11-11-2012, 06:21 PM
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| Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 743
|  Not So Obvious Answers
Sometimes we have questions and the answers aren't as obvious as they should be. Here are a few common problems and their not-so-obvious answers.
MY HANDS ARE COLD EVEN WITH GLOVES. WHAT KIND OF HAND WARMERS SHOULD I BUY?
Answer: None. More than likely, especially if you're female, your hands are cold despite the gloves not because you need more warmth on your fingers, but because you need more warmth on your head. When you lose body heat, your body responds by protecting the core and reducing blood flow to your extremities. This happens to a greater degree in women. Since you lose so much heat through your head (where the blood vessels are so close to the surface because of the thinness of the tissue) the best way to keep your hands, and feet, warm is to wear a warm hat. Pull it low, almost to your eyebrows and make sure your ears are also covered. A fleece hat and a thin pair of gloves will work better than thick gloves and hand warmers. Treat the problem, not the symptoms.
MY BOOTS ARE CAUSING BLISTERS. WHAT'S A GOOD BRAND THAT WON'T MESS UP MY FEET?
Answer: The one's that fit. When you purchase hiking boots or hiking shoes, go to the store wearing a pair of hiking socks worn over a pair of sock liners. Blisters are caused by friction from your sock or boot sliding against your skin. Liners cling to your foot so any sliding that goes on is between the sock and the liner, not the sock and your foot. Also, a good pair of hiking socks will fill any extra space between your liner and boot, to minimize sliding. Wearing this combo to the store when you shop for boots will help you buy a pair of boots that fits. FITS. Try on every freaking pair in your price range, even those ugly ones you can't stand to look at. The boots that fit the best and feel the best on your foot will feel the best after a long walk. Well-fitting boots and a good pair of socks and liners will protect better than anything else.
WHAT KIND OF COMPASS IS THE BEST?
Answer: A book. A compass points North. That's it. It's a little round thing that tells you which way is magnetic north. Without a map and more importantly and understand of overland navigation, that compass is worthless, no matter how much you spent on it. With a little practice you can find North without a compass, but if you weren't paying attention to where you started, which direction you walked, and how far you've gone, knowing North will do you as much good as knowing the current price of soap. Buy a book on map and compass use, and then buy a compass that looks like the one in the book. Then, go out to a park where you can't get lost and start practicing.
I FOUND A REALLY NICE JACKET THAT'S GOOD FOR -20 DEGREE WEATHER AND I PLAN ON DOING SOME WINTER HIKING. SHOULD I GET IT?
Answer: No. The bad thing about bulky clothing designed for extreme cold is that they're only good for extreme cold. Instead of spending $300 on one jacket good for hanging out with penguins, buy several lighter garments and wear them in layers. A $10 thermal shirt from Walmart, a long sleeve shirt over that, a fleece jacket over than, and an insulated jacket good for 30-40 degrees will get you by quite comfortably in -20 degree weather... but you can ditch the fleece and the thermals if the temperature rises to 25, or wear only the fleece if it's around 45, or the shirt and thermals at 50 or whatever. The point is, if you layer you can be comfortable anywhere from -20 to +75. For less than the price of one super jacket, you can buy a setup that can be used anytime from cool, early spring days when the wind kicks up to the dead of winter when the snow just won't stop falling.
Hope this helps, and if I can think of any others, I'll let you know.
"I'll forget the pain it took to finish, but I'll always remember it if I quit."
~Brian Foux |
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Oh well, can't please everyone, I guess. 
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