Help me outfit a warm-blooded kiddo for college in Iowa

[plansrme]

I have sent kids to college in northern climes before, so you would think I'd know how to do this. But my long-term Central American exchange student is getting ready to start  college in extreme northern Iowa. In January. He does not like the cold. He is going to be so, so cold. He is home now for Christmas (with his actual parents), and his home country does not even sell winter clothes. The plan is for him to fly back here to me in Atlanta after Christmas, and I will outfit him here and drive him to Iowa. 13 hours! Anyway, please tell me all the stay-warm gear a male college athlete needs. My actual son is slightly farther north, but he is pretty impervious to cold and just took his ski jacket. This one seems harder. Please tell me all the warmest versions of college boy clothes. I want him to love Iowa!

Edited December 20, 2022 by plansrme

[Lecka]

My son loves a neck gaiter.  Some of this is his preference, though.  

[plansrme]

20 minutes ago, Lecka said:

My son loves a neck gaiter.  Some of this is his preference, though.  

Never would have thought of that. Will get him one. 

[Starr]

We found that students from warm climates never had proper footwear or warm socks. Even sneakers get you up off the ground compared to leather shoes. And boots of some sort when needed. A hat, gloves, my kids even use fingerless gloves inside when it’s really cold.

[plansrme]

17 minutes ago, Starr said:

We found that students from warm climates never had proper footwear or warm socks. Even sneakers get you up off the ground compared to leather shoes. And boots of some sort when needed. A hat, gloves, my kids even use fingerless gloves inside when it’s really cold.

Do boots need to be waterproof?

[Terabith]

3 minutes ago, plansrme said:

Do boots need to be waterproof?

Yes.  And probably wool socks.  

He probably needs to at least have a pair of long underwear.  

[HomeAgain]

Eddie Bauer fleece lined pants.  They look like normal pants, but are water resistant and so warm.  They feel like pajamas. Dh and I both wear them all winter long.

My big things to keep warm are feet (good shoes, wool socks), bum (long underwear or fleece lined pants), hands (base layer shirts that extend over my palms with thumb holes, adequate gloves), neck (high collars), head (lined hat). 

I'm not going to make a suggestion on jacket because we all have our preferences here.  DS12 wears a 3-in-1, DS23 wears a down filled, moderately puffy thing, dh wears a parka, and I wear a lighter jacket with reflective inner - but I layer base shirt and sweater under it.  DS23 has been buying the reflective base layers for himself, though, so they look like my jacket's inside but in a shirt model.  I think his are Columbia.

[Pippen]

27 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Yes.  And probably wool socks.  

He probably needs to at least have a pair of long underwear.  

I have two types of underlayers--a thin base layer and fleece. On really cold days I wear the fleece and I'm rarely cold. 

[ScoutTN]

28 minutes ago, Terabith said:

Yes.  And probably wool socks.  

He probably needs to at least have a pair of long underwear.  

Yes, several good sets of base layer. He may wear them a lot and cannot always be doing laundry.

Smartwool type socks

Kids, even college age kids, lose things. Two hats, two pairs of gloves.

[KungFuPanda]

If he only wears jeans, get some sweatpants he can layer with longjohns or some lined jeans. Jeans are cold. He’ll need good gloves with inserts. Some days he’ll only wear the inserts. On extreme days he’ll wear both. He’ll be happier with a longer coat than a jacket. He’s gonna need good, thick socks; preferably wool or a wool blend (not cotton). He definitely needs good, waterproof boots. He’ll be miserable in wet sneakers. 

[LifeLovePassion]

1 minute ago, ScoutTN said:

Yes, several good sets of base layer. He may wear them a lot and cannot always be doing laundry.

Smartwool type socks

Kids, even college age kids, lose things. Two hats, two pairs of gloves.

Or they get wet and need to dry out.

You have many great suggestions here. 

[catz]

My college student goes to college in Wisconsin.  he is skinny and always cold.  He likes a long hooded parka.  I recommend not buying expensive.   Branded stuff disappears first on a campus.

long underwear, wool socks, hoodies, neck gaiter, hat, gloves and/or mitts.   Definitely boots.  My son likes hiking style winter boots which are good for walking.  
 

having pull on crampons may be useful in some conditions.   Like Yaktrax 
 

Edited December 20, 2022 by catz

[ScoutTN]

Is there a budget? 
 

