Gloves and boots are so inexpensive that you can buy new ones every September. Why then should you consider spending triple digits with us? Ordinary mittens and gloves feel burly, but they don't know how to 'live' on you hands. Their laminated fabrics, plastic inserts, and heavy coatings prove that they're more afraid of being wet than getting cold. The moment you wiggle into them, they start trapping perspiration. Folks like us at the top of the map think of sweat as potentially lethal. It feels icky too.

The same is true for foot wear. Bulbous pac boots will keep you toasty for a while. Be sure to dry the liners on the radiator, or you'll get a chilly reception the next morning. We won't knock pac boots, because have them too. If you need steel toes on the job site, or you drag your ice auger to the Perch dispenser on weekends, please buy the best pair on the shelf.

If you're the type that likes to wander on those pristine winter days, take a few pointers from the professionals. Native cultures thrived in absurd cold because they made use of the local plants and animals. Game leather is flexible and breathable. Natural hair and plant fibers trap heat, but wick moisture away. When you shape them into supple coverings they'll keep your fingers and toes happy well below 0ºF. We're short of Caribou and moss, but we're creative enough with what we have. Our Bison and Elk hides endure years of abuse. We blend them with canvas to make feathery shells. Then we line them with wool or felt, but not too thick because it doesn't from perspiration. Does this sound kinda old fashioned? Perhaps. But if you're willing to endure a snicker or two from your techie friends at the trailhead, your reward will be a hearty laugh at their expense when the day is over.