Winte r Ca mping And Ba c kpa c king Co ld We a the r Da ng e rs - - PDF document
1/ 29/ 2013 Winte r Ca mping And Ba c kpa c king Co ld We a the r Da ng e rs Hypothe rmia - is a c o nditio n in whic h c o re te mpe ra ture dro ps b e lo w the re q uire d te mpe ra ture fo r no rma l me ta b o lism a nd b o dy
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in whic h c o re te mpe ra ture dro ps b e lo w the re q uire d te mpe ra ture fo r no rma l me ta b o lism a nd b o dy func tio ns whic h is de fine d a s 95.0 °F .
r
c o nditio n whe re lo c a lize d da ma g e is c a use d to skin a nd o the r tissue s due to e xtre me c o ld.
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› Che c k the lo c a l we a the r fo re c a st fo r the time
pe rio d yo u will b e in the b a c kc o untry – we t, dry, wind, te mpe ra ture e xtre me s.
› Co nside r whe re yo u will b e g o ing in the
b a c kc o untry – wa te r fro nt, mo unta ins, a lpine . I n dry we a the r, the te mpe ra ture dro ps a b o ut 5.5F pe r 1000 fe e t in e le va tio n g a in (3.2F fo r mo ist we a the r).
› Co nside r ho w lo ng yo u will b e in the
b a c kc o untry.
› Co nside r yo ur o wn se nsitivity to lo w
te mpe ra ture s.
› Co nside r the e xte nt o f yo ur physic a l e xe rtio n a t
the e nd o f the da y.
va po ra tio n
– Co mb ina tio n o f
c o nve c tio n a nd e va po ra tio n
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he rma l c onduc tivity, k, is the
pro pe rty o f a ma te ria l's a b ility to c o nduc t he a t.
a c ro ss ma te ria ls o f lo w the rma l c o nduc tivity.
c o nduc tivity a re use d a s the rma l insula tio n.
Thermal conductivity [W/(m·K)]
Vacuum Water (vapor) 0.016 Air (sea level) 0.025 Silica Aerogel 0.026 Polyurethane Foam 0.02 - 0.03 Feathers 0.034 Fiberglas 0.035 Wool 0.03 - 0.04 Polystyrene Foam 0.03 - 0.05 Cotton 0.04 Hollow Fill Fiber Insulation 0.042 Paper 0.04 - 0.09 Polyester 0.05 Straw 0.05 Felt 0.06 Wood 0.09 - 0.14 Mineral oil 0.138 Particle Board 0.15 Neoprene 0.15 - 0.45 Rubber 0.16 Snow 0.16 Polypropylene 0.25 Teflon 0.25 Sand 0.27 Cement, Portland 0.29 Water (liquid) 0.561 Thermal grease 0.7 - 3 Glass 1.1 Soil 1.5 Concrete, stone 1.7 Water (ice) 2.2 Sandstone 2.4 Mercury 8.3 Stainless steel 14 Titanium 21.9 Lead 35.3 Steel 45 - 65 Iron 80.2 Aluminum 237 Gold 318 Copper 401 Silver 429 Diamond 895
Material
he r ma l r e sistivity, R, is the pro duc t
re c ipro c a l o f the the rma l c o nduc tivity.
la rg e R va lue whe n the the rma l c o nduc tivity o f tha t ma te ria l is sma ll a nd the thic kne ss is wide .
n la ye re d ma te ria ls, R-va lue s c a n b e a dde d.
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› T
he the rma l insula tio n o f c lo thing is pro po rtio na l to the thic kne ss o f the de a d a ir spa c e e nc lo se d.
› De a d a ir is de fine d a s a ny
e nc lo se d unit o f a ir tha t is sma ll e no ug h tha t na tura l c o nve c tio n c urre nts wo uld no t a rise in it.
› T
he de a d a ir ne xt to the skin is he a te d up b y the b o dy a nd pro vide s a la ye r o f wa rmth a ro und the b o dy.
