It is actually very simple what to carry and what to leave while preparing to go to nature. The main thing to do is to take the things that will work for you and leave the rest at home. There are thousands of options in the outdoor sports apparel industry, and it's no longer a question of finding what you're looking for, but simply limiting your load to materials that will keep you safe, dry and comfortable.
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To strike the balance between carrying too little or too much, record what you take on each trip. After each trip, determine what you use, what is required for a certain margin of safety, and what materials are not used at all. When purchasing materials, if the reduction in weight does not adversely affect the functionality or durability of that product, turn to lightweight options.
In this chapter, you will learn about basic nature supplies and camping gear, including what good material entails while addressing the most basic nature supplies .
"Comfort" is a relative concept for everyone. Severe weather conditions in nature push many people's understanding of comfort far below. Being in nature is relatively comfortable only by staying dry and warm.
However, the clothes to be used in nature have an important function than comfort. The primary function of clothing in nature is your safety. When you go to a remote area, you don't have the option to quickly escape to civilization to escape the bad weather. No matter how long it takes, you will have to contend with difficult conditions.
Prolonged exposure to moisture, even at moderately cool temperatures, can lead to the loss of our body's warm layer of air. Many unlucky people have suffered from hypothermia because of poor quality clothing. This is one of the most common causes of death in nature; It is very dangerous and occurs due to an uncontrolled drop in body temperature. Clothing equipment should be chosen carefully so that you can survive even if you stay in a cold and wet environment for a long time.
Your clothing system must also be able to protect it from overheating on hot days. The main features in the prevention of excessive sweating; “ventilation” and “clothing breathing.” Excessive sweating will warm your clothes from the inside and cause your body to lose water violently.
The clothing system used in nature consists of three layers: the layer in direct contact with the body, the insulating layers and the outer layer.
The layer (underwear) that is in direct contact with the body should release the moisture generated by perspiration and keep the skin dry without retaining moisture. This "absorbing moisture" process is vitally important for keeping you warm.
Because wet clothes in contact with the skin cause 25 times more heat loss than dry ones.
Insulating layers keep warm air close to your body. The thicker the layer of trapped or "dead" air, the better you warm up.
Generally, you'll be better warmed up by several layers of light, loose-fitting clothing rather than a single bulky one, because more layers retain more layers of air.
The outer layer should provide protection from wind and precipitation, which can cause you to lose heat.
CLOTHES
Our clothes create an insulating, thin and warm air layer outside our body, ensuring that we are comfortable. Factors such as rain, wind and cold work against this protective air layer."Comfort" is a relative concept for everyone. Severe weather conditions in nature push many people's understanding of comfort far below. Being in nature is relatively comfortable only by staying dry and warm.
However, the clothes to be used in nature have an important function than comfort. The primary function of clothing in nature is your safety. When you go to a remote area, you don't have the option to quickly escape to civilization to escape the bad weather. No matter how long it takes, you will have to contend with difficult conditions.
Prolonged exposure to moisture, even at moderately cool temperatures, can lead to the loss of our body's warm layer of air. Many unlucky people have suffered from hypothermia because of poor quality clothing. This is one of the most common causes of death in nature; It is very dangerous and occurs due to an uncontrolled drop in body temperature. Clothing equipment should be chosen carefully so that you can survive even if you stay in a cold and wet environment for a long time.
Your clothing system must also be able to protect it from overheating on hot days. The main features in the prevention of excessive sweating; “ventilation” and “clothing breathing.” Excessive sweating will warm your clothes from the inside and cause your body to lose water violently.
Layer System
You can increase its usefulness and efficiency by dressing your clothes in layers. The layer system will help you adapt to the highly variable temperatures in nature. Add or reduce layers of clothing one by one to adapt to changing conditions.The clothing system used in nature consists of three layers: the layer in direct contact with the body, the insulating layers and the outer layer.
The layer (underwear) that is in direct contact with the body should release the moisture generated by perspiration and keep the skin dry without retaining moisture. This "absorbing moisture" process is vitally important for keeping you warm.
Because wet clothes in contact with the skin cause 25 times more heat loss than dry ones.
Insulating layers keep warm air close to your body. The thicker the layer of trapped or "dead" air, the better you warm up.
Generally, you'll be better warmed up by several layers of light, loose-fitting clothing rather than a single bulky one, because more layers retain more layers of air.
The outer layer should provide protection from wind and precipitation, which can cause you to lose heat.
Fabrics
Clothes used in nature are made of various fabrics, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. The properties of the fabrics used in the clothes are given and summarized in the table below.Waterproof/Breathable Fabrics
Rain jackets and trousers are usually made of nylon. Nylon alone is not waterproof. Therefore, it undergoes a series of special processes.The most basic method is to cover the nylon fabric with a waterproof, non-breathable material such as polyurethane. Polyurethane coatings are lightweight and relatively inexpensive, but are not resistant to abrasion and rot.
Even if polyurethane does not pass rain, it also keeps sweat and water vapors inside. If you are doing a challenging activity in nature, the sweat you expel will warm the insulation layers from the inside. Imagine putting coffee in a styrofoam cup with a lid. When you close the glass, the water from the steam of the coffee will condense on the inside of the lid. In fact, your body is like a cup of coffee. You can't stay dry if sweat can't find a way out of the outer layer.
Waterproof/breathable layers are designed to solve this problem. These coatings applied to the inner part of the nylon outer layer have billions of microscopic pores per square centimeter. The sweat formed by the body is expelled as water molecules much smaller than rain droplets. The pores in the waterproof/breathable coating are large enough to allow perspiration to escape, and small enough to prevent raindrops from getting in. Thus, while the coating is breathable, it is also waterproof.
