vapour barrier clothing? eh, whats that you say?

[RAPPLEBY2000]

vapour barrier clothing and equipment.....i found this odd idea whilst surfing about foam clothing.


basically the jist is this:

we sweat, it makes our clothes wet and cold(they conduct heat more) so even if you have warm clothes you feel cold.

vapour barrier is basically stopping the sweat getting to the clothing by waterproofing yourself, the inside is warm but wet, however your clothing is bone dry!

i'm not sure what to think of this but it seems interesting :?: and a bit wierd, the opening home page contributes to the weird theme with nudists? :shock: :?:

http://www.warmlite.com/start.htm

i don't know see what you think, it sounds a bit sweaty to me!

check out the clothing and questions sections.


prehaps one of those ideas which seems perfect but just not street cred enough like "beta max" videos and the "sinclare C5" :rolmao:

 

[Schwert]

I have one of their vapor barrier shirts and found it worked very well in very cold weather, but I could not make it work for me in moderate temperatures. I wore it over a very thin polypro top and if my activity level was mild then this can really conserve warmth and keep the whole clothing set perfectly dry. With high activity or moderate temperatures I could not make this work. I never tried a sleeping bag liner either.

I have been much more successful with vapor barrier sox in my mountaineering double boots. A thin wool sox, the vapor barrier sox (from Patagonia) then thick sox and boots resulted in comfortable and dry boots for the duration of the climb. Feet can get a bit moist and clammy but overall this worked nicely.

I think the principle is sound but its application is more specialized than the catalog lets on....the catalog from the 70's was a sort of cult item as there were many more models.... ):

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

isn't there a heath problem with damp skin, for instance when i have a bath my skin goes wrinkly and soft so more prone to injury like blisters?

and surely if you get it wrong you will sweat like crazy and become very dehydrated? :?:

and why do i have an immge in my head of someone wearing a full body latex catsuit up a mountain? :rolmao: ): :roll:

 

[bigjackbrass]

Vapour Barrier gear had its day in the sun, but it failed to achieve general acceptance. The principle does actually work very well, but you'll only find much use for it in serious cold, and even then it's best suited for uses such as keeping body vapour out of down sleeping bags in winter conditions. There are questions about the long term use of VB shirts and such, given that your body is designed to sweat, and on top of that VB clothing makes you smell like a wet badger in a teenager's training shoe.

As for the latex catsuit, you'd normally wear VB gear under other clothes. The most useful application of the VB idea for typical campers is putting your feet into plastic bags under your socks if caught out in seriously frosty weather.

 

[Great Pebble]

Ummm..... NBC suit anyone?

 

[Stuart]

Vapour barrier clothing is used only at very very high altitude or in polar conditions

in these very very cold dry climates the perspiration from the body evaporates from the skin but freezes as in cools inside the down clothing gradually building up a layer of ice inside sleeping bags etc.

vapour barrier cothing is therefore used under down clothing, inside sleeping bags etc to prevent the moisture from collecting as ice inside the garment.

when the vapour barrier is removed the condensation instantly freezes and is brushed off

it is widely used and excepted by those pursuing 8000m+ mountaineering and polar expeditions

unless you are undertaking these pursuits it is likely to be of little use to you.

 

[Mikey P]

Vapour barrier clothing is used only at very very high altitude or in polar conditions
etc, etc

Yup - the only times I've ever really come across it are in articles/books about high-altitude mountaineering. You need to dry and powder your feet every night.