# Hot weather bug out



## urbanprepper (May 15, 2012)

Hey everyone! Not sure how the summer is for the rest of you, but here it is very hot. Got me thinking, apart from the obvious things such as travel at night, stay hydrated, stay covered (from the sun) can anyone else think of heat specific things in a bug out situation?

Cheers


----------



## cooksarah78 (Mar 23, 2013)

You mean like covering yourself in mud to avoid sunburn, avoiding drinks that cause further dehydration, drinking warm water vs cold water to conserve energy, you mean things like that? Nope sorry no pointers here


----------



## urbanprepper (May 15, 2012)

Haha, thanks!! 


I was just thinking it over ad thought who better to ask then the forum!


----------



## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Pace yourself

Use re-hydration drinks as well as water

Take plenty of breaks

Take care of your feet by changing socks often to clean or rinse out, use foot powder, have moleskin or similar and apply just as soon as you feel the heat in a localized spot. If you raise a blister, it is already too late and you are going to have problems. Treat it, and travel only as absolutely necessary to avoid risk of major damage.

Avoid rashes by wearing appropriate underwear, changing them regularly to clean or at least rinse out, and use baby powder or a medicated powder if needed

Don't eat really heavy foods, but do eat regularly to keep up the strength and maintain protein levels for good muscle strength

Hand water misters are a wondrous invention. Get a couple and use regularly

Monitor your urine output. If it begins to darken, you aren't hydrating well enough and will need to really be care to get enough water and rehydration formula to bring things back into balance

Another sign of lack of trace elements and minerals is cramps. Keep cramp treatment medications, especially if you are prone to cramps anyway, or at least carry some tonic water. It isn't medicine and won't cure really bad cramps, but it will help with minor ones, based on my experience.

Better to drink in good sips regularly than guzzling only at rest periods.

If water is short, however, tank up whenever you can, and always keep your water containers filled with purified water when the opportunity arises. 

If not wearing light gloves, use sunscreen on your hands

Even if wearing the appropriate wide brim and/or neck covering hat, use sunscreen on the nose at least, and the rest of the face, too.

Wear 100% UVA/UVB sunglasses and have at least one spare pair.

All I can think of off the top of my head.


----------



## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

Get a Camelbak. Keep it full. Keep a way to purify drinking water handy. To deal with extreme dry heat, do as the arabs do. light clothing that covers the body yet breathable. They've been dealing with dry heat of millennia. For humid wet heat, Wicking clothing.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

> avoiding drinks that cause further dehydration


Your body will use all the water out of any liquid you drink. But some chemicals can cause problems.



> drinking warm water vs cold water to conserve energy


Cool drinks can help lower your core temperature.
Wear loose clothing so the air can flow all around you. If at all possible condition yourself beforehand so you are used to being out in the heat. Drink as much as you can starting the day before, to get maximum hydration. I often hike in 100 degree heat. I like it as you don't really need a jacket.


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

cooksarah78 said:


> You mean like covering yourself in mud to avoid sunburn, avoiding drinks that cause further dehydration, drinking warm water vs cold water to conserve energy, you mean things like that? Nope sorry no pointers here


The "warm water is better than vs cold water" is an urban legend.
If you are hot your body will be glad for the heat sink the cold water provides after you ingest it.
Absorption rates are also not appreciably different.

If cold water really _was_ not as good as warm water for the human body the body would tell us by having us dislike it.
but the body LOVES cold water on a hot day which is your first clue.


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

hiwall said:


> 1)Your body will use all the water out of any liquid you drink. But some chemicals can cause problems.
> 
> 2) Cool drinks can help lower your core temperature.
> )


1) true BUT some drinks include things like sugar that your body USES water for to solvate.
IN the cases of many sodas there is not enough water in the soda for the body to use to solvate the sugar to an acceptable level.
So it will _use_ more water to solvate the sugar in that can of soda than the Soda gave you.

Diet Drinks dont have this problem.
(they have some other issues that all sodas have but those are_ minor_ compared to the Sugar effect in regular soda, also the diuretic effect of caffeinated Sodas has been greatly exaggerated.. the Sugar is the primary issue)

2) I agree, it is unfortunate this urban legend sticks around


----------



## FatTire (Mar 20, 2012)

something to deal with bugs...


----------



## MDsapper (Mar 12, 2013)

eat lots of garlic it acts as a natural bug repellent


----------



## Geek999 (Jul 9, 2013)

Sunblock, mosquito nets, light colored clothes, particularly a hat. Fluids, fluids and more fluids.


----------



## d_saum (Jan 17, 2012)

cooksarah78 said:


> You mean like covering yourself in mud to avoid sunburn, avoiding drinks that cause further dehydration, drinking warm water vs cold water to conserve energy, you mean things like that? Nope sorry no pointers here


You probably did not intend it this way... but... that reply comes as kind of smarmy.. or is it just me?  I do like the tip about the mud though.

Others have covered most of the things I would've pointed out.... my only addition really would be to do as the mexicans and italians do.. Get up early, travel, work, whatever... then take a siesta during the hottest part of the day, and continue on in the evening. :beercheer:


----------



## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

Covering skin with mud is just begging to get overheated...the only way I would ever do that is if I wasn't traveling and I was in a swamp...walking while ur skin pores are blocked by mud is begging for a heat stroke


----------



## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

MDsapper said:


> eat lots of garlic it acts as a natural bug repellent


So much for that romantic night, does keep those pesky vampires away though...


----------



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

hiwall said:


> Cool drinks can help lower your core temperature.





BlueZ said:


> The "warm water is better than vs cold water" is an urban legend.
> If you are hot your body will be glad for the heat sink the cold water provides after you ingest it.
> Absorption rates are also not appreciably different.
> 
> ...


And here is the difference.

Cool water is quite refreshing and satisfying. Ice cold water in an overheated body will cramp you up before you know it's happening.

I've been out working in this crap (mid-upper 90's with high humidity) all week and have been doing it for 30 years. I keep a 3 gal. water cooler in the truck with a 1 gal. block of ice. I used to dump a bag of ice in the cooler and then fill it with water. Over the years I had seen too many guy's guzzle that ice cold water and and then not be able to work until their body recovers from the shock.

If you feel you must have that ice cold water, drink it slowly to avoid that shock.


----------



## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

Very good advice here. 

Okay, my turn to sort of be a smart aleck. In a hot weather bugout, I plan to drive the pickup with AC on, and get to our woodsy hilltop BOL where there is shade and almost always a breeze. If it is REALLY hot, I can fire up the quiet generator (Honda EU 2000i) and run the little AC in the RV trailer. 

No problem. I have to plan this way. I absolutely can't stand getting overheated due to past heat strokes. If I overheat badly now, it means a heart attack. Can't go there. 

It is imperative to avoid a heatstroke. Having one as a teenager still has me messed up after 50 years. You just never get over it.


----------



## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

Most anyone can benefit from an evaporative cooling vest. My wife uses one(I'm way to macho to use one) and they work well in lower humidity areas.

http://www.bikebandit.com/techniche...campaign=pla&gclid=CPbj3oan1rgCFS9dQgodYE0A3A

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chill-Its-E...0595?pt=US_Other_Uniforms&hash=item41754a3083


----------



## MDsapper (Mar 12, 2013)

i almost became a heat casualty while i was doing the tough mudder in june, but i was so close to finishing i wasnt giving up


----------



## FrankW (Mar 10, 2012)

MDsapper said:


> i almost became a heat casualty while i was doing the tough mudder in june, but i was so close to finishing i wasnt giving up


Kudos on the tough mudder!

I am training up and hope to be able to hack one by late fall maybe.


----------

