Winter survival when car breaks down far from civilization

Car, Winter, Advices
Car, Winter, Advices
Car, Winter, Advices

Winter can be a dangerous time for drivers because of all the heavy snow conditions that clutter up the road. You have inches of snow and ice that can make it difficult for any driver to drive their car safely. But sometimes you can do everything right as a driver and still encounter a problem, such as your car breaking down in a heavy snow storm. Perhaps you are far from civilization when this happens as well. This means you have no luxury of flagging down someone to help you out or let you use their phone. Instead, you are all alone in this uncomfortable situation and will have to depend on yourself in order to get out of it safely.

In these modern times, it should go without saying that you should always have a cell phone with you at all times. It is the perfect wireless link of communication to the outside world, especially if you are stranded somewhere. Now, of course, you might not get a signal on your cell phone if you are in the middle of a terrible storm while stranded. In this case, wait inside your car until the storm passes. Just because your car breaks down doesn’t mean you can’t stay in your car to keep warm. Plus, you might also have a heater in your car that still works. Remember, when a car breaks down it doesn’t always have to do with the battery. As long as you still have power in the battery, then turn the key and turn on the heat. You should also roll down the window a little bit because the snow may be blocking your tailpipe, which could cause carbon monoxide to build up in your car. Wait until the storm passes and then try your cell phone again because you may get a signal with clearer skies. Call for help and have them come to your location to pick you up.

Now let’s assume you don’t have your phone or you cannot get a signal. You have two choices in this situation. You can either continue to wait for help to arrive or you can journey off on foot towards civilization. Both can be risky choices, so you have to plan carefully. If you are in a location where people don’t normally go or if you know nobody is going to be looking for you, then you mine as well walk on foot. But if you think there is a slight chance that someone could come around and find you then stay in your car until they do.

What is PCU (Protective Combat Uniform)?

>Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide

What is PCU (Protective Combat Uniform)

>Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide
>Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide

PDF: Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide Download

PCU stands for Protective Combat Uniform. This type of uniform is comprised of seven levels of clothing that are worn in layers in order to accommodate the conditions of a particular mission or environment. This could be an environment with varying weather conditions that bring about heat, cold, water, rain, wind or any other challenging atmospheric discharges that impact your ability to survive the area. The PCU will keep the person who wears it comfortable enough to endure these conditions without having to suffer through them or experience health complications from them.

You don’t necessarily have to wear all seven layers together. The layers of the PCU will typically be worn differently each time. It all depends on the conditions you anticipate yourself going into. Just choose the layers that will help protect you for whatever conditions you are about to face. You will not be removing or adding layers while you are in the environment, so you have to prepare the layers and wear them correctly in order to maximize your comfort level. The first level that gets worn next to the skin will usually be a silky fabric that absorbs moisture from your bodily sweat and then dries out fast. This fabric goes by the name “Polartec Power Dry.” It helps make sure your clothes aren’t soaked from constantly sweating all the time. This level will have boxer shorts and a crew neck T-shirt. The next layer will be made of a similar fabric, but will consist of pants and a long sleeve top that has an invisible zipper. This will assist in absorbing moisture from more areas of your body that the first layer doesn’t reach.

The third layer is a light jacket made out of a fabric called “Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft.” This is a water repellent fabric that will also help insulate the person and keep them warm in colder temperatures. The fourth layer is a microfiber material that also repels water, handles cold temperatures and works as a softer shell for the fifth layer. The fifth layer is the most important layer of the entire uniform. It consists of pants and a jacket that is made of soft shell fabric with fibers made of silicone, which makes it windproof and very stretchable. You can use this solely with the first and second layer to stay warm in cold weather conditions.

The sixth layer is a hard shell nylon jacket that is oversized in order to cover up your gear underneath. It also provides maximum ventilation through the armpit zippers and contains lots of pocket openings to store items. The final layer is used under extreme conditions only. It is a combination of a lightweight vest, jacket and pants that keeps you warm when it is wet. The encapsulated silicone fibers of the material removes water and will keep you warm with its Primaloft insulation material.

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?
What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

The Extended Cold Weather Clothing System, or ECWCS, is a special clothing system designed by the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. This system was first created in the 1980s with the sole purpose of keeping soldiers warm when they have to face cold environmental conditions. The system uses a combination of various clothing and accessories made out of protective fabrics in order to accomplish this task.

There have been three generations of this system that evolved over the years. The original first generation system used over 20 pieces of individual clothing. The main articles of clothing were the cotton & nylon trousers and white camouflage parka. The other clothing included undershirts, underwear, polyester shirts, bibs, nylon boots, nylon socks, caps and barrier boots for extreme cold weather. The shirts were made out of polypropylene, which is a thermoplastic that is made to create warmth when cold air hits it.

The second generation system added two new layers made with Polartec fabrics, which are high quality textiles designed to keep people warm during all kinds of outdoor activities. Polartec, formerly Malden Mills, creates these fabrics for both the military and individuals. But the two layers the military uses in this system are the Polartec 200 Fleece Overalls and the Polartec 300 Shirt. The combination of these layers mixed with the previous layers from the first generation system creates cold weather protection for temperatures in the -40°F and 40°F range. The parka even had slight improvements made with the added vents to make it more breathable.

The third generation system is a complete redesign of the older systems. This one has seven newer layers that use three of the Polartec fabrics; Two Polartec Power Dry and the Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft. This third generation system was first used in the actual battle field in August of 2007 by the 73rd Cavalry Regiment who fought in Afghanistan. You may think that Afghanistan is hot all the time because it is a desert environment. The truth is that Afghanistan gets very cold, especially at nighttime. In fact, during the winter season it can get under 30°F. So it is truly beneficial for the U.S. military to have special thermal insulated clothing to keep them as comfortable as possible when fighting the enemy under these conditions.

The ECWCS is always being improved by the U.S. Army and their affiliations with various fabric engineers and manufacturers, like Polartec. The next 30 years may prove to be even more revolutionary for the system than ever before.

It is easy to find and buy ECWCS levels online. There are army issue and commercial issues.

Level 1, Highly breathable, moisture wicking material, Commercial Issue by Rothco

Level 1 – Army Issue

Level 2, light insulation, Commercial Issue by Helikon-Tex

Level 3, insulation layer – Commercial Issue by Rothco

Level 4, Wind Jacket – Army Issue

Level 4, Wind Jacket – Beyond Clothing

Level 5, The key element of the ECWCS clothing system – – Special Forces Issue

Level 5, The key element of the ECWCS clothing system – Commercial Issue by Helikon

Level 6 -Wet weather, hardshell Army Issue

Level 7, Extreme cold weather, Primaloft, Army Issue

Level 7, Extreme cold weather, Primaloft, Beyond Clothing