What do iditarod mushers wear

When sled dogs and other animals run into extreme cold, circulation in their legs stays constant or perhaps increases. Outdoor animals may even have more blood vessels in their legs and feet. Dogs and other animals have these natural adaptations to their environment, survival mechanisms to allow their feet to stay warm in very harsh winter conditions.

Now you know why dogs wear booties when training and during Iditarod. They wear booties for much the same reason humans wear socks — to prevent abrasions and keep their feet happy. You also know something about the natural adaptations in animals that allow them to stay warm in even severe winter conditions.

Without these handy survival mechanisms, you humans will just have to wear warm boots and socks along with mittens and hats. Sled dogs are built better for cold weather than our mushers and handlers. Take for example in out in McGrath — a new record low for the day of minus 36 degrees was set when Iditarod was in the village. Canine paws withstand severe temperatures but honestly, the humans — how do they keep their feet warm?

Let me tell you about the boots people wear to keep their paws — oops, I mean feet — warm out on the Iditarod Trail. Many mushers, volunteers, and veterinarians wear a boot called the Trans Alaska Boot. The features that make it a great boot are the three inches of cold blocking insulation between the foot and the ground, the removable liner that reflects heat inward, the wicking insoles and its breathability.

Once out at Ruby, DeeDee told some of the children who were hoping to get her autograph a story about the boots she had on. There are two pairs of the Trans Alaska boots in the Jonrowe household. DeeDee wears a size seven and husband, Mike, wears size elevens.

Somehow, the incredibly organized and super prepared DeeDee packed the wrong pair of boots. Another type of footwear used by people on the trail is a mukluk.

Mukluks are made from moose hide, are extremely warm, wonderfully breathable, very flexible and almost as light as a feather. They have removable felt liners and insoles. The Norwegians prefer a boot called a Lobben. Mushers strive to find boots that ideally keep their feet warm and dry throughout the race. Frostbite is a real concern while on the trail and can make the race significantly more dangerous and even lethal.

Mushers, however, have to make tradeoffs between warmth and weight. A big pair of boots might be toasty and warm but they may not be ideal for moving around quickly and nimbly.

Gloves are also essential. Throughout the race, mushers had different needs for their hands and thus may require different kinds of gloves for the task. But when they are riding in the sled, they need bigger gloves, often mittens, to help keep their hands warm.

At the Yukon Quest, starting in Fairbanks, Alaska, we talked to seven mushers about their boot and gloves preferences. Many mushers make modifications to their boots, often combining boots with outer layers or adding liners.

Moreover, mushers often pair their expensive mittens with inexpensive gloves, sometimes even found at the hardware store to be able to fulfill all the tasks needed during the race. These beefy boots have aerogel barriers in the sole and toe box.

Plus they're waterproof and breathable. Made from warm Tuscan lamb wool and covered in a durable fast drying fleece to protect the seams in the leather, these are a serious boot liner for people who subject their phalanges to extreme cold. For Cooke, warmth was essential after suffering from frostbite on his toes while running the Copper Basin , a mile race where temperatures were reported to have dropped to 55 and 60 below. He took out the lining that the boots came with, and he replaced them with boot liners made from Tuscan lamb wool and fleece from Boundary Fur Sewing.

For Cooke, he keeps coming back to the Quest because of the people and his dogs. They love to run. Provides warm insulation, superior fit, and aggressive tread to the outdoor enthusiast. As you can guess, proper gear is essential if you even want to attempt the race. Just like winter recreationists, mushers layer up top with a moisture-wicking shirt under a warm fleece or wool midlayer.

But instead of a down puffy or Gore-Tex shell, they often go for a mushing-specific down jacket with waxed-canvas face fabric and a fur ruff around the hood. Fur inside the hood adds warmth. On their legs, mushers typically wear long underwear made from merino wool known for its high warmth-to-weight ratio and and them something like the Northern Outfitters Arctic Bib or the Arc'teryx Stinger Bib with Gore-Tex Pro Fabric as an outer layer.

Mushers are constantly stomping on the sled brakes, so they sometimes add extra socks to prevent bruising. On their hands, mushers wear oversized mittens, like Natural Beaver Fur Mittens from Glacier Wear , along with glove liners. The rest of the kit usually includes an ax, knife, snowshoes, water, first-aid kit, fuel, metal burner, multiple headlamps, extra clothing, and food—anything from nuts to oatmeal to pizza, all wrapped in tinfoil.

In addition to a normal first-aid kit, Billy Snodgrass, a year-old kennel owner from Wyoming, says he carries superglue to seal any cuts and zinc oxide cream to treat skin irritations like rashes or sunburns. Bales are available at checkpoints along the way.

The dogs also get hay for beds, frozen meat and kibble which the dogs eat twice a day, mixed with water , and lots of Cordura booties to protect paws from ice and rocks.