Seconding fleece lined pants and yaktrax.
 

Longer coats, parka style, are warmer, but perhaps less suited to an active young man’s habits? 
 

Good boots for sure!

Warm house shoes
Flannel or fleece pajamas
Lots of layers - fleece, wool, etc.
 

When I was in New England for school and always cold, I loved silk turtlenecks. Soft and light, but very warm.

Edited December 20, 2022 by ScoutTN

[Katy]

I recommend Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s after Christmas. Maybe even REI. They’ll have lots of hunting gear on sale, including parkas & long underwear. Look for temperature ratings & choose the warmest stuff. But also teach him that if he’s got so much on that he’s sweating inside, it’s too much. The sweat will make him very cold outside. 

I had a men’s parka from Marmot that I think was rated from 0 to negative 50F. I’m pretty sure it came from Bass Pro in an after Christmas sale. I never got cold in it, I think once I managed to sweat in it outside when the actual temperature was -30F, but I’d just finished a long hot double nursing shift. 

So anyway, I’d look for the warmest temperature ratings available. I was raised in Florida, went to college in New England, and have lived all over the Midwest (including Iowa) as well as Colorado. Temperature ratings are where it’s at when getting acclimated to cold. 

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Just an FYI - temps in Iowa are going to be in the mid -20s (possibly colder) this weekend. This weather is expected to continue into January. He will need gear that is meant for these temps. Many people not used to this climate think gear rated for 20-40 degrees is adequate. It's not, especially footwear. Good waterproof low temp rated boots and good wool socks are must haves. A jacket that has a good quality shell (protects from wind) and a warmth layer is necessary.

Many international students attending the local college are surprised by how cold it is and often end up going on a second shopping excursion to get adequate clothing. The cute little $5 gloves from Walmart don't cut it when the temps are below freezing and the winds are blowing at 30mph.

Shopping at local second hand, thrift stores is acceptable in college towns. Lots of international students donate their gear when they graduate and return home. Some colleges have on campus resale shops for this reason.

[Spy Car]

🍿

[Katy]

19 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

Just an FYI - temps in Iowa are going to be in the mid -20s (possibly colder) this weekend. This weather is expected to continue into January. He will need gear that is meant for these temps. Many people not used to this climate think gear rated for 20-40 degrees is adequate. It's not, especially footwear. Good waterproof low temp rated boots and good wool socks are must haves. A jacket that has a good quality shell (protects from wind) and a warmth layer is necessary.

Many international students attending the local college are surprised by how cold it is and often end up going on a second shopping excursion to get adequate clothing. The cute little $5 gloves from Walmart don't cut it when the temps are below freezing and the winds are blowing at 30mph.

Shopping at local second hand, thrift stores is acceptable in college towns. Lots of international students donate their gear when they graduate and return home. Some colleges have on campus resale shops for this reason.

This. And he will need a 20-40 degree coat too, for spring & fall and random warm weeks. But a parka is necessary for winter. 

[HomeAgain]

Oh, also in terms of boots - have him make sure they're slightly too big, like a half or full size.  He wants them to trap warmth and give enough room for thicker socks. 

My kid is a skater and whenever he complains his feet are cold, that's the first sign he's outgrowing the boot.  There has to be enough room for a thin layer of air.

[BlsdMama]

DS works outside a lot and layers are key, along with a good hat, warm boots, and gloves. I want him to love it too, but even Iowans hate Iowa in January and February. ♥️ 

[plansrme]

11 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Yes, several good sets of base layer. He may wear them a lot and cannot always be doing laundry.

Smartwool type socks

Kids, even college age kids, lose things. Two hats, two pairs of gloves.

He lived with me for 2 years. Can confirm that he will not always be doing laundry.

[plansrme]

11 hours ago, LifeLovePassion said:

Or they get wet and need to dry out.

You have many great suggestions here. 

Yes, I do! He will roll his eyes when I foist all this upon him but will very much appreciate it very soon.

[plansrme]

2 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

Oh, also in terms of boots - have him make sure they're slightly too big, like a half or full size.  He wants them to trap warmth and give enough room for thicker socks. 

