Day #1 went pretty well and here’s day #2. Today, two lucky readers will receive High Loft Jackets from WT Tactical.
Designed to be worn over body armor, the High Loft Jacket provides ultimate warmth, featuring 6 oz PrimaLoft® Sport synthetic insulation. The shell is made of 70 denier textured nylon, with 330d Cordura® reinforced abrasion resistant panels on the elbows. The two hand warmer pockets are lined with 2 oz quilted PrimaLoft®, keeping your hands safe from frostbite. Two interior mesh pockets provide storage and a place for wet goods to dry out. An adjustable shock cord hem blocks the wind, and adjuster clips are located in the hand warmer pockets to make cinching the wind out even easier. A fully adjustable helmet compatible hood with laminated brim keeps the head warm and protected. A separate collar keeps the neck nice and warm even when the hood is down. The wrist cuffs are adjustable with Velcro® wrist stays and half elastic, allowing the wearer to put a gloved hand in and out.
Don’t forget, today’s winners as well as every other winner, will receive a 2012 Tac Girls Calendar. (Just the calendar, not any of the girls)
To Enter
In the comment section of THIS post here on SSD tell us about the worst weather you’ve ever encountered. In a few hours we’ll close the comments section and randomly select a winner. Remember to use a valid email address so we can inform you in case you win. One entry per email address.
Details at soldiersystems.net/the-12-days-of-tactical-christmas.
Tags: Wild Things, WT Tactical
Driving back from skiing near Idaho Falls, ID in heavy snow, that quickly turned into a whiteout, we couldn’t see past the end of the hood of the truck. We had to pull to the side of the road, or where we thought it was, and hope we didn’t end up in a ditch in a farm field. Had to wait on there for a couple hours for it to clear up enough to drive, hoping someone didn’t rear end us.
Second worst, perfectly clear out, waiting for the bus when I was in Jr. High, but it was -20, I rub my nose and there is a crunch, I realized that my boogers had froze, that was pretty odd.
Freezing weather in Northern Iraq. Had to dive into an irigation canal to recover weapons lost from an up-armor roll over into the canal. Then froze all the way back to the FOB.
Probably the time when our heat went out in the middle of a snow storm, and I had to climb around on the ice covered roof to try to address the problem with our combo unit. The temp was right at 18 degrees if I remember correctly, although it feels a lot worse when your cheap cotton gloves freeze solid on you.
In the run-up to hurricane Opal, I had to preflight while the feeder bands were right on top of NAS Whiting Field. Temps were fairly warm but winds were about 40 knots and we looked like we had been preflighting at the bottom of a swimming pool. Some of the (few) planes that got out reported funnel clouds and water spouts within a mile of their flight path. For most of us, the decision to go came too late for a safe departure and we were sent home to prepare for a narrow departure window at first light the next day. Being the fng, nobody bothered to call me the night before to tell me we were all canx’d. I got back home from an 0-dark hundred show time just in time to throw the wife and the dog in the jeep. The poor SOBs that got on the road a half hour later were on the I-10 parking lot for 13 hours.
I was stationed at Fort Richardson, Alaska from 2007 to March of this year. It hit -37 during one field problem, but the most miserable had to be when I jumped AWADS into a blizzard, still do this day I have no idea what the airborne commander was thinking on that one. We exited the c17 and all you could see was white, couldnt tell what was sky and what was ground, forget about looking for other jumpers. Its was just exit and prepare to land, although landing in 4ft of soft powder is nice.
My reserve unit’s 2 week deployment qualifications in March/April. Weather was rain and and snow highs of 45 which didn’t happen. Forgot my thermals, working on the pier moving cargo. Tents flooded. Then the last day it was 55 and sunny.
The coldest weather I have worked in was tracking poachers during a winter snow storm and the sweat on my head/hair froze to ice.
I was part of a wilderness rescue team in the UP of Michigan, and EVERY winter was brutal. One January we did some nav-point exercises over a 72 hour period in snow that was chest-high, and nights that dropped below -30. I’m from MN so I was somewhat used to cold winters, but I really felt bad for our southern guys!
Rig in the northsea – new years day 1997 – wife had to thaw me out for days when I got back
Meaford, Canada. -76 with windchill. Stayed out in the field; sleeping in four man North Face tents. Thank God for good training and even better equipment.
i would say worst weather was in kodiak alaska. we had a fire and did not get the hose drained fast enough. had to call a pickup out to pick up all the frozen hose.
Growing up in Northern Maine had an unusually cold winter with one week that it stayed below zero (F) getting as low as -60F.
