If you are looking for a high quality, American made Personal Protection, we offer a few items here: https://coldavenger.com/collections/personal-protective-equipment
Our standard ColdAvenger Cold Weather Mask will NOT provide protection against dust, debris, particulates or viruses. They are designed to provide thermal comfort and airway protection from damaging cold.
During this crisis we will have very limited office hours. The best way to contact one of our representatives is to email us at info@coldavenger.com.
All products ordered through our warehouse are handled with the utmost care to ensure customer safety. We guarantee the following actions will be taken in the packaging of all orders:
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“If a uniform is not comfortable, a worker could be distracted from doing his or her job properly, which can obviously affect performance. In fact, new ‘mobility’ garments, such as the chef coats UniFirst is launching, are becoming more and more popular in the marketplace because they provide superior performance and ‘true’ freedom of movement without sacrificing durability,” adds Soreff. “Breathable, lightweight moisture-wicking fabric like poly/cotton blends continue to be a favorite to help keep workers cool, dry and comfortable when working in the food industry.”
Meanwhile, ColdAvenger’s new Outlaw Face Mask is dubbed the do-it-all cold weather face mask. The versatile bandana-like design, inspired by heroes and villains from the American Wild West, helps employees avoid breathing in cold weather dry air when inside refrigerated food facilities.
ColdAvenger’s new Outlaw Face Mask helps employees avoid breathing in cold weather dry air when inside refrigerated food facilities.
“We have always stuck with our original idea of helping people breath freely while protecting employees’ lungs by breathing in warm humidified air when doing aerobic movements outside in harsh cold weather degrees or inside cold temperatures of refrigeration systems,” says Austin Pray, chief marketing officer of ColdAvenger, Missoula, Mont."
]]>Protection of the face and airways from extreme cold increases survival odds even if you have other proper protective clothing and gear. Temperatures near or below freezing cause frostbite to exposed skin in minutes and heat loss faster then your metabolism can generate leading to hypothermia. An exposed face and airways can accelerate hypothermia because of heat loss through the highly vascular face and the lungs even if you have other proper gear and apparel protection. Cold exposure incites airway fluid loss and inflammation that manifests as cough and bronchospasm, particularly in people with preexisting lung disease such as asthma. The nose helps protect the airways from cold dry air by serving as a heat and moisture exchanger. However, physical effort such as struggling through snow, running, or climbing increases the depth and rate of ventilation resulting in a physiologic shift from nose breathing to combined nose-and-mouth breathing. Bypassing the nose exposes the airway to the dehydrating and inflammatory effects of cold. Facial skin exposure to cold air is enough to trigger asthma and cough in asthmatics and non-asthmatics even with nasal breathing.
ColdAvenger is a cold weather protection system for the face and airways. The unique ventilator is designed to dynamically mix inhaled cold dry air with hot humid air exhaled from the lungs to achieve a microclimate of comfort around the face and airways. In one field test ColdAvenger transformed an outside 5 degrees F and 15% relative humidity into an inside of 68 degree F and 89% relative humidity around the face and airways. The ventilator of the ColdAvenger is designed for unrestricted mouth and nose breathing which supports physical performance. The ability to breath freely also helps prevent claustrophobia and panic in a cold environment.
An expedition team crossing the Antarctica in the winter selected ColdAvenger because in independent testing it transformed an extreme cold of - 72 degrees F into a comfortable and survivable plus 59 degree F average around the face and airways and helped to preserve core body temperature (www.thecoldestjourney.org). ColdAvenger is selected by cold weather endurance athletes such as those running the North Pole marathon at - 40 F. It’s on the face of cyclists who compete in some of the toughest endurance cold weather races like the Minnesota Arrowhead 135(www.arrowheadultra.com), the Blizzard Fat Bike Race, Alberta, Canada (www.devonbicycleassociation.com), the Big Fat Ride in Anchorage, Alaska (www.bigfatride.com), the Actif Epica celebration of human resilience in Manitoba, Canada (http://actifepi.ca), and the North Dakota B-B-Brrr Winter Classic. ColdAvenger has protected the faces and airways of mountain climbers ascending Mount Everest and K2, two of the world’s harshest environments. ColdAvenger has protected military personnel of the US Army, US Navy and the Canadian Armed Forces helping them to achieve their missions in extreme cold environments. Breathe easy, stay calm and survive with ColdAvenger.