My kid is a skater and whenever he complains his feet are cold, that's the first sign he's outgrowing the boot.  There has to be enough room for a thin layer of air.

This kind of wisdom is exactly why I am here. I had no idea. 

[plansrme]

1 hour ago, BlsdMama said:

DS works outside a lot and layers are key, along with a good hat, warm boots, and gloves. I want him to love it too, but even Iowans hate Iowa in January and February. ♥️ 

Ha, I will let him know.

[plansrme]

10 hours ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

Just an FYI - temps in Iowa are going to be in the mid -20s (possibly colder) this weekend. This weather is expected to continue into January.

I am following the weather on my weather app and sending him screen shots to peruse while he lounges on the beach. I laugh because they are headed towards single digits, and he is so anti-cold, but -20s are definitely not something to laugh at. 

[plansrme]

10 hours ago, Katy said:

I recommend Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s after Christmas.

We have a super convenient Cabela's, so we will definitely hit that up when he's here. I only have a couple of days with him in January before we have to hit the road to Iowa, so these tips are very, very helpful.

Edited December 20, 2022 by plansrme

[kbutton]

13 hours ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

A jacket that has a good quality shell (protects from wind) and a warmth layer is necessary.

Windproof goes a really long way, and I suggest a coat that covers his bum. It doesn't have to be a lot longer otherwise, but having a cold bum is not fun. I had a coat that worked for same temps from one state to another, but the state my college was in has a TON of wind. I had to recalculate and get a different coat that blocked a lot more wind.

I love Darn Tough socks and wish I had known about them in college. They wear like iron, and you can get thing ones that layer well as well as thick cushioned ones. I have worn them wet and stayed warm. If they get holes, you can return them for replacement.

A variety of gloves is helpful, also waterproof and windproof (wool is warm, but it's not super windproof). Mittens are actually warmer than gloves, but you can layer thinner under thicker. Consider some combination of gloves/coat wristbands that will tuck into each other and stay put. Sometimes you can find gloves or mittens that have clips on them, and some coats have a little loop near the wrist to clip the mittens to. Otherwise, you might buy non-childish mitten clips to help them not wander off. You can probably get clips to make your own. https://kamsnaps.com/collections/kam-snaps-clips-key-fobs 

I would make sure he has a variety of long underwear to choose from and make at least one a lightweight wool blend. Wool is warm even when wet, so if he is going to get a bit sweaty, it helps not be so cold when you go back out, and it helps if he gets wet from the weather too. 

I think having some essential items that cover a range of situations and then things that can mix and match is a good idea until he figures out what he likes best. So, sometimes he might want wool long johns and jeans, and another time, he might want a thin base layer and fleece or flannel-lined pants.

Layers, layers, layers so that he can take something off and put it in his backpack on days that are variable.

I don't wear sunglasses routinely, but I appreciate them on sunny days when snow is on the ground. If he doesn't normally wear them, a decent pair of polarized shades might be appreciated.

[YaelAldrich]

I don't see warm slippers on these lists.  You can't wear mucky boots/shoes in the house and not expect the floors to get gross.

You need something to keep your feet off the cold floor (unless it's heated).

I suggest sheepskin or wool so that his feet don't sweat.

 

[Carol in Cal.]

LL Bean has temp ratings on their warmest outerwear, and it’s worth it to get the stuff for extreme cold.  The ratings assume that you’re being active, and hence generating body heat, but for waiting for a bus or something like that they are not accurate.  

I think you’re wise to get some long johns but in snow country it’s usually overly warm inside, so warm outerwear that can be taken off inside is going to be the mainstay of your wardrobe.  Knit hats are pretty common, and scarves or neck gaiters, too.  Sorel boots are the warmest, I understand, and you can buy felt insulating liners that go under the soles of your feet in them at a hunting store like Cabelas or Bass Pro.  

One challenge for guys is that long coats are generally not all that stylish.  That’s why I suggest the fleece or flannel lined jeans from LLBean—they are QUITE warm.  Makes a big difference overall, especially in windy weather.

[wintermom]

I think a lot of clothing need will depend on the amount of time the person is outdoors, whether they have had time to aclimatize throughout the fall as temperatures drop, and their attitude. If they have decided that they don't like the cold, then they won't. If they decide they can manage it, and put up with some temporary discomfort, they'll be fine.

