Most commonly you don’t verbalize these words out loud but say them to yourself silently—which is even more dangerous. Many times you are not even conscious of your decision to leave your gear behind. Unconsciously you have already made the decision to leave it behind. Unconsciously you have already made the decision to leave it because “I am just …..” When spoken out loud there is always the chance that someone, upon hearing you say “I am just …..” will step in and remind you of the importance of always taking your emergency clothing and equipment with you – even though the possibility of having to spend an unplanned night out is remote.

It is easy to convince yourself that nothing life threatening will happen – after all you are “just ………” When you use the word “just” you are convincing yourself that the weather will remain pleasant, that no accident will happen, that you will not get lost, or that you will be able to get back before dark! You are saying to yourself that you don’t need to carry your daypack with your emergency gear and warm clothing because you won’t need it – you are “just……” It is also easy to rationalize away the need to always carry your backup clothing and survival gear. As the years go by, one hunting season follows another, and you have yet to spend that unplanned night out, the temptation to reduce the weight of the daypack you are carrying, by leaving your survival kit at home, can be very attractive. As you look to the mountains in anticipation of having to ascend on foot and hunt at higher altitudes, it is natural to want to lighten your load and leave behind those pieces of equipment that you have seldom, if ever, used. Sometimes it is “space” or the lack of it, which causes you to leave items behind that you should take with you. Most often it is the short trips that get you in trouble. After all “I was just …..” You get complacent! Nothing life threatening has ever happened in the past and so it is easy to convince yourself that it won’t happen in the future and even if it does you can handle it – whatever “it” is! Ignoring the possibility of finding yourself in a survival situation is like playing Russian roulette. Falling victim to the ‘I am just” syndrome is like playing Russian roulette with five out of six chambers loaded!

History is replete with examples of those who have found themselves in trouble who, after being rescued from some horrendous situation, said “I was just …..” Several years ago in Oregon an older man left camp one evening after telling his hunting companions that he “just” going to walk down to the end of the ridge and see if he could spot an elk. The following morning was the opening day of the elk season. He never returned and despite an extensive search, he was not found alive. Ten days later his body, partially buried under snow, was found by other hunters. His emergency gear consisted of a .357 Magnum pistol and thirty seven rounds of ammunition, which he had used to try to signal his hunting partners. Thirty-six of the thirty-seven cartridges had been fired, but were never heard by either his partners or those that searched for him. He had tried to shelter himself by drawing two logs ends together and then laying slabs of bark on top to provide a crude roof. His clothing, a mixture of cotton and wool, failed to provide the protection he needed from the environmental conditions he encountered. Physiologically he died from hypothermia, but it could also be said that he died because he had rationalized away the need to carry any additional emergency equipment. Gear that might have prevented the situation from developing in the first place – a map and compass or GPS receiver. Equipment that he could have used to increase his protection from cold temperatures, precipitation and wind-chill. Equipment that he could have used to attract the attention of the rescuers that were looking for him – a mirror, a whistle, survival radio or 406 MHz emergency beacon. He was “just going to walk to the end of the ridge, look for an elk and then return to camp!”

So there you are! It has finally happened! You’re lost. The sun is setting and it looks like there’s a storm brewing. As much as you would like to be back in camp the realization slowly sets in that you’re going to have to spend a night out that you hadn’t planned on. Despite your acceptance of the situation you still feel very ill-at-ease. This isn’t going to be comfortable. You can already feel the temperature dropping and the winds picking up. So what to do first? Get a fire going? Find a shelter? Try and signal your buddies back in camp? Wait a minute! Let’s go back to basics: You are not going to be in any better shape than you are at this moment. You’re warm, reasonably hydrated, uninjured and haven’t panicked yet. Let’s keep it that way!

Your warmth during the night will largely be determined by the clothing you are wearing and its ability to retain the heat your body is producing. Your clothing may turn out to be the only shelter you can count on and your body heat may be the only heat available to you. Circumstances often preclude building the kinds of shelters shown in survival articles and books. Your circumstances may also preclude your ability to build and maintain a fire! Since this is the case, careful attention should be paid to selecting clothing that will protect you in an emergency.

