Enjoying Autumn's Chill
Get your autumn gear out!
Autumn’s chill is in the air. With the changing seasons in northern Minnesota, leaves once burnished red and yellow give way to bare branches, and with that irrefutable sign of autumn, so come crisp winds, longer nights and, before long, falling flakes. It’s the perfect time to explore an ever-changing environment, to reconnect with old friends, get out those sweaters and enjoy campfires and the bounty of the autumn harvest.
Time to pull out those layers.
They’ve been put away in closets, tucked in nooks and crannies, but it’s time to bust out those sweaters, coats and jackets and welcome the chilled air. Layering is important in every season, but especially when temperatures range as much as they do during the fall. A day begun with warm October sun can end filled with snow, rain and sleet, so...
Remember to prepare for the possibilities when you venture out:
Be smart and pack extra layers to go from being active when it’s warm to holding still while it’s cold . Base Layers: Wicking, synthetic or performance base layers are a great place to start, and some of our favorite materials for this purpose are wools and synthetics, like polyester. In general, you want to steer clear of cotton. It’s a great material when you want to lounge and be comfy or don’t mind your clothes holding onto moisture, but when you need performance and a layer that will breathe, dry quickly and let your body do it’s temperature-regulation-thing, cotton can do more harm than good. Our appreciation of cotton changes once it’s nearly cold enough to freeze boiling water in mid-air, but we won’t go there yet!
Grab a hat to stave off the sharp edge of autumn’s wind. Mom and Gramma have been reminding you for years, and they’re right, heat gets lost out top. Wear a good hat, consider bringing another, warmer one along just in case. Ours work great!
Your shirt and mid layer are just as important. We suggest a cozy mid layer that you can unzip or open up a bit to allow for more temperature regulation. Most of our Made-in-USA shirts and hoodies are a nice blend that mixes performance fabrics with just the right amount of comfy cotton to allow for easy-wearing layers that go from happy hour to trailhead without skipping a beat.
What’ll I do with all these clothes?!
Bring a pack. You should have water and some supplies along anyway, a good backpack is a great place to store extra layers. Choose a pack big enough for your gear, but don’t try to bring too much and find yourself overburdened. It’s a fine balance between having too much and not enough. All those layers add up to extra stuff you’ve got to carry. Consider bringing along a solid pack for the layers, snacks, and other gear that your adventures require.
Our Sojourn Box Style Pack is a classic pack, with room for layers and more. Slim side pockets carry smaller water bottles or other essentials handy and accessible.
Our Back Bay Lumbar Pack is perfect for high-output activities in changing temperatures. It’s just big enough to fit plenty of layers, and your snacks and drinks, plus there’s room to keep any extras on the outside via an array of webbing attachment points. A waist belt keeps the pack off your back so you can move freely and avoid building up extra sweat.
Our Summit Series can be perfect for whatever gear you’ve got to bring along, and come in three different trim levels to suit your needs. Really, these backpacks are the real deal!
Our Arrowhead Trail Rolltop Packs are great for forays in the field and on your day-to-day. They each offer a large main compartment with adjustable height, ring yoke strap system and burly made-in-USA construction.
Our Cliff Jacobson Signature Pack is a classic canoe pack rucksack. It's a modern version of our Nessmuk, refined with input from Cliff Jacobson himself. This pack offers two large side pockets, lots of organization, our 10.10oz lightweight waxed canvas and is available in both Field Tan and Hunter Orange.
It’s Campfire Season
Another way to beat autumn’s chill is to gather round the campfire. There’s no better time to enjoy a bonfire than in the crisp fall air (check with your local regulations and fire-safety folks to make sure that you’re practicing safe and legal fires). The glow of firelight, the camaraderie and sense of well-being that comes from flame and wood is something that is engrained in us, an integral part of the human experience, and taught in survival training for both it’s objective benefits (keeping warm in cold) and the sometimes equally important boost in confidence and level-headed thinking that comes from building a fire. All that aside, campfires are the perfect place to sit and enjoy a drink, stories and laughs with those you care about.
A good blanket can help to make a fireside chat comfy, provide a platform and organization for a picnic or help make your sleeping arrangement just that much warmer. Our blankets are made from USA-milled wool that’s a high-performing blend of 85% wool and 15% polyester for durable loft that’s warm, comfortable and made to last. Available in Olive Drab, Red Plaid and Black.
Campfires need fuel and there’s no better way to get firewood ready to get to glowing embers than with a quality axe. Our Wood Craft Axe from Council Tool is made completely in the USA from premium materials like 5160 steel and American Hickory Wood. They ship sharp (don't worry, they come with our Boreal Axe Sheath) and ready to make your autumn bonfires a crackling success!
Though our axes ship with a hand-honed razor sharp edge, like any good axe, they’ll eventually need to be resharpened. Hone your axe to a near-mirror finish with our Arctic Fox Sharpening Puck. With two grits, you can take an edge from dull to shaving sharp in the field. Add a Canvas Belt Pouch or Buckskin Drawstring Pouch to make hauling your puck that much easier.
Add some seasonal beverages to your campfire for a bit of extra festive fun.
Breweries across the land are crafting seasonal pumpkin brews to accompany Octoberfest. Bring some local beer along in one of our Growler Packs and share the joy of the season. Even heft your haul on two wheels with our Sling Growler Pack. Add some of our Pint Sleeves to help keep your hands and fingers warm. Enjoying suds a bit further from the tap? Keep a can or a bottle cozy in our Can Insulator. It’s handcrafted from waxed canvas and foam (the insulation kind, not the beer kind!) to keep your fingers cozy and your beer cooler longer. Looking to keep your water bottle cool or warm? Our BWCA Insulator brings the features of the Can Insulator to the liter-level, adding a lash square, D-rings, and web for versatile connectability.
Campfire turning into an overnight?
Consider one of our canvas tents for the ultimate in portable livability. Our Campfire Tent is the perfect solution when you’re looking for a versatile shelter that can transition from hot summer days to the coldest winter nights. With an integrated awning and sidewalls, plus the option for an End-cover that is wood stove compatible, this tent is built for comfort.
However you enjoy your autumn, do it safely, with good gear and with good friends. Feel free to Contact Us for any questions, and if you’d like to keep up to date with more Frost River goodness, fill out the form here to sign up for our email newsletter. Cheers!
