[pct-l] Umbrellas

Tue Jan 22 16:05:07 CST 2008

When my foster daughter and I hiked in Yosemite, we hiked out on the Twin Lakes trail.  It was HOT and there was very little shade.  We found that with a full pack, we could only hike from shade tree to shade tree before our heart was racing and we were gasping.......and the trees weren't all that far apart.  But in between was only scrub and sun....very tough hiking.  So the desert is daunting.  I'll have my umbrella.....and my Hubba tent, that has a rain fly that can be set up separate from the tent, with the poles, and used as trail shade any time.  Cool!

Wheeew

Donna Saufley <dsaufley at sprynet.com> wrote:          v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}      st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }           It doesn’t matter whether you cut slits or not, the sun is still beating on your head, and you will feel it.  Perhaps you, like Brick and my husband, are very tolerant of heat and don’t mind this.  It simply slays me when I am trying to do a challenging physical activity (I’ve been known to sit under a bush, panting like an animal). 

  I have a real hard time with heat escaping from my head when it’s hot. I wear visors rather than hats for sun protection because of this.  In fact, I never wear my bike helmet when climbing on my mountainbike because I overheat, despite the ample ventilation in the helmet (I bring it along to wear on descents). But oh, my, sweet, merciful shade makes such a big difference, even if it’s only partial. It’s funny how much you come to treasure a spot of shade or a puff of clouds that obscure the sun and make it stop beating on you.

  Like I said, many, many hikers obtain, create or modify umbrellas here.  If you don’t think you’ll want one, start without it, or bounce it ahead.  It may be something you only want for So Cal, so buying a really cheap one that you doctor up with mylar creates something you won’t mind throwing away or leaving in a hiker box.

  Another non-umbrella option is to take siestas during the heat of the day, and hike at night or at least in the cooler morning and evening hours.  Some hikers rig shade shelters out of mylar (or other materials) using their trekking poles and line to wait out the worst of the heat. 

  L-Rod

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  From: Patrick Beggan [mailto:meta474 at gmail.com] 
 Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:48 AM
 To: Donna Saufley; pct-l at backcountry.net
 Subject: Re: [pct-l] Umbrellas

    So it's a question of ventilation? Why not just cut some slits in the body of your hat, above the brim? Seems it would be smarter to have the somewhat lesser coverage of a wide-brimmed hat and hike only in the early morning and afternoon (thus avoiding most of the bad direct radiation anyway), sitting out the hottest part of the day in the shade. That's how the Bedouin do it anyway. Save on weight and discomfort and simply re-arrange your hiking hours.

      On Jan 22, 2008, at 2:41 PM, Donna Saufley wrote:

          Just another one of so many choices that make everyone different and their hike and preferences unique to them.

    Though I haven’t done any desert sections in the heat and therefore have not had need for an umbrella, if I were to hike the desert when it’s hot I would consider giving an umbrella (and hands-free holder) a try.  It’s astonishing how much cooler it is in the shade when the sun is blazing hot.  If you’re wearing a hat only, the sun beats directly on your head, albeit through your hat, and you are essentially feeling all the heat because it’s directly on you.  If you elevate that boundary, and keep the sun from actually reaching you, you will not have the sun on your head at all and presumably be much cooler.  And, as Wheeew said, heat can better escape from your head. 

    Many hikers start without umbrellas, and we’ve had fairly large numbers of hikers buying/making/outfitting mylar umbrellas at Hiker Heaven every season.  There must be good reason for it, and it may be worth experimenting with. 

    L-Rod

---------------------------------

    From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Patrick Beggan
 Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:46 AM
 To: JOHNNY J FARBER; pct-l at backcountry.net
 Subject: [pct-l] Umbrellas

      What is this obsession with umbrellas? I mean, seriously, I'm not being a troll here -- why do so many people like them? I tried it once and it wasn't any different for me than a wide-brimmed hat and a good long-sleeve t-shirt but considerably more weight since you generally need to still carry a hat and a shirt anyway.

      Most of the heat in the desert is reflected from the ground anyway so overhead cover only helps the direct radiation. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

        On Jan 22, 2008, at 1:02 PM, JOHNNY J FARBER wrote:

          We followed the Jardine method of rubber banding the mylar to the umbrella which worked great.  He recommended using the small rubber bands from an orthodonist.  The wind turned our umbrellas inside out a few times, but most of time they were lifesavers.  Campmor sells a metallic coated treking umbrella 24.99--spf 50+--this is what we are using this year. 

      JOURNELS---I would like to know the address of a user friendly journel site.  Despite the fear that all the comments have struck into my heart, I still want to write a journel of our 2008 trip.  Just kidding about the fear--many of the comments are helpful.  Besides I gave up fear (at least I don't let it stop me) when I fought cancer in 2006.  Sharon "Free" (from fear & cancer) Farber

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-Wheeew-
www.trailjournals.com/wheeew/
---->MexiCan----> 2008

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