gas is supplied to the burner until the glow plug is hot. But the stove top still works.
Some good cast iron is useful both now and in tougher times. The original non-stick cookware, nothing cooks more evenly, tolerates open fires better, or bakes if needed. A large skillet and Dutch oven should be minimum equipment. I have quite a few good older skillets I picked up for two or three dollars apiece at flea markets twenty years ago. They even came pre-seasoned!
Some good cast iron is useful both now and in tougher times. The original non-stick cookware, nothing cooks more evenly, tolerates open fires better, or bakes if needed. A large skillet and Dutch oven should be minimum equipment. I have quite a few good older skillets I picked up for two or three dollars apiece at flea markets twenty years ago. They even came pre-seasoned!
The wife was not interested...said they were too heavy. In truth, I spoiled her. She has copper, stainless, non-stick, crockery, all kinds of top $ stuff I bought her over the years.
The nice thing is, I have an outdoor kitchen. It's cast iron central. Everything I dish up from there comes off the grill, the griddle, or cast iron. The wife enjoys it, that way!!
Campstoves are great. A "schnozzle" is a great addition to any campstove. It allows you to refill the little green propane cylinders from a 20lb propane tank. Takes about a minute to fill each one and beats the heck out of paying $3-$5 a pop for the little 1lbers. Save money and keep them out of the landfill. Better than the adapter that allows you to hook up the 20lb tank to the stove as well for portability.
Maybe this little thing is common knowledge but I was really excited when I first discovered it.
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Wife and I sleep with the window open fall and winter, down to zero or a bit below. It gets shut most but not all the way if the wind is howling in. Of course, we have a heavy quilt on the bed which she made, plus a goose down comforter underneath that, as well as another homemade comforter folded on the foot of the bed if we need it. And we sleep on memory foam, which is a good insulator on its own. Getting up in the AM is a chilling experience, but I don't drink coffee, so a brisk dressing session is helpful at times.
Ten degrees in the bedroom or the tent will certainly chill those without proper bedding. And chilled sleep means bad sleep, and compounds mistakes made the next day or week.
Mine is a heater, gardener, butcher, cook, cleaner, shooter, hunter, can split wood and run the stove, knows how to run a kerosene lamp, make beans and other goodies on the wood stove, and more. Keeping me warm at night is the main benefit, but the other perks are nice... Find yourself a girl who grew up dirt poor and taking care of her siblings, and you can drop a lot of snivel gear....