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Relative to the respiratory tract’s moisture, cold air is always dry and a shift from nose to mouth breathing exposes the airway lining to the dehydrating and inflammatory effects of cold air which can trigger cough, bronchospasm and asthma.
ColdAvenger’s unique ventilator is designed to dynamically mix inhaled cold dry air with hot humid air exhaled from the lungs to achieve a micro-climate of comfort around the face and airways. When you wear a ColdAvenger, even if you breathe through the mouth, your air will be warmer and more humidified, decreasing the likelihood of cough, brochospasm and asthma. The ventilator is designed for unrestricted mouth and nose breathing to support peak endurance and physical performance. ColdAvenger has even been described by some as an “artificial” nose because of the way it functions.
In one field test ColdAvenger transformed an outside 5 degrees F and 15% relative humidity into an inside of 68 degree F and 89% relative humidity around the face and airways. In another independent test of the ColdAvenger mask, extreme cold of -72 degrees F was transformed into a comfortable average of 59 degree F around the face and airways while preserving core body temperature.
Facial skin exposure to cold air alone can be enough to trigger asthma and cough in asthmatics and non-asthmatics even with nasal breathing. ColdAvenger’s technical fabric protects against cold and wind chill thus helping to prevent facial skin injury and frostbite.
These features are why ColdAvenger was selected by the expedition team of The Coldest Journey, who crossed the Antarctica in the winter (www.thecoldestjourney.org), and has been selected for protection in the harshest of cold environments such as climbing the world’s highest mountains, endurance cycling races in the extreme cold of the Arrowhead 135, and the North Pole ultra-marathon.
ColdAvenger provides military grade performance, is Berry compliant, and is supplied as FRC grade and non-FRC grade depending on the required usage. ColdAvenger is both cold weather performance and cold weather survival gear. Whether you are stationary for long periods in the cold or engaged in active endurance operations in a cold environment, ColdAvenger will help protect you and your mission.
Prolonged darkness and cold weather not only contribute to less physical activity but also add to depressed moods and anxiety common to those who suffer with COPD. No matter what the season though, regular exercise is critical for people with COPD. Exercise increases endurance and counters risk factors for cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal problems that complicate COPD. Physical activity, especially outdoors in nature, also helps to improve depression and the feelings of panic and anxiety associated with COPD.
Walking is an exercise for any season and for someone with COPD it can help improve physical and mental health. Walking is easy on the joints, improves the ability to use oxygen, builds endurance, strengthens muscles, and enhances well-being. Walking reduces stress and anxiety, decreases breathlessness, and improves cardiac and respiratory fitness in COPD. One study found that those with COPD who have regular walking routines of 2 to 4 miles daily had lower rates of hospitalization compared to those with COPD who did not walk.
"Nordic Walking" is a type of walking exercise that uses lightweight poles or hiking sticks which can be enjoyed outside year-round on any terrain. Unlike regular walking, Nordic Walking increases exercise intensity by engaging the upper body to provide a low impact, high results, total body exercise. Nordic walking is reported to have beneficial impacts on the daily physical activity pattern of those with COPD. Also since COPD may cause gait problems due to weaker lower extremity muscles, walking or hiking poles can assist with balance and help prevent falls.
Consult with your physician prior to beginning your winter walking routine and set achievable distance goals. A medical study showed that goal setting improved the activity level of those with COPD over a 12-week period and demonstrated a 6-fold greater percent increase in walking compared to those not setting goals.
Selection of proper clothing and apparel is essential for winter outdoor activity. Staying warm by using the appropriate types of layers helps improve lung function. Do not neglect your face and airways. Cold air is always dry air and can exacerbate COPD, asthma, and bronchitis thus limiting the enjoyment of being outside. Even facial skin exposure can trigger bronchospasm and feelings of breathlessness (dyspnea).
