As winter approaches, there are annual concerns that began wiggling in our head -- namely, for anyone above of the Mason-Dixon line, our thoughts turn to how cold northern winters can get.

For those blissfully not familiar and longing for the opportunity to experience it first-hand, allow me to draw you a picture... Frigid wind whips through your wet hair and across your running nose, freezing both into crunchy icicles as you struggle from on safe, warm haven to another. Jeans as a single or double layer cannot be counted on to trap anything other than a soupy trail of slush along the back cuffs, and only the thickest, most heavy-duty standard coats (with little as far as style) will do. Even your favorite knitted caps scarves are replaced by mountain-man-esque hats with ear covers and face/neck covers of turtle fur (that's fleece, for all you non-natives) for some of the most cold-intolerant.

Heaven forbid you are stuck outside for longer than 3 minutes, then one must turn to alternate methods of keeping warm -- and by alternate I don't mean adding more layers of clothing so you end up like the brother in Christmas Story who can't put his arms down. Let's turn to scitech for some suggestions on how to keep warm in the coldest climates.

Zippo has come out with probably the most low-tech option -- encasing a fire in a thin metal container also filled with lighter fluid. No, I'm not making a joke. The Zippo Hand Warmer, retailing online for $30, looks like a typical Zippo save for small holes cut into the cap. To use, simply light the wick (which produces no flame but radiates heat) and you have 24 hours of warmth on a full shot of lighter fluid. Hopefully, we'll be taking a closer look at this option in the coming weeks.

Of course, there are also the scientific solutions that do not require a flame to start. Little packs of chemically combustible warmers -- with instructions like an ice pack from our school-nurse days -- have heated hands in freezing hockey rinks for decades. While they do work, from experience in the aforementioned rinks I've noticed that most require a steady flow of oxygen to aid the reaction and are bulky stuffed in pockets, shoes and mittens.

Which, of course, leads up to the highest-tech option available today -- OutdoorResearch's PrimaVolta gloves, which are fashioned from Gor-Tex, a very winter-friendly material, and features "heated elements strategically placed around your hand provide warmth regulated by your temperature and the conditions around you," complete with a rechargeable power source for the eco-friendly frigidista. This in another option we're hoping to test in the coming weeks, so we'll keep you posted.

Stay warm out there and make sure you dress appropriately for the weather outside as well as in :)