The human body relies on the calories from food to maintain body temperature and sustain life. The principle of insulation is to maintain normal body temperature, which is also the reason why we wear clothes. Wearing clothes creates an air layer around the body, and this air layer is the source that regulates body temperature.
Clothing made of wool has particularly high thermal insulation because wool is lightweight, soft, and voluminous. When worn, it easily forms an air layer around the body that regulates temperature. This air layer prevents heat loss and keeps the body warm—not because the wool generates heat, but because it helps retain warmth. Wool products are made of wool fibers, which are water-repellent, so they can still provide insulation even when damp. Even if they get soaked by rain, simply wringing them out will retain their insulating properties. If wool clothing gets wet in the rain, it should be wrung out together with absorbent old newspapers, then put on. Body heat will dry the not-fully-dry clothing. If you urgently need to wear your clothes and they are not yet dry, try this method. Wool clothing is ideal for mountain climbing—it doesn’t become heavy and cold like other materials when wet, which would not only fail to keep you warm but could also cause you to get chilled or even suffer frostbite.
Next, let’s talk about maintaining insulation. Consider the following figures: one milliliter of water can evaporate 0.58 kilocalories of heat, so for a person weighing seventy kilograms to lower their body temperature by 1°C, 0.58 milliliters of sweat need to be expelled.In summer, exercise can result in the excretion of 3.5 milliliters of sweat. From this, we can see that sweating helps reduce body temperature. Under conditions of fatigue and dampness, exposing the body to cold weather will lower body temperature to the point of risking life. Therefore, if your clothes get wet while camping, change them quickly to avoid a drop in body temperature. A drop in body temperature will naturally make you feel uncomfortable.
Dry old newspapers are a versatile item. They can be used to start fires or as cushioning material to prevent packaged food from colliding. Additionally, if your clothes are wet, you can rub them with newspaper, place it inside your inner clothing layer, and it will absorb moisture. Though placing it inside your clothes may cause some inconvenience—especially the rustling sound when you move—it remains an ideal insulation item.
Only by adjusting the air layer according to changes in temperature can you stay insulated. On windy evenings or early mornings, wear more layers, and when you feel cold, put on thermal sweaters to trap the air layer around your body, preventing you from getting chilled. The same principle applies to tents used for camping. When the snow stops, a windbreaker is sufficient—you can take off the raincoat.
Young people who want to show off their slender figures often wear tight clothing during mountain climbing and camping. From the standpoint of insulation and flexibility, this is very unsuitable. It’s best to wear loose clothing that allows free movement at the knees and elbows. Moreover, don’t just wear one layer—wear several, with the outermost layer helping to maintain an air layer; this way, you won’t have to worry about strong winds.
There are many ways to stay warm—just put in the effort to research, and you’ll definitely gain insights. If you can train yourself to wear less clothing in daily life, you’ll be better prepared when faced with difficult situations.
Editor: North Wind