[tesla]

for the record, warming the holds with a blowtorch in between attempts is definitely not allowed, even if you're famous.

and, +1 to the long johns suggestion.

[Sasquatch]

So to recap

Personal Clothing
- Thermal Baselayers
- Puffy
- Good Mitts
- Good Warm Boots
- wind protection

Gear
- cheap blue 6' x 4' tarp
- FLASK with strong herbal tea and whisky in it.
- Ladder for cleaning snowy top-outs.
- LARGE BRISTLE BRUSH for brushing off snow without grinding it into holds.
- handwarmers
- Zippo Heater?
- Car with heated seats
- small Carpet pieces
 
Other tips
- Don't bring whiners, kids, spouse
- Stick shoes in coat / put handwarmers in shoes to keep warm
- Stay out of wind

[tomtom]

Patio heater

[Richie Crouch]

It seems wearing a hat and growing a thick winter beard to stave off windchill has been overlooked!

[a dense loner]

I didn't want to give away the important stuff Ritchie

[bolehillbilly]

I used to put my boots on the dashboard and crank up the heater to the max on the drive to the crag, then put the boots in the duvet jacket when walking in.  This worked well until they started to stink the car out.
New beta as follows.  Small sig type bottle filled with hot water, stuff ends of the bottle into boots and then wrap boots in a fleece or similar inside the pack before you leave home.  Boots are toast when you put them on and the bottle then works as a handwarmer for the first 30 minutes or so too.
This works a treat.  Today I packed up at 8.30am, dropped the kids at school, drove to Churnet and boots/bottle were still warm at 10.30.  Found this works better than handwarmers.  I still carry a couple of rechargeable handwarmers for later in the day.

[r-man]

Neck Warmers are brilliant. Plus you can cover up most of your face when it's super cold. I sometimes wear ear warmers under my hat, they work well too.
The snow boots mentioned earlier are much better for winter than normal boots because they are waterproof and don't get soaked when you plod through snow. Might not be robust enough for long treks though. Proper woolly socks are de riguer.
Old towels are very useful for drying things. Maybe tin foil (that's "aloominum" for merkins) for undriable holds - haven't tried yet but it seems like a good idea.
Foldable shovel for digging out snowbound starts/finishes.
Headtorch.
Malt loaf.

Heated bouldering mats would be good.
And footservants to carry all this crap and serve the tea and cake.

[andy_e]

The boots-in-jacket beta is to put them right against your skin, not just under the jacket. cold at first but it keeps your boots the warmest!

[erm, sam]

Er, how about a bit of MTFUping?

[moose]

Proper woolly socks are de riguer.

Heat Holders socks come recommended, they've made many a day of snowy digging that bit more bearable:

http://www.heatholders.com/uk/products/mens.php

Often on special at cheapo outdoors shops like Yeomans.

[Jim]

I can't climb in thermal trousers (long johns), don't ask me why but I can't.
Getting boots out of the bag and by the car heater on the way to the crag and then keeping them in you coat except when on your feet is good knowledge.
Also a black lexus with heated seats is good knowledge too.
and a flask of hot vimto, none of this hippy bullshit herbal tea etc.... VIMTO
thats right kids, VIMTO, it'll make a man of you 

[Monolith]

Saw a class little foldable metal snow shovel for 99p in the 99p store in Leeds city. Ideal for off piste dump burial ceremonies too.

[robertostallioni]

any other price would have been taking the piste.

[Mike Tyson]

Great name for a problem that- off piste dump :-)

[Kermit]

A cheap £3 picnic blanket. Waterproof bottom and you put it down next to your pad can put all your stuff on it keeping it dry and put your boots on, on it and dry them. Fold flat and goes in pad taking up no room.

Also drink plenty of water, dehydration will make you weak and no one thinks you get dehydrated when its that cold but you do, it takes effort staying warm and wind will sap you as well.

[andy_e]

the 99p store

Don't you mean "one of the many 99p stores"?

[Bonjoy]

Old school scarf, preferably tartan.
Thin socks under boots. Pretty essential if you are unlucky enough to get chilblains.
Flask of spiced ribena. I like to throw in a whole dried chilli, a few pepper corns, slices of ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cloves as the basics and then sometimes a few other randoms.
Hip flask. Usually a single malt, otherwise sloe gin.

