Surviving Extreme Heat- UK 40° summer days.- climate change related severe heat events

Cody

Tenderfoot
Feb 26, 2007
92
1
35
New York, USA
It's been a crazy warm winter here in New York as well. Was looking forward to getting a few high quality snowstorms, but they never seemed to materialize. :(
 

R_Fonseca

Tenderfoot
Jul 6, 2021
84
65
38
Dublin
www.fonseca.ie
I've spent most of my life in South Africa. Not often that we got over 40 actually, but very often in the mid to high 30s - and I spent days, and sometimes weeks fishing there at large open dams.

It's not that hard - sunscreen (highest SPF) and stay hydrated. It's tempting to wear shorts and short sleeves, but I found that lightweight long garments and a decent hat would keep me from getting sunburnt, so I switched to that.

Sunburn makes the whole thing a lot worse. If you can avoid that you're winning. Stay in the shade, drink enough water and don't get burnt. In regards to hydration, if your mouth goes dry or you start getting headaches you let it go too far. Things like Powerade can help recover from dehydration. I used to carry a "Rehydrate" sachet in my first aid kit in case (A powder you mix with water). I don't know what the Irish or UK equivalent is.

I also found on longer trips the first few days would be harder until I acclimatised to being outdoors. Strange thing.

I moved to Ireland a few years ago, and now can't figure out how to stay warm... I find that much harder than dealing with the heat. Constantly messing around with layers and fabrics.
 

Tony

White bear (Admin)
Admin
Apr 16, 2003
24,326
1
2,039
54
Wales
www.bushcraftuk.com
My son's cycling in Asia at the moment 50-100km day, 35-40deg days, ultra high UV so they're completely covered up, they're sweating loads as you can imagine, and they're doing fine and have been for a few weeks, it's been a case of taking breaks when needed, plenty of water and respecting what the sun and heat can do.
 
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Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,457
8,328
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
It's not that hard - sunscreen (highest SPF) and stay hydrated. It's tempting to wear shorts and short sleeves, but I found that lightweight long garments and a decent hat would keep me from getting sunburnt, so I switched to that.

Yep, you can always tell a Brit in the desert; they're the ones wearing T shirts (or top off) and shorts, they're usually bright red too :)
 

Winnet

Forager
Oct 5, 2011
231
69
Aberdeen
Yep, you can always tell a Brit in the desert; they're the ones wearing T shirts (or top off) and shorts, they're usually bright red too :)
And the Scotsman is the one with his top off on a sunny day in winter.

Personally I struggle in the mid 20's but that may be as much to do with lack of acclimatisation due to living in Scotland. I have spent time in the Middle East and needed a week or so to settle down.

G

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
 
i've worked out in the sun in northern Australia at 48°C in the shade with 80% humidity which means cooling by sweating isn't working very well, so you need to adapt slowly to these conditions (we had several people with issues...)

drinking is important, of course, but as others already pointed out: it's possible to drink too much... and as you also loose minerals you have to replace them as well. i've seen others suffering from it and speak from personal experience: exercising in the conditions described and not eating anything means your body won't absorb drunk water and it stays in your stomach until you throw up so having small snacks is important ...
 

Ystranc

Settler
May 24, 2019
535
404
55
Powys, Wales
I've spent most of my life in South Africa. Not often that we got over 40 actually, but very often in the mid to high 30s - and I spent days, and sometimes weeks fishing there at large open dams.

It's not that hard - sunscreen (highest SPF) and stay hydrated. It's tempting to wear shorts and short sleeves, but I found that lightweight long garments and a decent hat would keep me from getting sunburnt, so I switched to that.

Sunburn makes the whole thing a lot worse. If you can avoid that you're winning. Stay in the shade, drink enough water and don't get burnt. In regards to hydration, if your mouth goes dry or you start getting headaches you let it go too far. Things like Powerade can help recover from dehydration. I used to carry a "Rehydrate" sachet in my first aid kit in case (A powder you mix with water). I don't know what the Irish or UK equivalent is.

I also found on longer trips the first few days would be harder until I acclimatised to being outdoors. Strange thing.

I moved to Ireland a few years ago, and now can't figure out how to stay warm... I find that much harder than dealing with the heat. Constantly messing around with layers and fabrics.
Yay! A post that addresses electrolytes! If you guys are out in extreme temperatures and drinking upwards of four litres of water a day you will soon deplete your body’s electrolyte levels through sweat and urination. My tactics for hot weather include changing my daily routine so that I start much earlier (about 0400) while the sun is still low and work until about 1100 then I will go and eat, nap, or whatever in the shade or indoors. I don’t even attempt to work across mid day. I wear wide brimmed hats and light cotton clothing and I drink as much as I can while remaining comfortable. I don’t deal well with extreme heat so I don’t try and fight it, I don’t push myself to extremes. If the day cools sufficiently in the evening I will try to get some small jobs done like splitting wood or minor repairs sometimes I just go out shooting or fishing. My neighbour likes to take himself off to his stretch of river where he can sit in a shallow pool with a cold beer….but then again he is retired and has earned it.
 
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TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,227
1,701
Vantaa, Finland
I have had for a long time very thin clothes made from fine PA yarn that handle high temps very well. Quite comfortable (if anything can be at 35C), dry fast and pack small. Not expensive either. The material on those was/is DuPont's Suplex but any other similar product would work fine.
 
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Jared

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 8, 2005
3,566
745
51
Wales
Remember reading a study done on marathon runners.
IIRC one group had just water, another supplemented with electrolytes.

The group with electrolytes drank half a litre less over the course of the marathon, presumably because their body was more efficient getting the water where it needed to be.
 

Ystranc

Settler
May 24, 2019
535
404
55
Powys, Wales
Remember reading a study done on marathon runners.
IIRC one group had just water, another supplemented with electrolytes.

The group with electrolytes drank half a litre less over the course of the marathon, presumably because their body was more efficient getting the water where it needed to be.
It may also be that many electrolyte drinks are foul.
 

Ramrod

Full Member
Jan 17, 2023
12
4
57
Tonbridge
I was a child in South Africa in the 70's and I can't remember stressing about the heat but it must have got blerrie hot at times. No one carried bottles of water around with them like people do here these days even when we had marching practice at school in the blazing sun and one tap for 50 of us. Strange....
 

ManFriday4

Nomad
Nov 13, 2021
255
81
Oxfordshire
I have had for a long time very thin clothes made from fine PA yarn that handle high temps very well. Quite comfortable (if anything can be at 35C), dry fast and pack small. Not expensive either. The material on those was/is DuPont's Suplex but any other similar product would work fine.
I was brought up in the Middle East & im 1/2 Sri Lankan. My go-to hit weather gear is an umbrella, white/pale colour clothing where possible and a Palestinian Kufiya ideal all the year round. Shalwa Khameze are very cool too. But unmrellas are so useful!
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
I'm a Scot. By the time the temperatures reach the mid twenties, I'm into the shade.
Middle of Winter and I'm fine, bare arms and legs around the house and gardens.
Rain is just wet, we deal fine, but hot humid weather is a misery though.
 
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ManFriday4

Nomad
Nov 13, 2021
255
81
Oxfordshire
I'm a Scot. By the time the temperatures reach the mid twenties, I'm into the shade.
Middle of Winter and I'm fine, bare arms and legs around the house and gardens.
Rain is just wet, we deal fine, but hot humid weather is a misery though.
In th heat? I'm in the shade, too. I don't mind the heat, but I know it's a killer.

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