Hi all - I have a nephew who's serving in Iraq right now. He's definitely got it better than a lot of guys - he's a mechanic, and on a base with some basic amenities and at night their tent's got AC (don't know how good it is).
But that said, it's 117 degrees or so daily, 105 in the shade (if you can get it), and he said he spends the majority of his "down time" trying to cool off enough to go to sleep.
So, I know we have members who live in comparable weather conditions (Arizona comes to mind) - or have done so in the past. Any suggestions for adapting to the heat (he's only been there a couple weeks), or tricks/tips for keeping cool when you can't hang out in the AC?
Any/all suggestions are welcomed.
And as a side note/question, anyone know anything about this item?
Camper's Ice Cream Maker
I've found links to where it's sold, but not a single review or any mention of anyone who's actually used it. I'm considering it as a novelty present for him, but I still don't know if he regularly has access to enough ice to make this usable (and assuming I/other family members would send him some of the ingredients he'd need)...for those who've done stints of long, hot work, would you then feel like futzing around with the ingredients on this thing, then spending 20 minutes or so rolling it around to make a pint of ice cream or slushy? Or does it just seem like a car camper's luxury item?
Thanks folks
Dave

I use to work almost daily in those and higher temps in an industrial setting. We always had to keep an eye on the new guys until they learned to deal with the heat. We always sent them to drink lots of water and sports drinks if they started to falter. In a low humidity setting getting wet on the outside helps too depending on circumstances of course.
As I sit here looking out on a cool rainy day I don’t really miss it much but know I could survive it again if I had to. Give him our best wishes and tell him to watch the guys who have been there a while they will have learned a few tricks.
Temps like that you will never “beat” but you can learn to keep them from killing you!

Tell your nephew we thank him for his service. Without men like him we would not be free.

Here in Arizona we also have very hot dry weather, it was 110 yesterday. I do a lot of hiking in the heat. One of the best things I have found is to take a neckerchief and get it wet. Tie it around your neck. The evaporating water will cool you off. Also getting your hat wet helps. There is a product called cool bandanas. There are several brands. http://www.coolbandanas.com/ The crystals get cool when wet and stay that way for a long time. They have camouflage.

Dave,

IMHO having an AC sleeping facility is a mistake; it keeps him from climatizing. I'm saying that based on my experiences in Somalia in 92 - 93, where it got even hotter than that. (And FWIW, my experiences living here in the humid and hot Midwest summers). For a brief time I had the use of an AC trailer and working outside became miserable. When I moved back outside 100% of the time, I functioned great, slept great, etc. Sure, you sweat a lot (and have to drink a lot of water), but it was not that hard to get used to.

Spending time in and out of AC space is the problem.

HTH,

Tom

One trick is to soak a T-shirt in water, wring it out a little bit so you don't drip everywhere, then put it on next to the skin. The cooling effect of the evaporating water is significant, and this works really well in low-humidity climes. When I used this technique in the Grand Canyon it was like wearable air conditioning. Also, the cooler the water is, the better.

Unfortunately I think it just takes time more than anything else. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Hi all - thanks for the recommendations so far. More ideas would be welcomed.
Craig - yep, I saw those and added a couple in the package I sent him - hopefully they'll help, too.

Ayers - I suspect you're right about that, but it's probably a tough sell to tell the guys they're better off without it...I imagine if it was available, I'd want it, too.
On another board, I got recommended to try this item:
Misty Mate

Has anyone tried these? Are they effective/worthwhile?
Thanks again guys.
Dave

I know that many of the major theme parks have them at various locations to “cool” down the guests and yes they do work.

However, a clean source of water or the ability to treat the water is absolutely necessary. Contaminated (biologically or chemically) water dispersed in this ultra-fine mist is asking for respiratory infections and deep ones at that. As the fine water mist could be deeply inhaled.

Pete

There is no way to skip the "aclimatization" (spl) period.
I served in extremely hot and dry places. First week is hell burt once the body gets "tuned" then you know how to behave, how much you can push yourself and how much to drink : in some places we were asked to drink some 20+ liters a day- NEVER EVER skip on this. Economize in sweat but never on drinking.

