Nose Job …
Listen very carefully; I will say this only once. There is a lot of nonsense written in the name of lightweight backpacking. (There – I’ve said it).
What has sparked this Damascus-like revelation? Well, there’s an article in this month’s TGO Challenge that I thought must be an advance April fool, indeed, I’m still not convinced that it is absolutely serious.
The piece has been written by fellow, lightweight backpacker and tarp user Eddie Meecham. Eddie has been concerned with heat loss from the body and particularly the amount of heat that can apparently be lost from the human mouth. Eddie has an answer to this, he wants us all to start using face masks – the kind of things that you get from a DIY store to use when decorating and so on. There are even photos of Eddie wearing a number of different mask designs. The piece – which amazingly stretches over a couple of pages – rambles on about the physiology of the mouse and its heat exchange system and how this is superior to ours. Quite.
When Eddie was out testing his gear he found himself quite cold during the night. Remembering his notions of heat exchange Eddie donned one of these DIY face masks and then found that he legs warmed up.
Now it is true that when you’re cold you can be effected like that. What I do is simply close the face-hole of my sleeping bag so that there is just a tiny space to breathe through. This does raise the temperature all round and does warm up my feet. But that’s all I’ve needed and this technique means that I’ve been quite happy in a Minimus Bag that’s rated down to 5 degrees at temperatures just below freezing.
I’ve tried very hard to understand the DIY mask idea but even trying to serious I can’t help focussing on how uncomfortable they always seem to be.
I think I’ll take the old fashioned approach and stick to the sleeping bag.
Was this really serious or have I really been clobbered b y an April fool joke?
6 Comments so far
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I once caught a mouse in our kitchen using a humane trap late at night and left it outside in the garden with the intention of releasing the creature the following morning in our local park. Unfortunately it was a cold night and in the morning the mouse was dead and frozen solid. So I think Eddie Meecham is a joker!
By Des on 03.21.08 10:49 am
That piece, plus the piece he did about tarps in the previous issue, were quite the most bizarre and scary articles I’ve ever read in any mag – and that includes The Fortean Times. The photos look as if they were taken in Guantanamo Bay. Early April Fool’s jokes, surely?
By The Solitary Walker on 03.23.08 3:50 pm
Andy – you surprise me – when many would level the same kind of ‘lunacy’ accusations against you for advocating UK tarp use etc…I think we have to accept that Eddie Meecham is working at the far edge of ‘lightweight’ in terms of what the majority of us would find comfortable or acceptable, but personally I learned a lot from the two articles especially in terms of safety.
As we lighten our loads it’s always possible we may be tempted to go too far and take too little for a surrise cold snap. I learned from Eddie that if I’ve got some waterproofs like paclite etc which actually isn’t all that breathable. Then it would be worth popping it over my baselayer (using it as a vapour barrier) with other clothing layered on top – which is something I might not otherwise have thought of.
Also, as someone who used to have to work in one as a wood machinist years ago, I wouldn’t dream of trying to sleep regularly in dust mask – but again as a safety item weighing less than 10g I would think about carrying one as a safety back-up in case of any underestimation of conditions etc. Makes sense as I can certainly testify you do get damn hot in one!
I don’t think Eddie or TGO are particularly expecting anyone to follow Eddie’s example in terms of their regular backpacking style and equipment.
The most ridiculous article I’ve read in TGO on ‘lightweight’ was Cameron’s suggestion that weight savings were to be had from cutting out labels from kit and clothing – anyone try that? If you did please let me know how much they weighed!!
By Jim Jessop on 03.23.08 9:35 pm
Jim – as I said ” I shall say this only once”
By Andy on 03.24.08 10:13 am
I agree with Jim. I found the article fascinating and, like Eddie says himself at the end of the article, there is nothing lost in trying his idea out.
It was totally in keeping with the TGO’s go lighter if possible direction. The article I find puzzling in the same edition was the profile of someone working for Sprayway. It was a sort of design world biography only vaguely connected to outdoor backpacking and walking.
I think that one was the April fool!
By David on 03.24.08 10:59 am
[...] on a summer’s night. They say it’s actually warmer than most 0C rated bags, which Andy Howell seems to back up. The biggest problem is the lack of a zip so I know I’ll overheat in it. [...]
By eBothy Blog » PHD, should I consider them? on 06.19.09 10:17 am
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