Good advice. Getting wet and cold is the most dangerous thing. I've bailed on a trip when sleeping gear got wet, knowing that a wet sleeping bag would not keep me warm enough at night. You guys at OV have a great logo!
Reminds me of a heartbreaking short story by Jack London: "To Build a Fire". I recommend it. Not that a rain jacket would have helped much in this story, but the lesson for me was that it doesn't take many mistakes to do you in out there...maybe only one, and this guy made three.
I live in Alaska and have backpacked all over my state. Yes, I have seen many black and brown bears (and a couple of polar bears), moose, wolves, etc. Rain is definitely something to be taken seriously. I always carry a puffy at a minimum plus a rain jacket and rain pants. Wet snow is also a danger. Normally, we have very dry powder but it is not uncommon for me to don my rain gear. It also helps protect from wind and adds a layer of warmth. Great video and tips!
There was a study done a few years ago on the most common backcountry injuries that required medical care or S&R activation (don’t recall which). Weirdly it was burn injuries, from stoves blowing up, alcohol spills, boiling water spills, etc. Separate from what you’re discussing here, but worth noting.
I was going to say exposure to elements in general... specifically, when people think of hypothermia, they think of wet cold climates. Deserts are notoriously cold at night from fall to spring (sometimes summer too) and the high sun exposure during the day followed by rapid heat loss at night can cause hypothermia as well - just as dangerous as dehydration IMHO.
Agree completely, always a UL rain coat, rain skirt at minimum too and a UL tarp / shelter in my day bag. Shelter from sun too. In total about a pound.
I nearly froze to death, not as a hiker, but as a duck hunter. Here in Louisiana, we rarely see freak storms capable of taking you out. My wife and I dragged my pirogue over a levy to a lake, where we paddled out to a small island and set up our decoys and a quick ground blind. The weather was balmy, almost short-sleeved. I knew a front was coming and figured that would bring down some ducks. After an hour or so, I looked to the north and saw a black wall cloud that looked like a rolled-up carpet that went from horizon to horizon. I had ponchos in my hunting bag and a one-burner Coleman stove that I kept in the bag for "just in case" situations. This may sound crazy, but within 15 minutes, the wind picked up from a balmy breeze to a gail force wind with temperatures falling like a stone. It went from the low 60s to 6 degrees before we managed to get out of there. Like a fool, I took the pirogue out to gather my decoys, and all hell broke loose. The pirogue was almost impossible to paddle, being whipped from side to side. When I had most of my decoys, one hand was frozen to the paddle with solid, clear ice. I knew I was in very deep trouble and hollered for my wife to get the stove fired up, get our ponchos out and prepare to cover me when I got to the bank. As I approached the bank, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I quickly jumped out of the pirogue, a couple of feet from the bank, and waded ashore, pulling the pirogue with the paddle. As I walked toward her, everything went black. I passed out and fell to the ground. My wife placed the stove next to me, covered us both with one of the ponchos, and revived me. After coming to and warming up, we stashed the pirogue and hauled ass toward the truck...lit stove in hand. That morning, three other local duck hunters froze to death in their blind. Their boat had broken free and had blown off. One tried to retrieve the boat. It took several days to find his body. The other two were frozen in the blind. Further south from me, in the marsh, several other hunters froze to death as well. One in that party survived by covering himself in marsh grass and was later rescued when family members sounded the alarm that they had not returned. I was lucky I was not alone or would not be here today. I made some huge mistakes that day, but at least I was smart enough to have survival gear in my hunting bag for that "just-in-case event." That day set a record low for Louisiana, and it happened like a freight train coming through. That morning, a huge portion of America's woodcock population, migrating here every winter, froze to the ground and died. It only takes one untoward event to end your life, and it can happen with a quickness. Sorry for the thesis, but I share this true story in the hopes that it might convince one person to be prepared for the unexpected. When the unexpected visits, it rarely calls ahead.
I can 100% attest to Outdoor Vitals gears keeping me warm and safe while being in wet conditions! The Tushar Rain jacket is worth every penny. It is very durable and will keep you dry while also allowing you to vent out some body heat. It is also very packable so you can bring it along on any trip you think a rain storm might develop.
