Protection from the Cold

April 9, 2013 at 02:29 PM · Wow, that's really cold!

There have been lots of suggestions before in similar threads, like a padded and insulated case cover, but how about this?

Get an oversized coat, and carry the case inside the coat using a sling strap, or one of the backpack case-carrying arrangements. Then you'd have body heat helping out, and another layer of insulation.

April 9, 2013 at 02:44 PM · Living in a 'notoriously cold' Canadian city myself, I'd strongly suggest a car. ;)

Barring that...get an insulated case, have your bus scheduale figured out so you're less likely to miss one. If you can change buses at a mall, you have the option to go inside if you really need to. Perhaps you can find somewhere very close to campus to live (or live on campus). That would minimize travel in cold weather.

Otherwise, you might want to have a taxi budget for certain times. Expensive yes, but cheaper than running a car.

Don't forget...while the -30 days seem to last forever, there are in truth, relatively few of them (thank goodness).

April 9, 2013 at 03:53 PM · another suggestion if you dont want to look like the hunchback of notre dame, is you could use an insulated case cover, and throw in one of the heat packs/hand warmers inside the case cover, outside of the case, so you dont damage the violin. The packs cost about 0.75 each. some are reusable.

April 9, 2013 at 04:26 PM · Are you coming to Canada, eh?

Most public transits now have online schedule and / or telephone line where you can find out when is next bus due to arrive.

Violin notwithstanding, you will not be able to stand and wait on that temperature for more than 10 minutes, trust me. It is not only the low temperature, but the wind that makes it impossible to wait.

I use the Mooradian winter cover over my Gewa case with violin wrapped in silk. When it drops below -10C, I wrap my case with a little blanket before covering it. When it gets below -20C, I use a viola Moorodian cover over all of it. It does get bulky, but my violin stays on room temperature level to up to 20 minutes on my back.

April 10, 2013 at 07:10 AM · Dimitri Musafia makes cases with bar none protection from the elements. He has an optional technology called tropicalization that can be put into his cases, which helps the temperature from the outside equalize at much slower rate.

I would think that, coupled with a mooradian along with the other suggestions posted are a great way to protect your instrument from the elements!

April 11, 2013 at 07:34 AM · These are all good suggestions! I would be more concerned about myself than my violin, however. After-all, you can't play if you are suffering from exposure! Having grown up in extreme heat in Australia and then moving to live in Austria I have experienced both ends of the spectrum. Sometimes you just have to buy protecting equipment but it is rarely so extreme for a long period of time (even in Canada) that an instrument would suffer damage. They are amazingly sturdy things! Enjoy!