Protect your airway health with a specialized cold weather face mask that covers your face and increases airway humidity and warmth, like the ColdAvenger. The face mask should allow for unrestricted breathing to reduce feelings of claustrophobia and breathlessness. It should also allow for nasal breathing which helps humidify inhaled air more than oral breathing. Nasal breathing also improves lung oxygenation.
Winter should not be a barrier for those with COPD. Be prepared, go out, and enjoy walking to better health!
]]>A study in Finland of children ages 7-8 playing and recreating outdoors in cold weather while being supervised by adults was conducted. The children were engaged in walking running, cycling, skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, riding, and playing in the snow. Outdoor temperatures varied from minus 33.7 C (-28.7) to plus 3.4 C ( 38.1 F). Half of the children’s outdoor activities took place in temperatures of −15 C (5 F) or colder.
The study found that 100% of the children complained of some cold-related health problem such as facial skin pain, finger and toe pain, and facial numbness which could have resulted in frostbite despite adult supervision. Fifty percent (50%) of the children experienced respiratory symptoms indicating lack of airway protection from cold exposure.
The key findings are that children recreating in the cold will experience cold induced health problems that could become serious, including a high percentage of respiratory symptoms, despite adult supervision. Children playing in the cold require active surveillance by parents and caregivers who are educated about cold weather health problems and appropriate protective clothing, including facial and airway protection.
Hanna Rasi, Heli Kuivila, Tarja Pölkki, Risto Bloigu, Hannu Rintamäki & Marjo Tourula (2017) A descriptive quantitative study of 7- and 8-year-old children’s outdoor recreation, cold exposure and symptoms in winter in Northern Finland, International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 76:1,
Link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2017.1298883
]]>Face and airway protection from cold weather is important for preserving body heat and helping prevent injury to the lungs and upper airways. Protective equipment includes face masks and balaclavas. Some facial coverings use mechanical "heat exchanges" built into the fabric while more modern gear uses a passive technology of mixing cold and warm air with a specially engineered ventilator to achieve a balanced micro-climate of comfort. What’s the difference between these two technologies? While a heat exchange can maintain warmth, they restrict breathing, have odors, cause a claustrophobic feeling, and do not allow for the normal nasal breathing essential to optimum lung oxygen exchange. Heat exchangers are not the optimum choice for cold weather protection and may detract from performance.
With the recent introduction of this modern technology to the workplace, workers have an additional opportunity to protect themselves on the job when temperatures are most extreme. This modern face mask designs will also help workers maintain full lung capacity, which is especially important for individuals with underlying heart or respiratory problems.
]]>ColdAvenger cold weather face masks do more than just cover your face. By humidifying and gently warming each breath, ColdAvenger face masks help protect your airways from drying. ColdAvenger masks also help maintain core temperatures and reduce cold stress.
Humidifying airways is important for mitigating symptoms associated with Asthma, COPD, and other respiratory conditions. The ColdAvenger cold weather face mask was invented by a physician with asthma who designed a face mask which does more than just cover your face. This simple piece of outdoor gear will allow you to improve your lifestyle in the cold, while helping protect you from potential asthma flare-ups.
Talk to your doctor today and ask them how a ColdAvenger mask can help you in cold environments. You will find ColdAvenger masks may be the difference between going outside in the winter and being stuck on the couch.
Check out our products here.
]]>ColdAvenger face masks passively warm and humidify each breath. This helps reduce the effects on the airways from breathing cold air. Gently warming each breath also helps maintain core temperatures. This encourages circulation throughout the body. Fingers and toes stay warmer and your body helps reduce cold stress overall. If you need to be out in the cold, or just want to enjoy the winter months, wear a ColdAvenger. Stay Out Longer.
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Weddell seals are a prominent Antarctic marine predator associated with fast ice (sea ice that is "fastened" to the coastline). The study began in 1968 and is located in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, at the southernmost tip of the Ross Sea. Its broad objective is to evaluate how temporal variation in the marine environment affects the Weddell seal population dynamics.
The Erebus Bay population of Weddell seals is the most southerly breeding population of mammals in the world. Antarctica's Ross Seal population's location is of special interest as the Ross Sea is one of the most productive areas of the Southern Ocean, one of the few pristine marine environments remaining on the planet.
