[pct-l] Personal Misters

[vonhof@pacbell.net (John Vonhof)]

The question was asked,

> Does anyone have any experience with personal misting devices?  You pump
them up and a fine mist of water comes out of a nozzle to spray your face or
whatever. I bought one and it seems to work great for cooling off, plus the
water in the container can be used as backup drinking water after filtering.
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had used these things while hiking.

I recommend simply using a natural sea sponge (not an artificial sponge).
They have hundreds of small holes woven through the sponge that allows air
to circulate and keep the water content very cool. They hold many times
their weight. Look for them at health food stores or drug stores. Get a
large one since they weigh nothing. Run a shoelace through the center and
carry it from your pack. When wet they are great on your ears and neck. I
have used them for years in running ultramarathons.

John Vonhof
vonhof@pacbell.net
Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes; Second Edition
www.footworkpub.com