Some of you would like to start getting outdoors but not sure what is involved or how to go about it.
Here at Adventure1 bushcraft store we recognize bushcraft and survival skills as an new, growing in popular hobby.Survival skills are important and it will make you aware of the countryside and wilderness and what kit to take on trips. So what do you want to do ? Bushcraft skills or just some hillwalking?
If you want to go hillwalking then this article on clothing should be of interest to you. See our section on survival aids.
This will, of course, depend on what type of terrain and weather conditions you are going out in?
Wilderness skills , do you have any such as building a shelter, fire wood and starting fires for warmth and cooking. We have a range of tents and bivi bags that are great for survival shelters. See our survival aids.
Clothing
It does not matter what you wear over your layers of clothing it will eventually get wet. It is mostly applied to Polytetrafluoroethylene garments. Of course anything will get wet if the rain is heavy enough or there is high humidity. What happens is the condensation builds up and will not allow evaporation to work and so the inside of the clothing gets wet. Snugpak jackets
1 The performer of the clothing in protecting the wearer from the wet. In a nut-shell how waterproof is the garment. This can be improved by keeping the garment clean and using a good waterproof spray designed for the type of garment you are wearing. The more water you keep out the better for you.
2 The breath-ability of the garment. This allows the condensation to evaporate away from your body. Most modern quality jackets have 2 or 3 layers of material that allows the water to bead away and the inner breathable layer to allow the moisture to wick away. This is why we recommend Snugpak jackets as they have superb insulations and breathable properties.
This means that you will sweat through the breathable fabric of the garment.If you put a Polytetrafluoroethylene ( non breathable fabric) garment over the insulation garment you will increase the humidity between your body and the air. It will make you feel warmer. You will will get the layers below the outside layer will become damp due to the moisture not being able to escape so you will get wet from the inside and not from the rain.Many people complain that the jacket is leaking when in fact it is not.
A problem can arise as more and more moisture will stay in the jacket and in cold weather you will start to chill.This can be a serious problem. if you do not have the correct layers then in bad weather and windy conditions there will be a risk of hypothermia.The layering system you are wearing should keep your skin dry and wick the moisture onto the next layer or mid layer.
1. It is vital that you a good wicking base layer or thermals like the Snugpak Long Sleeve Top -coolmax)-this accelerates cold perspiration away from your body onto the insulation layer.
2. In wet and humid climate synthetic insulation is a better choice than down insulation. When Synthetic fibers gets wet, they will still keep most of its thermal properties and still keep you warm although a little wet On the other hand Down insulation, will clump together,which in turn will loose its thermal properties and you will be cold and wet.
3. If you have zips under your arm pits it is a good idea to open them to allow excess moisture to be released into the air and it will allow the garment to work better.
4. With sweating comes dehydration, which can be a problem in certain situations, as well as using energy which will can help to bring on hypothermia. So keep topped up with fluids, warm drinks if you can and drink even if you are not thirsty.
5. If it is cold or you are not keeping warm and still moving, stop moving and look for some shelter; even if this means you have to erect a shelter or a tent. A little effort will get you out of the cold and feeling warmer again. At all costs get out of windy conditions if you are cold and get something warm to eat or drink. Do not risk you life.
6. According to conditions and terrain it is a good idea to carry spare clothing such as base or mid layers. The important points to keeping warm is to stop the warm air from escaping from the base and mid layers. Even in summer it is advisable to have a windproof smock or light jacket.I have been caught out in the summer by cold wind and sleet appearing in minutes from nowhere.