Here’s How to Survive Sitting in the Bleachers This Winter
Most stadiums are frigid by December. Sitting or standing for hours is hard enough on a nice day, but it can feel like torture when the sky is pelting you with snow, sleet, or rain. You don't generate as much heat when you're stationary, and drinking alcohol exacerbates body heat loss. If only it were a walk in the park, at least you'd be moving.
Water-resistant materials such as Gore-Tex and waxed cotton, and insulating materials such as goose down, wool, and fluffy synthetics are your friends this time of year. With that in mind, here are some smart ways to stay warm at the game.
Check out more of our buying guides. We have a growing number of outdoor gear guides, including the best gift ideas for people who hate being inside, our favorite rain jackets, and our latest guide to electric bikes.
Foam seats get your rear end off the frigid bleachers so you won't lose so much body heat by sitting on something cold. We picked the Sportneer because it's made with a steel frame and covered in 420-denier polyester for durability. To get around with it, fold it flat and slip your arm through the straps to wear it like a backpack. There is a wider version, as well.
Make sure your hot coffee doesn't become iced coffee by the time you reach your seat. Yeti's vacuum-insulated stainless steel Tumbler will keep drinks hot enough to last an entire game. Get the 20-fluid-ounce one so that you can also fill it with other beverages bought by the pint.
Yaktrax says these reach an average temperature of 135 degrees once activated. Slip one in each of your mittens for extra heat if you feel your digits start to go numb during the game. They should put out heat for eight hours, but the heat will taper off as you use them.
You need thick, warm socks (even in winter boots) when you're spending long stretches of time not moving, because you're not generating heat when you're sitting down. The merino wool cuts down on stink and keeps your feet warm when damp, and the nylon blended into it helps them dry out a bit faster.
A winter coat will keep you dry until it wets out under heavy snow, sleet, or rain, and a good stadium seat's fabric will deflect rain for a little while, but when it starts coming down hard, break out a hooded waterproof poncho to cover yourself and your seat. This poncho is 100 percent PEVA, the same material shower curtain liners are made of. You can order these officially licensed ponchos in any team's colors. Or you could just buy it in Carolina Panther blue and black.
Merino is a less itchy type of wool, and it's naturally anti-microbial, so it tends not to pick up body odor from continued use as much as synthetic fabrics. SmartWool's 250 Merino is its thicker wool product, and the cuffed edge doubles the material over itself for extra warmth.
Even with a hood and your jacket zipped up, cold drafts can creep up your neck. Block the wind and make sure everyone knows who you're pulling for with an officially licensed NFL scarf, which you can get in any team's colors. The included gloves aren't a bad choice to wear under your mittens, but I recommend you leave them at home and bring different glove liners instead.
The combination of goose down and synthetic insulation retains heat, and the Gore-Tex outer material deflects snow, rain, and wind. Unlike on typical mittens, the thumbs are separate for better dexterity, which is good for things like drinking beer and buying more beer. The thumbs are touchscreen-compatible, but they're likely too bulky to do anything but wake your phone up to check notifications.
Good winter jackets aren't cheap. This wind- and water-resistant parka has enough insulation to take you comfortably into temperatures as low as the teens, thanks to some basic layering and a draw-cord-adjustable, faux-fur-lined hood. Big pockets swallow everything you'd need to keep with you during a game. Grab a bar of Fjallraven wax to maintain the wax coating that'll naturally wear off over time.
A rubber lower section lets you walk through snow and rain without worrying about wetting out, unlike fabrics and full-leather boots, and the leather upper section gives you a more adjustable fit than a full-rubber boot. The inside of the boot is lined with felt, and the cuff is trimmed with Sherpa pile insulation to keep out cold drafts.
No. These won't keep you warm, but they will keep you better informed. If you're stuck in an end-zone nosebleed section, you could use a little visual assist to see goal-line plays and point-after kicks at the opposite end. These water- and fog-resistant compact binoculars fold small enough to stash in a winter coat pocket, and they weigh a skeletal 10.6 ounces. The 8X zoom provides a wider field of view than a 10X zoom, so you can see more of what's happening on the field.
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