› T
he c lo thing is no t wha t is ke e ping yo u wa rm it is the de a d a ir.
› T
he ke y to pro viding this de a d a ir spa c e is thro ug h ha ving a numb e r o f la ye rs o f c lo thing .
› I
f yo u ha ve to o muc h c lo thing o n, yo u will o ve rhe a t a nd sta rt to swe a t. Yo u ne e d to find the pro pe r he a t b a la nc e b e twe e n the numb e r a nd type s o f la ye rs a nd yo ur a c tivity le ve l.
› He a t lo ss fro m a we t surfa c e c a n b e up
to 25 time s g re a te r tha n a dry surfa c e (due to the hig he r de nsity o f wa te r).
› I
f yo u swe a t a nd g e t so a ke d, yo u will lo se he a t muc h mo re q uic kly thro ug h e va po ra tio n o f the wa te r.
› So yo u wa nt to c o ntro l yo ur la ye rs so a s
to b e wa rm a t the a c tivity le ve l yo u a re in b ut no t swe a ting pro fuse ly.
› Co nve c tio n ma y a c c o unt fo r the
g re a te st a mo unt o f he a t lo ss unde r mo st c o nditio ns. I n o rde r to pro pe rly insula te , yo u ne e d to ha ve a n o ute r la ye r tha t is windpro o f.
1/ 29/ 2013 5 › T
he Ba se L a ye r - wic k
mo isture a wa y fro m the b o dy a llo wing yo u to re ma in dry a nd wa rm.
› T
he Middle L a ye r- pro vide
the rma l pro te c tio n fro m the wind a nd the c o ld.
› T
he Oute r L a ye r - pro te c t
a g a inst ra in a nd wind, b ut a llo wing yo u to b re a th.
› E
xtre mitie s - he a ds, ha nds
a nd fe e t. Up to 40% o f the b o die s he a t c a n b e lo st thro ug h the e xtre mitie s.
› Co tto n is b a sic a lly use le ss in winte r time . › Pro b le ms with c o tto n o c c ur whe n the c o tto n g e ts we t. › Co tto n a b so rb s this mo isture a nd the wa te r
a ir. › Whe n wa te r o c c upie s the spa c e pre vio usly
pro pe rtie s. › Be c a use c o tto n ho lds so muc h mo isture , it c a n ho ld tha t mo isture a g a inst yo ur b o dy a nd sa p b o dy he a t fro m yo u b y hig h e va po ra tive c o o ling a nd c o nduc tio n. T his c a n q uic kly le a d to hypo the rmia . › A c o tto n g a rme nt is a lmo st impo ssib le to dry o ut. › Co tto n b e c o me s a b ra sive whe n we t.
1/ 29/ 2013 6 › Silk lo se s its insula ting pro pe rtie s
whe n it g e ts we t a nd do e s no t wic k like mo de rn hydro pho b ic fa b ric s.
› Wo o l insula te s re la tive ly we ll
whe n we t. But while so me we a ve s do she d wa te r fo r a pe rio d o f time , it will e ve ntua lly a b so rb a g re a t de a l mo re mo isture tha n c o mpa ra b ly we ig hte d synthe tic g a rme nts a nd b e c o me ve ry he a vy.
› All o f the se na tura l fib e r fa b ric s
ta ke muc h lo ng e r to dry o nc e we t tha n c o mpa ra b ly we ig hte d synthe tic fa b ric s.
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le e c e , ma de fro m po lye thyle ne o r o the r synthe tic s ha s
– 100 We ig ht – 200 We ig ht – 300 We ig ht
ill ha s ve ry g o o d wa rmth to we ig ht ra tio , a nd
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› F
ill powe ris a me a sure o f the
lo ft o r "fluffine ss" o f a do wn pro duc t tha t is lo o se ly re la te d to the insula ting va lue o f the do wn.
› T
he hig he r the fill po we r the mo re insula ting a ir po c ke ts the do wn ha s a nd the b e tte r insula ting a b ility.
