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Buyers Guides
- HOW TO USE COMFORT RATINGS
- BUYERS GUIDE: INSULATED WORK GLOVES
- BUYERS GUIDE: COLD WEATHER WORK BOOTS
- BUYERS GUIDE TO PAC BOOTS
- BUYERS GUIDE TO BASE LAYERS
- BUYERS GUIDE: PANTS OR BIB OVERALLS?
- BUYERS GUIDE: COVERALLS OR BIB OVERALLS?
- BUYERS GUIDE TO GLOVE DIPS & COATINGS
- LATEX vs. NITRILE COATED: WHICH IS THE RIGHT GLOVE?
- WHAT KIND OF WORK GLOVES ARE RIGHT FOR MY JOB?
- HAND PROTECTION THAT KEEPS PRODUCTIVITY HIGH
- THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF HAND PROTECTION
- VITACOMFORT: A NEW LEVEL OF COMFORT & SAFETY
- WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A WINTER WORK COAT
- WHY IS SYNTHETIC INSULATION BETTER?
- AIRBLAZE INSULATION DELIVERS MORE WARMTH WITH LESS WEIGHT
- WARMPLUS GRAPHENE LINING MAKES WARMER WORK GEAR
- DON'T COMPROMISE PROTECTION FOR PERFORMANCE
- WHY SOFTSHELL JACKETS ARE PERFECT FOR WORKING IN THE COLD
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Best Practices
- COLD TIPS
- HOW TO USE GLOVE LINERS
- THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF HAND PROTECTION
- PROPER FOOT CARE FOR WORKING IN THE COLD
- HOW TO PREVENT SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS
- HOW TO CHOOSE HIGH-VISIBILITY WORKWEAR
- HOW TO LAYER WITHOUT OVERHEATING
- HOW OVERDRESSING HURTS PRODUCTIVITY
- HOW TO DRESS FOR WORKING IN THE COLD
- HOW TO DRESS FOR WORKING IN DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
- HOW TO STAY SAFE & WARM WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE IN THE WINTER
- HOW TO STAY WARM WORKING WITH PRODUCE
- PREPARING FOR TEMPERATURE SWINGS
- THE SCIENCE OF STAYING WARM
- HOODS OR HATS: WHICH ONE IS SAFER?
- HOW DRIVERS & TRANSPORTATION WORKERS STAY DRY
- PERSONAL PROTECTIVE GEAR EVERY DRIVER NEEDS
- CHALLENGES OF WORKING IN LOW TEMPERATURES AS A DRIVER
- PROTECT YOUR TRUCK DRIVERS WITH HIGH-VISIBILITY WORKWEAR
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Industry Knowledge
- TRADESHOWS & EVENTS
- KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS
- BEST CLOTHING FOR MAINTENANCE STAFF IN FOOD PROCESSING
- HOW DO I STAY WARM WHILE WORKING IN MEAT PROCESSING?
- HOW TO STAY WARM IN A COLD STORAGE FREEZER
- 5 IMPORTANT PIECES OF CLOTHING FOR COLD STORAGE WORKERS
- GEAR THAT DRIVES PEAK PRODUCTION AS A FORKLIFT DRIVER
- CHALLENGES OF WORKING IN LOW-TEMPERATURE INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS
- PROTECTING PERISHABLES IN FOODSERVICE DISTRIBUTION
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNDER FSMA
- BEST HIGH-VISIBILITY JACKETS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
- COLD WEATHER SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
- TOWER CLIMBER'S GUIDE TO WORKING OUTSIDE IN WINTER
- UTILITY WORKER'S GUIDE TO KEEPING WARM IN WINTER
- HOW TO IMPROVE DRIVER RETENTION AND RECRUITING
- THE IMPACT OF PROPER ERGONOMICS ON DRIVER WELLNESS
- QUALITY WON'T BE COMPROMISED
- WHY IRON-TUFF IS THE MOST ICONIC COLD WEATHER CLOTHING
- WHY ALL WORKERS NEED HIGH-VISIBILITY WORKWEAR
- HOW TO SAFE IN LOW VISIBILITY & HIGH TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
- THE REAL COST OF HIGH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER
- HOW DOES PPE AFFECT YOUR BOTTOM LINE?
- MEDICAL COSTS OF PREVENTABLE INJURIES
- Use & Care
HOW TO DRESS FOR WORKING IN THE COLD
A warehouse kept at -4°F designed to keep the most sensitive stuff cold. A road work site in sub-freezing temperatures. An ice-cold construction job site. They’re all places that can freeze your butt off—but they’re all places where the work’s gotta get done.
Where would we be without insulated clothing? A lot colder, a lot less comfortable and a lot less productive. That’s why RefrigiWear was founded: To create the warmest, toughest cold-weather gear that’s also comfortable and easy to work in. And, considering we’ve been doing it for over 70 years, we’ve got the experience that makes us the industry leader.
We’ve been out there in the cold with you, looking for the best ways to create high-tech warmth since we started in 1954, so we know this stuff inside and out. Here's how we recommend dressing to work in the cold.
Insulation Locks Heat In and Keeps Cold Out
Before you dress for the cold workday ahead, you should understand how insulated workwear actually works.
Insulation technology works on a simple principle: Keep the warm air in and the cold air out and keep heat from being transferred. The best way to do that—and the one humans have been using for thousands of years—is to create a barrier between your body and the elements. Our ancestors knew what they were doing when they strapped on animal hides; they were using basically the same principles of insulation that we use today.