My 3 young adult boys walk to school or take the bus and walk to university, and they never wear long underwear unless they are winter camping (and they've only done this once in their lives), they do wear winter boots when there is snow, but runners otherwise, they wear normal calf-length athletic socks all year round.

I provide warm gloves, hats and neck buffs, and they decide when they use them - which really depends. They have various coat options - lighter and heavier, depending on the temp and wind conditions. There is really no "one size fits all." 

I truly cannot imagine buying clothes for a cold climate while living in a warm climate. I think it's better done while in the cold climate so that one can actually feel what the cold is like, and what works for the individual. There are very different types of "cold climates" and they don't all feel the same, nor does the same clothing work. 

[Lawyer&Mom]

I went to law school in Minnesota.  I found it much easier to find appropriate clothes *in* Minnesota than in my native California.  The same stores carry different items in different regions.  One advantage of LLBean and LandsEnd is that the websites carry a nationwide assortment. 

[Tanaqui]

Thinking this through, now that you've had your advice, isn't the advantage of being warm-blooded that you don't need a heat lamp to survive in cold climates? Humans can live in all sorts of extreme environments, but I'm given to understand that there are no snakes, no matter how well bundled up, in Alaska.

[catz]

Can you ship him stuff later?  My Midwestern college student wears long underwear daily (at least bottoms) in the winter.  But he is a rail and runs cold.  He has a ton and is always happy to have more.  But I also see college students out in shorts in Minnesota all winter long.  We live blocks from a campus.  Some people adapt quickly and run hotter.  I went to the same campus and I almost never wore long underwear.  

Same kid has never worn slippers until this year now that he is in a house with a basement and hard floors.  He did have a pair of slides he'd wear in the dorm running down the bathroom with his socks. 

I do think outfitting for decent basic outer wear coverage is good and you can always have stuff shipped later.  Both my high school senior and my college student primarily wear a hooded parka that extends below the butt.  My son has a shorter sportier jacket and didn't even take it to campus this year.   A lot of my son's stuff was from land's end on sale.  

[Spy Car]

So yesterday, my wife and son (who--don't laugh--has been "freezing" during his freshman year up in Santa Cruz) went out looking for more "cold" weather gear, including a hunt for the right jacket.

In their outing they popped into my wife's favorite re-sale shop and they found a down cap (although it may be fiberfill?) that looks kinda like a Russian hat.

Found one similar:

 

Do you cold weather people wear these? I tried it on as was instantly "toasty."

The biggest surprise was that I expected I'd look "dorky." But both my wife and my son had dramatically different countenances once I put it on and looked at them.

I expected "giggles. Instead they looked a little bit more respectful, if not frightened. LOL

I said, "What?"

They said, "You better go look in the mirror."

Almost scared myself. LOL

Like a guy you would not want to mess with.

Who knew?  

Bill

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Spy Car

[Arcadia]

5 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

 

In their outing they popped into my wife's favorite re-sale shop and they found a down cap (although it may be fiberfill?) that looks kinda like a Russian hat.

 

I have two aviator/trapper hats. The Eddie Bauer hat fits my husband’s head better 

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/71400320/superior-down-trapper (sale $29.99)

My other hat is the same style but looks like a Mongolian fur hat and fits my head better. I bundle up for San Francisco’s windchill. 

 

[Spy Car]

8 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

I have two aviator/trapper hats. The Eddie Bauer hat fits my husband’s head better 

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/71400320/superior-down-trapper (sale $29.99)

My other hat is the same style but looks like a Mongolian fur hat and fits my head better. I bundle up for San Francisco’s windchill. 

 

I think yours is the style he was hoping to find.

But *on him*, the black down (or fiberfill) cap tooks pretty low-key.

For some reason, *I* would scare dogs and children when wearing his new cap.

Not sure if the fur one would improve things 

Bill

 

 

[LifeLovePassion]

41 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

So yesterday, my wife and son (who--don't laugh--has been "freezing" during his freshman year up in Santa Cruz) went out looking for more "cold" weather gear, including a hunt for the right jacket.

In their outing they popped into my wife's favorite re-sale shop and they found a down cap (although it may be fiberfill?) that looks kinda like a Russian hat.