When selecting clothing, always consider the possibility that you may have to spend a night out in it and ask the question “Will it keep me warm when I’m sitting still?” It may not be practical to wear all of the clothing you need for that night out, so carry with you additional insulating layers and a windproof, waterproof garment to use when the time comes to sit out a storm or while waiting for the sun to rise or rescue to arrive.

When selecting clothing for use in the outdoors think “system.” A clothing system should create a micro climate around the body that protects the wearer from wind and cold temperatures and enables the wearer to function efficiently and safely. The system should include three layers; the skin layer, which provides some insulation but more importantly moves water away from the skin; the inner layers which insulate and the outer layer which prevents water and wind penetration. Each layer is important. This system allows the wearer to accommodate easily i.e. remove layers when the body is heating up and sweat vapor is becoming water droplets, and to replace layers when temperatures fall or activity levels decrease and the body begins to cool.

In all of its forms, water is your enemy! Whether you become wet from inside out because of the sweat you’re producing or because of rain or snow, the result is the same – compromised insulation and loss of body heat.

SKIN LAYERS

The human body is constantly giving off moisture through the skin in the form of insensible perspiration or sweat vapor. When your body temperature raises as a result of strenuous activity or increases in environmental temperature, sweating begins which results in sweat vapor changing to water droplets forming on the skin. This moisture will quickly saturate the layer of clothing next to the skin and in turn each successive layer unless body temperature decreases and sweating stops. When cotton is worn as the inner layer, it quickly absorbs the sweat and collapses offering no protection at all. In fact it creates a dangerous situation where heat is conducted away from your body. Synthetic fabrics, (www.ravenwear.ca, www.cdsportswear.com) unlike cotton, absorb virtually no water and many are hydrophobic – they facilitate the movement of water from the warm, moist environment next to your skin towards the cooler, drier outer layers and beyond. The availability of “hi-tech” wool has made it possible to manufacture very good wool thermal underwear that is non-allergenic and doesn’t “itch.” (www.ullfrotte.com) Nylon fishnet long underwear has fallen out of favor but remains a very effective form of thermal protection (www.wiggys.com)

THE INNER LAYERS

Depending on your level of activity, the number of inner layers worn will vary as environmental temperatures change. Despite the availability of a wide variety of technologically advanced fabrics it is still hard to beat wool (www.kingofthemountain.com) for keeping yourself warm and for its durability under tough conditions – especially around fire! (Wool, like the synthetics used for thermal underwear, has the ability to move sweat vapor through a garment. Additionally, when saturated, it has the ability to hold up to 30% of its weight in water within the core of the fiber thereby moving water away from your body. Body heat gradually moves this water to the outside of the fiber and the outer surfaces of the clothing where it is eventually evaporates. Wool also traps air between the fibers which helps to provide insulation from cold conditions – even when wet! On the downside however, wet wool is heavy and takes a long time to dry. Some wool garments are not very windproof and must be used in conjunction with a windproof outer layer in windy conditions.

Synthetics can also be used for the inner layers.  Fleece garments, in their many forms, are commonly made from polyester which, like synthetic underwear, dries rapidly and retains much of its loft when wet. Fleece clothing is available that is durable, comfortable to wear and very warm. (www.ravenwear.ca) Remember fleece is “plastic” and as such it does not tolerate heat! Get too close to the fire and you may find your jacket melting! Fleece is also subject to wind penetration unless combined with a “windblocking layer” or used with a windproof outer layer.

A layer of wool and/or fleece may still not be enough insulation to keep you warm – another insulating layer may be necessary. Once again the choice is between natural insulators (down and wool) and the synthetics. Down is a very effective insulating material but only when it can be kept dry. Many synthetic insulators are currently available and new ones (or at least new “names”) seem to show up every day. “Lamalite.” an insulation material used in Wiggy’s (www.wiggys.com) cold weather clothing and sleeping bags is the best.. It has all of the advantages of down – loft and compressibility, and none of the bad – it retains much of its loft even when damp.

