Outdoor Clothing

Cold, wind, rain and snow inhabit
the wild places Troop 8 likes to go.

Scouts must be prepared to deal with weather variables on every outing, and the best first line of defense is to have the proper clothing. To that end, this article is a short crash-course in outdoor clothing.

Most of the recommended items here are not specialty, one-season gear but are usable for year-round outings. However, some of this gear can be expensive, that’s why it’s a good idea to start shopping now and be on the lookout year-round. Look for sales and check out thrift stores. There are also plenty of options for on-line shopping. I’ve listed some of these at the bottom of this article.

Getting your son properly clothed for outdoor adventure doesn’t have to break your bank account but he does need to BE PREPARED.

 

Spring, summer, fall

These are the three seasons during which we are most active outdoors. You can probably make one set of outdoor clothing work for each season. Winter outings require more specialty gear, but I’ll get to that in a moment. First, the basics.

 

Hypothermia

Hypo (below)  + therme (heat). Below normal body heat.

Any time of the year a hiker can get wet. Moisture on the body in the form of snow, rain or even sweat can conspire with cold or even merely cool temperatures to bring about a condition where the body is losing heat faster than it can generate it and its core temperature drops below the normal 98.6 degrees. This is HYPOTHERMIA and it can be a serious condition, if not handled.

The simple handling is to get dry and get warm. However, as I often tell the boys, it is easier to stay warm than to get warm. The best way to defend against hypothermia is to stay dry and warm in the first place. Proper clothing is the key to accomplishing that.

 

Fabrics

NO COTTON. NO COTTON. NO COTTON. Cotton absorbs moisture like a sponge and holds it next to the skin. WET skin + COLD air = HYPOTHERMIA. The best fabrics for cool weather outings are synthetic fabrics like nylon, acrylic and polypropylene. Wool clothing is also acceptable. The only time cotton is acceptable is on hot summer days when trapping body moisture next to the skin is desirable. All other times, avoid it.

 

Layering

“Layering” is dressing in multiple, relatively thin layers of clothing rather than one or two thick, heavy layers. Layering in this way provides more versatility over a wider range of temperature and activity conditions.

When you are hiking up hill and working hard, you get hot, so you peel-off a layer so that you don’t soak you clothes with sweat. When get to the top and sit down to rest, you get cold, so you add a layer. In other words, don’t send your son out to hike in a t-shirt and parka. He’ll have no options to regulate his body temperature.

 

Inner Layer (next to your skin) NO COTTON

  1. Long underwear top and bottoms made of polypropylene or some similar synthetic material. These can be expensive, but this next-to-the-skin layer is an important one. Polypropylene wicks (draws away) sweat from the skin keeping it dry and, thereby, warm. If this material does get wet, it dries very quickly.
  2. Socks. NO COTTON. I recommend layering two socks, one thin polypropylene inner sock to wick moisture and one thick wool or synthetic outer sock for insulation and padding. Feet sweat. Damp feet inside damp socks can cause rubbing and chafing, which causes blisters and, damp feet get cold. Your son needs to carry at least 1 change of socks, inner and outer, on every outing.

 

Middle Layer (for insulation and warmth) NO COTTON

This is your clothing layer. Again, NO COTTON. That includes -- no blue jeans. Jeans are lousy for hiking. They tend to be very stiff, heavy and impossible to dry if they get wet.

  1. Shirt. Long-sleeved, quick drying, synthetic fabric or wool. A Troop 8 T-shirt is good for warm-weather outings or as an undershirt.
  2. Hiking pants. Quick drying, synthetic fabric or wool. Some manufacturers make hiking pants with zippered thighs that can be unzipped and made into shorts.
  3. Wool sweater or Polyester fleece top.
  4. Warm hat, stocking cap or ski mask. Most of the body’s heat escapes from the head, so get a good warm hat that covers the ears.

 

Outer Layer (shell layer, for protection from the weather)

NO COTTON

The primary purpose of this layer is to protect you from exterior elements - wind, rain and snow.

  1. Rain jacket and pants. A poncho and rain pants will also work.
  2. Gloves or mittens. Waterproof and windproof are best but are also more expensive. For normal 3-season hiking, a good pair of synthetic or wool gloves should be fine.

 

Winter Outings

Winter trips almost always involve snow, from snow camping to snowboard trips. The clothing needed for both can be the same. The key to safe and enjoyable snow trips is good shell gear. You want to keep the wet snow and wind away from your skin. The following are some things you will want to get, in addition to the above, for snow trips.

  1. Shell pants. Snowboard or ski pants work well. You can sometimes find these at thrift stores. If their water repellency has faded they can be revitalized with Scotch-Guard or some similar fabric treatment. A sporting goods store like Sports Chalet or REI should have an assortment of such fabric treatments.

  2. Waterproof, windproof mittens. Mittens are warmer than gloves because the fingers get to share their warmth. Wear synthetic or wool glove-liners under the mittens for extra warmth and to keep your hands warm when you have to take your mittens off to perform tasks that require fingers.

  3. Gaiters. These are waterproof leggings that cover the lower leg from the top of the boot to just below the knee. They help keep your pants dry and snow out of your boots when trudging through deep snow. Very helpful for snowshoeing.
  4. Boots. Snow boots or waterproof leather hiking boots are best for snow hikes. A good pair of leather hiking boots can be used year round, or you can pick up snow boots. Often these can be found in thrift stores.
  5. Parka. A down or synthetic insulated jacket. It can be but doesn’t need to be weatherproof since you can wear it under your shell gear. Warm and cozy is what you want from this garment.

 

CLOTHING SOURCES:
Sports Chalet (Burbank) 818-558-3500, (La Canada) 818-790-9800
REI (Northridge) 818-831-5555
A16 (West LA) 310- 473-4574, (Tarzana) 818-345-4266
Campmor (mail order) 800-525-4784, www.campmor.com.
Big 5 Sporting Goods (Glendale)

Craig Houchin
Committee Chairman
Troop 8

 

Troop 8 Hiking to Infinity

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