Right from the beginning I'll tell you, I've been charged by a black bear and approached by two legged beasts intent on killing us. However, the highest risks on my trips are trips. What I mean is slipping and breaking a bone, tearing tendon, twisting ankle. Hiking alone has higher risks like that. Equally, if not more dangerous is exposure to getting soaked through. I had an unforcasted huge storm blow into the mountains with lots of lightning. It was approaching fast and I had no tarp or rain clothing. My car was many miles off. I had washed out all electrolytes and had serious leg cramps every 50 steps. Then had to stop a while to massage my legs. At that speed I would be spending the night in the forest mountain. The storm was nearly there and no doubt I would have become hypothermic. My only salvation was the Lord Himself answering my prayers. He turned the entire storm front into the other direction!!! Then He gave my constantly cramping legs relief to get out of the dense forest to a road far below, just as it turned pitch black. I made it to the car and turned on the radio. The very first thing I heard on the radio was a song intro that started with God's Word. It said, " I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the LORD Who made Heaven and Earth." God was speaking to me through that exact verse that applied!! Then the chorus quoted what I shouted to Him when I was back on the mountain top ridge when the electrical storm covered the sky from horizon to horizon barreling towards me. I had no light on me and probably would have died if not for my Father's kindness. I want to share the following blessings with everyone who reads this. He will answer your prayer at the end of this brief video. th-cam.com/video/wAwFD72lesc/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared 🌲🍵🥲👍🌲🌲🌲🌲
In my adventures: (from recent memory) Encounters with crazy folks: 3 Encounters with loose dogs: 3 Encounters with coyotes: 3 (only during hunting) Encounters with bears: 0 Encounters with sweating in cold weather and getting sickly: 4 Encounters with not enough sleep, too much sweating, and too much exertion: 5+ (electrolytes help) Encounters with slipping/tripping & falling: 3
Let me add that it can happen when you aren't really expecting it. I was at the State Fair of Texas (September in Dallas) when a cold front came through with brief heavy rain. I became soaked and displayed most of the symptoms. I ended up having to call family to pick me up because I was to confused to drive.
@shouldhavenotshouldof2031 No. Like I said, brief but heavy rain. I was outdoors and got soaked. That, combined with wind and tennis having dropped into the 60s did that to me.
Completely agree, the worst and scariest experience I ever had in the backcountry was when my rain jacket "wetted out" unexpectedly. It was shocking how fast, once I was wet on the inside, it turned into hypothermia. The only other situation I'd mention is how this can start. I've seen someone go into hypothermia by first sweating through their base layer instead of shedding layers when they started to sweat. Then the temperature dropped suddenly and they had a very difficult time.
As a gram counter, it's easy to underestimate rain in the safety of your living room, at 65 and lean getting wet and cold is scary. I'm not concerned about sweat in a situation like that and have started to carry a zpacks poncho and a OR helium jacket with a rain skirt on all my backpacking shoulder season trips. I started this after after reading Heather Anderson's Mud Rocks and Blazes (FKT on the AT) She clued me into the poncho and raincoat idea.
This is a great video reminding people of this danger that can sneak up on you. I am aware of it continuously, but be darned, I cannot keep my back from sweating against my backpack. I thought of going to an arced back pack, but I am not even sure if that will help. Any suggestions?
My $.02 is some back sweating is unavoidable. Yes, some packs have better back ventilation that can help, but I've never been able to avoid it completely. I assume you have already tried using wicking materials that help. However, when the group breaks I typically try to air out my back. I also use it as a gauge, if my back is sweating too much it's a good idea to shed some more layers and deal with colder arms. I may feel cold for a minute but once I get back to a faster pace I'm fine. I also would mention that, ironically, it could be an early sign of dehydration so make sure you are staying constantly hydrated.
good reminder. always dry shirt socks shorts/pants underwear (all as light as possibile) in waterproof container in the bottom of the backpack no matter what. light/heavy rain jacket for those "only sunshine today folks" days because of what just happened to you in this video. too many times, especially as I got past 60 the wet has interrupted or stopped activity for me unless I was prepared. dry and warmth are way more important when you suddenly need it - than most of us think about.
I know we are winter talking, but most dangerous thing for me is heat 1st and then lack of water, I.e, counting on water source that is not. And please…let me pay a full price refundable deposit to TRY your gear.
Naw, that's low risk for experienced outdoors people. We never leave home without a light and at least an emergency poncho. It's stupid to skip it. Ever.
Good advice. Getting wet and cold is the most dangerous thing. I've bailed on a trip when sleeping gear got wet, knowing that a wet sleeping bag would not keep me warm enough at night. You guys at OV have a great logo!
Absolutely valid POV! You don't want to get hypothermia, that's for certain.
Reminds me of a heartbreaking short story by Jack London: "To Build a Fire". I recommend it. Not that a rain jacket would have helped much in this story, but the lesson for me was that it doesn't take many mistakes to do you in out there...maybe only one, and this guy made three.
