6 Must-Have Winter Travel Accessories — Especially if you’re Disabled
To paraphrase the saying “There’s no such thing as inappropriate weather, only inappropriate gear”. This is absolutely true! While I don’t blame you if you prefer to hibernate during the colder months, if you do want to keep exploring, there are ways around it — even if you have a physical disability and a strong dislike for being cold, like me.
Here are some of the accessories that make our cold-weather adventures not only bearable, but enjoyable!
Rechargeable Hand Warmer
When my hands get cold, I struggle to use my phone and even drive my wheelchair. As I’m sure you understand, this is less than ideal.
My solution? A USB rechargeable hand warmer! We always keep this fully charged and on hand (in the glove box), ready for whenever it might be needed. Once switched on, it heats up within seconds, and even the middle setting is hot enough to quickly melt my icicle-fingers. It’s small, simple, and makes a huge difference on cold-weather days.
Car Blanket
While you can get blankets that fold into a handy travel pouch, we just keep a regular fleece blanket rolled up in the pocket of our car door.
This is lovely to have when we get back to the car after a chilly winter walk, but it can be essential in the event of a breakdown. You never know when you could use a blanket!
Foldable Poncho
This one comes with a warning: You may become the ridicule of your friends and family if you wear a poncho. However, you will be a very smug, warm and dry ridicule!
If you’re a wheelchair user, you’ll know the struggle of having a horizontal lap that just seems to collect a pool of rain, as well as a damp seat as raindrops flow down the back of your coat and somehow find home under your bottom.
A poncho avoids all of this, not only protecting you from the rain, but your wheelchair too! Mine is great because it packs down neatly into a pouch, making it easy to carry around in case you need it.
Thermal Clothing
As someone who likes being warm, but finds thick clothing too restrictive, thin, thermal layers have become my go-to.
Merino wool is a favourite fabric of mine. While it’s not particularly cheap, it’s worth every penny. It’s natural, eco-friendly, moisture-wicking, and lightweight yet warm. From tops and trousers to socks, a thermal base layer should be the start of every winter adventure outfit.
Lightweight Coat
If there’s a chance of light drizzle (or even just wind), you may need a bit of protection, but find the poncho to be overkill. This is when a lightweight coat comes in.
I personally love my Mac-in-a-Sac. It’s durable and breathable, while being water and wind proof — it also folds down into a drawstring pouch, for easy storage/transport, and comes in many different colours. This super lightweight coat is just enough to take the chill off, while being light enough for me to comfortably move my arms around in.
Hot Water Bottle
While getting cold isn’t my favourite thing to do, I don’t mind it as long as I know I can warm up at the end of the day. My favourite way to do this, is with a good old fashioned hot water bottle. I love how basic this method is — electricity isn’t needed, as long as you have access to hot water. Both at home and in the caravan, we find the water plenty hot enough straight from the tap, without even needing to boil a kettle. I always go for one with a soft cover, so the rubber doesn’t touch my bare skin and adds a layer of protection.
Because of the lack of circulation in my legs and feet, they are always the first thing to get cold and the last thing to warm up. To help them along, when we get back to the caravan after a day of exploring, I place a hot water bottle under my feet, and a blanket over my lap, to create a cosy-warm cocoon. It works a treat, and warms me to the bone before I go to bed.
Cold or wet weather doesn’t have to stop your adventures. All of these accessories enable us to continue exploring throughout the autumn and winter months, giving us even more opportunities for making memories.
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*Please note: There may be Amazon affiliate links within this article. It won’t cost you any extra, but should you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link then we’ll get a few pennies towards our next trip! All of our write-ups express our honest opinions, but what works for us might not work for you, so please do shop around and make sure you’re getting the best item and value for money.