JustFly’s Guide To Surviving Your Canadian Winter Vacation

You hear the word Canada and a few images pop into your head. Hockey, courtesy, and, presumably, endless winter. While it isn’t a total winter graveyard, Canada can have some difficult weather depending on where you are visiting. Out west, cities like Vancouver, British Columbia seldom actually see snowy weather, remaining temperate year round. On the other side of the coin, a city like Montreal, Quebec can be crippled by blizzards and chilling temperatures. Fact is, while winter comes in many forms in Canada, you need to respect it and be prepared if you are visiting during the winter months. To get a list of tips on how to deal with Old Man Winter, I spoke with JustFly, an online travel agency.

Attire: Layers and A Real Winter Coat

JustFly says you will know you have the right coat for a Canadian winter when you meet two conditions, you look like a beach ball and you can barely see with the hood up. Picture an eskimo and find a jacket that brings you somewhere close to that level of style. Below that jacket it’s all about layers. Undershirt, t-shirt, sweater, jacket is a strong setup as it allows for the most adaptive wear for when you do make it indoors.

Your Car Kit

Are you driving? Well, you will need a car kit according to JustFly’s review. At a minimum you will need an ice scraper, a shovel, a bag of sand, and a bag of salt. Want to go all out? Get traction plates as these are the best for getting your car out of deep snow. In addition to snow removal equipment, you should definitely pack blankets, pillows, and some snacks just in case you end up in a worst case scenario waiting for a tow truck or ride.

What To Do If Disaster Strikes

So, hypothetically you end up in trouble in the outdoors. The last thing you want to happen is to get wet as this will accelerate hypothermia and lower your body temperature quickly. If this happens, get indoors quickly. It doesn’t matter if its a neighbors house, your house, your hotel, or a barn, get inside. Now, this may be uncomfortable for some, but your best bet at that point is to remove all pieces of wet clothing. Wet clothes will not help you warm up and can prolong effects of hypothermia. Lastly, do not rush to get warmed up. Wild temperature swings can cause damage to tissue, so no hot showers or saunas as you could end up in even more trouble. Best bet is to find a place where you can gradually warm up. Follow these steps and you should be able to recover quickly from your brush with Old Man Winter.