ASTM F2732-23

Standard Practice for Determining the Temperature Ratings for Cold Weather Protective Clothing

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 This practice is used to measure the insulation provided by a cold weather clothing garment or garment system using a heated manikin (see Test Method F1291) and to predict the temperature rating for comfort at two activity levels using whole-body heat loss models.  
4.1.1 The temperature rating is for an ensemble—not an individual garment. However, manufacturers want to label cold weather garments or garment systems with a temperature rating to help consumers select the product that will best meet their needs. Therefore, the insulation of a garment or garment system is measured with a standard base ensemble. Furthermore, the standard is limited to garments that cover a substantial amount of body surface area such as jackets, coats, insulated pants, coveralls, or snow suits. The temperature ratings of headwear, footwear, and handwear cannot be determined with this practice.  
4.1.2 The temperature predictions determined by this standard practice are for adults only. The physiology of children is significantly different from that of adults, so a modified heat loss model needs to be used to predict the comfort of children wearing outdoor clothing.5  
4.1.3 The temperature ratings determined by this standard practice and listed on garment labels are only guidelines for comfort and will be affected by the garments consumers wear with them, their activity level during wear, and individual differences in the physiological characteristics of people (for example, gender, age, body mass, etc.).
SCOPE
1.1 This standard practice covers the determination of the temperature rating of a cold weather protective clothing garment or system of garments when worn with one of two base ensembles. It involves measuring the thermal resistance (insulation) value of a clothing ensemble (base ensemble plus the garment or garment system being evaluated) with a heated manikin in accordance with Test Method F1291. The result is used in a heat loss model to predict the lowest environmental temperature for comfort.  
1.2 The predictive model used in this standard estimates the evaporative heat loss from a person wearing cold weather clothing as opposed to measuring the evaporative resistance on a sweating manikin. If a person is active and gets overheated in a cold environment, he/she is usually able to adjust the garments to dissipate excess heat.  
1.3 The temperature ratings estimated by this standard practice are guidelines for thermal comfort, determined from a whole-body heat loss model (see Annex A1). Therefore, localized cooling, discomfort, and even frostbite could still occur at extremely low temperatures because clothing insulation is not evenly distributed over the body surface. In addition, some body parts (for example, ears, fingers, toes) have a high surface area relative to their mass, and consequently lose heat at a faster rate than other parts of the body.  
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 31-May-2023
• ICS: 61.020 - Clothes
• Technical Committee: F23 - Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment
• Drafting Committee: F23.60 - Human Factors

