Gear tips for different climates
what works best in different climates:
Whether you are in the mountains, ocean, desert, or the arctic tundra, we will help guide you to essential gear for each climate.
This seems obvious and self-explanatory, but there are some misconceptions about what’s best for each climate, there are also different budgets.
The pros probably have all this info, but incase you are rusty in the outdoor gear world, we can help guide you to some updated, efficient equipment.
Cold-
There are 2 kinds of cold, wet-cold, and dry-cold. If you are looking for a good sleeping bag for the cold, down filling is the way to go. Yes, more expensive, but totally worth it for warmth. You can find second hand gear online or thrift stores.
If you will be in a wet-cold area, polyester will dry faster, but doesn’t keep you as warm. It doesn’t compress as easily as down either. NEVER cotton! Especially when wet, its very heavy, takes forever to dry, and doesn’t keep you as warm. A lot of sleeping bags are water resistant on the outside, but a saturating rain will still soak your bag.
STAY HYDRATED! Sounds silly, but an incredible number of hikers suffer from dehydration in the cold. Snow drops your core temp if eaten, so if you have a way to melt snow, even using body warmth, STAY HYDRATED! With frozen lakes, but no snow, how do you stay hydrated? If you have a way to harvest the ice and melt it, do it. You can collect frost in the mornings and/or condensation released onto fabrics from your body.
Layers, layers, layers! You can always remove layers as you get warm, but if you don’t bring enough layers to begin, you may find yourself with hypothermia. Fast drying fabrics are best. NEVER cotton! Wool socks are fabulous for warmth, and sock liners, yes you heard me, check’em out, they can be essential when hiking in certain climates and save your feet!
Hot-
HYDRATION, HYDRATION, HYDRATION! Not just water will do. As you sweat, you loose electrolytes, which are very important for many of your organ functions, including your heart and brain!
As we say, “ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain”. It would be fabulous to carry gallons of our favorite electrolyte beverage, but that would become mighty heavy! There are other electrolyte substitutes that we can add to our water, or snack like a gummy that weigh a fraction of the liquids.
If you will be in the back country for a long time, odds are good you won’t be bringing a water supply for your entire trip. Companies offer water pumps, filters, straws, and tablets to purify water. It is not recommended to drink from stagnant water, but in desperate situations, if you have a straw or pump and you can boil the water, you are likely to remove a majority of contaminates.
It may seem contradictory to wear long sleeves in a desert, but if you can prevent sunburn and over heating, you are one step ahead of the next guy. You can find just sleeves or full shirts designed with fabric to keep you cooler and protected in those hot climates. This applies in hot tropical and hot desert climates.
Wide brimmed hats are commonly used in very sunny, hot environments. If you are able to find such hats with plenty of ventilation, you won’t over heat as well as keeping your head and face protected.
Wet-
Depending on the body of water you will be enjoying, will require different gear. From cold canyon water, flowing rivers, calm pond waters, to catching some waves on an ocean, we will make sure you are prepared head to toe.
Dry suit vs Wet suit……the description is in the name. One will keep you dry, the other will use your body heat to warm the water in your suit. You will need to wear insulating layers under your dry suit.
Flotation devices are usually mandatory on most bodies of water, they are mandatory when enjoying our water Edventures!
Stay Hydrated! Being surrounded by water you are probably wondering why this advice, but many bodies of water are unsuitable for drinking. The salty seas, stagnant canyon water, acid rain, or giardia filled streams. If you can capture clean rain water, snow, or fresh spring water, those are traditionally the safest to drink straight from the source.
What if you are stranded somewhere unexpected and completely saturated with rain? Did you check the forecast in advance? Did you plan ahead and pack for any weather? What if the temp drops and now you are wet AND cold? Find or create a shelter of some sort and if at all possible, create a heat source to warm you and dry your gear.
It may rain for days, you may be stranded on a cliff face, at high altitude, facing rain and freezing temps with no where to go. You can’t climb the slippery rock, this will most likely be a survival situation…make better choices from the start and as you go, so this doesn’t happen to you!
