PORTALFIELD Takahashi
Wearing clothes for active outdoor activities such as mountain climbing is available throughout the year in spring, summer, autumn and winter.Layered (layered, layering)Is a well-known story.
On the other hand, there may be some people who should have been conscious of layering, but even in Natsuyama, depending on the altitude and time of day, they may have felt cold regardless of whether they stayed in a hut or a tent.
It is an essential measure to protect against the cold in outdoor activities to reduce the risk of hypothermia, but in autumn, when the temperature is even lower than in Natsuyama, from late autumn to winter, and from severe winter to snowy season, etc.Even more efficient technology is needed to enjoy activities in cold weather.
What is a layered system?
As mentioned above, layering and layering are the techniques for outdoor wear such as mountain climbing.
What kind of clothing and how to wear it in what situation in the mountains, that is, the layered system, can be said to be a good mountaineering technique in itself.
The basis of the layered system isUnderwear (base layer),Mid layer (inner),Outer (shell)..The combination of these three functions is the basis.
Let's see how to select recommended materials for each layer and function.
Underwear (base layer)
There are various products and names depending on the manufacturer, but in general, clothing that comes into direct contact with the skin isunderwear(For example, underwear pants).As layeringWear located on the innermost sideis.So-calledunderwearBesides, a layer of clothing that is worn directly on the skinBase layerSometimes called.
One of the major roles of underwear and base layers is that the body first responds to sweat to keep the body temperature constant.
The important point is how to cope with sweating.
Many people wear cotton underwear as their everyday clothes, but have you ever felt cold after sweating?
Yes!I'm sweaty.
Although cotton has no problem with hygroscopicity, it has a great weakness as underwear for outdoor activities such as mountain climbing.
It is because the diffusivity of water is very low.Once it gets wet, it dries slowlyThat is the point.It is not the best material from the viewpoint of avoiding sweat chills.
Sweat chills occur because the sweat that stays on your skin loses heat as it cools or evaporates.
Therefore, no matter how much warm clothing or windproof jacket you wear on top of your sweaty underwear, the cold will not go away, and you can use it for activities such as mountain climbing and backcountry skiing in cold weather such as winter mountains.Cotton underwear is not suitable at all.
In addition to increasing the risk of hypothermia, it is considered to be one of the factors that make a difference between life and death in past cases of winter mountain distress.
Never wear cotton underwear when climbing in cold weather or backcountry skiing.
Some manufacturers sell products under the concept of "dry layer".
This is Fine Track's "Power Mesh Bra Tank Top"
Emphasis is placed on measures against sweat chills, and even if the clothing worn on it gets soaked, the water-repellent fabric prevents the skin from continuing to get wet.
As a material for underwear in outdoor activities such as mountain climbing
As an old chemical materialpolypropylene,polyester,Dacron,GeolineRepresented byMaterial with little cold feeling due to its high quick-drying property with almost no water absorptionis mentioned.Great for underwear.
As a natural materialwoolCan be mentioned.Wool is better than the chemical fibers mentioned aboveInferior quick-dryingBut,It feels warmer because it has high heat retention..Great for underwear.
Also, earlierNot recommended materialIntroduced asCottonAndRayon TheA material that has high water absorption but low quick-drying properties, and its heat retention is greatly reduced when it gets wet..Not suitable for mountaineering underwear.
Recommended fabric materialwoolis.Not only is the natural material good, but wool isStrong against wetting due to some water repellencyEven if it gets wet and absorbs moistureHeat adsorption is generated and maintains a certain level of heat retention.For,Hard to feel coldIt has the feature of.
The price is a little high, it shrinks easily, and it becomes felt due to sweat and friction, but it is a drawback.Not only is it excellent as a material that makes it difficult to feel cold sweat, but it also has excellent deodorant properties, and recently shrink-proof processed products have appeared.doing.
Especially using high quality woolMerino woolIs soft to the touch and has been re-evaluated in recent years.There is also a thin fabric for spring to summer, which can be used throughout the year.
On the other hand, chemical materialsExcellent durabilityThere is a big feature.Deodorant properties are now also availableAntibacterial processingThe number of products that have been dealt with has increased.
We have a lineup of products with various characteristics from each manufacturer and brand, so it is recommended to use them properly with wool.
What about heat-generating materials?
As a relatively new material,Heat-generating material that heats the fiber itselfThere are products that use.
Various products are on sale from each company, but each oneThe base of the fabric is different, and some products have low quick-drying properties..
All of them have high heat retention,The intended use is different in the first place, so be careful when considering those materials..
Outdoor heat-generating products such as breath thermos are materials that can be very useful in outdoor scenes such as photography in cold weather, nature observation, camping, etc., where there is a lot of waiting time and little activity, but they are not suitable for intense activities that involve sweating. Hmm.
It may be difficult to use for general mountain climbing and snow trekking.
As will be described later in the mid-layer item, in behavioral activities such as mountain climbingDisadvantages of getting too warmWill occur.You should keep this in mind as well.
The heat retention of underwear can also be adjusted by changing the thickness of the fabric."Lightweight" "Middleweight" "Heavyweight"Is often written asAs it goes from light to heavy, the fabric becomes thicker and warmer...This is also one of the check items when choosing underwear.
Recently,Natural materialsとChemical fiberCombinedHybrid fiberHas also appeared.
For example, by combining wool and chemical fibers,A product that has the advantages of both the heat retention of wool and the quick-drying of chemical fibers.And so on.
Natural materials,Chemical fiber,Hybrid materialNowadays, you can choose underwear from a wide range of options depending on the type of activity, the season, and the taste of the skin when you wear it.It's not an exaggeration to say that it's the most important layered system, so consider your taste and try to use a better, stress-free underwear..
Mid layer
Next, of layeringIntermediate layer (intermediate clothes)Midlayer is in charge of wearing warm and dry air.
Basically, the heat retention is adjusted in the mid layer.
Suitable for mid-layerswool,Fleece materialAnd so on.
It is important to adjust the heat retention by changing the thickness of the air layer (dead air) and the fluidity of warm air by changing these combinations according to the feeling of cold and warm.
そ し て,Be aware of sweating when considering the combination of mid layersAnd don't forget to choose your clothing.
As a caveatThe amount of sweating differs between when you are in action and when you are not moving, such as during breaks.For this reason, fleece and down materials that are effective for keeping warm during breaks may be too warm during activity and sweat, or if the air permeability is too low, condensation may occur due to sweat, so it feels a little troublesome. andFrequently put on and take off according to the amount of exerciseIt is necessary to pay attention to such points.
It is not good to wear too much even in cold weather.
The amount of sweating differs between men and women, and there are individual differences, so it is important to determine the optimal combination for yourself by experiencing and experiencing it, and to anticipate various situations.
Then, in the second part, "Outer (shell)"When,"XNUM X TheoryLet's see what exactly is.
Supervisor Sakaiya Sports Co., Ltd. Keiichi Kaneko
Composition / sentence PORTALFIELD Kohei Takahashi
(Continued to the second part)