› F
ill po we r is e xpre sse d a s c ub ic inc he s pe r o unc e (in³/ o z).
› F
ill po we r ra ng e s fro m a b o ut 300 in³/ o z fo r fe a the rs to a ro und 900 in³/ o z fo r the hig he st q ua lity do wn.
› A lo fting po we r o f 400-450 is
c o nside re d me dium q ua lity, 500-550 is c o nside re d g o o d, 550-750 is c o nside re d ve ry g o o d, a nd 750+ is c o nside re d e xc e lle nt.
Technically speaking fill power is a measurement of the amount of space one (1) ounce of down (as shown on the right) will occupy in cubic inches when allowed to reach its maximum loft. For example, one (1) ounce of 800 fill power goose down will loft to 800 cubic
clusters will loft higher, last longer and sleep warmer.
› Synthe tic F
ill is po lye ste r fib e r (suc h
a s Po la rg ua rd, Ho llo fil, Qua llo fil) use d simila rly to do wn, b ut do e s no t ha ve a s g o o d a wa rmth to we ig ht ra tio .
› I
t is le ss e xpe nsive , pro vide s g o o d insula tio n (fa irly e ffic ie nt a t pro viding de a d a ir spa c e tho ug h no t ne a rly a s e ffic ie nt a s do wn) e ve n whe n we t, drie s q uic kly, a nd a b so rb s ve ry little mo isture .
› Ove r time with re pe a te d
c o mpre ssio ns, the fib e rs b e c o me da ma g e d a nd b e c o me le ss e ffe c tive a s a n insula to r.
› Primaloft - the princ ipa l b e hind supe r
thin fib e rs is tha t b y ma king the fib e r thinne r yo u c a n inc re a se the a mo unt
inc lude Mic ro lo ft a nd T hinsula te .
Prima loft One Down
1/ 29/ 2013 9 › Ha rd She ll – the se ma te ria ls a re wa te rpro o f a nd so me wha t
b re a tha b le . T he ir e sse ntia l e le me nt is a thin, po ro us me mb ra ne tha t b lo c ks liq uid wa te r, b ut le ts thro ug h wa te r va po r (e va po ra te d swe a t). T he mo re e xpe nsive ma te ria ls a re typic a lly mo re b re a tha b le . T he b e st-kno wn b ra nd is Go re -T e x.
› All ra inwe a r e xte rio rs (a lso kno wn a s fa c e fa b ric s) a re tre a te d with a
dura ble wa te r re pe lle nt (DWR) finish. E
ve n ra inwe a r c la ssifie d a s wa te r-re sista nt (whic h inc lude s so ft she lls) c a rrie s a DWR finish.
re sista nt ma te ria ls o nly pa rtia lly b lo c k wa te r. On the o the r ha nd the y a re usua lly mo re b re a tha b le a nd c o mfo rta b le tha n ha rd she lls.
stre tc h wo ve n fa b ric s (Sc ho e lle r, fo r e xa mple ) with tig ht la ye re d we a ve s a nd dura b le wa te r re pe lle nt (DWR) tre a tme nts to g ua rd a g a inst wind, ra in, a nd sno w in a ll b ut the mo st se ve re we a the r c o nditio ns.
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› Insula te d Boots – Wa te rpro o f, synthe tic
fill, he e l lip fo r sno wsho e s & c ra mpo ns.
› Pla stic Mounta ine e r
ing Boots – pla stic
she ll mo unta ine e ring b o o ts use inne r b o o ts ma de with wo o l fe lt o r c lo se d c e ll fo a m insula tio n. T he se c a n b e ve ry wa rm a nd e a sily use d with ski b inding s, c ra mpo ns, a nd sno wsho e s. De pe nding
insula te d o ve r b o o ts to a dd e no ug h insula tio n to ke e p yo ur fe e t wa rm.
› High Gaite r
s – Wa te rpro o f a nd
b re a tha b le fa b ric
› Soc ks – wool or
synthe tic
› Mic r
› Snowshoe s
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› Alwa ys use a pa d unde r yo ur
sle e ping b a g in the winte r.