We never did all those tricks with a wet shirt or a wet whatever. In dry conditions the body cools by itself provided the liquids intake is appropiate, and being too busy with tending that wet shirt, will distract you from the job you are doing.

I live in a somewhat warmish and humid place- not hell, but close.

Try this, they work! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
http://www.friendshipcorners.com/coolnecktie.htm

Somebody already mentioned wetting a t-shirt, I do this straight out of my water bottle on job sites (construction laborer, yes, outside in the heat all day long), not only does it do just as good as a mist bottle, but it's one less gadget to carry (or lose or forget), and it's money that can be spent elsewhere. While I'm at it, in the worst of the Summer heat, I sleep without A.C. for the reason already mentioned, it makes the days out in the heat tolerable (sp?). Don't be afraid to SWEAT, and drink PLENTY of water and/or gatorade, the bottles would be hard to send, but they make powdered mix you could send in a care package. Most "NEW" or "AMAZING" gimicks aren't either one.

Troy

One thing to remember is that by wetting your t-shirt you lower it's ability to block the burning rays of the sun to almost nothing. So while you will feel cooler, you are exposing yourself to the dangers of sunburn and skin damage. Something to remember when you are working in the sun every day.
Our prayers and our gratitude are with him

You mean to say that I can get a sunburn through a wet shirt?

Brian; The short answer is yes. Different fabrics have different levels of spf ("sun protection factor" the same numbers you find on sunscreen), thin cotton like a t- shirt only has an spf of about 5 and this number goes way down when the fabric gets wet. the reason is that more uva and uvb rays can penetrate the wet fabric. Granted wearing a wet t-shirt is better than nothing but not by much. This is why a lot of tournement fishing pros have started wearing clothing specificaly designed to have a higher spf number. There is a really good article about this in the June 05 issue of Field and Stream. Now don't get me wrong I still go out in shorts and t-shirts and I still ocasionaly get a little sunburn but I try more now to use more protection when I know I am going to be spending alot of time in the sun. Some survival techniques are for short term survival and some are for long.
hope this helps answer your question

I have spent many summers in Phoenix, Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, Del Rio and whole lot of other places where 100 degrees in the shade and 60 days of hardly a cloud in the sky is no exageration and have never gotten even a tan, let alone a burn on any part of my body covered by even the thinnest cotton t-shirt. I'm not denying what you say at all.... just pointing out why I find it so interesting. For all I know I may be somewhat immune to bruning this easily since I have lived in hot, sunny environments most of my life.

Brian; As I said in my last post you don't have to belive me. There are plenty of other sources for you to look. The field and stream article for one, also check out retailers such as Campmor, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro shops etc... look at all of the clothing items they sell in which they specify the spf ratings. These items are especialy being produced for people who spend a lot of time on the water because of the added reflection of sunlight. So no hard feelings, I just wanted to share a little info regarding the latest findings regarding skin damage and skin cancer prevention.

Sorry, Blade, but my experience is identical to Brian's. And I have spent a lot on time on the water. And I have red hair and the skin that goes with it. And I spent most of my life ranching.

That merchandise is being specially produced with more money than sense and a poorly developed BS detector.

Again; You don't have to belive me. Here is an article from the american cancer society, maybe they will have more credibility than I do. This was not my opinion, I was just stating the scientific data as it is understood today. I don't think the american cancer society is out to help sell gimicks for unrelated companies. but that is just my opinion. It's funny, in the article the discuss the fact that most americans do not follow the safety guidelines that they recomend.


american cancer society

Dave.
This months issue of Consumer reports had a piece on it
and they say it works. have been thinking about it as well.

Lee

Oh I completely believe what youre saying and I have looked at campor as an additional source and I know youre completely on the level. I just wonder if this isnt a marketing gimmick. More of our great american retailers selling us things we dont really need. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It couldn't be that they're trying to sell their new clothing line, could it? After being seriously burned by a steam line (six weeks in the hospital and another four months of out-patient treatment/therapy), the doctors (yes, more than one) recommended that I not go outdoors with out... yes, a tee shirt, to protect the scarring from the sun... for the rest of my life. As far as I'm concerned, M.D.s beat Cabela's any day of the week.

Troy

O.K.... I stand corrected.