Life

Battling back against the cold in nine ways

By Huang Yuli and Wang Wen (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-11-02 07:51

A shopper sifts through a mountain of thermal underwear packages. [Photo/China Daily]

The weather might be uncharacteristically warm for November but anyone who has lived in Beijing for more than a year knows it won't last for long.

Coupled with public concern about the cold is an ongoing debate over whether the heating will come on early, but just in case it doesn't, METRO has nine essential tips on keeping the chills away.

Thermal underwear

While there are numerous kinds of thermal underwear on the market, most people are unaware that their capabilities are usually overstated.

Experts admit that most types of thermal underwear only help the body's temperature to climb by 2 C to 3 C. However, they do manage to act as an effective barrier to cold air, a feature that far outweighs the role of "high-tech" materials or layers.

According to the State standard, the warmth retention property of thermal underwear must be more than 30 percent.

Downy coats

Top: Knitted kneepads are a popular choice for the elderly, with cotton and woolen products selling the best. Bottom: An electric shoe drier helps to bring back trainers from their sweaty state.

In Beijing, you see them everywhere and on everyone.

A downy coat is typically filled with goose or duck feathers, allowing it not only to preserve heat with a passion, but to be much lighter than a cashmere or cotton-padded coat.

Good downy coats have a down content of more than 70 percent, but you will need to try it on to check whether it breathes well.

It is also worth buying in person rather than online, since these coats are most effective when they fit the body well.

Recommended brands: Marmot, Bosideng, the North Face, Xuezhongfei.

Scarves

Traditional Chinese medicine theory believes the neck is an important part of body to keep warm, since many blood vessels and acupuncture points are located there.

As a result, a scarf is viewed as a top priority for anyone looking to dodge the winter chill. Different from sister products for other seasons, winter scarves are generally much thicker and often made from wool or cashmere.

In addition to shopping malls in Beijing, scarves can be found in their thousands in many merchandise markets, such as the Tianle Costumes Wholesale Market, near the Beijing Zoo, and Guanyuan Commodities Wholesale Market in Xicheng district.

Knitted kneepads

A pair of knitted kneepads can offer excellent protection for elderly citizens whose joints are more likely to be targeted by the cold.

Cotton and woolen ones sell the best, but make sure to get those that provide the necessary tightness and elasticity.

Motorcyclists should note that supermarkets also sell leather kneepads that can be worn outside of trousers.

Quilts and duvets

Traditionally, November is the month when most people reach into the dark recesses of their wardrobe and pull out their coveted "thick duvet".

While these thick duvets are normally filled with cotton, the market now offers a range of lighter choices such as cashmere and eiderdown.

Cashmere is warm but if the quality of a quilt cover is low, the material often escapes and never comes back. Eiderdown is a sound material but known for being one of the heavier options.

Silk quilts have also grown in popularity, largely because of being so light, but again a good cover makes all the difference.

Hot water bottles

All great products deserve a makeover, so it is no surprise that the common hot water bottle is now a blank canvas for aspiring designers.

Made from rubber and designed to warm the toes, hot water bottles in Beijing are coming out in style - with various colors and patterns as well as sporting cartoon characters.

Despite their rejuvenation, these bags still only costs a few yuan and can last for years.

Warming pads

Top: Scarves are an easy way to meet the needs of traditional Chinese medicine theory, which states that necks should be covered. Bottom: Hot water bottles are no longer the drab affairs they once used to be.

These miracle pads contain iron, active carbon, mineral salts and various other materials. After opening it fully, oxygen rushes in and produces an exothermic reaction - heat.

The pad, which has glue on one side, can be stuck to clothes near the waist, abdomen or any part of body that requires heat. It keeps warm for between 12 and 20 hours, but users should note not to let it come into direct contact with skin.

Warming pads can be picked up in many supermarkets and prices change with sizes - typically between 10 yuan and about 30 yuan.

Electric blankets and foot warmers

These products are favorites for wetter climates, such as those offered in Southern China, but these days Beijingers are also showing an increased interest and so are the supermarkets.

Some blankets are designed to preheat the bed while others are made to last the night, but heat-seekers should remember that the body gets pretty dry from overuse and this can result in mouth ulcers and scaly skin.

Our tip is to turn the blanket on about half an hour before you go to bed, but switch off before you climb in.

Shoe driers

Winter is the season of sweaty feet, brought about by thick cotton socks and leather shoes.

The natural consequence of wet feet is wet shoes, and all too often, clammy clogs are a problem that lasts right through to the following morning.

One solution is to dry them under the sun, but since most of us need to wear our shoes in the daytime, this is often unfeasible. The alternative is an electric shoe drier - a metal sheet that is inserted into a shoe and acts within minutes.

Get online at websites such as Taobao.com to find a wide selection available.