Ruskovilla-Catalogue_2024-2025-EN

Up here in Northern Finland winter can be very harsh and unpredictable. Temperatures may drop down to -35°C at times. With the wrong dress code, this can very quickly turn into a painful experience leaving you in a disappointing situation and not enjoying your time in winter at all. Us people who live in the North, we cannot afford this. We must stay well prepared throughout the six long months of winter if we don’t want to suffer. Luckily there are ways to prevent freezing in the cold and that starts with the correct base layers. In this article, we’ll explore why certain layers are indispensable for anyone venturing into the chilly Northern wilderness. WHY CLOTHES ARE NOT JUST CLOTHES I see a lot of different styles and ways how people dress during the winter through my work and life as a Nature Guide in Northern Finland. Most of the time the main problem I encounter is that people simply don’t know what a real winter feels like and therefore they lack understanding of what works and what doesn’t. The sensation of being in -20°C or less is simply not unattainable and so the instinct tells you: ‘I am cold, so put more clothes on’. Well, yes and no. More layers are not a wrong approach to avoid feeling cold, however when you are in a wintery environment and you are perhaps active it is not just a matter of how many layers, but what kind of layers you are wearing to stay warm over a longer period. And all of this starts with one crucial factor: The correct base layers.

constantly moving and stopping. One moment I feel totally overheated and the next minute I cool down quickly when taking a break. The problem here is mostly our sweat. As sweat evaporates from our skin, it takes heat away from the body. This cooling effect is amazing when you’re hot, but in winter it can cause your body temperature to drop very quickly. So what happens when sweat accumulates in our clothing? If you wear materials that don’t wick away moisture well, it can stay damp and conduct heat away from the body, making you feel even colder. The only way to staying warm is keeping dry. Wet skin or damp clothing causes heat loss through conduction and draws heat away from the body faster than dry fabric would. So in short what we want are moisture-wicking fabrics that minimize evaporative cooling. And for me there is only one kind of material that can do this job best: Itch-free merino wool! WHY QUALITY MATTERS Wool is known for its incredible insulating properties. The unique structure of wool fibres trap air, creating a natural barrier that keeps your body warm even in the harshest conditions. Unlike synthetic materials, which can lose their insulating abilities when wet, wool retains warmth, even when damp. Additionally wool has also natural antimicrobial properties that help resist odors, which means less smelly clothes and less washing needed. Merino wool can only be obtained from certain breeds of sheep. Merino sheep produce super fine wool fibres that are finer than any other type of wool. Often when garments feel itchy, it’s because the fibre is coarse and ridged. The general rule of thumb is: The finer the micron, the softer the fibre. And the softer it feels on the skin. And that’s what we want. I want stuff to last. And I want to be a role model, teaching and showing others that there are ways how to be responsible and have a focus on nature and a sustainable environment. I was lucky enough to find a small family business here in Finland that acts exactly according to my standards: Ruskovilla - where high quality meets local production and sustainability. A nowadays rare find. Not only do I pay attention to the quality of my tours, but also to the clothing and equipment that I am using.

WHY BASE LAYERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT LAYERS OF ALL

Base layers are the first layers, the ones that are clo sest to your skin after your underwear. Its primary pur pose is to regulate body temperature and to manage moisture by wicking sweat away from the body. When I lead snowshoeing or skiing tours in winter I am

· 17 ·