Re: [Philmont]: RE: [Philmont]: Sock Dryer

Jim-as an OKPIK instructor, I can tell you that buying a too big sleeping
bag also creates "dead air" that has to be heated up by the body inside.
When kids come to OKPIK with large sleeping bags, we instruct them to stuff
something dry down there (like the spare clothes you are going to wear the
next day) to fill up the dead space. Either than, or tuck the bag under to
remove some of the "dead" space. There is a gray zone here, you need
layers (including THIN air layers) to stay warm, but large air pockets just
make your body work harder to heat up and can lead to a person becoming
chilled. If you stuff a 80 lb kid into a lumberjack-sized sleeping bag,
they normally get cold...

Another coaching tip is to put your damp socks into your sleeping bag, but
BETWEEN your sleeping bag liner and your sleeping bag. That way, the
dampness isn't on your skin, but the heat from your body dries the socks
out. Normally at OKPIK, they have an outer bag liner as well. That is
where we have them put their pak boot (ie, Sorel) felt liners to keep them
from freezing during the night (as they are always damp from them being in
them all day long stomping in the snow). But, these two tips don't work
well for Philmont because no one brings a bag liner or pak boots <g>!

Here is my chance to plug the Denver Area Council OKPIK program. It is
very popular around here and runs for about 10 weeks during January-March.
Only 24 people participate each weekend and the full cost is a bargain at
ONLY $55. Out-of-council troops are accepted, but reservations need to be
made in advance to ensure you get slots. If you want more information,
please contact me OR go to the Tahosa website:
http://www.denverareacouncil.com/tahosa/okpik/index.html

YIS.

Mike Conkey (Philmont in '76, '02 & '04)
Eagle 1976

                                                                                                           
                      Jim Welton
                      <jimwelton@gmail. To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
                      com> <philmont@troop47.com>
                      Sent by: cc:
                      owner-philmont@tr Subject: Re: [Philmont]: RE: [Philmont]: Sock Dryer
                      oop47.com
                                                                                                           
                                                                                                           
                      11/19/2004 07:11
                      AM
                      Please respond to
                      philmont
                                                                                                           
                                                                                                           

One winter camping tip I've seen repeated several places is buying a
sleeping bag longer than what you need and drying damp, but not wet,
clothes at the foot of the bag. The gray area is probably what is
meant by damp vs. wet. I like the alternative of using a water bottle
as a radiator. I imagine it would work in a stuff sack to dry a couple
items.

Another backpacking tip (not Philmont specific) on cold days to make a
hot soup in the morning with your breakfast and filling a Lexan
bottle, wrap it in extra clothes and place it near your back, in your
pack. By lunch it is still warm to hot and you will not have to pull
out your stove again.

YiS,
Jim Welton
McAllen, Texas

On Fri, 19 Nov 2004 07:42:37 -0500, Feurtado, Walter C.
<wfeurtado@atsva.com> wrote:
> Bob: The first time I did this was in 1991 at Comanche Peak Campsite.
It was cold (38 degrees when we went to bed and 36 when we woke up) and
drizzly. All of my socks were wet and I did not want to hike in wet socks
the next day. To my amazement, my socks 85% wool socks were dry by 3am.
Since then, I have used thor-lo's and now smart wool and have dried them in
my bag without problem

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cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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Received on Fri Nov 19 09:09:38 2004