Of course, wrapping yourself in an animal hide isn’t going to give you the flexibility and on-the-job performance that a solution from RefrigiWear will. And, what’s more, we’ve actually discovered that the best protection comes when you wear your gear in layers. Each layer has its own performance features that will help you give 110 percent every day—even when the temperature is doing its best to stop you!
How to Layer for Cold Weather Work
There are tons of different ways to mix and match layers to keep yourself warm, but if you’re layering up for active work in a cold environment, there’s a three-level standard that gives you the most options for how to do it. This strategy combines moisture control, warmth-trapping and weatherproofing. Each layer has a different job to do to keep you comfortable and working at your peak performance.
Thermal Layer
This is the closest layer to your skin and it’s responsible for controlling moisture by wicking it away from the skin. Also called the base layer, this layer keeps you dry and helps you keep your body heat.
Letting moisture build up on your skin is one of the fastest ways to lose your precious body heat. That’s why a moisture-wicking thermal layer is so important for anyone who’s working in a cold environment for longer than a few minutes at a time.
Your thermal layer is the one that will usually be sitting directly on top of your skin, so you’ll want a fabric that’s light, stretchy and breathable. RefrigiWear offers tons of great underlayer options to keep you dry, comfortable and working hard.
Insulation Layer
If you think of layering like a sandwich, this is the meat. The insulation layer (also called the mid-layer) is most responsible for trapping the heat and keeping it in, preventing it from transferring to the cold air outside.
You can think of this layer as the core of your warmth. It’s your “heat trap” layer that keeps your body’s warmth separated from the cold that’s trying to steal it. Like we explained, that’s super-important when you’re trying to maintain your warmth—so make sure you choose an insulation layer that’s up to the job.
There are lots of different options at this layer, depending on how active you are and how much warmth you need. Our Hybrid Quilted Jacket from the EnduraQuilt™ Collection is a popular choice that’s warm and good looking. It’s got a durable diamond-quilted polyester body that makes this jacket just as good for wearing out with your friends and family as it is for powering through a tough day on the job. Or, try our Thermal Lined Sweatshirt with two layers of protection, kangaroo pockets and a drawstring hood to block out the cold wherever it’s trying to get in.
For the best of all worlds, check out the PolarForce® Sweatshirt with Performance-Flex. This awesome sweatshirt has three layers of protection: A 310g fleece blend outer shell, 120g of high-performance polyester insulation and a 180g jersey lining. That adds up to a whole lot of cold-busting comfort—but what’s really special about the PolarForce® Collection is that it’s designed to give you maximum flexibility at the same time. Plus, Performance-Flex patches on the elbows make it easy to bend, reach, stretch, lift and make all the moves you need for maximum performance at work. To make a long story short, you’ve got the stretchy, lightweight performance of a sweatshirt with the serious insulation you’d get from a heavier jacket. That’s a combo you can feel good about.
Protective Layer
The protective layer is the toughest, most rugged outer layer of your cold weather work clothing. It’s your shield against the elements like rain, snow, wind or whatever else your environment can throw at you.
Since it’s your first line of defense against the elements, you want a protective layer that’s made of something extra-durable and often waterproof. Materials like polyurethane and polyester are perfect, thanks to their microfibers that make a powerful barrier against all the moisture that nature can hit you with.
If you don’t work outside, you might want a lighter protective layer, since weather probably isn’t as big of a concern and you’ll get a little extra mobility by going with a lighter style. If, on the other hand, you’re in outside occupations like landscaping or construction, or you’re a fan of outdoor sports like hunting, true heavy-duty weather protection is a must-have.
If your weather is the worst of the worst, go for the best of the best—the long-term sub-zero protection of our RefrigiWear Extreme Softshell Jacket. This jacket is the ultimate fusion of lightweight design and weather protection and it’s rated to keep you comfortable at a ludicrously cold -60ºF.
Step into Warmth with Insulated Footwear
Your feet are putting in a lot of the hardest work when you’re on the job, so don’t forget to give them the same high-grade protection you give the rest of your body. We’ve got all kinds of work-ready footwear, from lightweight hiking-style boots to heavy-duty pac boots with slip-in liners.
If you’re looking for something lighter that’s just as good on your favorite trail as it is at work, try one of our lightweight work boots or crossover boots. These boots all feature our proprietary VitaComfort® system for maximum comfort and support.
On the other end of the scale, if you need crazy-tough foot protection that’s truly not playing around, check out the RefrigiWear Extreme Pac Boot. We partnered with BOA® to create boots that are not only super warm and extra tough, but that have a fit that won’t loosen and is easily adjustable.
Cap Off Your Warmth with Hats & Headwear
If your head isn’t protected when you’re working at low temperatures, you’re making a mistake that can be just as costly as working construction without a hard hat. That’s why RefrigiWear offers awesome insulated headwear options to protect your ears, the top of your head and even your nose and face.
If you need simple all-weather warmth for your head, you’ll love our classic insulated beanies. Or, go all-in with the full face and neck protection on insulated balaclavas and face masks. Don’t leave the most sensitive parts of your body out in the cold—invest in durable head warmth protection from RefrigiWear.
Get a Grip on Warmth with Insulated Work Gloves
You always give your tools the best protection you can find and there’s no tool more valuable than your hands. That’s why RefrigiWear has tons of great options for insulated, high-performance work gloves to keep your mitts toasty-warm.
And, if your job involves working with touchscreens, say goodbye to having to take your gloves on and off to enter data. RefrigiWear offers several levels of insulation with our selection of touchscreen gloves. Keep your hands warm, keep ‘em safe and keep ‘em comfortable with a little help from RefrigiWear.