Definitely in Texas, caught a storm that lasted for two days, pouring rain and blasting wond – like open the door to shore up your barracks room from flooding and came back in needing a towel and a fresh pair of clothes. Lightning was dropping down right around the base in San Angelo, rumbling the barracks. Of course all the rain led to to flash flooding, so forget about going anywhere. The barracks floors were open air- think like a Motel 6, and the floors themselves were canted the wrong way, so we had to sandbag our doorways to keep the rooms themselves from flooding.
Mine isn’t all that cool or military-esque at all but it would have to be Black Friday 2008. I was one of the tards waiting in line at Best Buy starting at 8pm day before. Thought I was dressed up enough for it but much to my surprise, I wasn’t. I didn’t really know how to layer myself. I just thought, big jackets and some sweats, and I’m good. I wasn’t good at all for the 10 hours staying in line for a $80 item. Not worth it lol.
Downtown Houston, Hurricane Alison, 2001. 3-4 ft of snake, sewage and garbage infested waters. Rain coming down in near waves. Next day, sun and recovery.
I would have to say coldest I’ve been is in Korea on a FARP. Nothing like freezing temps and AH 64D rotor wash to make an armament dawg suck some exhaust fumes to warm up. The best part of the night was being woken up for pot belly stove guard duty.
Coldest was working a fatal traffic accident last winter. Wind kept blowing and people kept driving fast in spite of 10 roll overs.
The worst weather I’ve ever experienced was my year long tour in Thule, Greenland! Three months of total darkness, not to mention an average winter temp of -35* and a high summer time temp of +40. During the storms with the hurricane force winds reaching upwards of 100 knots and the windchill dipping down past -60 it has to be one of the harshest places on the planet. Although I do plan a return tour in about two years!
Worst weather was when I was a child. I was no more than 4 feet and we definitely had blizzards for several days straight that dumped enough snow that I dug a snow pit with stairs to exit vs a snow fort that year.
Worst weather was definitely during mountain survival training in the alps. The temperatures went down far below zero during a snow storm and we dug ourselves into the snow for the night. In the morning I couldn’t feel one foot anymore. It was one hell of a downhill ride afterwards. Luckily the cold left no permanent damage. A High Loft Jacket would have for sure been handy.
Deer Hunting in Fairfax Ok 8 Years ago, newly built tower with no windows and it was sleeting on the verge of snowing and I built it 10 ft up in the air. I learned from many mistakes that year and there was no amount of clothing that I think could help the painful cold. The Wind that day was blowing over 40 mph and I couldnt even look out of the tower to hunt I just curled up in the corner and tried to survive until it cleared up.
The coldest winter I ever encountered was in Michigan. As a “joke” I got pushed into a frozen metal bar and my lip stuck!
hostage survival training. ICE water being poured on my balls while I was essentially naked in the middle of winter.
Working at the Detroit Ambassador Bridge during pretty much any winter. Down to -20 with the wind chill and sideways snow.
the worst cold i ever experinced was Ft.Wainwright AK. Afive day field problem with temps hovering at 30 below the whole week. that was a hard time to be in the CAV.
Directing traffic at the scene of a wreck in the middle of an ice storm on Christmas Eve night at 2am in UA and polyester. Had nothing else that would allow me freedom of movement and access my weapon so I had to wear lightweight Cold Gear to ensure I could survive.
I was on a leadership course in Meaford. A place that any day during the year you can experience all 4 seasons. It was March and we got a lovely ice storm our weapons were all coated in ice. It was our last day in the field and I had to use a very ice coated field loo and then enemy attack.
During the SFAS Q-Course, SUT, my team was setting up for a linear ambush. It had rained the night before and had been sprinkling most of the day during our 10-15k movement. Our PL for this one was running late so he ended up setting us in after dark. Little did he know we were more than 75meters to the road (normally we are quite a bit closer) and the rain came in heavy. So middle of the night, downpoor, and it was early Feb. (so probably about 40 degrees, not too cold but after being wet all day, and laying on the ground for what seemed like hours, I was shaking uncontrollably). I guess our TAC said he marched OPFOR up and down about 3 times before he got pissed and started throwing Arty Sims. After that he gave us some remedial PT and then we rucked for another 10k on the road, before we got to bed down for the night. Fun night… won’t ever forget it.
In three feet of wet slushy snow as freezing rain hammered us doing section attack demos all day.
The weather wasnt the worst of it, but in Afganistain in 01 we had no cold weather gear at all. 25 degree nights got to be unbarible.
