One way to keep warm when RVing, Camping, and Boating is to keep your vehicle, tent or vessel warm so you have a convenient place to escape the cold. However, when OHVing or when you are outside of your temporary abode, you will need to dress according to the weather in order to keep YOU warm enough to be comfortable.
If you have a heated shelter take advantage of it! Most RVs and Campers and some boat cabins include furnaces or heaters to maintain comfortable temperatures. If you are doing any outings during cold weather, be sure your furnace or heater is working properly and that you have sufficient fuel. If the heating unit in your rig isn't adequate to keep the interior as warm as you would like, look into upgrading the heating unit or adding another one. Portable propane powered catalytic heaters can be used in most RVs, campers, boats, and even tents. Although they don't produce toxic fumes they do consume oxygen so you MUST provide adequate ventilation to prevent suffocation when using one. Electric heaters don't have that problem -- if you have 120 volt power to run them! See my posts on Keeping Your RV or Camper Warm and Keeping Your Tent Warm for more information. Even getting in out of the wind and/or other unfavorable weather can help. I've heard it said that even having a canopy overhead can raise the temperature beneath it by 20F in cold weather.
When outside the best approach is to dress in layers. Multiple layers not only provide extra insulation to help keep you warm, they allow you to remove outer layers as necessary when things warm up, either due to high activity or warmer air temperatures.
Base layers usually consist of thermal underwear, sometimes known as "long johns". They should fit snuggly but not restrict movement. Traditional thermal underwear is often made of wool, which retains its insulating quality even when wet. Modern innovations include a number of natural and synthetic blends designed to keep you warm and wick away perspiration. You may have try some different materials before you find the one that is right for you.
Your next layer will usually be the clothing you normally wear for the activities you will be doing. On cooler days you might want to wear a warmer flannel or velour long sleeved shirt instead of the light weight short sleeved shirts you probably prefer for most outdoor activities.
Depending on how cold it is, you may want to add a sweater or sweatshirt before donning a jacket or coat. How heavy a jacket or coat you choose will depend on the outside temperature and the level of physical activity you expect to be performing. The colder the outside temperature and the less active you plan to be, the warmer your coat will need to be.
Keeping your hands, feet, and head warm is always a priority. You will need appropriate warm gloves or mittens to protect your hands. Mittens are warmer than gloves but you lose some dexterity. Proper socks and insulated boots will help keep your feet warm. You can add chemical hand and foot warmers for even more warmth. If your coat does not have a warm hood you will need to wear a warm hat. My favorite cold weather hat is a Russian ushanka or "ear hat". They have flaps that cover your ears and part of your cheeks and are usually made of fur. In really cold weather, or when riding OHVs in cold weather, you may need a face mask.
When riding an OHV you may want to substitute a Windchill jersey for your normal shirt. Windchill jereys are designed to provide extra protection against wind and cold air without interfering with movement needed to safely and comfortably operate your off highway vehicle. In really cold riding weather you may need to add an Enduro jacket. These are usually made of Gore-Tex to be light weight yet sturdy and are very good at blocking the wind. They may or may not have linings for additional warmth. Having one with a removable liner gives you more options.
Anytime you have to deal with rain you will need rain gear. Even those nice, warm ski parkas are likely to get wet in the rain. A simple plastic poncho is an easy and inexpensive way to protect your upper body from rain. They are small enough when folded to fit in a pack or pocket so you can have them ready for unexpected precipitation on the trail. Rain suits provide even better protection for OHV riders, hikers, and just around camp. Equestrian riders may want to invest in a slicker, a rain coat long enough to cover your legs while sitting in the saddle.
If you plan and dress appropriately you should be able to stay comfortable in even the coldest weather. Consider mountain climbers, arctic explorers ad Eskimos who brave extreme weather conditions with high winds and temperatures far below freezing, sometimes for long periods of time.
Always try to have a backup warm up plan -- a warm tent or RV to go to or ate least place to get in out of the wind and weather. You can manage quite a lot of cold weather if you can take a break to warm up from time to time. Maybe just getting in your vehicle and running the heater for a while if you have no other options. Warm food and drinks are always welcome when you are cold and can actually help return your body temperature to normal.
Stay warm!
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