Kristina's Story
Kristina Matyskiela

Talus provided a ColdAvenger® Pro to independent tester, athlete and severe asthmatic, Kristina Matyskiela, to study the effects of the mask on her airways during her cold weather pursuits. Follow Kristina's story below:

Day 1: January 15th, 2009; 12°F; 4-6" fresh snow; 5.9 mile trek; Oglebay Park and Resort in Wheeling, WV.

This morning seemed to be a great day to try out the ColdAvenger®. Every school in our valley was closed due to snow fall and low temperature except for my place of employment which never closes for any reason (we were here when our entire City flooded in 2004!). I decided to gear up, load up and trek on into work this morning, an exact 5.9 m/9.5km trek. The first part of my trek is all downhill and a very steep 0.8m/1.29km. The ColdAvenger® most definitely warmed and humidified the air very well. I was amazed! Though I was trekking downhill, in that kind of cold air, I would have been wheezing without a doubt. With the ColdAvenger®, I wasn’t even huffing or puffing. This was my experience through the rest of my trip that took me up hills, on flat surfaces, down hills, all through 4 inches of snow... Kristina's Day 1 Full entry click here

Day 2: January 17th, 2009; -13°F; 6-8" fresh Snow. 6 mile trek; Oglebay Park and Resort in Wheeling, WV.

Today is truly a snow and cold weather lover’s wonderland! At temps that reached 13 below and several inches of fresh snow, well I could not have asked for a better day trekking through the snow covered knolls at our local park while getting to really try out the ColdAvenger®. Today is the perfect day to try this product out. Once again I opted to not use my inhaler prior to trekking. This was my personal choice and I realize that the ColdAvenger® does not take the place of asthma medication. I dressed up in my windproof, waterproof, cold-proof, moisture-wicking gear. I packed a small pack with first-aid and ‘survival’ items. I grabbed the ColdAvenger®, camera, trekking poles, ice axe, husband, and my personal traveling companion, Yukon Cornelius. I prepared for every possible situation, or so I thought... Kristina's Day 2 Full entry click here

Day 3: January 18th, 2009; 20°F; 5-15mph winds; 8-12” fresh snow; 4 mile trek through deep, wet snow; Oglebay Park and Resort in Wheeling, WV.

Picture day! Boy Scout rule: Be prepared! I charged the camera battery and now I am fully prepared for today’s outing. I even have the Sterno (because you never know!) Oh, and lest I forget my personal traveling companion, Yukon Cornelius. It is definitely warmer today and more humid than the previous day. I am geared up in all the necessary gear minus the 300 weight Polartec® that was necessary on the day before. I wrapped up the ColdAvenger® and off we went a-trekking! My husband and I stopped and took a picture here and there and he even got a couple of action shots. Once again, the ColdAvenger® performed beautifully. I will add that this morning I chose to use my inhaler because of the events of the previous day. Nevertheless, I never had to use it once on the trek. The ColdAvenger® really helped me though it was much warmer than the day before... Kristina's Day 3 Full entry click here

Day 4: January 31st, 2009; 12°F; 6-8” Snow with ice; 5 mile trek at Oglebay Park and Resort in Wheeling, WV.

So we are not in Versoix, Geneva Switzerland, but what we’ve got today will do! We have had some interesting weather that included snow, then freezing rain, more snow, more ice – ah, the beauty of winter. It is really a shame that the crampons haven’t arrived yet. Hum… Another great day for me ol’ traveling companion, Yukon Cornelius and me to head out into the great outdoors. I gear up in my windproof, cold proof, waterproof, moisture wicking clothing, grab my backpack, trekking poles, ice axe, and my favorite cold weather piece of equipment – the ColdAvenger®! I truly will not venture into the cold weather without it... Kristina's Day 4 Full entry click here
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