Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

CLOTHING 139Cloth can be processed in such a waj^ as to berainproof and still self-ventilating (this will be consideredlater), but rubber garments and oilskins cannotsafely be worn the day long, unless they are veryroomy, and the wearer exercises but little. Rubberovershoes, boots, waders, are endurable only in coolweather or cold water, and then only if very thickoversocks are worn to hold air and absorb moisture.All clothing worn by an outdoorman should beof such texture and fit as will allow free play to hismuscles, so he may be active and agile, and shouldbind as little as possible, especially over vital organs.Garments that are too thick and stiff, or too loose atpoints of friction, will chafe the wearer.These are general principles ; now for particulars.Underclothing.— In discussing " togs " weusually begin on the wrong side — the outside.Now the outer garments will vary a great deal, accordingto climate, season, the terrain or waters,and according to the sport or work that one is todo; but the integument that comes next to one'sskin should vary littleweight.for an outdoorman except inThe material and quality of one's underwear areof more consequence than the shell he puts over it,^or his comfort and health depend more on them.Whenever a man exercises heartily he is sure to perspirefreely, no matter how cold the air may be.Arctic explorers all agree that their chief miserywas from confined moisture freezing on them. Howit is in the dog-days everybody knows — a glowingsun, humidity in the air, and sweat trickling fromevery pore because the atmosphere is not dry enoughto take it up.Permeability of cloth to air and moisture islargely a matter of texture. Consider the starchedlinen collar and the soft collar of an outing shirt;consider a leather sweat-band inthe hat and a flannelone, or no sweat-band at all.Underclothing, for any season, should be loosely