Insulated clothes work by trapping tiny pockets of warm air, an ideal as an insulating element, close to the skin. Air contained in insulated clothing blocks heat from escaping from the body, and the more trapped air there is, the higher the insulating factor. Due to the numerous air pockets embedded within, insulated garments also have the fringe benefit of padding. If you’re active, the cushioning that insulated clothes provide can prove useful for mitigating impacts and injuries.
Benefits of Insulated Coldwear
The benefits of insulated apparel are most apparent in the outdoors world or in a cold working environment. Insulated garments are the best type of clothing to keep warm and maintain an optimal core body temperature. Unlike layering, the advantages of insulated clothes is that it’s perfect for temperature stability.
Breathability of Insulated Clothes
The breathability of insulated garments can be quite impressive. The more layers of clothes you wear, the thicker they are and the more air trapped in them, the more difficult it is for sweat to evaporate. If you’re really active in extreme cold your body will generate more heat, and most insulated clothing will breathe nicely.
Best Insulating Material
When considering the insulating properties of clothing, the top choice made is between down and synthetic filler. Down is the soft undercoating of feathers. Its excellent compressibility and high resiliency allow it to loft back instantly after compression. Down clothes drape very well and will have you feeling wrapped up. The singular benefit of synthetic insulation is that it won’t be marred by moisture. Synthetic filler is easier to maintain than down, and far more cost-effective.
Combating Heat Loss in Cold Work Environments
There are five ways the body loses heat, all of which can impact your comfort and health on a cold day or even in refrigerated warehouses and walk-in freezers:
CONVECTION: Cold air displacing a layer of warm air near the skin.
RADIATION: Skin or parts of the body exposed to cold air.
CONDUCTION: Contact with a cooler object (e.g., cold floors or ground).
EVAPORATION: Loss of body water due to evaporation (e.g., sweat).
RESPIRATION: Inhaling and exhaling colder air.
Cold Affects Productivity, But You Can Be Prepared
Cold doesn’t just cause discomfort – it can seriously impact your productivity and safety on the job. That’s why dressing properly is key to performance, comfort and your overall safety. The easiest forms of heat loss to battle are convection and radiation because you can block out cold air. No big surprise – that’s why we all know about insulated work jackets and even full body protection with products like insulated overalls and coveralls.
Heat loss via conduction (touching cold things) is often overlooked, but combating it is vital to remaining warm, especially in cold work environments because not only is the air cold but the ground is as well. Choose insulated footwear with outer soles built for cold temperatures, like with RefrigiWear’s Extreme Hiker Boots.
Your extremities—hands, head and feet—are always at risk of frostbite in colder temps, even if it’s above freezing. That’s why selecting proper cold weather work gloves and appropriate warm headwear are top of your list if you’re going to be exposed for long periods of time. RefrigiWear can cover you from head to foot with its full inventory of cold weather workwear, so never get the job started unprepared.