The current project uses analysis and synthesis of long-term data for Weddell seals with decades of data on temporal variation in climate, marine, and sea-ice conditions in the Ross Sea to evaluate a variety of hypotheses regarding effects of environmental variation on life-history evolution and population dynamics.
Additional details regarding how physical drivers influence ecosystem dynamics from the bottom-up are being obtained by conducting field studies of how seal body mass, a surrogate for annual variation in marine food resources, varies among years and individuals. The study’s broad objective is to evaluate how temporal variation in the marine environment affects a long-lived mammal’s population dynamics.
The study uses a combination of mark-recapture analysis of vitalrates and population modeling to evaluate hypotheses regarding how fitness is affected by temporal environmental variation and collects longitudinal and cross-sectional data on body mass dynamics for mother-pup pairs to evaluate hypotheses relating environmental variation to changes in body mass and variation in body mass to effects on population dynamics.
Jay Rotella, Bob Garrott, and Don Siniff are co-Principal Investigators on the study, which is funded by the National Science Foundation through the U.S. Antarctic Program.
]]>Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which the body uses up its stored energy and can no longer produce heat. Often occurs after prolonged exposure to cold temperature.
Early symptoms
Late symptoms
First Aid
An injury to the body that is caused by freezing, which most often affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, or toes.
Symptoms
First Aid
Trench Foot
An injury of the feet resulting from prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions that can occur at temperatures as high as 60 °F if the feet are constantly wet.
Symptoms
First Aid
Chilblains
Ulcers formed by damaged small blood vessels in the skin, caused by the repeated exposure of skin to temperatures just above freezing to as high as 60 °F.
Symptoms
First Aid
Protect Yourself
For the original article, download a PDF from the Department of health and Human Services | Here
]]>The body uses a few different means to protect itself from cold air, the first lines of defense being the nose, mucus system, and lungs.
The nose helps protect the lungs by adding moisture and increasing temperature to inhaled air. When a person is exposed to cold temperatures, the tissue lining the nose swells as the capillaries open. This brings warm blood to the nose to heat the cold air. In fact, often it's too much blood in the nose (not increased mucus) which results in nasal congestion.
The body's next defense against cold air is the mucus lining in the airways. The mucus lining acts as a barrier protecting the airways from dangerous particles and organisms, including bacteria that can cause the common cold and other airway infections. As the mucus lining in the airways is exposed to cold air it thickens through inflammation and dehydration and can block airways. Cold can incite inflammation and airway swelling leading to asthma.
If cold air does reach the lungs despite the body's natural nose and mucus defenses, the lungs may react by releasing histamine and other inflammatory mediators. Histamine is a natural chemical often released by the body during allergic reactions. In people with sensitive airways or asthma this causes wheezing.
On average, a human breathes 1,100 times per hour, with each breath measuring about one liter in volume and requiring humidification to keep the lungs and airway from drying. When inhaled air is cold, the body works to heat the air to 98°F and humidify it to 100%. This extra work represents a significant effort and heat loss to the body.
By passively humidifying and gently warming inhaled air with a ColdAvenger face mask, lungs are protected from the damaging effects of dry/cold air.
]]>When prepping for the cold, most people think of the standard gear (gloves, boots, layered clothing) to keep warm. The most overlooked piece of gear is a face mask. Not just any face mask, but one which can manage moisture away from skin and humidify airways.
Humidifying airways in the cold does a number of things. First, it helps manage dehydration. The breath you see in the cold is water leaving your body. Without constant hydration, this can become a dangerous problem. A ColdAvenger face mask helps retain some of that moisture, which in turn helps prevent losing water. Second, humidifying airways protects lungs from the damaging effects of breathing in cold/dry air. This helps reduce cold stress and mitigates the symptoms of breathing issues such as asthma, COPD, and Cystic Fibrosis.
The ColdAvenger also helps manage excess moisture away from skin. This is important for staying comfortable over long periods of time. With other "normal" face masks, moisture freezes and breathing through them becomes a challenge. ColdAvenger masks allow free breathing all day while staying comfortable for long periods of time.
