I know you've already gotten the cotton message, but I just want to add that in hiking and outdoors circles cotton is called "the death cloth" for good reason. There is no faster way to get hypothermia than being in non-quick drying clothes. If you do any hiking, snowshoing, fall biking, x-c skiing, kayaking and so on, please do not wear cotton!

I NEVER wear cotton for exercising or anything where I anticipate being wet or working up a sweat, even when its warm and pleasant out. It's just been ingrained into me. And even on a "warm" day, say for example getting caught in the rain while out for a run, or being in BDU's on a hot day (yuk), being in wet cotton can have a noticeable effect on one's morale.

The layering suggestions are very good ones. For a highly aerobic activity such as running, you will likely need far fewer layers than you think you need. At least until you stop . Snowshoeing or XC skiing are prime examples of this - you will generate plenty of heat but cool down very fast when you stop. So the outer layers are usually for the cool down times, while the inner layers are what you'll actually be doing the sport in.

Also, the biggest source of heat loss, in order, is from your head (~30-50%) followed by your hands. So for the aerobic activities, a nice thin hat and thin gloves (such as glove liners) are a must. For less aerobic outdoors pursuits, such as downhill skiing, or shoveling the driveway, thicker hats and gloves are called for. And if you're out for a while, drink lots of water. People often associate drinking with warm temps, and sweating, when in reality being in cooler drier air can have a significant effect on dehydrating you just as fast.

See, you got me started.... sorry for the long answer. I am WFA certified and have done both land and water SAR...

"Support search and rescue - get lost! "


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