› Ma ny pe o ple sug g e st two
pa ds. One sho uld b e a full le ng th 1/ 2" thic k c lo se d c e ll fo a m pa d. T he se c o nd pa d c a n b e e ithe r a c lo se d c e ll pa d o r a n infla ta b le pa d.
› I
nsula ting yo urse lf fro m the g ro und is mo re impo rta nt tha n insula ting yo urse lf fro m the c o ld a ir.
T HE RMARE ST INF L AT ABL E PADS: 2.0" L uxury E ditio n: 4.1 R-va lue 1.6" Ca mplite : 4.1 R-va lue 1.5" Guide lite : 3.8 R-va lue 1.0" Ultra lite : 2.6 R-va lue 1.75" Sta nda rd: 5.8 R-va lue 2.0" Ba se c a mp: 6.1 R-va lue 1.5" E xplo re r: 4.7 R-va lue Ne o Air All Se a so n: 4.9 R-va lue T HE RMARE ST CL OSE D CE L L F OAM PADS: 0.75" Z-Re st: 2.2 R-va lue 0.75" Ridg e Re st De luxe : 3.1 R-va lue 0.625" Ridg e Re st: 2.6 R-va lue 0.44" L ing Re st: 1.9 R-va lue 0.75" Ridg e Re st So la r: 3.5 R-va lue 0.375" (3/ 8") Go ssa me r Ge a r T hinlig ht Insula tio n Pa d Ma de o f Clo se d Ce ll E va zo te F
0.375" (3/ 8") Blue Clo se d Ce ll F
VA (E thyle ne Vinyl Ac e ta te ): 1.35 R-va lue Ca mplite + 0.375" T hinlig ht Clo se d Ce ll F
Ne o Air All Se a so n + 0.375" T hinlig ht Clo se d Ce ll F
E XPE D Do wnMa t 9: 8.0 R-va lue
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› Sle e ping b a g s fo r winte r c a mping sho uld b e ra te d to te mpe ra ture s b e lo w wha t yo u will like ly e xpe rie nc e if yo u wa nt to b e c o mfo rta b le . I f the nig httime te mpe ra ture c a n dro p to -15 F , the n yo ur b a g sho uld b e ra te d to -30 F . › T he re a re a va rie ty o f diffe re nt fills fo r sle e ping b a g s: do wn, Prima lo ft, Mic ro lo ft, Qua lo fill, Po la rg ua rd, e tc . › T he b a g itse lf sho uld b e a mummy style b a g with a ho o d. I t sho uld a lso ha ve a dra ft tub e a lo ng the zippe r a nd a dra ft c o lla r a t the ne c k. › I n sle e ping b a g s, yo u wa nt the b a g to snug ly c o nfo rm to yo ur b o dy. I f the b a g is to o b ig , yo u will ha ve la rg e spa c e s fo r c o nve c tio n c urre nts a nd yo u will b e c o ld. › “E N 13537:2002 Re q uire me nts fo r Sle e ping Ba g s” is the o ffic ia l E uro pe a n Sta nda rd fo r the te sting a nd la b e ling o f sle e ping b a g s. › Co uple s o fte n wa nt to b e a b le to sle e p to g e the r. I f a c o uple sle e ps c lo se to g e the r, sa y spo o ne d, the y sho uld b e c o mfo rta b le in te mpe ra ture s whic h a re 10-15F c o lde r tha n the y wo uld b e c o mfo rta b le in unde r the sa me insula tio n witho ut so me o ne e lse . › Sle e p with a sto c king c a p o r b a la c la va o n yo ur he a d to he lp ho ld in yo ur b o dy he a t. Cinc hing up yo ur mummy b a g so tha t o nly yo ur e ye s, no se , a nd mo uth a re e xpo se d is a no the r wa y to ho ld in he a t. › Do n't b re a the inside yo ur sle e ping b a g a t nig ht. Mo isture fro m yo ur b re a th will we t yo ur sle e ping b a g a nd re duc e its insula ting a b ility.
