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It always annoys me when I tell my friends here in New York that I'm cold and they say, “But you're from North Dakota! It’s nothing compared to what you grew up with.” I know. Why do you think I left coldest state in the continental US when I turned 18? I hate the cold in North Dakota, but that doesn't mean I hate the cold in New York any less.
Indeed, wherever I go in the winter, I wage war against the cold—the cold of the Midwest, the cold of the Northeast, it's all cold. That's why I've developed a number of plans to mitigate its effects, and the most useful of my measures against the cold is the collection of heated accessories that I carry with me every day. These gadgets are inexpensive, effective, and small enough to throw in my bag as soon as I return to the warm embrace of home after a bumpy commute to work.
How to Choose Good Cold Weather Devices
My friends are right: We North Dakotans have come up with all sorts of ways to stay warm. For example, buildings in more populated areas are connected by overpasses or underground tunnels, and every winter people spend a small fortune heating their garages so that no one has to step out into the cold for a second, even to get into their car. If you grew up somewhere where the cold could literally kill you if you weren't prepared, that means you grew up in a culture built on hacking to protect you from it.
When I moved to New York City, I found it wasn't as cold, but I also found myself unprepared for the reality of being outside and walking in the winter. So I invoked the spirit of my resourceful ancestors by replicating their anti-freeze measures on a smaller, more personal and more urban scale.
I learned a lot along the way. For example, those flimsy hand and foot warmers are useless because they are ineffective and will eventually disintegrate into a grainy mess in your pockets or shoes. Wearing layers doesn't work for me either because I'm still quite vain and want to look cute and stylish wherever I go, and that doesn't happen when multiple thermobasal layers bloat my outfit.
After much trial and error, I settled on a “thermal technology” that meets the following criteria:
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It's small (so I can store it after a trip)
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It's cheap (because me too)
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It effectively warms me up (or at least makes me less cold).
My favorite self-warming gadgets
All that preamble aside, here are three gadgets that I consider essential parts of my winter heating kit.
What are your thoughts so far?
Wearable heating pad
I always have it in my winter bag portable heating pad (about $20). They're advertised as a treatment for menstrual cramps, but as soon as I saw one of the “featured products” on Amazon, I knew it would be perfect for my cold commute, and I wasn't wrong. I've tried a lot of them over the years, and they all work about the same – which isn't necessarily a good thing, since no matter the brand, they tend to be a little flimsy, so you'll probably end up buying a new one next year. I've tried a heated vest before that I really liked, but I found it bulky and difficult to store once I got to where I was going. Belt-shaped devices work similarly, but are much less intrusive. They radiate warmth around your body, hide easily under your coat, and fit easily into your pocket or bag. (Two words of warning: never leave it directly on your skin as you may get a slight burn, so be sure to charge it when not in use as it tends to discharge quickly and recharge slowly.)
Heated scarf
My warm scarf – new to my arsenal this year, but I already consider it indispensable – it warms the upper body, perfectly complementing the work of the heated belt. This is also about 20 dollars. I chose a smaller size to make it easier to store in my bag, but there are bigger, more fashionable options in the same price category. (Not all of them come with a removable battery, so check the listing carefully before purchasing.)
Heated gloves
Finally my favorites heated gloves. I ordered them in a fit of rage a few weeks ago after a pre-dawn walk around teach a spinning class at 6 a.m.. My hands were so cold that I had to order a hot Dunkin instead of an iced one – disgusting! – and I ordered heated gloves as soon as they thawed. You have options here too: you can buy gloves where the top of the mittens folds back, leaving the fingers exposed, as well as gloves with full fingers. Either way, I think you'll find them indispensable and easy to use once you get used to having the battery hanging on the back of your hand (they don't have a removable battery, but can be charged using a standard USB-C cable).
