How will cold weather affect my wearable electronic devices?
Very few electronics are rated for functionality below 60F, and most have a tolerance level between 65F and 85F. What you really have to worry about though is humidity, crystallization of moisture, etc. I mean, if you think about it, when you ship items they sit on below freezing UPS trucks or cargo holds many times. So the items can SURVIVE the cold, but not well. The trick is that you’re supposed to let electronics warm up to room temperature and then some before turning them on. The recommended time is about 4 hours. The reason for this is that when you take a warm item into cold air moisture can create condensation on the item. This water can cause a short in the electronics. In below freezing weather that condensation can then freeze, so when you bring an item in from freezing cold you need to give the condensation time to melt and then evaporate before turning on the item. So if you go from your house outside to 23F with your phone condensation can form. If you remain outside whi
I’ve used all sorts of electronics outdoors in -30C weather, and it doesn’t do any lasting harm. Expect your batteries to die very very quickly, and LCD displays to be incredibly slow and show a lot of ghosting while they’re cold. Once the device warms up again, you’ll be ok. If the electronic device is attached to you or next to your skin, your body heat will probably keep it warm, and it should be fine. Ditto on the moisture condesation on electronics when bringing them into a warm environment, just like on eye glasses.
I don’t know that -5C will really affect it much, even if worn on the outside. I agree with Mapes, check the temperature limits with the product. From personal experience, I used to live in the arctic (so, say, -35C was a normal daily temperature) and would regulary walk around with my digital camera exposed for up to an hour or more and never ran into a problem with it. As for an ipod, I always just had it tucked inside my jacket so it was warm enough.
