U.K. Travel winter preps

[mattltm]

Following on from the home prep thread...

Winter travel

1. What mode of transport do you use?
1. Did you prep last winter?
2. Did your preps work?
3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?

[jameslw1]

1. use a car to get around normally, last winter i either drove, walked or when it get really bad i just stayed in
2. i really lacked winter clothing last year and suffered for it when i had to walk the few miles to the nearest town in sometimes waist high snow
3. well the clothing didnt work, didnt really use any other 'preps'
4. well last year i had to abandon my car on the way home from work so of course all the usual car preps will go in as well as winter clothing

I cannot recommend the choice of winter clothing enough, if you are anything like me your body and head will get very hot and your legs and feet will be freezing if you actually do any walking for any amount of time in the snow, choosing to layer your clothing on the body like recommended is helpful when you get hot and can remover a layer due to either heat or an activity where you need more movement.

I also before winter had bought a pair of cold weather shoes from lidls for around £12, yes they are probably built like crap but for 5 days a year use you cannot go wrong, lined with fur like material keeping you warm and very waterproof i recommend them to anyone wanting to be out in the snow this year but who is not covering many miles

[col fallen angel]

Ah last winter erm well wow

1. Transport I usually walk plenty of exercise to keep my boots wearing out, or I'll catch a bus if it's a distance or I'm late.
2. Prepping last winter, yes I did but not enough wasn't ready for the uk turning into a sheet of ice, by the time the snow hit the stores were empty of anything remotely useful and the delivery trucks were snowed in.
3. Did the preps work, yes and no I had plenty of warm clothing, boots, waterproofs but the damn ice got me and I slipped on my way to work(walking because the buses were cancelled)and broke my elbow thing is I ordered a pair of yaktrax ice grippers but they didn't get here in time.
4. Preps for this winter, I have the warm clothes, boots, waterproofs, ice gripping boot slip ons, looking at a pair of trekking poles and a sledge for the little one so she doesn't have to walk may buy a few more yaktrax too.

As a side note I did use a trick my Dad taught me, putting woolen socks over boots its not ideal but it works for shorter distances.

[Blofeld]

1 Walk + Snow boots
2 Not specifically for prolonged snow/ice
3 yes and no, food etc was fine just had to alter my boots...
4 Got a Mitsi L200 Pickup 4x4 so should be able to drive to work. (moved house recently so further away from work, still walkable but 30-45mins not sure)


for my walk to work I altered a pair of old boots in a similar style to this http://www.skyrunner.com/screwshoe.htm made the walk a lot less hazardous

[mattltm]

Ohh.. I like the screw shoe. Now I am actually hoping for a nice bit of sheet ice!

[andygates]

1. What mode of transport do you use?

Bike, campervan and bus if I really really have to.

2. Did you prep last winter?

Always do. The camper carried plenty of comfort stuff already, so its preps were switching to winter fluids and getting some jump leads (it could jump itself from the leisure circuit, though I mostly used them for rescue). And a shovel. It ended up snowed in during the big freeze.

The bike I fitted with big fat MTB tyres, and my winter lights, which are preposterous. I scored some overtrousers which (with braces, like salopettes) were just perfect on even the filthiest days. It was useable on days when the van wasn't; slow, exciting, but doable.

For feet I tried some screwshoes too.

2. Did your preps work?

The van was parked on a slope so local clearing was useless: the steep icy slide took several heads over the freeze and I was smart enough not to try.

The bike was flawless but I did eat the universe.

The screwshoes worked for about 2 runs before the points started stabbing me.

3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?

The van has just been condemned, so dunno about that. Bike will be the same. There are better things than screwshoes on the market - slip-on grippers that I'll probably order once the frosts start coming.

[Blofeld]

The screwshoes worked for about 2 runs before the points started stabbing me.

I was worried about that with mine, but I used longer screws and put them in at an angle so they were almost flat. Didnt stab my toes so it worked.

[man_of_tanith]

1. What mode of transport do you use?
personally i am foot travel orientated, altohugh i do go as a passenger in lady of tanith's car and public transport.
1. Did you prep last winter?
er not really other than making sure there was suitable clothing available at all times.
2. Did your preps work? i wasnt cold
3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?
this winter i intend to have a bag with spare clothes in-walking to work was fine but working for 8 to 10 hours waiting for clothes to dry was less than pleasent. i plan on having blankets little stove for food/brews, spare clothing in the boot of lady of tanith's car-she just doesnt know this yet

[mattltm]

All sounding good so far. Nice work guys.

