Equipped To Survive Equipped To Survive® Presents
The Survival Forum
Where do you want to go on ETS?

Page 2 of 2 < 1 2
Topic Options
#237855 - 12/23/11 06:22 AM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: bacpacjac]
Mark_M Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 11/19/09
Posts: 295
Loc: New Jersey
I've always carried extra clothing and insulation in the Jeep, but due to storage constraints I only kept a pair of trail runners for extra footwear.

This spring I loaded-up for a 4-day off-roading trip and set-off wearing a pair of Sanuk slip-ons. I had actually taken the trail runners out of the truck, intending to replace them with my Solomon hiking boots. I get to our first trail, around 40 degrees and raining, the first obstacle is stream crossing then a steep 300-yard long rock gorge, complete with running water and three "marbles": 18" to 30" diameter loose rocks. This was what we call a technical trail, meaning you spend as much or more time outside the rig checking obstacles, stacking rocks and, often, winching. This is the point where I discovered I'd forgotten the Solomons. It was a miserable day spent mostly inside the Jeep with cold and wet feet.

That night, after finally making it to our campsite, I drove an hour each way to a Walmart; the only store in the area that was open late and sold footwear. I paid $40 for a pair of Herman's Defenders hunting boots. They were pretty much the only acceptable option available in my size-13. I didn't expect much, but was very pleasantly surprised that they were warm, comfortable, and most important, waterproof.

Having learned my lesson well, the Defenders are now permanently at home under the rear seat of the Jeep.

I have saddlebags mounted inside the rear cargo area of the Jeep, above the wheel wells. The driver's side has a packable Gortex rain jacket and pants, sil-nylon rain poncho, an old synthetic fleece zip-up hoodie, merino wool base layer (in a large zip-loc bag), two pairs of insulated gloves and two polar-fleece toques. (The passenger-side is reserved for food and water purification.)

Then I have a dry bag strapped to the rear-driver's roll cage (lesson learned -- don't ask). This has 1 each synthetic boxer-briefs and T-shirt, nylon running shorts, Polartec pants and half-zip shirt, Wool/Silk hiking socks and silk liners. There's another dry bag in my GHB strapped behind my front seat that has the same plus a second set of underwear, t-shirt, socks and liners.

I'm a big guy. In this case its an advantage because whatever spare clothing I have is pretty much guaranteed to fit on any passenger as well. He (or she) might look ridiculous swimming inside my spare clothes, but will at least be warm and dry.
_________________________
2010 Jeep JKU Rubicon | 35" KM2 & 4" Lift | Skids | Winch | Recovery Gear | More ...
'13 Wheeling: 8 Camping: 6 | "The trail was rated 5+ and our rigs were -1" -Evan@LIORClub

Top
#237860 - 12/23/11 10:22 AM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: bacpacjac]
Chisel Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/05/05
Posts: 1562
Some of my GHB is culturally different than most people here, like the cloak made of camel hair (wabar) to be used like a "wearable banket" in winter.

Anyway, one thing should not be forgotten for those where it can get TOO HOT while bugging home ... Besides the cotton underwear, I have included cotton and vaselene , not for fire, but for lubrication down there!!

When it is hot and humid and you are a bit over-weight, and have to hike a few miles, the inner thighs will burn like hell, never mind the cotton underwear. It will only help, but may not totally prevent the chafing and burning. So, if you are in Texas, Louisiana, or florida for example, take note.

For the colder part of life , I have included a shemagh ( head scarf) and socks, but not much else. The wabar cloak can serve as a sleeping bag or walking "blanket".

Top
#237868 - 12/23/11 01:46 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: Chisel]
bws48 Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 831
Loc: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
IMO,traditional clothing was developed over generations to help people survive in the local climate. Probably a good idea to always look at what was worn in the past.

For example, a survival handbook I read many years ago had a section on desert survival. In it, it recommended covering over with a white cotton sheet or something like it to, in its words, "dress like an Arab". Apparently, the idea was to reflect the strong sunlight (white) and create a mini-climate under the outfit that makes one cooler than if you did not have this covering. It always made sense to me. Mid-east traditional desert clothing was developed to aid in crossing some really hostile deserts; perhaps we should learn from them.

I tried something like this one day while sailing on the Chesapeake and suffering from one of our "Brain burner" hot/sunny days. I put on a white cotton long sleeve t-shirt (with an attached white hood). My companions in their short sleeve shirts were really complaining and suffering and thought I had lost my mind. Yet, I was quite comfortable. Totally counter-intuitive, but it worked.
_________________________
"Better is the enemy of good enough."

Top
#237878 - 12/23/11 05:19 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: Chisel]
Teslinhiker Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/14/09
Posts: 1418
Loc: Nothern Ontario
Originally Posted By: Chisel


Anyway, one thing should not be forgotten for those where it can get TOO HOT while bugging home ... Besides the cotton underwear, I have included cotton and vaselene , not for fire, but for lubrication down there!!

