Ok, for all you who got some cozy new threads in your stocking this year. Here's a few quick tips from Josh to make sure you stay comfortable on your next mission outdoors. Look for more tech and performance tips from AOG in 2015.
Cheers,
B-rad
3W's-
We pride
ourselves in providing the right equipment for the job and this time of year
staying warm and dry is high on our list of priorities. Everyone, from the weekend hiker to the guy
doing a recce on a ridgeline in Afghanistan, needs some kind of layering
system to maintain a core temperature for survival. As a SERE Instructor we lived by the 3 W’s,
Wicking, Warmth, and Weather.
A wicking
layer pulls moisture away from the body and dries relatively quickly. This allows your body to sweat while exerting
effort but not stay soaked and drop your body temperature when the ambient
temperature drops. There are plenty of
synthetic choices but I’m a fan of natural fibers like merino wool.
The warmth
layer does just that, provides warmth relative to your environment. How much warmth depends on your AO, but it
should be capable of keeping you alive when combined with the other
layers. A 200 weight fleece might be
fine for a fall overnighter in western North Carolina, but could prove deadly
on a winter night in Hells Canyon.
The weather
layer is typically waterproof, but at least highly water and wind
resistant. The purpose is to keep rain,
snow, and wind off of you. Even in
relatively mild weather your body temperature can plummet to dangerously low
levels while sweating and a cool breeze blowing through. I prefer a hood on a weather layer to keep
rain and snow finding its way down my neck and chilling me to the bone.
There is no
shortage of technological advances in outdoor wear. Synthetic wicking materials, wind proof
fleeces, soft shells, hybrid insulating layers, and the list goes on and
on. You can feasibly get the 3 W’s down
to two, as long as they can accomplish the required tasks above, but you will
lose some ability to adapt to your ever changing environment. There’s always a tradeoff.
One last
thing to consider is your extremities.
Good boots and socks, gloves, and something to cover your melon can make
you happy in even the worst weather conditions.
Careful consideration of the gear you choose can mean the difference
between a good hike and a horrible weekend, mission success or mission
failure. Who knows, it might even save
your life.
Josh
