Whatever the Weather

David Clark, MD of the Hultafors Group UK (owners of Snickers Workwear), tells us why it’s important that trade professionals dress for the weather.

From the extreme cold of the Arctic Circle to the heat of the southern Mediterranean, Snickers Workwear has been tried and tested by professional craftsmen and women throughout Europe for over 40 years.

One thing is for sure when you’re working on site – you can’t ignore the weather. Weather conditions change daily, even from one hour to the next. So this puts extreme demands on your working clothes.

You need to be able to adapt to those constantly changing conditions – and you’ll be able to do just that with a range of working clothes that has its own Active Climate System.

Clothes that work all year round

All our garments are designed to work together. This means our first, second and third layer garments are optimised to perform perfectly with each other, allowing you to easily adjust to the weather conditions and climate, while at the same time retaining the optimum combination of clothes for on-the-job comfort, functionality and protection.

With an Active Climate System in your working clothes you’ll be prepared, allowing you to turn what can be demanding weather conditions into extreme working comfort – all year round.

Cold, wet, hot or windy?

Working outdoors is great. But whether it’s warm or freezing cold, or if wind and heavy rain are driving you to a standstill, your challenge is to stay comfortable and properly protected while at the same time having easy access to your tools.

Snickers’ wide range of technically advanced garments for different weather conditions is designed to turn a ‘weather issue’ into a ‘non-issue’ – allowing you to fully concentrate on your job and always perform to your best.

Dressing right is easy if you’re well-prepared. Just make sure you have the right garments to choose from when the weather or the temperature changes. And make sure the garments you use together form a complete layered system.

Then follow these basic dressing rules during your working day:

Always adjust your clothing to the environment you’re working in
Adjust your clothes to your level of activity
Dress in layers that work together
Ensure you’ve got good moisture transportation and ventilation
Increase insulation temporarily when you rest.

Staying dry in the rain

Staying dry and comfortable in the rain is all about choosing the right type of rainwear for the job in hand. That choice depends on how intensely you’re working and how long you work in the rain without taking a break.

When you’re hard at work, the breathability of a garment’s fabric is crucial for ventilating your body heat. The longer you’re working in the rain, the tougher the demands on the waterproof technology used in your clothing.

The advanced body-mapped lining in some of the newest Snickers garments combines warmth with ventilation for great working comfort. Features such as mesh lining at the back and in the armpits can deliver optimum ventilation while a cosy quilt lining in the front gives essential warmth around vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

In really wet weather, Snickers’ wet weather jackets deliver really effective dry working comfort through features such as 2-layer GORE-TEX fabric combinations and sealed seams. It’s 100% waterproof, windproof and offers breathability for hours on end.

Cheating the wind

When the wind really starts blowing, be careful, because even if it’s a dry, clear day the wind can make the temperature plummet quickly. However, if you choose the right type of windproof workwear you’ll stay warm and comfortable.

Just as with rainwear, the choice depends on how intensely you’re working and how long you stay outdoors. When you’re hard at work, the fabric’s breathability is crucial for ventilating your body heat. The longer you work, the tougher the demands on the windproof technology used in the garment.

So wherever you’re working and whatever the weather conditions choosing the right types of working clothes is really important for ensuring the optimum level of working comfort and your own personal wellbeing and safety on site. It’s definitely worth the investment.

DRESSING IN 3-LAYERS

First Layer for moisture transport – forget cotton because it absorbs and retains water. Snickers’ underwear, which is available in a variety of fabrics – including a revolutionary new fabric with 37.5 technology – keeps your body warm and dry

Second Layer for insulation – these garments are designed to insulate by creating a pocket of air around your body to keep you warm. Snickers has an advanced range of micro fleece, fleece, pile, quilt and 37.5 fabric.

Third Layer for weather protection – here you need reliable wind and water protection. Your garment should be waterproof, breathable, strong and durable.

JACKET OR FLEECE?

When you’re choosing the right sort of garments for windy conditions, think about these options:

Protective Fleece – for reliable windproof protection during less active jobs, the Snickers Workwear Protective Fleece is ideal.

Soft Shell Jacket – for windproof protection during shorter working shifts, a Snickers Workwear Soft Shell jacket is the perfect choice.

Windstopper Jacket – for 100% windproof protection during long and hard working shifts, take a look at Snickers’ highly breathable WINDSTOPPER Fleece or Soft Shell garments.