How to dress for a hike
► Contradiction of the person-clothing system
► Resolution of person-clothing contradictions.
► Self-heating methods
► Tips - who is too lazy to understand the theory.
► Four stages, protecting the body from cold.
When climbing, storming caves or walking along water routes, a person is constantly under the influence of many different unfavorable factors. The most stable and permanently active is cold.The role of central heating in our body is performed by the circulatory system; it delivers heat from the depths of the body to its surface. In response to external cold exposure (C.C.), the body activates defense mechanisms (thermoregulation) that increase heat production in the body.
The first thermal protection is a narrowing of blood vessels on the surface of the body (goose bumps), which reduces the flow of blood, and with it the flow of heat from the depths of the body (core). The temperature difference between the surface of the body and the environment decreases and, consequently, heat loss decreases.
The second thermal protection - pulsations of the diameters of blood vessels. Trembling.
The third thermal protection is numbness. The pulsations turn into spasms, accompanied by pain, followed by a complete cessation of blood circulation in this area - numbness. If the area of h.v. begins to seize vital organs, turns on
Fourth thermal protection. There is a sharp expansion of all peripheral capillaries. Painful spasms pass, the feeling of cold is replaced by a feeling of pseudo-comfort and drowsiness. The core temperature drops sharply, causing the body to freeze (death). The body can be brought out of the fourth state only under special conditions.
► Contradiction of the person-clothing system
Thermoreceptors act as temperature sensors in the body. Moreover, they react not to the temperature of the environment or person, but to the difference between adjacent layers of skin. For example, when the wind hits a naked body, the temperature difference is high and the thermoreceptors respond with a powerful signal - the first stage of protection is immediately triggered (see above). Clothing, when there is a gust of wind, softens the temperature difference and, as a result, the body does not react to the temperature change for a long time, “slows down”, and the protection mechanisms turn on later, when heat loss is already large.This is how the first contradiction appears. To make up for heat loss, you begin to show increased activity (walking, running), the blood flow immediately accelerates, the process of heat formation is just beginning to intensify, and the blood is already carrying heat out. The person feels even more cold. But gradually the process of heat generation normalizes, but the body, deprived of orientation, “overshoots” the point of the desired equilibrium.
This is where the second contradiction of clothing comes into play. And as a result of overheating, excess heat is formed under clothing. Here, clothing would allow this excess heat to pass through, but it cannot change its heat-protective properties. And the body is forced to turn on the second heat protection mechanism - intense sweating begins.
Here we come to the most important third contradiction between man and clothing. Sweat (moisture) released on the surface of the skin begins to evaporate, carrying away invaluable heat through layers of clothing. Somewhere in the layers of clothing, the steam reaches the dew point, where the saturated steam turns into moisture as a result of the drop in temperature. Soaking, first the outer layers and gradually moving closer to the body. Those. clothes become damp. Evaporation stops, but the thermal conductivity of damp clothing is 20 times higher than dry clothing and you continue to lose heat. This is how the third contradiction between man and clothing manifests itself.
► Resolution of person-clothing contradictions.
So, the main disadvantages of warm (thick) clothes.1. Disorientation of the body's thermoregulation system.
2. Clothing cannot change its thermal conductivity.
3. When you are in the cold, clothes inevitably become damp.
The first drawback is almost impossible to eliminate, but here nature itself came to our aid. It turns out that a number of heat-protective agents are triggered by facial thermoreceptors. And much faster than from the thermoreceptors of the legs or chest. The second and third contradictions are resolved as follows:
1. Moisture-wicking material in contact with the skin
2. Low moisture-absorbing material with a high content of air “cavities.”
3. Multi-layer loose clothing.(For air ventilation)
4. Wind, waterproof surface layer of clothing.
In the old days, it was recommended to wear a large-knot mesh over the naked body as a moisture-wicking agent. Allowing you to create an air gap to remove skin vapors and moisture (sweat). Modern technologies have created a number of materials known in the CIS as thermal underwear. Some companies provide characteristics of these fabrics. We should be primarily interested in its moisture-wicking properties. Down and down clothing have been used for a long time as a low-moisture-absorbing material with a large content of air cavities. Even now, in the ratio of low volume + weight + heat, it is unrivaled, but when moistened (wet), it completely loses its properties. And drying it is a big problem. Nowadays they use flees, polar, thinsulite. When moving, air circulates between the layers of clothing; when they are closed, local zones of increased pressure appear, air is pressed through layers of clothing and, on the one hand, carries away water vapor, and on the other, dries the clothes themselves. Jackets made of GORE-TEX fabric and its variations are certainly worn on top of everything.
► Self-heating methods
1. Intensification of physical activity2. One-time consumption of hot food
3. Continuous warming of the body using wearable heat sources.
4. Periodic heating under a polyethylene bell
5. Breathing exercises and auto-training.
During prolonged work (pardon rest), in cold conditions, with regular hypothermia of the body and cold overnight stays, even if the body does not freeze (thanks to periodic warming up), it is greatly depleted of energy. The nervous system comes into a state of special tension, called cold fatigue, and the person loses the ability to perform complex mental activities, the reaction decreases. A number of symptoms arise that indicate a deterioration in the ability to adapt.
