How To | Keep Your Feet Warm

Adapted from the NOLS Blog

Taking care of your feet while camping is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Here’s advice from the pros—NOLS instructors and employees—on how to take care of your feet when they get cold.

Steps to keeping your feet warm

First, let’s talk about prevention. It’s much easier to keep feet warm than to warm up your digits once they get cold. 1. Act Before You’re Cold. Don’t wait until you start feeling cold before you do anything. Add layers when you see the sun going down, and keep moving around. There’s no need to “tough it out”—experienced folks take steps early so they don’t get too cold. 2. Stand on Something. You can insulate your feet from the ground by standing on a foam pad, a log, or even a piece of cardboard to keep your feet off the ground. 3. Keep Moving. Movement is one of the main ways we generate body heat, so staying in motion rather than sitting still is key. Walk, jog, or dance with a friend! 4. Eat Snacks. Even more important than moving is giving your body the food your metabolism uses to stay warm. Eat a big dinner, spike your hot beverages with butter—whatever you can to increase your caloric intake. 5. Change Your Socks. It’s important to keep your feet as dry as possible, but when you can’t, keep an extra pair handy to change into (after a river crossing, once you arrive in camp, and when you go to bed). 6. Work with the Environment. Start traveling early so you can get to camp before dark, leaving time to take care of your feet. When you choose a campsite, think about the sun exposure and where you can build a fire.

Campers with warm feet are happy campers! Wilson Cheung

Tips for warming up chilly feet

Now that you know about some important prevention points, let’s talk about what to do if your feet actually do get cold. 1. Borrow Your Friend’s Tummy. With permission, put your cold feet on a friend’s belly and hold them there until they warm up. You can gently rub your feet if that feels better, or just hang out for a while. 2. Use a Hot Water Bottle. A hot water bottle inside your sleeping bag is a wonderful way to help you warm up. While holding hot things doesn’t really affect

your core body temperature, it feels really good—and morale goes a long way! 3. Pack Foot Warmers. These are handy to put in your boots for very cold conditions. Reusable foot warmers minimize your carbon footprint. 4. Support Your Friends. Check in! Ask your friends how they’re doing, and in a particularly wet or cold environment make sure you look at each other’s hands and feet. 5. Set a Good Example. Demonstrate how you take care of your feet and keep an eye on those who are less experienced.