Polar Explorer Eric Larsen knows the cold. He’s been to the North Pole, South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest — all in a single year.

We asked Larsen, who was recently nominated as a 110 Outdoor Ambassador, about the five most important tips and tricks he uses to keep warm out there. Follow these “commandments” to keep happy and warm in any weather.
Winter Warmth Necessities
1. Attitude Is Everything
If you think you’re going to be cold and miserable you are likely going to be cold and miserable. Realize through proper dress, behavior and mindfulness you can be warm no matter the temperature. People say they hate the cold. I think what they mean is they hate being cold. I agree, being cold sucks. It’s painful. I like being warm in very cold environments; you can do it, too.
2. The Polar Strip Tease
Getting too hot while on the move is the most common cold-weather mistake. Your body generates a lot of heat when you’re active. When you get hot, you sweat and moisture replaces the warm layer of air between your body and your base layer. Once you stop, you cool off very quickly. And shortly after that, you’re going to be really cold.
The solution? It’s best to start cold with less layers than you expect you will need and then put more on after your heart is thumping hard from exertion. If you are already heavily dressed, ventilate and take off layers BEFORE you get warm.
I call this the polar strip tease: I’m constantly adjusting my hood, hat, layers, and more: so that I don’t get too hot. I’ve been so warm in -50-degree temperatures that I’ve skied without gloves on. In Antarctica, on my fat-bike expedition, I even biked in a base layer T-shirt. Don’t be afraid to stop and “strip.”
(Not this kind of strip tease)
3. Don’t Get Too Cold
Cold Weather Wear
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- Base layer t-shirt (wicking)
- Light base layer long sleeve (wicking)
- Medium weight long sleeve base layer (wicking)
- Fleece jacket (not windproof; insulation)
- Down sweater/jacket (insulation)
- Shell (wind protection)
- Expedition down puffy jacket (insulation)