· Pain in ligaments and muscles
· Intestinal disorders
· Runny nose
Rash like hives
· Irritability
· Muscle stiffness
Therefore, it is important to know (feel) when the body has passed the middle of the resistance stage and is approaching the exhaustion stage in order to take action. And lastly: it is strictly forbidden to use alcohol as self-heating. Alcohol causes blood vessels to rapidly dilate. You will feel that it has become warmer. BUT! it's just a feeling. In fact, the body will lose an unreasonably large amount of heat by cooling the core of your body, and you will soon become even colder. Drinking alcohol is possible if you are sure that in a couple of hours you will be warm and comfortable.
| Material prepared Andrey Filippenko |
► Tips - who is too lazy to understand the theory.
The optimal option for protecting an urbanized person from the cold - multi-layered clothing made from different materials. Studies have shown that 4-5 layers of clothing provide the best protection from the cold. The body is covered with underwear made of soft cotton or mohair, several, not very tight-fitting, thin sweaters and pants made of fleece (2-3 thin sweaters, much better than one thick one, since a layer of air is formed between them), a suit made of thick cotton fabric or “breathable” synthetics, and on top a suit or overalls made of synthetic fabric with down or artificial insulation insulation. You say: “How do you move around in all this?” - No way, you need to have all this in your backpack and put it on in case of a long stop or a forced overnight stay.Shoes play a very important role Practice has shown that 9/10 of all frostbites occur on the lower extremities. Shoes must be loose, the material from which they are made must “breathe”. If one of these conditions is not met, then frostbite will occur in the first case from poor circulation of blood carrying heat, and in the second because socks wet from condensation are no longer able to store heat. In the latter case, you need to change your wet socks to dry ones (if you have them), and put the wet ones on your stomach to dry, or get rid of such shoes, and wrap your feet in scarves and rags, if you have all this on hand. Feet can also get wet because snow melts on the surface of the boots during the day without being treated with a hydrophobic composition, as well as when snow gets inside the shoes. You can protect yourself from this by using shoe covers - bags made of durable fabric that protect your shoes from snow.
If you feel that your limbs are hurting, stiff, start warming up using your inner warmth. To do this, you need to change wet mittens for dry ones; if you don’t have them, put on dry socks, bend forward and make wide swings of your arms forward and back in a vertical plane. The swings should be strong with a period of approximately one second, while the blood is thrown back to the hands by centrifugal force. In the same way, you need to warm up your legs by holding onto something with your hands, and using your straight leg to make energetic swings as wide and strong as possible. Usually 30-40 double swings are enough to cause a general warm-up of the body and completely warm the leg. Before warming up, you can unlace your boot or put on a felt boot. Taking off your shoes in the cold and warming your feet by rubbing is pointless. To warm up your hands, there is another proven method - push your hands into your pants, without trying to undo buttons or loosen the belt, and press them to your inner thighs, this is the warmest place. If frost is combined with wind, then frostbite on the cheeks and nose is possible; to avoid this, it is enough to protect your face with a mask, scarf, or piece of cloth.
The mechanism of action of cold on fabric is that, Normal blood access to tissues, their nutrition and oxygen supply are stopped, which can lead to their death. The main principle of recovery is slow warming up, preferably with internal heat. If possible, place the limb in a basin with lukewarm water and, adding hot water, bring its temperature to 40o C for 15 - 20 minutes. Warming is carried out until normal skin color and sensitivity are restored. You should not rub or knead the injured limb; this will only harm the skin and tissues that are easily vulnerable when frozen. Under no circumstances should you use snow to warm up your limbs! If there is no suitable container, you can use compresses from towels, scarves and other suitable fabric. It is necessary to change them as often as possible and monitor the temperature. When warming a limb, do not forget about the general heating of the person. After warming up, it is necessary to dry the limb, wrap it in cotton wool or a soft, clean cloth, and provide warmth. If you are convinced that the victim has not suffered from general hypothermia, you can give drugs that dilate blood vessels and increase blood circulation.
Even the best clothes and shoes They will be able to protect you from the cold only for a short time - depending on the strength of the frost and wind, as well as the vitality of the person himself. And if you don’t use this time wisely - to build a shelter, or to reach the nearest settlement (if you know exactly where it is and how long it will take to get there) - death is inevitable. Remember, when fighting the frost, it is important to stop in time and start preparing for a cold night. Physical strength alone cannot overcome the cold; sooner or later your strength will run out, you will want to sit down and rest, and this is the beginning of the end. Therefore, you need to take care of shelter while these forces are still there.
Often people, having had an accident, try to build shelters from traditional materials: remains of tents, wreckage of vehicles, poles, etc. At the same time, they rarely achieve what they want, the shelters are blown by the wind, warm air evaporates into the cracks, so the temperature inside is almost always the same as outside.
Meanwhile, often the best building material is found right under your feet - snow. Any person who has ever built with blocks in childhood can build a shelter out of snow in two to three hours. In a properly constructed shelter, even the flame of one candle is enough to raise the temperature to 0 - +5 oC at 30 o frost outside. Even if you cannot build an igloo out of snow, at least make a wall that will reliably protect you from the wind.
Now about the fire. We definitely take matches (preferably lighters) with us, even if we are going out of town for two hours. And if we go out for the whole day, we’ll also take dry fuel and a candle. We will need them when starting a fire, especially if the wood is wet.
The place for the campfire plays an important role. It is advisable to set it up on a level place with a large amount of firewood nearby. It is better if some obstacle is located on the windward side - a large stone, a blockage of trees, an inverted root. If there is not much snow, then it must be cleared to the ground; in deep snow, a fire must be built on a floor of poles. A well-lit fire will melt the snow to the ground. If there is a lot of snow, then the deck must be built from tightly laid wet logs; the fire will begin to fall into the hole, and you need to expand it. until you go down to the level of the fire.
Irkutsk Express
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