Wind is a grossly underestimated threat to personal survival. Wind penetrating through the outer layers of clothing causes heat loss and places the wearer at risk of becoming hypothermic. Lacking an effective outer layer, a nine mph wind can decrease the effectiveness of your insulation by as much as 30%! A person can get by with fewer insulating layers if the outer layer is completely windproof. In a windy environment, lacking a windproof layer, get behind a rock or log, get over the ridge, stand behind a tree – anything to remove yourself from the effects of wind-chill. It is much easier contending with the ambient air temperature than it is the effects of wind-chill. The difference can be life saving! Many varieties of both windproof/waterproof and windproof/waterproofbreathable fabric are on the market. Variations in temperature, an individual’s activity level, cost and other factors will ultimately determine which fabric a person selects. A totally waterproof outer layer, such as Helly Hansen’s Guide jacket and bibs, (www.backcountryinc.com) works well when the production of sweat is managed by reducing your activity level and by venting out the humid air from around your body by opening zippers.

AREAS OF SPECIAL CONCERN:

Hands. Protect your hands. Keep them warm. Once your hands cool and you can no longer touch finger to thumb you have lost the ability to perform many of the tasks needed to survive. Remember that hand and foot warmth is dependent on keeping the rest of your body warm. Put another way – your extremities are going to be sacrificed in order to keep your body core warm. A pair of light leather gloves, goat skin work best, (Berti’s Gloves, 208-689-3111) will protect your hands from everyday injuries – burns, nicks, cuts, bruises, abrasions and broken finger nails etc. They will also help to keep your hands warm. When the temperature drops and greater protection is needed, a pair of synthetic mittens is advisable. Carry both gloves and mittens for hand protection in the outdoors. As an emergency backup, include chemical hand warmers in your gear. When you loose hand and finger dexterity activate two packages and slide one into each mitten.

Head. Put on additional clothing before you become cold. Pay particular attention to protecting your head – a bare head will loose a lot of heat. Cover it up even if you have to improvise a hat from other clothing items. One very useful head  covering is a Head Sokz (www.headsokz.com) This waterproof, windproof head covering can be used in a variety of ways to effectively protect your head and neck even in very cold temperatures. The flow of heat from around your neck, because of the bellows effect when you move, can be minimized by wearing a Head Sokz as a “neck dam.”

Feet. Keeping your feet warm involves three components, boots, socks and gaiters. The first step in selecting boots for use in cold weather is to figure out what kind of terrain you will be traveling in, the expected temperatures, whether the conditions will be dry, wet or snowy, and how you will be moving around (snowshoe, walking, riding a horse, ATV etc.) Pick a boot that meets the requirements for the conditions you expect to encounter but recognize that no one boot can satisfy all conditions. Check out Schnee’s Boots of Bozeman MT. (www.schnees.com) They make a very good line of both mild and cold weather boots. Like the rest of your body the first layer covering your feet should be a material that wicks water away from your skin. Once again synthetics, wool or a wool-synthetic mixture should be selected – NOT COTTON! Gaiters worn over your lower leg and covering the upper portions of your boots will also help to keep you warmer and dryer. Another option is boot blankets - insulated over-boots that are put on over your hiking boots as soon as you are no longer moving. Chemical heat packs can also be inserted between the blanket and your boot for increased warmth.

When all things are considered, the act of putting on and taking off clothing in order to adapt to changing environmental conditions is a much easier task than building a fire or an emergency shelter. Lacking appropriate clothing, the survivor must resort to trying to build a fire and erecting a shelter to maintain their body temperature – a task that may prove impossible!

“Don’t let what you know interfere with what you can do.”

Kenneth Kamler, M.D

“ Emergencies occur because people are going beyond the point where their skills and resources will protect them.”

NEW TOOLS:

Many of you have purchased one of our metal matches and I suspect have had no trouble with them. A problem came to light earlier this year during one of the teacher training programs that Mary and I were involved in in Wyoming. One of the teachers had purchased a metal match several years ago and before putting it into his survival kit had wrapped the leather thong around the metal match. Some time passed before he had occasion to use the match and upon unrolling the leather thong found the metal badly corroded. Apparently the chemicals in the leather had interacted with the chemicals in the metal match and a corroded metal resulted. The match still worked but the useful life of the match was severely reduced. I highly recommend all of you check your kits and make sure the leather lanyard is not in contact with metal match. An even better step would be to replace the leather thong with a short length of parachute cord.