[BoomBoomPowPow]

1. What mode of transport do you use?

Drive a battlebus AKA Vauxhall Zafira (I have children...)

1. Did you prep last winter?

I was prepped before hand but got a real kick up the arse when the milk was about to run out. No tea makes BBPP a very upset man

2. Did you preps work?

Yes and no. I need to buy more sensible footwear for my wife this year, she fell on ice, slammed her head to the floor and developed a blood clot. Bricks were indeed shat in copious amounts.

3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?

We're changing vehicle to something that may do a little better this time (Nissan Qashqai+2), making sure we have snow chains and more sensible footwear for my wife.

[Motor_Oil]

Hi,

I covered most of this in the wrong thread (home) but i have a estate with AWD and Center LSD it worked for everything i needed although when the snow depth hit the bumper level it required abit of my training to get through, it would have been quicker to clear it by getting out but that would have been like losing and ment getting cold. looking to get winter tires this year though.

I also walked a lot i have cold weather and arctic boots as well as multi-layer clothing so that was easy and warm, i did find walking the dogs an issue as when they pulled it caused lots of slipping i think i will put taks or screws in a set of old boots this year. I also had to go out in mand made fibers a couple of days and forgot how poor there insulation is compare to natural fiber once soaked by the snow. unfortuatly i did not need my skis, maybe this year .

All in all it worked i stayed warm and dry on my travels for the most part and the only day i missed work was because the office closed. I think with a few improvements and lessons learnt i'll be ok this year too.

As mentioned in the other thread next few years could be worse than this to the point of the gulf stream collapsing.

Al.

[Ad'lan]

1. What mode of transport do you use?
Public Transport and Walking

1. Did you prep last winter?
Well, I didn't buy anything special, I already have what I need. Extra Warm Socks, Warm clothes (wool FTW) and a big warm over coat. The Only prep for public transport is don't rely on it, always allow extra time, and be prepared to be stuck somewhere.
2. Did your preps work?
Yes.
3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?
Same as last year.

[K9medic]

1. What mode of transport do you use?
Car, I have way to much work gear to use public transport.

1. Did you prep last winter?
Yes, been preping for years,

2. Did your preps work?
Well I'm still here so I figure they must have

3. What are your travel preps for this winter and is there anything different?
All ways have major service done on the car in September ready for winter + new tyres on the front.

Sorry for the delay, but as the weather is changing up here I decided re-pack my grab bag ready for the winter and that gave me the chance to take some pictures.

I travel all over the country as a trainer, so this is a get home / stuck in the snow / unexpected night in a hotel bag. I could in a pinch go to three nights with it, though the longest so far has been one night stuck on the A9 in snow.

The contents are on top of what I carry every day as well as what is all ready in my car. If I’m away from home I will already have spare cloths with me. I have gear for the car in the boot (jump leads, shovel and salt etc) but as the cars already packed for tomorrows work I’m not dragging it out to take pictures. As for a first aid kit, I have a separate kit and as I’m a first aid trainer I have kits for sale in the car anyway.

Protection (left to right);
• Survival bag.
• Snug pak (softy 9) sleeping bag.
• Goggles.
• Shemagh.
• Watch cap
• Gloves
• Goose down jacket.
• Water proof coat (large enough to wear over the down jacket)


Food + odds & sods
• Flask + carrier.
• Mess tin + small gas cooker + turbo lighter.
• Arctic candles (2).
• Boil in the bag meals (6).
• Brew kit, Kendal mint cake (3) Spork.
• Dry bag to hold food.
• House wife.
• Fire lighting kit.
• Para cord.
• 100 mile an hour tape.
• Light sticks (6).
• Surefire torch
• AAA mag light (LED) + 2 spare batteries.
• Spare batteries for Surefire (6).
• LED light.
• SAK + whistle.
• Leatherman multy-tool.
• Thermometer.
• Book + plastic bag for it.


Packed into my Berghaus Munro.


It’s a bit of a squeeze getting this all in to the Munro. I’m considering getting zips fixed to the sides so I can add side pockets.