How to live without heating - save £000s

YoungBlueEyes

I'm a size 10/12 and I buy small size stuff. I think it'll depend on the length of you. Long arms = bigger size, if that helps any men thinking of trying women's thermals. You might be a skinny thing but if you're long with it go up a size  

elsien

YoungBlueEyes said:

I'm a size 10/12 and I buy small size stuff. I think it'll depend on the length of you. Long arms = bigger size, if that helps any men thinking of trying women's thermals. You might be a skinny thing but if you're long with it go up a size  

Agree with this. I was trying on a men’s small top the other day (very small woman) and the arms made me look like an orangutan. 

HertsLad

Here's one of the two packs which I bought last week near Birmingham, I went in two different branches of Sports Direct and both had pricing all over the place, and out of kilter with prices on the database, as used at the tills. If anyone is interested I can measure various mens and womens Campri base layers to see how they compare. I have never noticed much difference.

Jyana

dealyboy said:

HertsLad said:

I had a bit of luck in a branch of Sports Direct last week, while I was on holiday, camping in the UK. It's mid summer and I didn't have thermal base layers on my packing list. On the first night, the temperature dipped to 10 or 12C and I wasn't as warm as I always like to be. So I visited Sports Direct to see if they had any of my favourite Campri brand garments. Prices have gone up a lot over the years. Mens sizes are now £16 for 2 but womens sizes were still at £12 for 2 so I selected those. I know there's no practical difference. At the till point, it must have flashed up £16 because the lady hesitated, then input £12 per the label, and that's the price I paid. It worked because the next night, and for the rest of the week, I wasn't the slightest bit cold. I'm almost looking forward to next winter.

Thanks for the update  ... are they the same shape? do they have the same sizes, as in S, M, L, XL ... ?

Ladies wear usually comes with a more fitted waistline, opposed to being straight down the sides like men's tops. They can also be a tad shorter too, both in overall length and in the arms, especially the smaller sizes. As others say, better to go up a size if you do go for them and want to be comfortable. I tend to buy men's rather than woman's myself as I'm tall, find fitted shape less comfortable to wear, and prefer not to go for oversized clothing.

retiringtoosoon

There’s also the advantage of being able to slow cook a couple of chicken breast fillets in the unused storage spaces….

HertsLad

Spoonie_Turtle said:

QrizB said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

HertsLad said:

dealyboy said:

I know that there is at least one poster here who suffers the cold and does not heat their home so that they can pay for skiing holidays.

 No doctor would endorse what I am doing but I can't helping thinking that if you wear a fraction of what I wear, it might help. I don't 'suffer' in the slightest.

How many layers, out of interest?  Our heating is set to 18℃ and I tend to wear 4 or 5 layers in winter.  (For context, today is much warmer than it has been so I'm only wearing 2 layers, one of which is a fleecy jumper.  I don't need knee-high socks today, though.)

HertsLad has a lengthy thread (here) where his accommodations for cold weather have been described, discussed and dissected.
His clothing layers are pictured here and listed here.

Thank you!  You're an absolute superstar!  There was no way I could trawl through the thread trying to find that info.

[That's how I dress to go outside when it's that cold, I used to have to wear almost that much inside before we had central heating, but I did feel like the Michelin man and I was miserable never actually fully warming up.  Lack of movement ability really didn't help my already rubbish circulation.]

Rather than risk hyjacking another thread, I will reply here. I neither feel like Michelin man or fail to warm up. Occasionally, I walk about a half a mile to local shops and back to help warm up. I do however, move around a lot at home (my house has stairs), so I am sure that helps. The clothing in my photo and list was for when the temperature was 1C or 2C inside my house. I wear progressively less if and when it is warmer. As I have said many times before, the precise fabric and insulation type worn will make a huge difference to how well it will keep anyone warm.

dealyboy

Thanks HertsLad ...
Well timed post ... although we are heading for the hottest day of the year (apparently) now is the time to prepare 

Just to mention I was quoting a comment from a very kind poster Matt (@matt_drummer) who was concerned for my welfare.

HertsLad

dealyboy said:

Thanks HertsLad ...
Well timed post ... although we are heading for the hottest day of the year (apparently) now is the time to prepare 

Today, Saturday, it is 30 or 31C in Hertfordshire.  As for many people, it feels uncomfortable to me. With similar temperatures in an overseas resort, you can normally cool down in a swimming pool or in air conditioned spaces. 

I certainly cope better in cold conditions than I do on days like today. I like the sunshine but not such high temperatures in the UK.

matt_drummer

It's a shame we can't `bottle' the heat and save it for winter!

dealyboy

matt_drummer said:

It's a shame we can't `bottle' the heat and save it for winter!

You know I thought just that!