Cure for the cold girlfriend?

I'm one of those people who always seems cold, but one thing I've learned is that I do better with a big fluffy jacket vs layers and trust me when I say I've tried the highest high tech stuff out there. Not sure the reason, but when I put on either my big Vist or my Kjus jacket I feel so much warmer than doing multiple layers, so your girlfriend may simply react better to that as a solution. 

The other couple things that make me all good are Hotronics in my boots as someone else suggested and Turtle Fur on the neck...Turtle Fur is a MUST!! I freakin won't go out with out it and literally have a thinner one for warmer days and a much thicker one for colder days. Versatile as heck in that you can put it over your ears, your nose, your entire face, etc and for $20, you can't go wrong. 

 1. i recommend AVOIDING the Capilene. it gets really funky smelling really fast (basically you can wear it one day and then you have to wash it otherwise it will smell really awful).

2. i don't believe anybody mentioned Merino Wool (which is truly odd and almost unforgivable). that's the first layer you should get her into. nothing is going to be warmer, wick better, and not stink. there are plenty of reliable brands out ther: Smart Wool, Icebreaker, Under Armor (I think they make merino), and others.

3. get her some mittens as opposed to gloves. mittens will keep her hands warmer. I just saw an ad for some bomber Hestra 3-finger glittens (or is it mittoves?)

4. look into Hotronic boot heaters. i have yet to use these but know a number of people who do and they swear by them for those extra cold days.

5. make sure whatever outer jacket she uses has a solid hood with a good neck (one that at least goes up to her nose, preferably covers the nose). that will totally cut down on wind.

Lots of good posts about layering.  I'm a big fan of glove warmers.  She can put another one in the inside pocket of her jacket.

(edited to add: I don't think Hestra gloves are very warm.  I'm a big fan of Black Diamond mittens, the ones with long gauntlets)

You might also want to try to warm her up from within, as it were. 

What I mean is - is she a dynamic skier?  If she's just cruising slowly down the groomers, hardly expending any energy, of course she'll be cold.  She'll expend more energy on challenging terrain. 

Or perhaps a short hike.  Nothing like a little uphill travel to get the blood going.

Clothing will only do so much.

1. Get her to be more active in her skiing, skate, ski more agressively, hike a bit, etc...
2. Have her eat more breakfast.
3. Have her get a good nights rest before hand.

Even Boot Gloves worked well for me ... I thought I'd try them before spending a bunch of money on boot heaters, and I think I'm set.

In addition to hand warmers, try the big body warmers ... some are manufactured by Grabbers and similar, but you can also find them in the pharmacy. When it's really cold, I use the big therapeutic ones across my lower back and shoulders, and they are cozy.

What many of the posts above alluded to but did not state explicitly is to make sure the head and hands are warm. The head/brain receives about 20% of the total output of the heart and a significant amount of body heat can be lost from the top of the head if it is not well insulated. The second area to be certain is well sealed is the wrists. To that end, a pair of gloves or mittens with long gauntlets that go well over the jacket sleeves and cinch up tight are invaluable. I have become a real fan of Hestra's (disparaging Hestra comments above notwithstanding) three finger glove: www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Hestra-Heli-3-Finger-Glove/HES0016M.html  which gives much of a mitten's warmth but with the index finger still free, it retains enough dexterity to deal with boots and zippers. I have a pair of Black Diamond mittens for the really cold days, but I wear the Hestras 99% of the time.

I'm ALWAYS cold and I love having my disposable glove warmers for the ride up the lift.  Might be a good inexpensive thing to try....

One thing I'd have her think about - is she getting hot and sweaty getting her gear on, then getting cold after going outside? I make sure I never wear my ski socks during the drive to the mtn and I layer very lightly until I'm booted up and ready to go, and this seems to have mostly cured my issues with getting chilled. Also make sure that all her outwear is not just waterproof, but waterproof/breathable to let the sweat out.

The remainder of my chills solutions:
Super-thin polypro ski liner socks and custom boot liners/footbeds.
Wicking bra.
Under Armor Cold Gear top and bottom.
Fleece layer top and bottom.
Heavy weight waterproof/breathable insulated pants and jacket.
Mittens with hand warmers.
Turtle Fur neck gaitor (even on warm days!).
Goggles.
Toasty, well fitted helmet.

On really, really cold days (10*--30* F), I'll also add another fleece layer top and bottom, toe warmers in the boots, and sometimes a vest to keep the core warm.
 

Didn't read all the comments so don't know if this was mentioned or not.   

You can get electrically heated everything now.   So of course layer up and then get heated gloves, heated vest, and heated boot soles. Have her wear a balaclava under her helmet, with all that she will not be cold.

Motorcycle touring supply stores have heated goodies as well.

Oh, and if she is cardiac-ly healthy, have her take a thermogenic fat burner bought at any health food store (Ephedrine, asparine, caffiene stack was the best), they raise the body temperature by a few degrees,..she'll be sweating with so much warmth (not the desired effect just added in for color).  Added benefit to this is that she'll get ripped and have tons of energy.

Cold girlfriend? Don't marry her. She'll be even colder if she's your wife.

 

Seriously?

• Don't skimp on handwear, and insist on mittens.
• Don't even think about an uncovered head.
• Nice light base layers.
• Nice light socks.
• Extra socks. Change them once, twice three times a day. Anytime feet even hint at being cold.
• Goretex on the outside. It really works. No wind gets in, no dampness gets in. Period.
• Fit. Nothing constricting, nothing so loose that air gets in (including the gloves). Don't waste money on great gear that doesn't fit perfectly. Open your wallet for quality gear in the RIGHT size.

I also had this same problem with the wife.  The best thing was to invest in a nice base layer and use hotpads for the back.  These are great as they add a nice warming feeling when going up a cold lift.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001207WH6

 

Give it a shot!