By humidifying airways and gently warming each breathe, your body doesn't have to work as hard to maintain core temperatures. This allows for circulation throughout the body and keeps your fingers and toes from getting cold. Thinking about the air you are breathing does wonders when trying to stay warm.
In short, make sure you add a ColdAvenger face mask to your cold weather clothing. Your body will stay warmer overall while allowing you to breathe free and safe in the cold.
]]>Working in a cold store means exposure to extreme cold and demands high physical and mental standards. Heat losses from the body must be minimised by proper clothing. In addition, working in a low temperature environment creates special effect on the human body, which must be counteracted by a special working routine and provisions for personal welfare. As for anybody else working in the food industry, the employees must undergo regular checks and maintain the necessary level of personal hygiene required for this industry.
Among the initial effects of exposure to low temperatures are numbness in the fingers and toes and reduction in dexterity. Muscular activity and increased metabolism would help to maintain the body temperature around 37°C. On average, the heat dissipated by a man in W/min varies according to the physical activity e.g. at rest 1.5, light work 2.5-3, moderate work 4.5-5 and hard work 8. Shivering is the principal mechanism of the body to momentarily increase its metabolism, but a shivering worker becomes ineffective, when the heat losses are greater than the heat generation, the body temperature will continue to fall and thus causes unsatisfactory physical response. It is usually considered that the metabolism will decrease by 12 percent for every 1°C decrease of the body temperature. The lungs begin to freeze at about -53°C. The human body will lose liquid through cold when exposed to low temperature. However, working in a low temperature environment is not hazardous to health, provided the worker is physically fit, i.e., submits himself to the necessary medical examination before employment and uses all the precautionary measures provided by the cold store properly.
The term clo was introduced in order to define the insulating quality of clothing assembly. By definition, one clo will provide thermal comfort to a man sitting in an ambient of 21 °C, 50 percent relative humidity and 0.1 m/s air velocity. A long suit corresponds roughly to one clo, a linen suit to 0.8 clo, and a woollen suit under which is a waistcoat, shirt and underclothes to 1.3-1.5. One clo is equal to 0.18 °C m2 h/kcal. In polar climates 3 clos generally are considered suitable for moderate activity in a -20C ambient with a low wind velocity. However, this relates to selected individuals and for similar conditions in a cold store a value of 4 clos may be considered necessary. The importance of correct clothing is shown in Table 25, which shows the relation between ambient activity and heat production.
Table 26 Metabolic rates for various activities
Activity | Total heat production in watts |
Sleeping | 80.5 |
Sitting | 117.2 |
Typing | 161.2 |
Walking slowly | 263.7 |
Shovelling sand | 536.2 |
Physical activity therefore has a significant bearing on the type of clothing worn. Clothing with a value of 4 clos will effectively protect a man at rest in an ambient of 0C or carrying out moderate work in an ambient of -30°C. Thermal protection of only 2 clos would be necessary for heavy work in an ambient of -40°C. If dressed in too heavily insulated clothing staff could be susceptible to a heat shock when doing heavy work in a cold environment.
The insulating value of the air layer surrounding the subject varies with the air velocity. The face is particularly sensitive to very cold air circulating at high velocity. Special clothing is always designed to be windproof.
The protective clothing for personnel working in cold stores should be properly tailored to the body and dimensioned to the work. The latter aspect is very difficult to achieve, as the intensity of work varies. The needs and preferences of individuals also vary. While ensuring good thermal protection, clothing should not be too thick, too stiff or too heavy. Clothing should not be too tight in order not to hinder internal air circulation or restrict blood circulation. Best results are obtained if the clothing assembly is constructed according to the so-called several-layer-principle, e.g., in three layers:
The helmet should be lined. It should protect the neck, ears and forehead. Shoes and boots should be lined and fitted with non-skid soles. Gloves are not produced in any standard form and should be chosen to suit the actual work. They should be properly lined and not too tight. Overtight gloves can cause frost-bite. For psychological reasons the personnel should be allowed some degree of freedom in selecting their clothing.
