For prevention:

Layers of clothing: warm and loose, plus a hat, scarf or neck gaiter, mittens (if the activity allows for it), plus extra socks and thermal underwear

A pair of insulated insoles for boots

Generous portions of nutritious food (preferably hot and high in fat) and water (also hot)

A weather report

For treatment:

A large tub

Warm water

A roll of gauze or package of sterile cotton

A thermometer (optional)

A bottle of painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen

2torial #0734: Learn2 Avoid Frostbite Jack Frost nipping off your toes...   There's a host of reasons to be outside in the dead of winter: work, for one, or any of those lovely Winter Wonderland activities like skiing or ice fishing. But no matter what takes you outside, don't forget this fact: once the temperatures outside drop below 32 degrees F (0 degrees C), you're in the frostbite zone. Frostbite has a quaint name, but it's simply the overexposure of skin and soft tissue to cold. The result is an actual freezing of the skin, and depending on the severity of the frostbite, the freezing of subcutaneous tissues like fat deposits, blood vessels, muscle, nerve, tendon, and even bone. It's important to recognize the signs of each progressive stage of frostbite, because the treatment differs depending on the severity. Due to certain facts about blood circulation and surface area-to-volume ratios, your extremities (hands and feet) and exposed facial areas (cheeks, nose, and ears) are most susceptible to this cold injury. It's therefore best to keep an eye on these areas, and use them to indicate your body's ability to keep itself warm. But frostbite is no reason to stay indoors on a cold day, or even a very cold day. Most cases of frostbite could have been avoided with proper preparation--the kind of preparations suggested in this 2torial.   For all the potential discomfort and injury that frostbite can cause, it's surprisingly easy to avoid. For prevention, just remember to stay warm, dry, well fed, and well rested. And for treatment, there's an important fact: if you're in the backcountry and become frostbitten, don't thaw out any frostbitten area until you've reached a warm and stable shelter. If frostbitten tissue is thawed out and then re-exposed to freezing temperatures, even more serious injury can result. Until you can warm your entire body and keep it warm, protect the affected area from sources of heat like campfires and car heaters.   Step 1