I live in Alaska and have backpacked all over my state. Yes, I have seen many black and brown bears (and a couple of polar bears), moose, wolves, etc. Rain is definitely something to be taken seriously. I always carry a puffy at a minimum plus a rain jacket and rain pants. Wet snow is also a danger. Normally, we have very dry powder but it is not uncommon for me to don my rain gear. It also helps protect from wind and adds a layer of warmth. Great video and tips!
There was a study done a few years ago on the most common backcountry injuries that required medical care or S&R activation (don’t recall which). Weirdly it was burn injuries, from stoves blowing up, alcohol spills, boiling water spills, etc. Separate from what you’re discussing here, but worth noting.
That's interesting!
👍 Stay dry, stay warm. Lesson learned from years of sailing. Excellent advice!
I was going to say exposure to elements in general... specifically, when people think of hypothermia, they think of wet cold climates. Deserts are notoriously cold at night from fall to spring (sometimes summer too) and the high sun exposure during the day followed by rapid heat loss at night can cause hypothermia as well - just as dangerous as dehydration IMHO.
Agree completely, always a UL rain coat, rain skirt at minimum too and a UL tarp / shelter in my day bag. Shelter from sun too. In total about a pound.
I nearly froze to death, not as a hiker, but as a duck hunter. Here in Louisiana, we rarely see freak storms capable of taking you out. My wife and I dragged my pirogue over a levy to a lake, where we paddled out to a small island and set up our decoys and a quick ground blind. The weather was balmy, almost short-sleeved. I knew a front was coming and figured that would bring down some ducks. After an hour or so, I looked to the north and saw a black wall cloud that looked like a rolled-up carpet that went from horizon to horizon. I had ponchos in my hunting bag and a one-burner Coleman stove that I kept in the bag for "just in case" situations.
This may sound crazy, but within 15 minutes, the wind picked up from a balmy breeze to a gail force wind with temperatures falling like a stone. It went from the low 60s to 6 degrees before we managed to get out of there. Like a fool, I took the pirogue out to gather my decoys, and all hell broke loose. The pirogue was almost impossible to paddle, being whipped from side to side. When I had most of my decoys, one hand was frozen to the paddle with solid, clear ice. I knew I was in very deep trouble and hollered for my wife to get the stove fired up, get our ponchos out and prepare to cover me when I got to the bank. As I approached the bank, I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness. I quickly jumped out of the pirogue, a couple of feet from the bank, and waded ashore, pulling the pirogue with the paddle. As I walked toward her, everything went black. I passed out and fell to the ground. My wife placed the stove next to me, covered us both with one of the ponchos, and revived me. After coming to and warming up, we stashed the pirogue and hauled ass toward the truck...lit stove in hand. That morning, three other local duck hunters froze to death in their blind. Their boat had broken free and had blown off. One tried to retrieve the boat. It took several days to find his body. The other two were frozen in the blind. Further south from me, in the marsh, several other hunters froze to death as well. One in that party survived by covering himself in marsh grass and was later rescued when family members sounded the alarm that they had not returned.
I was lucky I was not alone or would not be here today. I made some huge mistakes that day, but at least I was smart enough to have survival gear in my hunting bag for that "just-in-case event." That day set a record low for Louisiana, and it happened like a freight train coming through. That morning, a huge portion of America's woodcock population, migrating here every winter, froze to the ground and died. It only takes one untoward event to end your life, and it can happen with a quickness. Sorry for the thesis, but I share this true story in the hopes that it might convince one person to be prepared for the unexpected. When the unexpected visits, it rarely calls ahead.
I can 100% attest to Outdoor Vitals gears keeping me warm and safe while being in wet conditions! The Tushar Rain jacket is worth every penny. It is very durable and will keep you dry while also allowing you to vent out some body heat. It is also very packable so you can bring it along on any trip you think a rain storm might develop.
Right from the beginning I'll tell you, I've been charged by a black bear and approached by two legged beasts intent on killing us. However, the highest risks on my trips are trips. What I mean is slipping and breaking a bone, tearing tendon, twisting ankle. Hiking alone has higher risks like that. Equally, if not more dangerous is exposure to getting soaked through. I had an unforcasted huge storm blow into the mountains with lots of lightning. It was approaching fast and I had no tarp or rain clothing. My car was many miles off. I had washed out all electrolytes and had serious leg cramps every 50 steps. Then had to stop a while to massage my legs. At that speed I would be spending the night in the forest mountain. The storm was nearly there and no doubt I would have become hypothermic. My only salvation was the Lord Himself answering my prayers. He turned the entire storm front into the other direction!!! Then He gave my constantly cramping legs relief to get out of the dense forest to a road far below, just as it turned pitch black. I made it to the car and turned on the radio. The very first thing I heard on the radio was a song intro that started with God's Word. It said, " I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the LORD Who made Heaven and Earth."