Cold rooms should provide as good a working environment as possible. Analysis of environmental stresses show that draughts have a great influence on comfort and must therefore be avoided. Lighting should be adequate to facilitate handling operations. Psychologically, a well lit room appears less cold than a dark room. Staff should be provided with heated rooms, where they can rest and dry their clothes if necessary. Resting periods require time and cost money hence they should be properly planned and supervised. A well spent rest, even if relatively short, restores the physical as well as the mental capacity of the worker and contributes greatly to improved physical performance. A normal work period in cold rooms is 50 min followed by a rest period of 10 min.
A warm rest room is essential. It should be strategically located to enable easy access during rest periods and at the same time provide proper supervision. There should be a free issue of hot beverage, coffee, tea, chocolate and also of cold non-alcoholic drinks. Smoking should be prohibited. Furniture should be comfortable, robust and easy to clean. Floor and walls should also be easy to clean. The room should be maintained at a temperature between 20C-27C and be well ventilated.
It is essential that people are instructed in the proper use of the heated rest room and in the maintenance and use of their protective clothing.
Above information from http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/v3630e/V3630E12.htm
]]>Fogging happens because of the phase change of matter. Water vapor (from exhaled breath and sweat from your forehead) cools down when it touches the lenses. The cold lenses cause a phase change as the warm vapor touches them and turns into a liquid.
The first step in preventing fogging would be to use an anti-fog coating on the lenses. An anti-fog coating discourages moisture from sticking and prevents the fog from sticking to the lenses. The second step is to not touch or wipe the lenses. Many goggles (which the ColdAvenger is designed to work with) and glasses come with an anti-fog coating. Touching or wiping the lenses removes the fog coating, allowing fog to form. The third step is to not raise goggles or glasses up to your forehead. When you do this, water vapor from your sweat will phase change to the inside of the lenses. Lastly, try to redirect exhaled breath away from lenses. This is where ColdAvenger face masks come in. Use the hidden nose-wire to create a seal at the bridge of your nose. This prevents moist air from coming in contact with cold lenses.
Nobody likes it when their lenses fog up. With these steps, you should be able to prevent the fogging from happening in the first place.
]]>The world can divided into two groups of people: those who camp and those who don’t. Maybe that’s oversimplifying things. Maybe its three groups: those who wouldn’t be caught dead in a tent; those who camp and those who winter camp. The last group of people doesn’t usually consist of those campers that pack the SUV full of s’mores ingredients, their three kids, a dog and their Hello Kitty sleeping bags and head on out to the nearest campground. Winter campers are a whole different breed and they look at even sleeping outdoors as something they can use to challenge themselves mentally, physically and even spiritually. They can’t just camp like the rest of us. They camp when the majority of us shiver just looking at the mountains. How do they do it? By following a few simple tips. Being cold weather fans ourselves, which compelled us create the world’s best cold weather face mask. We have compiled a few of these tips for winter camping that should keep you somewhat warm.
For more great info on winter camping, check out Active Weekender's article "How Do We Lose Heat While Camping And How To Prevent It"
The first signs of cold stress include loss of performance capacity leading to mistakes and possible injuries on the job. Shivering is one of the earliest signs of impending hypothermia and is often ignored. When the body temperature drops below 98.6°F, blood begins to flow away from extremities and towards the core, further impeding manual dexterity and increasing the risk of hypothermia and frostbite of exposed skin. If body temperature continues to fall, dexterity and mental performance are further decreased and speech may become slurred. The worker may appear apathetic to the environment and to work. At 85°F, severe hypothermia sets in, possibly resulting in unconsciousness. And at 78°F or below death is likely.
]]>Besides humidifying, ColdAvenger masks also gently warm inhaled air to help maintain core temperatures. This allows blood in the body to maintain total flow, instead of concentrating on keeping vital organs warm. Because the body isn't working as hard to keep warm, it allows blood to flow to fingers, toes, and the brain. This keeps you warmer overall (much like wearing an extra base layer) and keeps you thinking clearly in the coldest of conditions.
]]>Equally important, workers in cold conditions should take necessary precautions to protect themselves from the cold, including wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and being aware of cold stress warning signs.
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Late symptoms of heat loss include
If enough heat loss occurs, signs and symptoms of the resulting hypothermia include:
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