It's cold... Damn...

   Making ascent, storming caves or passing water routes the person, constantly is under influence of set of various adverse factors. The steadiest and permanent is the cold.

   The role of a central heating in our organism is carried out by blood system, it delivers heat from depth of a body to its surface. In reply to external influence of cold (I. of C) in an organism mechanisms of heat regulation raising the production of heat an organism are included.

   The first thermal protection - narrowing blood vessels on surfaces of a body, thus decreases inflow of blood, and with it decreases inflow of heat from depth of a body (nucleus). The difference of temperatures between a surface of a body and an environment decreases and, hence, decrease heat loss.

   The second thermal protection is pulsation of diameters of blood vessels.

   The third thermal protection is numbness. Pulsations pass in the spasms accompanying with painful sensations with the subsequent full termination of blood circulation in this zone - numbness. If area of cold influence starts to grasp the vital bodies, it is included

  The fourth thermal protection There is a sharp expansion of all peripheral capillaries. Painful spasms pass, the feeling of a cold is replaced by feeling of pseudo-comfort and drowsiness. The temperature of a nucleus is sharply reduced, that results in freezing an organism (death). To deduce an organism from the fourth condition it is possible only in special conditions.

► The Contradiction of system person - clothes

   Role of gauges of temperature in an organism carry out the thermo receptors. And they react not to temperatures of environment or the person, and on a difference between the next layers of a skin. For example, when the wind gets on a naked body, the difference of temperatures is high and thermo receptors answer a powerful signal - the first stage of protection there and then works (see above). The clothes, at an impulse of a wind, soften temperature drop and as a result the organism for a long time does not react to change of temperature "brakes", and mechanisms of protection is included later when losses of heat are already great.

  So the first contradiction is shown. To fill losses of heat you start to show hyperactivity (walking, run), the current of blood is immediately accelerated, process of heat buildup only starts to become more active, and blood already carries away outside warmly. The person feels the even greater cold. But gradually process of heat buildup is normalized, but the organism, deprived orientations "slips" a point of desirable balance.

  Here the second contradiction of clothes affects. And as a result of overheating under clothes surplus of heat is formed. Here to clothes to pass this surplus of heat, but it cannot change the heat-shielding properties. And the organism is compelled to include the second mechanism of a heat-shielding - begins intensive perspiration.

  Here we approach to the most important third contradiction person - clothes. Being allocated on a surface of a skin sweat (moisture) starts to evaporate carrying away invaluable heat through layers of clothes. Somewhere in layers of clothes of pairs reaches a dew-point where sated pairs as a result of downturn of temperature turns to the moisture. Impregnating, all over again external layers and gradually coming closer to a body. I.e. the clothes dampen. Evaporations stop, but heat conductivity of crude clothes in 20 times is higher dry and you continue to lose heat. So the third contradiction person - clothes is shown.

► The Decision of contradictions person - clothes.

   So the basic lacks of warm (thick) clothes.

    1.  A disorientation of system of temperature control an organism.
    2.  The clothes cannot change the heat conductivity.
    3.  At a presence on a cold the clothes inevitably dampen.


The first lack to remove it is practically impossible, but here the nature has come to us to the aid. There is a lot of heat-shielding means work from thermo receptors of face. And it is much faster, than from thermo receptors of legs or a breast. The second and third contradiction is solved as follows:

    1. Moisture deflected material in contact to a skin                  (see thermo-wear)
    2. Absorbless material with the big contents of air "cavities" (see down, Thinsulate)
    3. Multilayered free clothes. (For ventilation of air)
    4. Wind and moisture protective a superficial layer of clothes (Gore-tex, Windbloc)

  During old times in quality moisture deflected means recommended to dress for a naked body a big-knotted grid. It allows to create an air backlash for removal of evaporations of a skin and a moisture (sweat). Modern technologies have created a line of materials known in the CIS as thermo-wear (see thermo-wear). Some firms apply characteristics of these fabrics. Us first of all should interest it moisture deflected properties. As a absorbless material with the big contents of air "cavities" for a long time the down and down clothes was used. It and now in the ratio small volume + weight + heat out of competition, but at humidifying (getting wet) completely loses the properties. And it’s a big problem to dry it.

   Now use flees, polar, thinsulite (see materials). At movement air circulates between layers of clothes, at closing there are local zones of the increased pressure, air is pressed through the layers of clothes and on the one hand carries away water pairs, and with another dries clothes. Atop of all certainly dress jackets from fabric GORE-TEX and its variations.

► Ways of self-heating

    1. Activation of physical activity
    2. Lumpsum acceptance of hot food
    3. Continuous warming up of a body with the help of carried sources of heat
    4. Periodic warming up under a polyethylene bell
    5. Respiratory exercises and auto-training

   At long work (sorry rest), in cold conditions, with regular overcooling an organism and cold spending the night, even if the organism will not freeze (due to periodic heating), it is strongly energetically exhausted. The nervous system to come in a condition of the special pressure, named cold weariness and the person loses ability to complex mental activity, reaction is reduced. There are a number of symptoms indicating on deterioration of ability to adaptation.

    · Painful sensations in ligaments and muscles
    · Frustration of intestines
    · Catarrh
    · Rash like hives
    · Irritability
    · Muscular constraint

   Therefore it is important to know (to feel) when the organism has passed the middle of a stage of resistance and approaches to a stage of an exhaustion to arrange. And the last: it is strictly forbidden to use in quality of self-heating spirit. Alcohol results in fast expansion of blood vessels. You will feel that became warmer. BUT! It’s only sensation. Actually the organism will lose unfairly a lot of heat, due to cooling a nucleus of your organism and to you becomes soon even colder. Reception of spirit is possible if you sure that through a pair of hours you will be in heat and a comfort.