Wisconsin 1985 -50F ambient with 20 kts of wind. Frozen engine block. Blew the head gasket and stranded us
Konar province, Afghanistan 2003 late November. Climbing up and down the mountains and pulling guard out in the snow and rain for a month strait. We crossed a stream in the dark and I slipped and fell into the running water. Sat and froze at our blocking position until the sun came.
PCS’ing in December 2005 me and my dad drove along the Columbia river. The wind was blowing the truck and trailer all over the road which was starting to get iced and the fog was crazy thick and starting to freeze so visibility was nothing. Made it through but took about twice as long.
Worst weather would have been during my basic training, it had been raining for three days straight on my first field exercise then started snowing.
My second-hand wet weather kit had stopped working on the first day and I started going down with hypothermia. The hot rations we had bought in gave me food poisoning and I ended up freezing my ass off and crapping myself.
Good times! 😀
The worst conditions I experienced were in a storm when I was growing up… -70 degree wind chills and 5ft of snow that drifted doorways shut. I even saw 2nd story apartments that had their balconies drifted shut. The parking lot of the apartment complex was completely buried… all you could see was the tops of radio antennas, but very few cars. Growing up in Minn/Iowa and now in Wyoming, you learn to expect the worst out of winter storms.
Snowstorm in the Swiss alps plus altitude sickness. I was wet, cold and felt like I had to die…
Possibly the worst weather was deploying to Mac-Town on Ross Island in the Antarctic. We went down to collect a guy that had just killed someone. The temps were only in -27C range, but we were deployed from Hawaii and the change was unpleasant. On a positive note, the weather was so bad we were able to spend a week at the pubs in New Zealand while waiting for minimum weather for the C130 to get us in and out.
Three hurricanes in Florida ’04.
Driving through the mountains of Colorado going to a job in Califorina. A freak snow storm where everybody was stuck in the ice. Got a flat tire driving through a accident debris. Froze my tail off ! Took almost 4 hours to go 20 miles. Would have been nice to have a warm jacket while changing the tire that day !
I’ve encountered both heat in Afghanistan and snow and cold here in scandinavia, but the worse weather must be the winter months with rain… heavy rain and temperature just above freezing point for days… nothing is worse than being cold and wet for days in a row!
Death Valley, CA. Freezing cold in the morning, blazing hot in the afternoon, rainy at night. All in one day
Worst weather was giving an IDPA qualifier. My buddy and I were soaked through standing out in it running the timer. Shooters would complain about getting wet when they stood out there for just a few minutes. Had to bite my tongue and not explain we had been in the wet and cold all day!
The most rugged country I have ever had to experience was the Mountains in Eastern Afghanistan. The terrain combined with the weather made this a very challenging environment. In the winter it is biting cold and in the summer it is scorching hot. Then when we redeployed back to Italy we end up heading up into the Dolomites to do mountain training for when we go back. So we get the wet cold of Europe. The Army has come a long way in the gear they issue, but still has a ways to go. Merry Christmas!
Worst is last winter in MA. I was working a detail. Spent 12 hours doing traffic in -10
Feb 1999 was the worst storm I had in the coastal city of Tel Aviv Israel
the newspaper delivery man dropped the newspaper from his motorbike and he could not keep the bike straight because of the winds what a sight
Doing SAR training in the Hakkoda Mountains,TÅhoku region, Aomori, Japan
-10C, Snow and Wind was ridiculous! I had cold weather gear, but my glove were too tight. I thought I had frostbite, I almost cried!
The worst weather I had to endure was a massive ice storm that hit the east coast in 1998. It covered everything in a solid inch of ice; snapping trees, making roads undrivable, causing major power outages over the whole state. I was living in the country, about 45 minute drive from any grocery store. We were without power for 5 days; cooking off of our wood stove, cutting into the ice that blanketed everything to use as our refrigerator. It took about a year to fully clean up from that storm.
-60 With 20mph wind
Probably not as bad as a lot of people’s on here, but I was out in -10* weather, over an inch/hour accumulating snow to feed the animals and keep the farm ticking… That was not fun.
Heat was over 110 in New Mexico while hiking in the mountains, that was again not fun.
Hohenfells ’99
Fighting US OPFOR in some of the worst weather Europe can throw at you.Tanks sliding of icy roads or suddenly breaking through ice covered ponds. Combine that with horizontal ice rains and man-high snow and you’re mostly battleing the weather instead of the hordes of M60’s. Fun times being a loader..
2006 winter, E A-Stan near parkistan border(Partika) it was coldist winter I never had before and sun reflecting snow so it was killing my eye site.