Waterproofs who needs them?

[Laurentius]

Reading the various threads about waterproofs got me just now to be thinking the whys and the wherefores with regard to "bushcraft" not to be confused with hiking. Today I was working in my little woodland clearing brambles wearing a pair of polycotton trousers and a T shirt. I got caught in a thunderstorm and was thoroughly soaked through, but did I stop or shelter? no I wanted to get the work done so I kept on till I got home and was able to change and towel off. Did it kill me? Obviously not.

 

[C_Claycomb]

About the coldest I have ever been was when I was wearing a DPM cotton coat over a light fleece and was stuck out in rain for the day. That coat was like wearing a refrigerated suit! On a canoe trip in Scotland one of our paddlers was borderline hypothermic after a day in the rain. He was wearing some kind of fleece, but it may have been cotton based. I was wearing all synthetic, a Parameter A shirt over a Polartec 200 fleece, and was comfortable, like a DIY Buffalo system.
When hiking I tend to run hot and can get pretty wet from sweat even in cool conditions wearing nothing more than a base layer. "Bushcraft" though is often a rather more static affair, apart from collecting firewood, and it is easier to get chilled while sitting, bimbling or watching wildlife.

 

[Herman30]

Did it kill me? Obviously not.

But it might have if you would have had to, say, stay ovenight in a tent. And not be able to get dry clothing.

 

[Chris]

Getting wet when you can easily get warm and dry again is fine, getting wet when you cannot easily get warm and dry again is potentially fatal.

 

[Toddy]

I worked in some pretty awful conditions....honestly, wet's okay if you can stop the wind getting to you....and you can keep moving.
It's when you stop, or you can't stop the wind chill, then you're in trouble in a hurry.

Cotton is comfortable, but not wet. It's a thirsty fibre and it hangs onto the wet....it makes good towels. Even wet cotton won't kill you, if you can stop the wind and you keep moving. It chafes skin sommat awful though if it rubs while you move.

 

[Broch]

I am pretty sure Laurentius knows all that folks; I think I generally agree with his point - we fuss too much about staying dry at times when it really doesn't matter. There have been many times when part way through a job it's started raining cats and dogs and once I'd decided to just get on with it I felt fine. I do draw the line when the wet makes handling tools dangerous though.

 

[Big Si]

Wax cotton Jacket and some fertiliser bags tied around your legs with orange nylon "BindaBand". And a woolly hat. All the rest is just an expense!

Si
Ps, wellys and wool socks obviously!

 

[TeeDee]

Guess this one comes down to knowing ones ability and what is within capability.

I say that as the there are seemingly plenty of people that go out to climb mountains and hills in less than optimal attire because they think its within their capabilities.

Obvs at the other end of the spectrum is a bit of over kill - rather than too little , too much over geared , over weighed for every eventuality - and turn a nice walk into an overly planned arduous event.


I guess wear what one has become accustomed to and what one knows can either dry out quickly or allows one to work without risk.


I used to be impressed by how quickly one could be drenched in a polycotton material one minute but then with some movement it would dry out quick enough

 

[Nice65]

I need waterproofs, but for dog walking. As a tree surgeon clearing under powerlines then hard work in the rain in a t-shirt was fine knowing I could get home and change. Waterproofs just get too hot and clammy, plus awkward to work in. The more specialist type and highly expensive waterproofs with this or that membrane, wicking etc would just get ruined in no time clearing brambles and blackthorn.

I've had a couple of soakings in the last few days and it's been warm enough not to be uncomfortable, broke out the rolled up poncho for one battering yesterday as I just didn't want to have to change and get my clothes dry upon return.

 

[Silverclaws2]

Problem with getting wet is wind and how wind can rob you of heat leading to hypothermia.

 

[HillBill]

Skin is waterproof. Only time you need extra is when its too cold to rely on that, imo anyway.

 

[Silverclaws2]

Skin is waterproof. Only time you need extra is when its too cold to rely on that, imo anyway.

Yeah but we tend to perhaps overly use mild detergents to strip away that natural waterproofing

 

[HillBill]

Yeah but we tend to perhaps overly use mild detergents to strip away that natural waterproofing

I can't recall the last time i had a shower, washed body and hair with modern products and sprung a leak.
I do take your point about our natural oils though.

 

[Silverclaws2]

I can't recall the last time i had a shower, washed body and hair with modern products and sprung a leak.
I do take your point about our natural oils though.

Imagine, we seize upon the latest wonder chemical to strip away the sebum that forms our natural waterproofing that not only waterproofs but keeps our skin elastic and slows aging and then we grumble over skin complaints caused by dry skin to slap on another wonder chemical in a bid to restore what we stripped out, to keep the cosmetics industry in coin.

 

[Watch-keeper]

If I'm going to be doing any kind of hard work in the rain I use my Barbour jacket, they are just so robust and put up with endless amounts of abuse. I have breathable waterproofs which are great but don't put up with as much abuse .

 

[Falstaff]

Tuesday I was out on the motorbike all day in non-waterproof gear, mainly cottons, Doh! forgot my waterproofs. This included extended stops at clients and extended ride distances. But it was relatively windproof so I was pretty much ok.
I didn't just get drenched, I was waterlogged, my gear still hasn't dried out and I was back out in the rain in some of it again yesterday, still with the cotton bike jeans. Riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed while your pants slowly fill with cold water is an experience!

Any ideas on how to dry out pvc/foam steelcap work boots? The pvc stops drying out & the foam collars/tongues are holding water. Once my gloves stopped dripping (24hrs) I've stuffed them with tea towels which has helped.

 

[Chris]

Riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed while your pants slowly fill with cold water is an experience!

As someone who's never been on a motorbike, I think riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed would fill my pants with warm water.

 

[Woody girl]

Tuesday I was out on the motorbike all day in non-waterproof gear, mainly cottons, Doh! forgot my waterproofs. This included extended stops at clients and extended ride distances. But it was relatively windproof so I was pretty much ok.
I didn't just get drenched, I was waterlogged, my gear still hasn't dried out and I was back out in the rain in some of it again yesterday, still with the cotton bike jeans. Riding on a motorway in heavy rain at speed while your pants slowly fill with cold water is an experience!

Any ideas on how to dry out pvc/foam steelcap work boots? The pvc stops drying out & the foam collars/tongues are holding water. Once my gloves stopped dripping (24hrs) I've stuffed them with tea towels which has helped.

Oh I do remember getting wet on the way home from work on the bike, and that cold dribble as the water runs off the tank and into the crotch area......nasty!
May I suggest to dry the boots out, those chemical hand or foot warmers? Worth a try, and they are cheap enough.

 

[hughtrimble]

@Falstaff I'm not a biker, but I use forced air dryers in my walking boots, called shoe or boot dryers online. The ones I use have flexible corrugated hoses down which the air (can be heated or not by the device, depending on the model) flows. Need to be careful with leather and heat, but synthetic shoes generally fine I think.

You also get some which are just reusable dessicant packets shaped like the inside of shoes, but I've not used those.

Think I paid as bout £20 on eBay for the forced air dryers I use.

 

[Laurentius]

FWIW I am not being irresponsible as to what you should wear for hill walking or exposed areas, the sensible prepper says have something dry to change into as soon as the opportunity presents. The physiological calculus says as long as you can produce heat to a greater extent than you are losing it.