God was speaking to me through that exact verse that applied!! Then the chorus quoted what I shouted to Him when I was back on the mountain top ridge when the electrical storm covered the sky from horizon to horizon barreling towards me.
I had no light on me and probably would have died if not for my Father's kindness. I want to share the following blessings with everyone who reads this. He will answer your prayer at the end of this brief video.
th-cam.com/video/wAwFD72lesc/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
🌲🍵🥲👍🌲🌲🌲🌲
In my adventures: (from recent memory)
Encounters with crazy folks: 3
Encounters with loose dogs: 3
Encounters with coyotes: 3 (only during hunting)
Encounters with bears: 0
Encounters with sweating in cold weather and getting sickly: 4
Encounters with not enough sleep, too much sweating, and too much exertion: 5+ (electrolytes help)
Encounters with slipping/tripping & falling: 3
Very true. In CO, I see more and more people getting into life threatening situations due to hypothermia.
Doesn’t even need to be winter or fall. Sweat and a lack of preparedness can lead to it even in summer. Serious danger.
Guilty. Also lucky so far lol.
Let me add that it can happen when you aren't really expecting it. I was at the State Fair of Texas (September in Dallas) when a cold front came through with brief heavy rain. I became soaked and displayed most of the symptoms. I ended up having to call family to pick me up because I was to confused to drive.
Dang. 60 degrees will do that. Did it shut down your entire electric grid too?
@shouldhavenotshouldof2031 No. Like I said, brief but heavy rain. I was outdoors and got soaked. That, combined with wind and tennis having dropped into the 60s did that to me.
Completely agree, the worst and scariest experience I ever had in the backcountry was when my rain jacket "wetted out" unexpectedly. It was shocking how fast, once I was wet on the inside, it turned into hypothermia. The only other situation I'd mention is how this can start. I've seen someone go into hypothermia by first sweating through their base layer instead of shedding layers when they started to sweat. Then the temperature dropped suddenly and they had a very difficult time.
Well put!
As a gram counter, it's easy to underestimate rain in the safety of your living room, at 65 and lean getting wet and cold is scary. I'm not concerned about sweat in a situation like that and have started to carry a zpacks poncho and a OR helium jacket with a rain skirt on all my backpacking shoulder season trips. I started this after after reading Heather Anderson's Mud Rocks and Blazes (FKT on the AT) She clued me into the poncho and raincoat idea.
Top 5 best beards I've seen, definitely. Great video, useful content. Keep it up!
This is a great video reminding people of this danger that can sneak up on you. I am aware of it continuously, but be darned, I cannot keep my back from sweating against my backpack. I thought of going to an arced back pack, but I am not even sure if that will help. Any suggestions?
My $.02 is some back sweating is unavoidable. Yes, some packs have better back ventilation that can help, but I've never been able to avoid it completely. I assume you have already tried using wicking materials that help. However, when the group breaks I typically try to air out my back. I also use it as a gauge, if my back is sweating too much it's a good idea to shed some more layers and deal with colder arms. I may feel cold for a minute but once I get back to a faster pace I'm fine. I also would mention that, ironically, it could be an early sign of dehydration so make sure you are staying constantly hydrated.
good reminder. always dry shirt socks shorts/pants underwear (all as light as possibile) in waterproof container in the bottom of the backpack no matter what. light/heavy rain jacket for those "only sunshine today folks" days because of what just happened to you in this video. too many times, especially as I got past 60 the wet has interrupted or stopped activity for me unless I was prepared. dry and warmth are way more important when you suddenly need it - than most of us think about.
Great point
Well said
Agreed!
I so much agree
Hypothermia
I know we are winter talking, but most dangerous thing for me is heat 1st and then lack of water, I.e, counting on water source that is not. And please…let me pay a full price refundable deposit to TRY your gear.
Poncho. Poncho. Poncho
Naw, that's low risk for experienced outdoors people.
We never leave home without a light and at least an emergency poncho.
It's stupid to skip it. Ever.
Dogs running loose. They can startle wildlife such as a bear and cause an attack.
🤪 *Promosm*
Should get Laura Zerra on the podcast.