Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2001 13:36:17 -0600
Reply-To: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
Subject: Re: Addendum cold feet
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Why not a pair of neoprene socks, unless there's a blister problem. You get
your waterproof, your insulation and the foot's perspiration acts as the
body's does in a real wetsuit ie. its own layer of insulation. We use them
paddling in cold weather, but then we avoid hiking 10 miles or so unless
emergency dictates the walk. Not sure what to do for the poor folks that
have to sit in a duck blind or deer stand and remain motionless.
DM&FS
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers" <jhrodgers@MINDSPRING.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, December 24, 2001 8:35 AM
Subject: Addendum: was vented catalytic heaters
> After giving thought to something Rico Sapplich e-mailed to me about cold
weather
> camping, I am adding this to the information I put out to his original
mail to the
> list. Hope it helps someone winter camping or camping with their vanagon.
>
> ****
>
> Rich, you are welcome to use the info any way you can if it helps the
troops.
>
> If I remember correctly, PA is cold and snowy in January. At the risk of
being
> overly pedantic on the subject, here's something on keeping the feet warm
that
> every boy scout should learn. I consider it imperative for kids that live
in a
> climate of cold and snow. I don't think I would ever take kids out for a
winter
> campout up north unless they were equipped as described below. This is
essential
> knowledge, and essential survival practice.
>
> ***************
>
> There is all this talk about how the boot must breathe to get rid of
moisture,
> and keep the feet dry in order to be warm. That is bogus.
>
> The Army uses an Arctic boot called a Bates Bunny Boot. That boot is made
of
> rubber. The boot is absolutely water proof. Melted snow does not get in to
wet
> the foot. You can walk in the overflow in the creek and the foot won't get
wet.
> (unless you go in over the tops)
> Rubber AND waterproof. And that works both ways. Water in the boot cannot
get
> out. That means sweat from the foot cannot get out. So how is the foot
kept
> warm?
>
> Well, the construction of the boot is such that it is made in three
layers. The
> outer boot, the inner boot and a felt liner sealed in between.
Additionally,
> there are air bladders that can be inflated to make the boot fit exactly
to the
> foot.
>
> The trick with the Bates Arctic Bunny Boot is that the foot is encased in
a
> water proof inner boot and the moisture cannot wick through the felt
insulation
> to the outer outer boot which is next to the snow and very cold, and allow
the
> heat to move from the inner to the outer layer, thus resulting in loss of
the
> thermal barrier, resulting in cold feet or
> worse, frozen feet.
>
> Good foot care in an arctic environment is critical. So what to do?
>
> Most of us don't have the Bates Arctic Bunny Boot, but we can have the
next best
> thing. Let's begin with the simple shoe-pac, often called a Sorrel boot,
LL Bean
> Boot or other brand. It is a boot with a rubber bottom, a leather top, and
a
> felt liner. Most people wear these wrong. To put on a sock then put the
foot in
> the liner is to invite cold feet. Why? The moisture from the foot first
wets the
> sock, then wets the felt liner, then carries the heat directly to the cold
> rubber where it is lost to the cold, resulting in cold feet.
>
> To prevent the problem, simply put on a medium weight cushion weave woolen
sock,
> then slip a bread sack over the foot, slip a wide rubber band over the
foot and
> up the leg to hold the bag up, then stick the foot in the wool felt boot
liner,
> which is already in the boot. Put two spare pair of socks into your pack
with at
> least two more pair of bread sacks included. Half way through the day,
stop,
> remove your now wet socks, dry your feet thoroughly, even putting on a
little
> foot powder maybe, and put on fresh clean socks and new bread bags. At
night,
> wipe the feet down with alcohol wipes, dry thoroughly, put on fresh socks
for
> sleep. Be sure you have fresh socks and bags for the next day.
>
> You can follow this routine with most any boot, but leather boots loose it
to
> the snow a lot sooner than the rubber. Snow melts next to the welt at the
sole
> and will eventually wet whatever is next to it inside. If if is just a
sock, it
> looses its insulating quality as soon as it is even damp. Even felt liners
give
> in to the cold if not separated from the foot by a plastic bag.
>
> I have spent untold days and nights out in the Alaska wilderness in Winter
and
> NEVER suffered from cold feet. Cold other things, but not cold feet.
>
> Scout motto is "Be Prepared!" I know. I'm an old Eagle Scout myself. So
get
> those clean socks and those bread bags!!! Enjoy the wonder of the outdoors
in
> winter ..... but do it with warm feet!!!!
>
> John Rodgers
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