Underwear (Direct Body Worn Layer)
Protection from the cold begins with appropriate long clothing. The most suitable fabrics for this purpose are polypropylene and polyester, which absorb and expel sweat.Dark colored long underwear absorb more heat and keep warmer and dry faster in the sun. Light colors are more useful on hot days when long underwear will be preferred to protect from sunburn or insects.
T-Shirts & Shorts
T-shirts, short pants and underwear should be chosen in such a way that they can perform the same function as long underwear, even if they do not form a full layer. In other words, they must transmit perspiration to the outer layers.It is unnecessary to transmit sweat to the outside in hot weather. For this reason, a cotton t-shirt or a tank top is sufficient. However, cotton is not suitable for the cooler mountain climate. While walking briskly in nature on a moderately cool and slightly windy day, the cotton t-shirt will get soaked with sweat and you may feel very cold when you stop for a break. T-shirts made of synthetic fabric are more suitable for such occasions. The t-shirt should be light colored for coolness and medium loose for good ventilation.
In short trousers, ventilation and abrasion resistance are important. A nylon short with plenty of nylon mesh inside is usually appropriate. Cotton short trousers are not preferred in nature, as they cause discomfort when wet with sweat. A clothing combination used for warm days; it is the form of wearing shorts over a light, long polyester underwear.
T-Shirts & Shorts
T-shirts, short pants and underwear should be chosen in such a way that they can perform the same function as long underwear, even if they do not form a full layer. In other words, they must transmit perspiration to the outer layers.It is unnecessary to transmit sweat to the outside in hot weather. For this reason, a cotton t-shirt or a tank top is sufficient. However, cotton is not suitable for the cooler mountain climate. While walking briskly in nature on a moderately cool and slightly windy day, the cotton t-shirt will get soaked with sweat and you may feel very cold when you stop for a break. T-shirts made of synthetic fabric are more suitable for such occasions. The t-shirt should be light colored for coolness and medium loose for good ventilation.
In short trousers, ventilation and abrasion resistance are important. A nylon short with plenty of nylon mesh inside is usually appropriate. Cotton short trousers are not preferred in nature, as they cause discomfort when wet with sweat. A clothing combination used for warm days; it is the form of wearing shorts over a light, long polyester underwear.
Shirts and sweaters should be long in length. This is also necessary for tucking in or pulling on trousers. The gap between the trousers and the waist leads to the loss of body heat. Long-neck underwear and sweaters provide significant heat gain for very little added weight.
Insulating trousers; It should be made of loose, elastic material for mobility, resistant to wind and abrasion, and made of a tightly knit fabric with a solid face. Wool and wool-polyester blends are suitable for this. Although the trousers made of fleece fabric are lighter, they are not as wind and abrasion resistant as wool. Choose trousers with support at the knees and hips and long side zippers that allow you to put on and take off the trousers while your shoes are on.
Insulating trousers; It should be made of loose, elastic material for mobility, resistant to wind and abrasion, and made of a tightly knit fabric with a solid face. Wool and wool-polyester blends are suitable for this. Although the trousers made of fleece fabric are lighter, they are not as wind and abrasion resistant as wool. Choose trousers with support at the knees and hips and long side zippers that allow you to put on and take off the trousers while your shoes are on.
Outer Layer
Ideal outerwear layer; must be made of insulating, wind and water-proof and completely breathable material. No clothing material has all of these properties, but there are different options that achieve them as much as possible;One of the options can breathe, for example, a multifunctional outerwear (Figure 9.1), you should use rain pants and a parka made of fabric.
Another option is to carry two outer layers. Like a breathable windbreaker set as well as a non-breathable raincoat. With this strategy, a windbreaker is worn in breezy and sometimes lightly rainy weather, and a raincoat is worn in heavy rain.
Headwear Supplies
"If your feet are cold, wear a hat." it's an old saying. Your head, which is not protected by a hat, acts as a radiator and more than half of the body's total heat loss occurs from here. The old saying is true because as the body cools, it reduces blood flow to the legs and arms to warm the more vital organs (like the head). Wearing a hat or beanie will reverse this effect.Warm insulating hoods are made from wool, polypropylene or polyester fleece. Balaklava (Fig. 9.6.) is a very useful insulating garment because it both protects the face and neck and can be rolled up like a beanie when needed.
Cotton sun hats that protect the nape and ears are used in nature in hot weather. In recent years, multi-purpose bandas are also preferred. These bandages are very light and practical. You can use them as beanie, bandana, balaclava, neck collar, buckle and mask.
Cotton sun hats that protect the nape and ears are used in nature in hot weather. In recent years, multi-purpose bandas are also preferred. These bandages are very light and practical. You can use them as beanie, bandana, balaclava, neck collar, buckle and mask.
gloves
Our body's tendency to reduce blood flow to the hands in very cold weather makes our fingers perhaps the body's most difficult to keep warm. This reduction in blood circulation makes it difficult to do finger work, such as zipping or knotting. It takes a great deal of experience to carefully select gloves that are vital to the comfort and safety of an outing. The decision is often stuck in the dilemma of choosing either heat or mobility. Often the thicker the glove, the better it warms, but reduces mobility.The concept of layers in clothing also applies to the hands, but if worn in layers, circulation in the fingers will definitely be hindered. The first layer can be a pair of gloves, on top of which they should be of the mitten type. Single finger gloves keep you warmer. A layer system of single-fingered inner and outer gloves worn over thin, five-fingered inner gloves usually works well.