I work in an agency that at times requires hiking into the back country of southern Arizona. Obviously at this time of year a three mile hike takes on a whole different meaning than a hike in February.
I did a little experiment yesterday wearing my soft body armor on a three mile hike doing some area orientation. It had been a while since I had hiked in full gear [armor, M4, hydration/gear pack and chest rig] so I was a little out of shape. The trek took me into and over a box canyon, around the hill and back to my vehicle. By the time I returned to my ride I was at the brink of heat exhaustion. Total time away from my vehicle was approximately two hours [with water breaks] on a humid, 98 degree morning.
The majority of the agents I work with forego wearing their department issued soft body armor in the summer, reasoning one is more likely to go down due to heat injury than to get shot in the back country.
My question is, can one acclimate themselves to the point that they can operate in extreme heat for long distances/periods with body armor?
Yes. Acclimatization takes a few days of keeping at it. But you’ll get better at it and will eventually notice it less. You will always notice it though, as with any armor.
I can’t believe guys aren’t wearing their shit. Yu can avoid heat casualties with hydration and electrolytes, neither of which do shit for a GSW…
Water/electrolytes aren’t always enough, either. You need to remember to eat, and avoid (preferably reduce; let’s not get CRAZY…) coffee and other diuretics…actually, I’m sure you’ve seen this material before.
In the Tigris/Euphrates river valley, it gets to 140* daytime temps during the month of August (167* in my LAV-25 turret, highest recorded), measured 1m off the ground, but it obviously doesn’t just slam into that all at once. There’s a bit of a seasonal build-up, so the folks that were tooling around in those areas were usually very able to acclimatize just doing the simple D2D stuff.
If Wesley was able to gradually build up an immunity to the iocane powder that killed Vizzini…
…, you can gradually expose yourself to longer druations of physical exertion when jocked-up, and become able to do pretty much anything in it. Conceptually, it’s no different than getting used to high altitude.
JSantos is correct, adjust your diet and keep up with slowly extending your exposure to the heat in the gear and you will grow accustomed to it and be able to perform better and better as time goes on. I went from the cold of Western NY to the sandbox with no problems, I don’t think we had a single heat injury in the whole company.
+1 on this, Also hydration should be a constant process and you should make it a habit to drink alot of water even on days that you don’t go out in the field.
Like most, I was told repeatedly by drill sergeants and other “experts” that caffeinated beverages–and especially coffee–were diuretics. Nevertheless, I spent six of the first 12 years of my Army career running around in the Mojave Desert at National Training Center at Fort Irwin, and there were entire days–in the field, not in an office, and even in the summer–when I consumed nothing but coffee (I was, and remain, a caffeine-aholic). I experienced no detrimental effects whatsoever. In recent years several studies have been done (I can provide citations, if anyone’s interested) that have demonstrated that–as long as fluid consumption levels remain constant–neither coffee nor caffeine affects “hydration levels” to any significant degree.
With that said, I still think it’s probably best to stick with water, particularly when becoming acclimated to extreme heat. In my experience people who drink sodas or other sweetened beverages don’t seem to consume as much fluid as those who drink water. I don’t if this is because the consumption of those extra calories makes one feel “full,” if it’s because it’s just not as easy to drink several quarts of an adulterated beverage without feeling sick, or what.
I know that during the summer months in the big sandbox I stuck with good old water–and lots of it. SAPI plates don’t breathe. At all.
I didn’t make clear that I meant “…until you’re acclimated…” Not even a hard-and-fast rule, more of a just-in-case. I know I feel better doing without for the most part, understanding the caveat that people and their individual physiology aren’t cranked out by a cookie-cutter.
We used to get similarly bullshit word from folks at Parris Island: “Don’t eat cereal/drink milk on a PT day, you’ll coat your stomach and won’t be able to absorb the water you drink!” :rolleyes:
…so I’m picking up what you’re putting down.
Yeah, it wasn’t uncommon to down 4 or more gallons/day while traipsing around that blast furnace.
–Be hydrated BEFORE you start
–Fill up your camelback with ice then add water.
–Throw a couple smaller bottles of Gatorade in with the iced hydration system with some power bars.
The ice’d hydration system does wonders for keeping you cool. Also, the outer vest carriers are helpful because you can “air yourself out” when you stop to take a break.
I’d recommend not hiking between 10am-4pm if at all possible. I understand that the job requires you to hike at these times, but I personally have to have a damn good reason to be gallivanting around the desert mid day aka eye’s on something, backing up a partner, or rescues. Exploratory or boredom hikes can wait until the winter or cooler parts of the day.
Oh and take a buddy for christs sake. I know the old school “lone warrior” bravado that abounds but typically these days you’ll have at least 1 partner you can hike with.
I know more than a few agents that forego armor to avoid heat exhaustion. I don’t really blame them. You’re smart to keep it on.
When I first showed up to El Centro, my training officer explained that, even though a lot of the SBPAs didn’t always wear their vests, the fresh meat were required to wear them on duty. Considering I’m from hot and humid, and Artesia was a hoot, that didn’t bother me. There were a few folks from the sector who had a little trouble acclimating, but it was a matter of weeks before they either got used to it, stopped complaining, or I stopped paying attention when they started to.
As has already been said, it’s important to keep hydrated. That doesn’t just mean drink when you’re thirsty. It means drink plenty of water before, during and after your hike. After your hike, also mix in the Gatorade or Powerade. I personally like everything about Accelerade but its price. It combines protein with the carbs, kind of like the new G-Series stuff, but I’ve been using it since it came out back in '03. Also, make sure you’re listening to your body. Pain ain’t always weakness leaving the body. Sometimes, it’s your body saying, “Hey, cut that shit out before we’re dead.”
I wear mine EVERYDAY…even in 100 degree heat. I simply tailor my activity level to how I am feeling. Remember, hydration takes place BEFORE the exertion. If you need to tap out…tap out. There are no aliens and no dope worth losing a P.A. BPA Eric Cabral was an academy classmate and friend. I was there that day. I saw him die. I don’t ever want to lose another brother to the desert.
It’s an electrolyte mix in the form of a tablet about the size of an Alka-seltzer that you add to water. In addition to the electrolytes it gives the water just a bit of flavor. It doesn’t have any sugar in it so it doesn’t make a sticky mess like a lot of sweetened drinks can. The tablets dissolve pretty quickly and it’s easy to carry a tube full of them.
Camelbak makes a competing product called Elixir. I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing it’s very similar.
I personally have a hard time drinking a lot of water when it’s plain, but with this stuff added I find I can drink a lot more.
Dachs’ recommendation of ice in the hydration system reminded me of another thing: consider an insulated hydration bladder if you don’t have one already. I’ve got a Camelbak Unbottle and it works well; Platypus makes an insulated bladder too.
On top of the already mentioned advice-most issued soft armor carriers have a soft thin mesh. If you can have a custom carrier made that uses a courser mesh that will allow more heat to escape.
I sweat just as bad under my vest with a cotton shirt vs the heat shirts. As long as I’m wearing the vest, I’m still wet underneath regardless of shirt type. Sure it driers faster–once the vest is off.
You can send a paper trace of your panels to a shop and they can make a carrier to your specifications and hopefully have the color you need.
I don’t have experience with this one, but look at vest vent. Again, I don’t have any experience with it, but for the price, you may want to try it.
One tip that I learned that I don’t think has been mentioned is to avoid sugary foods/drinks within a couple hours before going out. The sugars raise your body temp quickly due to them quickly metabolizing.
I was also taught that spending the night in a cooler ambient temperature, like AC or in the desert at night, will reduce your susceptibility to a heat injury the next day.
