Being very cold

[Mortblanc]

It might seem logical that everyone here would have things sorted out Pete, but I have seen some unusual admissions on here over the years!

And there is the situation we can find ourselves in when we read reviews on the production websites and owner comments on the internet. We buy something with an expectation and it does not live up to the "buyer reviews" or the 5 stars posted next to the product code.

During these little cold snaps we can try something, then throw it into the corner while screaming about being robbed by false advertising, without serious damage or risk to life.

I was just reading some nice reviews of "field jackets" on here the other day, why not put the things on and walk the dog in the present layer of snow and eliminate the "I don't know how it would do in the snow!" comments that were attached. You have snow and -10 temps to make the tests a worthwhile and knowledgeable effort.

It might even be time to throw open the bedroom windows and discover if that -20 rated bag really works without searching far and wide for a campground open this time of year.

And then there are all the folks with "bug out vehicles" that need a test in the worst possible conditions but are never actually taken off the pavement. The only consistent use of 4wd my vehicles get is during the snows of winter and a few trips pulling the trailer across the garden during spring cleanup.

Would they work in a pinch? Lots of folks are finding out about now.

And the "camper vans"! All those conversions with bells and whistles. Why not spend a night outside in the snow, in the van, without leaving the driveway. You will never know how it works in the snow unless you use it in the snow, and right now you have snow!

I have learned an immense amount from dealing with gear on my own back porch before I ever took the items into the woods for hard use. That lovely screened in room has been a blessing in both summer and winter.

And there are the nick-knacks we accumulate that we check out in the living room or kitchen but never when our hands are half frozen. Can we really manipulate that ferro rod and striker at -15 with sleet blowing sideways? How about the disposable lighter? It worked fine last June, how about now, in the cold, with a hand full of snow dumped on top of it as a test?

The opportunities are endless.