Inadequate clothes can be dangerous

Press, 4 May 1978, Page 14

Inadequate clothes can be dangerous

By

BEN HOPE

The mountains are no place for the ill-equipped. The character of New Zealand’s mountain areas is one of extremes of moods and sudden changes. Without warning, a fine day can be transformed into one of howling, chilling winds and rain, or dense, damp fog. Anyone entering the mountain ranges should be prepared for such emergencies. The least which can be done is to wear clothing which will give the maximum comfort in various extremes.

Wool admirably fits the requirements. Even on a hot day, wool has its advantages in that it absorbs perspiration and thus avoids the wet, clammy feeling which cotton can give. Also if you pause, as you may frequently do when deerstalking, a light breeze can produce quite a chilling effect, with the body hot and cotton clothing saturated with sweat. In colder weather wool is obviously going to keep the body warmer. For extremes of cold, a woollen singlet, combined with a woollen shirt, allows little precious body heat to escape.

I always carry a woollen jersey even in the summer. Well aware of the drop in temperature a sudden change can bring even in summer, I find the small inconvenience of stowing it in the pack is cancelled out by its worth when the weather does change. Jackets are a continual subject for discussion. Some swear by the oilskin parka, others by the woollen bush shirt or jacket. I prefer the woollen garment. If the day looks fine at dawn. I am content to have the nylon parka, wrapped up tightly and in the corner of my fishing or hunting pack. It takes little room.

It is interesting to note a report on exposure in the mountains, produced a few years back, stated that one of the major losses of body heat is through the head. For this reason, a woollen cap or better still, the balaclava is invaluable.

Shorts or longs? This is a debatable point with deerstalkers. I used to wear shorts all the time, winter or summer, but

now unless the weather is reliably warm, I lean toward the wearing of longs. Deerstalking should consist of a good deal of slow moving, continual looking and frequent sit-ting-down to scan country for game. If much of your time is going to be spent stationary, you may be well be comfortable. Often on a ridge top, the wind will be cool and at times cutting. I always play it safe, if I am in doubt, and wear longs, so that when I do stop to spend a quarter of an hour glassing a likely valley, I will be as warm as possible. Boots could be classed within the category of clothing. An experienced bushman once told me he always bought a pair of boots so that they fitted with two pair of socks. Besides making sure that his boots would fit well and not bruise his feet due to the cushioning effect’ of the two pair of socks, he said in colder weather it gave him extra warmth of his feet. Consideration of small points like this never goes wasted. It makes the trip enjoyable and safer.