› Yo u c a n o pt fo r the e xpe ditio n b a g whic h is ra te d to -30 F
b a g ra te d to 0 F a nd a ug me nt it with: › A va po r b a rrie r line r (a dds 5-10 de g re e s) – Va po r b a rrie r line rs sho uld o nly b e use d in te mpe ra ture s we ll b e lo w fre e zing . › A b ivy sa c k (a dds 5-10 de g re e s) › An o ve rb a g (a dds 15-20 de g re e s) – An o ve rb a g is a summe r we ig ht b a g tha t fits o ve r yo ur mummy b a g . Ma ke sure it is b ig e no ug h to fit o ve r the mummy witho ut c o mpre ssing it. › Also , yo u c a n supple me nt pe rfo rma nc e b y we a ring c lo the s a nd b o o tie s to b e d. › K e e p in mind tha t e a c h o f the se o ptio ns ha s a dva nta g e s a nd disa dva nta g e s in te rms o f pric e , we ig ht, a nd vo lume ta ke n up in yo ur pa c k.
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›
4 Se a son T e nt
– Stre ng th to withsta nd b o th wind a nd sno w. F
po le s to ho ld sno w lo a ds a nd e xtra tie do wns to ho ld up in hig h winds. – Ab ility to she d sno w - the te nt must ha ve a ro o f line tha t a llo ws sno w to fa ll o ff. – Ro o m - yo u ne e d lo ts o f inte rna l spa c e o n a winte r trip fo r a ll the b ulky g e a r yo u a re c a rrying . – Sing le vs. Do ub le Wa ll ›
Snow Stake s
– On sno w se t te nt sta ke s “de a dma n” style . T ie into the c e nte r o f the sta ke the n b ury it ho rizo nta lly in sno w o r unde r ro c ks. T he line a nd sta ke to g e the r sho uld ma ke a “T ”. Be sure to b ury the sta ke se ve ra l fe e t de e p o r the sta ke s will me lt o ut! – Burie d sno w sta ke s mig ht g e t fro ze n in the sno w – ic e a xe c o me s in ha ndy fo r e xtra c tio n ›
Snow Shove l
– Pre pa re a spo t in the sno w fo r the te nt
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› Co mpre sse d g a s vs. white g a s › Use c a niste rs in liq uid fe e d mo de (in o the r wo rds, the c a niste r is use d upside do wn) › Use a wind sc re e n › Use a b a se – ho t sto ve will sink into sno w › Do n’ t se t a po t in the sno w a nd the n put o n the sto ve fla me ; yo u ma y snuff it o ut pe rma ne ntly
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›
Compr e sse d gas stove s syste ms a re g e ne ra lly lig htwe ig ht,
mo re c o mpa c t, q uic k to se t up, a nd do no t re q uire priming (white g a s sto ve ). › Co ld c a use s le ss pre ssure inside the c a niste r, c a using le ss a b ility fo r the fue l to va po rize . T he c o ld, no t the a ltitude c a use s c a niste r fue ls to ra pidly de c re a se in pe rfo rma nc e (Altitude c a n a c tua lly a id in the va po rizing o f the fue ls). › Yo u c a n wa rm the c a niste rs b y sle e ping with the m in yo ur sle e ping b a g , o r yo u c a n just e le c t to use a white g a s stove
syste m.