Don't bring dark chocolate. It tastes like gravel when cold

[Andy B]

Don't bring dark chocolate. It tastes like gravel when cold

Good knowledge. The result of my experiments, in a previous life as a mountaineer, was that that galaxy seemed to have the lowest melting point and therefore went down best when it is Baltic, and mars bars and double deckers will claim teeth.

[moose]

Flask of spiced ribena. I like to throw in a whole dried chilli, a few pepper corns, slices of ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cloves as the basics and then sometimes a few other randoms.
Hip flask. Usually a single malt, otherwise sloe gin.

Chilli and spices in the flask: genius.  I might have to give that a go with my usual hot Vimto.  Myself, I like to add a slug of the Rochester non-alcoholic ginger wine they sell in Holland and Barrett (often on special - 3x750ml bottles for a tenner).  It's strong stuff and adds a nice kick (makes a good whisky mac style drink too, and can settle roiling guts).

The hip-flask is always tempting.... a Laphroaig would definitely have made a few winter sessions seem less like a arduous punishment and more like a leisure activity (I hear that some people relax and enjoy their weekends... takes all sorts I suppose).  That said, I probably drink whisky too many nights anyway without adding an extra daytime opportunity!

[Monolith]

Old school scarf, preferably tartan.
Thin socks under boots. Pretty essential if you are unlucky enough to get chilblains.
Flask of spiced ribena. I like to throw in a whole dried chilli, a few pepper corns, slices of ginger, cinnamon, star anise, cloves as the basics and then sometimes a few other randoms.
Hip flask. Usually a single malt, otherwise sloe gin.

Don't bring dark chocolate. It tastes like gravel when cold

Tick on number one but it's a Borussia Dortmund Champions League winners scarf in lime green.

Number two is precisely the sort of concoction I was looking for.

Number three is something else I can add to the Christmas list. Thanks Bonjoy.

Myself, I like to add a slug of the Rochester non-alcoholic ginger wine they sell in Holland and Barrett (often on special - 3x750ml bottles for a tenner).  It's strong stuff and adds a nice kick (makes a good whisky mac style drink too, and can settle roiling guts).

Sweet, thanks for the shout moose I'll get involved. I'm tired of drinking only coffee.

Some good shouts there cheers yall.

[tomtom]

I test drove these £15 decathlog beauties at the Cliff yesterday. 10/10. My feet were toasty - whilst Nai and 3T had to go for periodic runs to warm their feet up - I was able to just slob in toasty toed luxury (its all relative on a windy day at the cliff..)

[moose]

I test drove these £15 decathlog beauties at the Cliff yesterday. 10/10. My feet were toasty...

Very natty(!)  I could have done with a pair at Brimham - especially on Saturday when the car-park was an ice-rink (a delivery van jack-knifed).  Still, I am now a convert to longjohns; I found I had a never-used pair in a drawer and managed full-length sessions both days this weekend.  Unheard of for me at this time of year - normally I retreat to the plastic in October and don't emerge until March/April - desperate for rock and with raging tendonitis! Think an online shopping spree may be in order: more thermals and some furry boots - justify it to myself as useful for work inspections too... and winter's not really started yet.

[galpinos]

Just been to Decathlog.. Plenty of choice in winter footwear. Knowing my Almscliff predilections I picked up a pair of heir cheap plastic low cut wellies with furry inside for 6 fuck alls (£15) #bling

These fly bad boys?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mens-winter-bootsbr-weasy-brown-id_8157557.html

[tomtom]

Just been to Decathlog.. Plenty of choice in winter footwear. Knowing my Almscliff predilections I picked up a pair of heir cheap plastic low cut wellies with furry inside for 6 fuck alls (£15) #bling

These fly bad boys?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/mens-winter-bootsbr-weasy-brown-id_8157557.html

Yup - though I went for Black.. (as in two posts above )

[galpinos]

Yup - though I went for Black.. (as in two posts above )

Ah, didn't spot the pesky second page. A mate had those last winter and they looked the ticket. On my Christmas list.....