Wilderness Survival Guide

http://www.backpacker.com/survival/

Thought I'd pass this along.

-- Craig

Hmm. Some weird stuff

from the site

"Sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses after dark limits the heat escaping through your eyes. "It can make a perceptible difference in body heat retention," says John Gookin, survival expert with NOL"



??????????

Say what?

"Sunglasses. Wearing sunglasses after dark limits the heat escaping through your eyes. "It can make a perceptible difference in body heat retention," says John Gookin, survival expert with NOL"

Plus, it makes for a real cool-looking corpse.

That's a new one on me too. My first guess would be that (any) glasses might reduce airflow around the eyesocket, thereby reducing heat loss (would've never guessed "perceptible difference" though).

As for sunglasses, I thought that only mirrored sunglasses reflected heat to any real extent. Wrong again.

Of course, the downside is that while you're trying to hike out at night (using your GPS or compass) with Oakleys donned, you can't see the 100-ft. cliff comin' and you fall to your death ? but with warm eyeballs to the bitter end. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks, Craig. Good reading.

The ubiquitous solar-still advice is there, too. It must work somewhere or it wouldn't be such common advice. The 3 books I have on desert survival warn me that solar stills only work in the desert if it's raining <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Very Hilarious! Why not just pull your wool hat down over your eyes if you're worried about heat loss? Is this sunglasses / heat loss thing another urban legend?

I'm convinced that solar stills continue to be mentioned merely out of habit. Akin to an urban legend that's perpetuated without being questioned. Seawater? Perhaps another story altogether.

We likely have one or more of the same desert books – and I tend to believe them. To be honest, I've never tried one, but have heard many, many firsthand stories of failure.

Dan

A person does radiate a lot of heat through the eyes. It can easily be felt when you or another person has a fever. But wow... I didn't realize that so much of the body's heat could be kept in by wearing sunglasses. It's the first time I think I've come across that information that I can remember. It's a good thing I EDC sunglasses I suppose. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Ya know, when you have a fever, you radiate heat EVERYWHERE! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Guess the sunglasses at night only work after you have dug the solar still....that's why no one around here knew about it, LOL

Survivalism as such as merged with pop culture. The survival tale has emerged as Urban Legend. Survivalism as enterainment has arrived.

Just look at the popularity of The Discovery Channel's "I Shouldn't Be Alive." Even my wife has gotten hooked into watching a few episodes.

The art, skill, luck, misfortune, and bad decisions involved in survival CAN rival the best soap operas out there.

-- Craig

Sounds like one for "Mythbusters"

My curiosity got the better of me. So, I e-mailed John Gookin, explained the context of my inquiry, and he was kind enough to reply today.

My question: "We're of course familiar the concept of heat loss through the head, but special mention of the eyes (and sunglasses) piqued our interest. Could you provide a brief explanation of the dynamics: Why the eyes? Why sunglasses?"

Mr. Gookin's reply: "I've spent quite a few nights out with no sleeping bag. Most were as a recon marine. Some were as a SAR person who got my patient flown out but ended up waiting a day for my own ride out. Others were as a mountaineer in bivouac mode.

When I just have what is in my daypack, or pockets, anything I can do to cover bare skin makes a detectable difference in localized skin warmth. It just feels more comfortable than without.

I don't think there is anything about the eyes in particular, other than being on the head which doesn't shunt blood flow like the extremities do.

BTW, I also often use my spare socks over my hands."

I'm guessing that sunglasses were specified only because more people are likely to carry sunglasses as opposed to just (prescription) glasses, and that non-tinted glasses would do just as well.

While researching, I found that John has an impressive résumé, including: active in the National Speleological Society and Wilderness Medicine Institute; extensive cave-related and general SAR experience, instructor and curriculum manager for the National Outdoor Leadership School, author/co-author of several related books, and time spent as a Recon Marine.

Dan