› Pure b uta ne (n-b uta ne ) c a niste r fue ls do no t wo rk b e lo w 32F . › A c a niste r o f iso b uta ne fue l c a n wo rk a t te mpe ra ture s a b o ve 21F . › Pure pro pa ne will wo rk a t te mpe ra ture s b e lo w 0F . Pro pa ne re q uire s a he a vie r g a ug e c o nta ine r tha t is to o he a vy fo r use in b a c kpa c king . › Mo st c a niste r fue ls c o nta in a mix o f pro pa ne a nd iso b uta ne to b o o st the pe rfo rma nc e in c o lde r te mpe ra ture s. › E xa mple s o f the se fue ls a re : Je t Bo il Je tPo we r (25% pro pa ne , 75% iso b uta ne ), MSR I so Pro (20% pro pa ne , 80% iso b uta ne ), Sno w Pe a k Gig a Po we r (15% pro pa ne , 85% iso b uta ne ) a nd Co le ma n Po we rma x (35% pro pa ne 65% n-b uta ne ). No te that the Po we rmax fue l has be e n disc o ntinue d.
› T he c a p o n the Hune rsdo rf b o ttle g ive s yo u mo re b e ne fit in multiple wa ys.
– F irst, it is ma de o ut o f the sa me plia b le ma te ria l a s the b o ttle b o dy a nd will no t c ra c k o r split in e xtre me c o ld . – Se c o ndly, a Hune rsdo rf c a p is muc h la rg e r, ha s a muc h wide r a nd thic ke r thre a d pa tte rn, a nd ha s la rg e rib s o n the o utside fo r e a se in g ripping (e ve n with g lo ve s o r mitts o n). T he thic ke r thre a ds a id in c le a ring ic e o n a fro ze n b o ttle suc h tha t the y a re muc h e a sie r to o pe n whe n fro ze n.
› Wa te r b a g s o r b la dde r syste ms ma y fre e ze . › I f yo ur te nt is se t up o n the sno w, do n’ t le a ve wa te r b o ttle s (e ve n if the y a re in insula te d ja c ke ts) in c o nta c t with the flo o r o f the te nt a ll nig ht; the wa te r will fre e ze so lid! Put wa te r b o ttle s in yo ur sle e ping b a g ; ma ke sure the lids a re tig ht! › Do n’ t c o unt o n finding liq uid wa te r. I t ma y a ll b e fro ze n. Yo u c a n me lt sno w in a c o o king po t.
– Ha ve a de sig na te d la rg e stuff sa c k to sc o o p sno w into fo r ha uling tha t b a c k to c a mp. T his a llo ws fo r using c le a ne r sno w tha n fro m the imme dia te a re a a ro und yo ur c a mp. – T a ke a la rg e r po t tha n usua l (2.5 lite r) sinc e a la rg e vo lume o f sno w will ne e d to b e me lte d to g e t a use ful vo lume o f liq uid wa te r. – I f yo u ha ve so me liq uid wa te r a lre a dy, sta rt he a ting it a nd a dd sno w g ra dua lly. T his pre ve nts sc o rc hing the po t b e fo re liq uid sta rts fo rming .
› I f the re is liq uid wa te r a va ila b le a nd yo u try purifying it with a filte r pump, the pump ma y fre e ze a t lo we r te mpe ra ture s b e c o ming use le ss. Wa te r c a n a lso b e purifie d c he mic a lly o r b y b rie f b o iling .
1/ 29/ 2013 16
› Alka line b a tte rie s sto p pro viding
po we r a t ve ry lo w te mpe ra ture s while L ithium b a tte rie s c o ntinue to pro vide po we r do wn to -40 F .
– L
ithium b a tte rie s we ig ht a b o ut 40% le ss tha n a lka line b a tte rie s.
– While in use , lithium b a tte rie s la st
lo ng e r tha n a lka line b a tte rie s.
– L
ithium b a tte rie s ha ve mo re tha n 2 time s the she lf life o ve r a lka line b a tte rie s.
Type Operating Temperature Range (F) Weight (oz.) Shelf Life at 70 °F (Years) Low Drain Service Hours* (50 mA Continuous at 70 °F ) High Drain Service Hours** (1000 mA Continuous at 70 °F ) Alkaline 0 to 130 0.8 7 49 1 Lithium
0.5 15 64 4
Energizer AA Batteries Specifications
*Lithium lasts 1.3 times longer **Lithium lasts 4 times longer
T his No t T his
1/ 29/ 2013 17