When it is hot and humid and you are a bit over-weight, and have to hike a few miles, the inner thighs will burn like hell, never mind the cotton underwear. It will only help, but may not totally prevent the chafing and burning. So, if you are in Texas, Louisiana, or florida for example, take note.


Vaseline is one of the last things I would use for lube on the inner thighs. It is messy, hard to clean off clothes and being heavily oil based, it blocks the skin from breathing. I don't have the problem of skin chaff like a lot of people do but there some much better products out there such as Body Glide and many people also use Mennen Speed Stick Deodorant which works just as effectively and costs 1/3 the price of Body Glide.

Also you may want to look into form fitting running shorts. These are synthetic based which helps to wick away moisture and are long enough (8 inch inseam) that they will prevent thigh chaffing. I have a couple pair of these that I wear underneath my regular shorts while multi-day hiking and I cannot say enough about how well they work. Usually at the end of hiking day, a quick rinse with some soap and water, the shorts can be wrung out and they will be dry within a very short time...can't say the same about cotton underwear.

_________________________
Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.

John Lubbock

Top
#237879 - 12/23/11 05:24 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: Teslinhiker]
hikermor Offline
Geezer in Chief
Geezer

Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
Form fitting running shorts apparently work in the same manner as the tight fitting cycling shorts standard for most bike riders - same reason.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief

Top
#237886 - 12/23/11 05:53 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: Teslinhiker]
Russ Offline
Geezer

Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
Agree, compression shorts are a much better option than lubing up.
_________________________
Better is the Enemy of Good Enough.
Okay, what’s your point??

Top
#237891 - 12/23/11 06:54 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: Teslinhiker]
Chisel Offline
Veteran

Registered: 12/05/05
Posts: 1562
Thanks , great advice on the shorts.
Another review for my GHB contents

Vaselene is messy, yes, but can be applied in little amounts. IMHO it is very stable in hot environments. Can't say the same about ointments and medical stuff.

However, if there are any health risks from using vaselene down there, please advise. Thanks

Top
#237896 - 12/23/11 07:20 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: bacpacjac]
comms Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/23/08
Posts: 1502
Loc: Mesa, AZ
I am kind of agree Chisel in this regard of creating frictionless surfaces in the heat, though I never wear cotton underwear. My normal wear options are tighter boxer briefs by Ex Officio or recently Under Armour. I run and do most outdoor activities in triathlon bottoms.

I use petroleum based lip balm, like Vaseline or generic and carry it on my bike, in my running belts and EDC packs. It is small in size, and in dire need will help with chaffed lips, nipples, groin or inside of arm issues due to heat rash.

As an endurance athlete in the desert Southwest I have run into my issues with body glide melting in the car, thus I use Two Toms SportsShieldlove this stuff for preparing larger chaff potential locations. Its like teflon for the skin.
_________________________
Don't just survive. Thrive.

Top
#237898 - 12/23/11 08:08 PM Re: Survival Clothes [Re: bacpacjac]
Johno Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 01/05/03
Posts: 214
Loc: Scotland
Ok, back to clothing guys. All this talk of lubing up is a bit dodgy smile

Now that winter has hit properly where I am I've added a set of Snugpak softee trousers and jacket to my minimal car kit along with 2 pairs of thick socks, 2 pairs of gloves and some arctic shooting mitts.

This goes along with my padded lumi jacket and dew liner. ( dew liner is a canadian insulated coverall, issued to me for a very cold Bosnian winter.)

Enough basically for my better half and me to stay toasty if we get caught by the snow again.
_________________________
Follow the Sapper

Top
Page 2 of 2 < 1 2



Moderator:  Alan_Romania, Blast, cliff, Hikin_Jim 
March
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Who's Online
0 registered (), 324 Guests and 6 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
GallenR, Jeebo, NicholasMarshall, Yadav, BenFoakes
5367 Registered Users
Newest Posts
What did you do today to prepare?
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:21 PM
Zippo Butane Inserts
by dougwalkabout
Yesterday at 11:11 PM
Question about a "Backyard Mutitool"
by Ren
03/17/24 01:00 AM
Problem in my WhatsApp configuration
by Chisel
03/09/24 01:55 PM
New Madrid Seismic Zone
by Jeanette_Isabelle
03/04/24 02:44 PM
EDC Reduction
by EchoingLaugh
03/02/24 04:12 PM
Using a Compass Without a Map
by KenK
02/28/24 12:22 AM
Newest Images
Tiny knife / wrench
Handmade knives
2"x2" Glass Signal Mirror, Retroreflective Mesh
Trade School Tool Kit
My Pocket Kit
Glossary
Test

WARNING & DISCLAIMER: SELECT AND USE OUTDOORS AND SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND TECHNIQUES AT YOUR OWN RISK. Information posted on this forum is not reviewed for accuracy and may not be reliable, use at your own risk. Please review the full WARNING & DISCLAIMER about information on this site.