Standards Content (Sample)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F2732 − 23
Standard Practice for
Determining the Temperature Ratings for Cold Weather
1
Protective Clothing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2732; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Manufacturers of cold weather protective clothing want consumers to be thermally comfortable
when wearing their products. Therefore, they want to indicate the amount of warmth (that is,
insulation) their products will provide to consumers at the point of sale. This is often expressed as a
temperature rating on product labels and in product descriptions in catalogs. A temperature rating is
commonly understood to mean the lowest air temperature at which the average adult person will have
an acceptable level of thermal comfort when wearing the product. Although it is not always stated on
labels or in catalogs, manufacturers are assuming that consumers will wear the appropriate amount of
clothing with the cold weather garments.
Heated manikins are used to measure the thermal resistance (insulation) and evaporative resistance
of clothing ensembles in accordance with Test Methods F1291 and F2370, respectively. The thermal
insulation value of a cold weather protective ensemble is used in heat loss models to estimate the
thermal comfort of people in cold environments. This approach is also used for sleeping bags (see ISO
23537-1).
1. Scope localized cooling, discomfort, and even frostbite could still
occur at extremely low temperatures because clothing insula-
1.1 This standard practice covers the determination of the
tion is not evenly distributed over the body surface. In addition,
temperature rating of a cold weather protective clothing
some body parts (for example, ears, fingers, toes) have a high
garment or system of garments when worn with one of two
surface area relative to their mass, and consequently lose heat
base ensembles. It involves measuring the thermal resistance
at a faster rate than other parts of the body.
(insulation) value of a clothing ensemble (base ensemble plus
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
the garment or garment system being evaluated) with a heated
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
manikin in accordance with Test Method F1291. The result is
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
used in a heat loss model to predict the lowest environmental
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
temperature for comfort.
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.2 The predictive model used in this standard estimates the
1.5 This international standard was developed in accor-
evaporative heat loss from a person wearing cold weather
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
clothing as opposed to measuring the evaporative resistance on
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
a sweating manikin. If a person is active and gets overheated in
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
a cold environment, he/she is usually able to adjust the
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
garments to dissipate excess heat.
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
1.3 The temperature ratings estimated by this standard
2. Referenced Documents
practice are guidelines for thermal comfort, determined from a
2
whole-body heat loss model (see Annex A1). Therefore,
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1291 Test Method for Measuring the Thermal Insulation of
Clothing Using a Heated Manikin
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F23 on Personal
Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
2
F23.60 on Human Factors. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Current edition approved June 1, 2023. Published June 2023. Originally contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
approved in 2009. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as F2732 – 16. DOI: Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
10.1520/F2732-23. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F2732 − 23
F2370 Test Method for Measuring the Evaporative Resis- temperature rating for comfort at two activity lev
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: F2732 − 16 F2732 − 23
Standard Practice for
Determining the Temperature Ratings for Cold Weather
1
Protective Clothing
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F2732; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
Manufacturers of cold weather protective clothing want consumers to be thermally comfortable
when wearing their products. Therefore, they want to indicate the amount of warmth (that is,
insulation) their products will provide to consumers at the point of sale. This is often expressed as a
temperature rating on product labels and in product descriptions in catalogs. A temperature rating is
commonly understood to mean the lowest air temperature at which the average adult person will have
an acceptable level of thermal comfort when wearing the product. Although it is not always stated on
labels or in catalogs, manufacturers are assuming that consumers will wear the appropriate amount of
clothing with the cold weather garments.
Heated manikins are used to measure the thermal resistance (insulation) and evaporative resistance
of clothing ensembles in accordance with Test Methods F1291 and F2370, respectively. The thermal
insulation value of a cold weather protective ensemble areis used in heat loss models to estimate the
thermal comfort of people in cold environments. This approach has already been is also used for
sleeping bags (see EN 13537).ISO 23537-1).
1. Scope
1.1 This standard practice covers the determination of the temperature rating of a cold weather protective clothing garment or
system of garments when worn with one of two base ensembles. It involves measuring the thermal resistance (insulation) value
of a clothing ensemble (base ensemble plus the garment or garment system being evaluated) with a heated manikin in accordance
with Test Method F1291 and using . The result is used in a heat loss model to predict the lowest environmental temperature for
comfort.
1.2 The predictive model used in this standard estimates the evaporative heat loss from a person wearing cold weather clothing
as opposed to measuring the evaporative resistance on a sweating manikin. If a person is active and gets overheated in a cold
environment, he/she is usually able to adjust the garments in order to dissipate excess heat.
1.3 The temperature ratings estimated by this standard practice are guidelines for thermal comfort that are designed to protect
people from hypothermia when wearing cold weather protectivecomfort, determined from a whole-body heat loss model (see
Annex A1garments. However,). Therefore, localized cooling, discomfort, and even frostbite could still occur at extremely low
temperatures because clothing insulation is not evenly distributed over the body surface. In addition, some body parts (for example,
ears, fingers, toes) have a high surface area relative to their mass, and consequently lose heat at a faster rate than other parts of
the body.
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F23.60
on Human Factors.
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2016June 1, 2023. Published October 2916June 2023. Originally approved in 2009. Last previous edition approved in 20112016 as
F2732 - 11.F2732 – 16. DOI: 10.1520/F2732-16.10.1520/F2732-23.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
F2732 − 23
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and healthsafety, health, and environmental practices and determine
the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
1.5 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization
established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued
by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
2. Referenced Documents
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
F1291 Test Method for Measuring the Thermal Insulation of Clothing Using a Heated
...