big foot

TWO DIE IN THE HUNT FOR BIG FOOT

Last month 2 men in Washington state went in search of big foot.

I was told of this situation because they got lost and the SAR people called me since the terrain was difficult where they were looking and the needed my waders.

The result was two men who died of exposure.

The more I thought about the situation the more I realized along with other items these two man and the many more big foot hunters need the best clothing they can get so when they are out there, they will be as comfortable, warm as is possible.

I know they improperly dress primarily wearing moisture absorbing and therefore retaining moisture.

I sent a copy of my dressing for hunting to the SAR guy who called me about the waders. He did order I think 2 pairs.

From what he described the terrain to be these SAR guys in the field are also subject toa lot of uncomfortable time because I know they too are wearing moisture absorbing clothing. I know they go out in weather extremes looking for people who do not use common sense when they decide to do things in the winter months.

I eminence at this moment what it felt like when I was lost and saw the sun setting in the west, knowing this is where I was going to be that night. I was well prepared for the weather.

The difference between and these men is that I was prepared from the clothing situation, they were not.

It is wintertime now and the weather is very unforgiving, and I know some will venture out or maybe many improperly dressed wearing clothing from various brand names made in China that have no chance keeping you warm in the current conditions.

It is not only the adventurers who are improperly dressed, but also the SAR people who look for those who get lost. I say improperly dressed is a universal problem.

I have been in the outerwear or cold weather clothing business for 60 years and I have in that time seen every type of garment with every type of insulation or story. Things repeat and that is what we see today. The early years saw chopped staple fiberfill and it failed so in the 60’s the outerwear companies moved into down which was better but the cost over time hurt sales.

Chopped staple fiberfill started to make a come back under the guise of primaloft or liteloft which is nothing but what failed in the 60’s but there was a story which was just that story. Then of course, we had fabrics like polar fleece that had remarkable qualities such as moving moisture away from your body. These companies learned that moisture from the body was not good, so it had to be gotten rid of.

The down became so expensive they started using less and less and quilting it in one square in pattern and they had a new story of how it will keep you warm. Some companies have done the same thing with fiberfill. People buy these garments probably if they are fashionable.

I see people in Grand Junction wearing garments with the zippers up to their necks even in stores that are obviously heated.

Getting back to those who get lost and those who go out looking for them they both have the same problem retention of sweat, which has the cooling effect. We are selling lots of fish net underwear, so how many of these adventurers and SAR workers are wearing them? If they were their survival possibility would be better and certainly the SAR guys would be better off.

There is an adage the old timers used “cotton kills”. They never further explained why, which is because it absorbed your body moisture which caused a chill etc., etc. in todays world the one going out on cold days may not be wearing a cotton garment next to their skin but a polyester garment that just keeps the sweat next to you. The garment may be sold with the idea that it will “wick” the moisture away from your skin. They don’t that “wicking” action requires absorbing the liquid and moving it, but synthetics do not absorb so “wicking” action never happens.

If you are thinking about going outdoors in the winter think that your first layer of clothing is Wiggy’s nylon fishnets.