Outdoor Clothing 101
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Thermo-regulation: the goal of outdoor clothing is to wear materials that will help you regulate your body temperature so that you do not gain too much or lose too much heat. The human body is built to run at about 98 degrees Fahrenheit or 36.6 degrees Celsius.
Heat Loss – four different ways
Conductive heat loss – contact is made between your body and a cooler surface
Prevention: thickness of insulation.
Convective heat loss –heat lost by the air around your body being warmed up and replace by cold air
Prevention: windproof garments (Wind Chill Factor).
Radiant heat loss – heat lost by infrared radiation (through material)
Prevention: thick layers of fabric and/ or material with metallic coating.
Evaporative heat loss – when perspiration on the skin evaporates, drawing heat from the body
Prevention: fabrics that move the water away from the skin and vapour barriers.
You can modify one or all of the following factors to thermoregulate:
· Clothing layers – the number and type of layers
· Activity level – increasing or decreasing
· Staying dry – minimize wetness either through your own sweat or water from the environment
Layers – different materials worn in a specific sequence
The Layering Principal: wearing multiple layers of different types of fabrics to maintain a comfortable body temperature without excessive sweating (“layer up” or “layer down”).
Base Light Heavy Shell
| ---- Insulating Layer ---- |
Base Layer – wicking layer + insulation (top + bottom)
Second Layer – synthetic fleece or wool pullovers, sweaters, (top and/or bottom)
Third Layer – thicker insulated fabric such as a down vest or jacket (top)
Shell – windproof and waterproof layer made of synthetic material (top and bottom)
Fabrics – different properties with advantages and drawbacks
Wool – keeps you warm while wet, but is heavy
Down – extremely light, compressible and insulating but losses its ability to do so when wet
Synthetics – light-heavy, breathable, keep you dry while wet, quick dry, costly, sometimes smelly & melt near fire or when they come into contact with some bug spray (most common – fleece, polyester, nylon)
Cotton – is very comfortable and keeps you warm when dry. However, it is very water absorbent and keeps moisture close to the skin. The result is that when cotton is wet it actually accelerates heat loss.
Important Info:
· 70% of lost heat is from the head
· Wet clothes conduct heat 25 times faster than dry
· The most common problems are hyperthermia (overheating) and hypothermia (too little heating)
· You need to experiment to determine what combination of clothing is right for you based on your own body temperature disposition.
Questions:
1. What specific pieces of clothing would you wear during the day when the conditions are sunny, little wind, 20 degrees and you are canoeing as well as portaging? (List 5 individual items and the materials they are made from). /5 marks
2. What specific pieces of clothing would you wear at night when you are sitting around the camp and the conditions are 9 degrees? (List 4 individual items & the materials they are made from).
/4 marks
3. What specific pieces of clothing material would you bring as back-up in case it got cool, windy/wet the next day? (List 3 individual items and the materials they are made from). /3 marks
4. How much clothing weights, how much space clothing takes up in your pack, and how functional each piece is, are important considerations for what items you select to bring and what items you choose to leave behind. With this in mind, what should you be looking for when selecting appropriate clothing for a canoe trip? (List FOUR specific criteria to look for, and why each one is an importation consideration to look for. I.e. compressible material, because it will take up less room in a crowded back that needs to be carried). /8 marks
Total: /20 Marks