Learn essential survival skills including shelter building, fire lighting, navigation, first aid, outdoor safety and practical skills to survive in the wilderness.
Wind chill is one of those outdoor weather terms that can be confusing at first. You might look at the forecast and see a temperature of 5°C, but then step outside into a strong wind and feel considerably colder. The temperature hasn’t actually dropped to a lower number. Instead, the wind is increasing the rate…
Cold ground can take heat away from your body surprisingly quickly. This is particularly important when camping, sitting outside, resting during a hike or dealing with an emergency situation. Even when the air temperature doesn’t seem particularly cold, contact with a cold surface can cause significant heat loss. Understanding how cold ground causes heat loss…
Wind can make cold weather feel much harsher than the temperature alone suggests. When you’re outdoors, moving air can increase the rate at which your body loses heat. This is particularly important during hiking, camping, Scout activities and other outdoor activities where you may be exposed to the weather for long periods. Understanding how wind…
Knowing how to prevent heat loss outdoors is an important part of staying safe and comfortable in cold weather. Whether you’re hiking, camping, taking part in a Scout activity or simply spending time outside, your body is constantly losing heat to its surroundings. In mild conditions this is usually nothing to worry about, but cold…
Knowing how to stay warm outdoors without a fire is an important survival skill. A fire can provide warmth, but there are many situations where lighting one isn’t possible, practical or safe. You might be camping somewhere where fires aren’t permitted, caught out in poor weather, travelling without fire-lighting equipment or simply need to conserve…
Staying warm in a sleeping bag is an important part of camping, especially during colder nights in the UK. A good sleeping bag can provide excellent insulation, but simply having a warm-rated sleeping bag doesn’t guarantee a warm night’s sleep. What you wear, what you sleep on, where you camp and how you look after…
Cold hands can make outdoor activities uncomfortable and can make simple tasks much harder. Whether you’re hiking, camping, taking part in a Scout activity or spending time outdoors in winter, knowing how to keep your hands warm is a useful practical skill. Your hands are particularly exposed to cold weather, and once they become very…
Cold feet can turn an enjoyable outdoor activity into a miserable one. Whether you’re hiking, camping, taking part in a Scout activity or simply spending time outside during winter, keeping your feet warm and dry is an important part of staying comfortable and reducing heat loss. The good news is that keeping your feet warm…
When you’re outside in cold weather, staying dry is one of the most important things you can do to stay warm. Rain, wet grass, splashes and even your own sweat can leave clothing damp. Once that happens, your clothing may not insulate as effectively and you can start losing body heat more quickly. For Scouts,…
Staying warm outdoors isn’t simply about putting on more clothing or sitting next to a fire. Your body is constantly producing heat, but it is also constantly losing heat to the surrounding environment. Understanding how that happens makes it much easier to stay warm when camping, hiking, taking part in Scout activities or spending time…
