Blog: Getting chilly during your gaming hours? Here’s BeefJack’s definitive guide to winter gaming gear.
Winter is drawing in and cold-weather gaming is no joke. Hours sat in the same position, bare hands exposed to the elements, you’re in serious danger of slower reactions, clumsy key presses, and, dare I say it, a screen sneeze. We’ve all had one. So, if you get my drift, you need to wrap up warm in this winter season.
First up is body protection.
Onesies give good all-body cover leaving almost no bare skin exposed. This is essential for your base layer as it helps maintains body temperature without needing movement. If you’re planning an a marathon 10+ hour session of The Old Republic be sensible and get a onesie. Online they can be pretty pricey but Primark sell them for £8 in adult sizes. You can find them in the *cough* Women’s underwear section (look we’re already thinking about playing games for the bulk of our waking hours let’s not pretend we still feel shame).
Next up is extremities.
Hands and feet. These bad boys feel the cold the worst and must be kept warm if you want any comfort whilst playing. Let’s look at feet first as there are a number of options available to you. If you’ve already bought your onesie hopefully you had the forethought to get one with booties, if not (and even if you did), it is worth picking up a pair of totes. These bad boys are thick and will warm you up a treat, they’re the beef stew of the sock world. The key advantage of a tote over a thick sock is the added gripping, you’ll realise how necessary this is if you live in a house with an uncarpeted floor. Alternatively you can always go the route of multiple layers of socks.
Now onto the gloves. There is only one sort you should be looking at: fingerless. There are people who swear by grip-tipped thin gloves, but my friend don’t let them draw you into their house of lies. A grip-tipped glove, whilst providing full digit coverage is not designed for gaming; as any avid gamer knows, the heat of battle often results in palm sweat. In a tipped glove this sweat spreads and makes the glove both uncomfortable and prone to chill in the cold. Fear the tipped glove. No, instead you should invest in fingerless gloves. Not mitts, gloves.
The final element of the base layer is head gear.
Note: Balaclava is not to be used in place of onesie, this gamer is going to be nippy.
If you are a singleplayer sort of person then there is nothing better than a balaclava. It gives the best coverage whilst allowing for sight and consumption of food and beverages. Though beware the cocoa spill, it will soak into the head hear and give your face a pretty nasty burn.
If you’re looking to go multiplayer then you’ll be looking for a beanie-scarf combo. The beanie gives you the head protection but with the ability to use a headset, and the scarf gives your neck warmth. This can be further enhanced with the application of a buff. No, not that, this.
Right base layer complete, you think you’re pretty toasty right? Well that’s nothing. Next up is an internal heating system.
This rubber's ribbed, for my washboard-style scratching pleasure
That’s right my fair-weathered friend, a hot water bottle, the king of the toasty kingdom. Now you don’t want to slip a naked heated bottle down your onesie unless you want to feel the burn. No we need to clothe that bottle, clothe it in the furs of an animal.
Your suit of warmth is almost complete. One final item is needed. A slanket.
A recent invention, but this newborn insulation unit has rocked the market to its core. No longer do you need to wear your dressing gown back to front. Now you can go out and buy a backwards facing dressing gown. It gives you full forward motion whilst keeping your front completely covered by blanket. Has there ever been a better time to be alive?
This is what you should look like when fully equipped.
So remember to wrap up in these cold seasons, and for love of all that you hold dear, don’t let anyone see you.
Of course, a true gamer can heat his entire house using only the hot air coming out of his PC.
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Volente (December 20th, 2011)