Found one similar:

 

Do you cold weather people wear these? I tried it on as was instantly "toasty."

The biggest surprise was that I expected I'd look "dorky." But both my wife and my son had dramatically different countenances once I put it on and looked at them.

I expected "giggles. Instead they looked a little bit more respectful, if not frightened. LOL

I said, "What?"

They said, "You better go look in the mirror."

Almost scared myself. LOL

Like a guy you would not want to mess with.

Who knew?  

Bill

 

 

Yes, we sure do wear those hats. They are great for when the temps drop super low. When it's that cold, I'd take being warm over fashion any day. 

[Spy Car]

16 minutes ago, LifeLovePassion said:

Yes, we sure do wear those hats. They are great for when the temps drop super low. When it's that cold, I'd take being warm over fashion any day. 

I was instantly toasty. And the down-filled style looks good on him. Won't look ridiculous in the relatively mild climate of the Central California coast.

And--I swear this is true--just as I typed the last, he walked in--wearing the cap and said, "This was a good find" and he then demonstrated all the options he had for wearing it. LOL

Bill

 

[MEmama]

These threads always make me giggle, everyone is so different with temperature.

When I moved from northern California to (damp, perpetually cloudy) central Ohio I had never felt anything so cold. I wore two thrift store coats layered on top of each other and every scrap of clothing I could find and was miserable my entire first winter. A couple years later I moved to (dry, sunny and very very cold) Minnesota and walked around carefree all winter in a t shirt, jeans and a mid weight Northface fleece jacket. Acclimating to cold wasn’t an issue after that first shock, but heat…forget it. The first whiff of humidity and I’m done in for, decades after leaving the comparably dry oasis of the west coast.

@Spy Car, my DH has a hat like that, but a cheapo version (from Renys, for the Mainers here). It has to hovering around zero for him to willingly be seen wearing it though. Lol

[Spy Car]

25 minutes ago, MEmama said:

These threads always make me giggle, everyone is so different with temperature.

When I moved from northern California to (damp, perpetually cloudy) central Ohio I had never felt anything so cold. I wore two thrift store coats layered on top of each other and every scrap of clothing I could find and was miserable my entire first winter. A couple years later I moved to (dry, sunny and very very cold) Minnesota and walked around carefree all winter in a t shirt, jeans and a mid weight Northface fleece jacket. Acclimating to cold wasn’t an issue after that first shock, but heat…forget it. The first whiff of humidity and I’m done in for, decades after leaving the comparably dry oasis of the west coast.

@Spy Car, my DH has a hat like that, but a cheapo version (from Renys, for the Mainers here). It has to hovering around zero for him to willingly be seen wearing it though. Lol

We are weather-wimps here in Los Angeles. I have to admit it.

Especially my boy. He is strong and muscular, but really lean, with no body fat to provide insulation.

When temperatures drop (even a little), he freezes.

It is 73 degrees here today, and he's still wearing that darn cap. LOL

Bill 

 

 

 

[wintermom]

I had a similar styled hat that I used for winter camping in Norway. It was purple, so I didn't look intimidating at all. It gets too warm if I'm exercising outside, though. It was too much when actually cross-country skiing, but great when standing around outside.

[LifeLovePassion]

1 hour ago, Spy Car said:

I was instantly toasty. And the down-filled style looks good on him. Won't look ridiculous in the relatively mild climate of the Central California coast.

And--I swear this is true--just as I typed the last, he walked in--wearing the cap and said, "This was a good find" and he then demonstrated all the options he had for wearing it. LOL

Bill

 

Too funny. I looked up the Santa Cruz temp and it is 53, that is 59 degrees warmer than here today  (not even considering the wind chill) when I broke out my similar hat. I would be roasting in a down hat at 53 degrees. Agreeing with @MEmamait's all in what you get used to! At least he is fashionnable!

[kbutton]

My experience with overseas students or people from warm climates is that they don't acclimate quickly unless they have been back and forth to cold climates routinely before being dropped in one for their first long winter. They are just cold all the time and wear all.the.clothes. DH went from Northern CA to the midwest in 1994, and he is still always cold in the winter, wears all the clothes, and has one of the largest collections of outerwear and layers I've seen outside of people who do winter sports. And boots--lots of boots. Pairs upon pairs of warm socks, mittens, hats, gloves. 