► Advices are to whom laziness to understand the theory.

  Optimum variant of protection against a cold of the urbanized person is multilayered clothes from different materials. Researches have shown, that in the best way protect from a cold of 4-5 layers of clothes. The linen is put on a body from a soft cotton or a mohair, some, not strongly fitting, thin sweaters and trousers from flees (2-3 thin sweaters, much better, than one thick as between them the layer of air is formed), a suit from a dense cotton fabric or "breathing" synthetics, and from above a suit or an overalls from a synthetic fabric with a heater from down or artificial a heater. You will tell: " As in all it to move?” - And in any way, all this is necessary for having in a backpack and to dress in case of a long stop or the compelled spending the night.

  Very important role is played with footwear, practice has shown, 9/10 of all chilblain it is necessary on the legs. The footwear should be free the material of which it is made necessarily should "breathe". If one of these conditions not will it is observed, chilblain will take place in the first case from the bad blood circulation bearing warmly, and in the second because, that the socks which have wet from a condensate are not capable to keep heat already. In the latter case it is necessary to replace the wet socks on dry (if they are), and wet to put on a stomach for drying, or to get rid of such footwear, and legs to wind with scarf, cloths if all this is at hand. Feet can get wet also because, that the snow within day thaws on a surface a boot not processed waterproof structure, and as at hit of a snow inside footwear. To be saved from it it’s possible using backhills- bags, from the strong fabric, protecting footwear from a snow.

  If you have felt, that your extremities hurt, have stiffened, start to heat, using internal heat. For this purpose it is necessary to replace wet mittens on dry if they are not present to pull dry socks, to bend forward and to make wide moves by hands forward - back in a vertical plane. Moves should be strong with the period approximately in one second, thus blood is rejected by centrifugal force to brushes of hands. Precisely as it is necessary to warm legs, being kept by hands for something, it is necessary to make by a direct leg vigorous moves as it is possible more widely and more strongly. Usually the general warming up of an organism is enough to cause 30-40 double moves and completely to warm a leg. Before the beginning of heating it is possible to unlace a boot, or to dress valenki. To take off your shoes on a frost and to warm a leg grinding it is senseless. For heating hands there is other checked up way - push hands to itself in trousers, not trying to unbutton buttons or to weaken a belt and press to an internal surface of hips, here the warmest place. If the frost is combined with a wind, it is possible to chilblain cheeks and a nose to avoid it it’s enough to protect the person with the help of a mask, a scarf, a piece of a fabric.

  The mechanism of action of a cold on a fabric consists in that that, normal access of blood to fabrics, their nutrition and supply by oxygen that can result in their dying off stops. The major principle of restoration - slow warming up, is better an internal heat. If there is an opportunity, finiteness place in a basin with hardly warm water and, adding hot water, finish its temperature up to 40o during 15 - 20 minutes. Warming is carried out before restoration of normal color of a skin and its sensitivity. To pound and knead the injured extremities does not follow, with this you only will harm easily vulnerable in the frozen condition to a skin and fabrics. Under any circumstances do not use a snow for heating extremities! If there is no suitable capacity, it is possible to take advantage of compresses from towels, scarf and other suitable fabric. It is necessary as it is possible to change more often them and to keep up temperature. Warming extremities do not overlook about the general heating of the person. The ambassador of heating it is necessary to dry finiteness, to turn it in cotton wool or a soft pure fabric, to provide heat. If you are convinced, that the victim has not received the general overcooling, it is possible to give preparations expanding vessels and strengthening blood circulation.

  Even the best clothes and footwear can protect you from a cold only for short time - depending on force of a frost and a wind, and also viability of the person. And if not to use this time efficiently - on a construction of a refuge, or on achievement of the nearest settlement (if you precisely know where it is and as for a long time up to it to reach) - the destruction is inevitable. Remember, during single combat with a frost important in time will stop, and to start to prepare for cold spending the night. One physical strength of a cold to not overcome, sooner or later forces will run low, to you will want to sit down, have a rest, and this beginning of the end. On this it is necessary to take care of shelter while these forces still are.

  Frequently people having got in failure try to build shelter of traditional materials: the rests of tents, fragments of vehicles, poles, etc. Thus they seldom reach desirable, refuges are blown by a wind, warm air disappears in a crack, on this temperature inside almost always same, as outside.

  Meanwhile, frequently the best building material is under legs is a snow. Build for two - three hours a refuge from a snow any person whom though time in the childhood built of cubes can. In correctly constructed refuge, even the flame of one candle has enough what to lift temperature up to 0 - +5 o С at 30 o a frost outside. Even if you will fail to construct of a snow a needle make even a wall which will reliably protect from a wind.

  Now let’s talk about a fire. Matches (it is better than a lighter) necessarily we take with themselves even if we are going to leave for city at two o'clock. And if we leave for all day we shall take also dry fuel and a candle. They will be necessary for us at cultivation of fire, is especial if fire wood will be damp.

  The important role is played with a place for bivouac fire. It is desirable to break it on the equal place having nearby a plenty of fire wood. Better if with windward side the obstacle is - the big stone, a blockage from the trees, the turned out root will be located. If it is a little snow, it is necessary for cleaning up to the ground, on a deep snow, the fire is necessary for planting on flooring from poles. Well inflamed fire will thaw through a snow up to the ground. If it is a lot of snow, the flooring should be built of densely stacked wet logs, the fire will start to fail in a hole, and it is necessary for you to expand it while do not go down on a level of a fire.