If he gets used to it being 80, then 90 feels even better. If he gets used to 90, then 100 is even better. The only thing that can make him think he is warm is the sun. If the sun is shining, his brain will agree with him, and he will run around in fewer articles of clothing even when it's 30 degrees colder than the day before, lol! 

But, I am came here to suggest flannel sheets and/or an electric blanket for the dorm. 🙂 

[Lucy the Valiant]

If you're crafty / can sew basic straight seams, you can make a fabric rice-filled "pillow" that he can heat in microwave for 1-2 minutes; it will instantly warm him up, and is reusable. We throw them in our beds at night, down where our feet go, and they are wonderful. He could even have 3-4 of them - they're portable (work in cars), cheap, and handy.

sorta like this

 

Also, if you're outfitting on a budget, high quality gently used is a MUCH better bargain than lower quality brand new. We tend to be a frugal lot up here, but gear is something that is worth spending $ on, especially for someone who is not acclimated. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by Lucy the Valiant

[Harriet Vane]

1 hour ago, Lucy the Valiant said:

If you're crafty / can sew basic straight seams, you can make a fabric rice-filled "pillow" that he can heat in microwave for 1-2 minutes; it will instantly warm him up, and is reusable. We throw them in our beds at night, down where our feet go, and they are wonderful. He could even have 3-4 of them - they're portable (work in cars), cheap, and handy.

sorta like this

 

Also, if you're outfitting on a budget, high quality gently used is a MUCH better bargain than lower quality brand new. We tend to be a frugal lot up here, but gear is something that is worth spending $ on, especially for someone who is not acclimated. 

I agree with all this. 

If your not crafty and cannot sew or don't have time, then fill a few clean, cotton, men's knee socks with raw rice and knot them at the top. They truly are really wonderful and they stay hot a long time.

[Forget-Me-Not]

My teenage nephew had a plaid wool cap with ear flaps like that last winter. He looked adorable, like an extra from the set of A Christmas Story. 

[Pippen]

17 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I have two aviator/trapper hats. The Eddie Bauer hat fits my husband’s head better 

https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/71400320/superior-down-trapper (sale $29.99)

My other hat is the same style but looks like a Mongolian fur hat and fits my head better. I bundle up for San Francisco’s windchill. 

 

I have two that I got at the Bass outlet store and keep one in the house and the other in my van. I live in the midwest and I'm never been cold in those hats. I live in the midwest and only pull them out during the coldest temperatures because they're so warm. 

 

[Spy Car]

On 12/21/2022 at 1:44 PM, LifeLovePassion said:

Too funny. I looked up the Santa Cruz temp and it is 53, that is 59 degrees warmer than here today  (not even considering the wind chill) when I broke out my similar hat. I would be roasting in a down hat at 53 degrees. Agreeing with @MEmamait's all in what you get used to! At least he is fashionnable!

I mean, I admitted we are weather wimps  

Too later for Christmas, but I stumbled on these "Winter Warm Watch Cap - Army Military Tactical Skull Beanies" made in Ukraine.

I like the looks of these. When my boy gets home from skating I'm going to see if he'd like one of these. Look warm. 

Stock photo from Amazon:

Only $12.99

https://www.amazon.com/2Sabers-Fleece-Winter-Black-Watch/dp/B07H3G3PQS/ref=sr_1_43?crid=298PIYF7QJU6V&keywords=ukrainian%2Bcap&qid=1671752725&s=apparel&sprefix=ukrainian%2Bcap%2Cfashion%2C129&sr=1-43&th=1&psc=1

OMG! The boy just walked in and said, "No, No No! My hair would get all 'static-y' and I'd have to commit to wearing it all day."

🤦‍♂️

Bill

[Indigo Blue]

Bill, my son bought one of those “Russian” hats when he was in college. I thought, why did he buy that thing? But it turned out to be very needed when he got a campus job for the loading dock making deliveries on campus, driving around in an open over-sized golf cart type thing all winter! He has a thick red beard. Wanna guess who he looked like? 
 

 

Yukon Cornelius!! Lol!!!!! Yep. Gave him a hard time about that. 😁