Be Bold, Start Cold: Essential Tips for Outdoor Activities Like Rucking in Cold Weather

Austin Pitsch
2024-10-29T16:24:43-04:00

For cold-weather activities like rucking, the “Be Bold, Start Cold” approach helps prevent hypothermia by minimizing insulation at the start. This avoids trapped sweat, which can dangerously cool the body. Key to staying safe is a layering system: a moisture-wicking base, an insulating middle, and a weather-resistant outer layer.

Qore Performance’s ICEVENTS® technology enhances this system by promoting omnidirectional airflow, enabling sweat to evaporate quickly and preventing moisture buildup. Unlike traditional foam, ICEVENTS® is lightweight, hydrophobic, and anti-microbial, offering optimal ventilation and comfort in extreme conditions.

More

The Concept of “Be Bold, Start Cold”

When taking on outdoor activities such as rucking in cold weather, it’s crucial to follow the principle known as “Be Bold, Start Cold.” This concept emphasizes that starting a physically demanding task while wearing too many insulating layers can lead to excessive sweating. In cold environments, trapped sweat can increase the risk of hypothermia, as water is a highly conductive medium that accelerates heat loss from the body. To prevent this, maintaining proper ventilation while on the move is essential, only adding insulating layers when coming to a stop. Will covers this topic in the video below, and we also explore this concept further in the article:

Why Overheating Can Be Dangerous in Cold Conditions

The Risk of Hypothermia from Trapped Sweat

During physical exertion, your body generates heat, causing you to sweat. This sweat can get trapped under your clothing or gear if you’re wearing excessive insulation. This moisture can cool your body quickly in cold weather, putting you at significant risk of hypothermia. Sweat, if not properly evaporated, accelerates heat loss because water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air, making the ability to evaporate moisture critical in cold weather.

Sweat and Insulation: A Dangerous Combination

Wearing overly insulating gear without ventilation can lead to moisture buildup against your skin. In a cold environment, this leads to rapid cooling as sweat-soaked clothing loses its ability to keep you warm. This is dangerous for anyone engaged in outdoor activities like rucking, where physical exertion combined with cold weather can pose severe risks.

The Importance of a Proper Clothing Layering System

A crucial aspect of staying warm and dry during cold-weather activities like rucking is utilizing a proper clothing layering system. This system typically consists of a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating middle layer, and a weather-resistant outer layer. The key is to wear fewer layers while on the move to prevent overheating and excessive sweating, as your body generates heat through physical exertion. When you anticipate stopping for an extended period or reaching a static position, it's important to add insulating layers to retain body heat. The base layer pulls sweat away from the skin to promote evaporation, while the insulating layer traps warmth, and the outer layer protects you from the elements. Combining this approach with ventilation technologies like ICEVENTS® ensures you stay dry, comfortable, and protected against hypothermia by allowing sweat to evaporate effectively.

Above: ICEPLATE EXO® in use with Chest Rig Adapter Straps with ICEPLATE® Curve being used for heating and hydration in cold weather, in conjunction with a good clothing layering system.

Qore Performance ICEVENTS®: Optimizing Ventilation for Outdoor Gear

How ICEVENTS® Technology Works

An innovative solution to combat moisture buildup and promote proper ventilation is Qore Performance’s ICEVENTS® technology. This product line features a unique design that allows constant omnidirectional stand-off ventilation, ensuring sweat evaporates efficiently, while providing load-distributing padding. This airflow is crucial for temperature regulation and keeping the body dry and safe, even during intense physical activity in freezing conditions. An additional benefit comes from the fact that ICEVENTS® is both hydrophobic and anti-microbial at the molecular level, meaning ICEVENTS® does not retain additional wet weight from sweat or water and will not smell after use the way foam padding will.

ICEVENTS® CATAMARAN Combo for Plate Carriers

The ICEVENTS® CATAMARAN Gen 3 Combo integrates seamlessly with plate bags on plate carriers, allowing for continuous omnidirectional airflow beneath heavy gear. This system ensures that sweat evaporates before it becomes a problem, helping the body maintain a stable temperature during strenuous activities like rucking or military operations.

ICEVENTS® Shoulder Pads for Load Distribution and Ventilation

ICEVENTS® technology also extends to Plate Carrier Shoulder Pads, which not only distribute the weight of the gear evenly across the shoulders but also promote airflow. ICEVENTS® aids in preventing sweat buildup in areas where heavy gear sits directly against the skin, ensuring comfort and safety even in cold environments.

Comparison of ICEVENTS® to Foam Padding

Why Ventilation and Evaporation Matter More in Cold Weather

It may seem counterintuitive, but ventilation and evaporation are even more critical in cold weather than in hot conditions. In freezing temperatures, sweat that fails to evaporate can quickly cool on your skin, dramatically increasing the risk of hypothermia. This is why gear such as ICEVENTS® that facilitates evaporation is vital when the temperatures drop.

Foam Padding vs. ICEVENTS®: Which is Better for Cold Weather?

Traditional foam padding insulates the body or equipment, which can be problematic in cold weather. Foam traps sweat and inhibits evaporation, causing moisture to remain close to the skin. This moisture can cool the body dangerously fast in freezing conditions, increasing the chances of hypothermia.

In contrast, ICEVENTS® technology is designed with ventilation in mind. ICEVENTS® are composed of 90% air by volume, putting the minimum amount of material in contact with your body, greatly enhancing evaporation. Unlike foam, ICEVENTS® allows for proprietary omnidirectional ventilation, promoting maximum thermal transfer with the surrounding air. ICEVENTS® ensures that sweat evaporates efficiently, keeping you dry and preventing your body from cooling too quickly. You can watch our technical overview on ICEVENTS® vs. Foam vs. Spacer Mesh padding for plate carriers below:

Extending ICEVENTS® Technology to Gun Belts and Holster Pads

Qore Performance’s ICEVENTS® technology extends beyond plate carriers, offering the same level of ventilation for gun belts via the ICEVENTS® Inner Belt and ICEVENTS® Holster Pads. ICEVENTS® integration ensures that every piece of insulating equipment allows for proper air circulation, preventing sweat from accumulating under these critical gear components.

The Importance of Evaporation in Cold Weather

Ventilation: A Key to Safety in Winter

While it may seem counterproductive, proper ventilation is more important in colder months. Even in freezing conditions, your body generates heat when engaged in activities like rucking. Without adequate ventilation, sweat can accumulate, cool down, and rapidly lower your body temperature, putting you at risk for hypothermia.

How “Be Bold, Start Cold” Keeps You Safe

By following the “Be Bold, Start Cold” principle and wearing gear that promotes airflow and evaporation, such as Qore Performance’s ICEVENTS®, you allow your body to regulate its temperature efficiently. This ensures you remain dry, warm, and safe, even when rucking or engaging in intense outdoor activities in cold conditions.

Conclusion

To stay warm and safe during cold-weather activities like rucking, the key is not to over-insulate but to manage moisture and ventilation. The “Be Bold, Start Cold” principle, combined with innovative gear like Qore Performance’s ICEVENTS®, ensures that sweat evaporates effectively, preventing hypothermia. By optimizing ventilation, ICEVENTS® keeps you comfortable and protected, no matter the temperature. Be sure to invest in a high quality clothing layering system and check out all new ICEVENTS® offerings like our Plate Carrier Ventilation Upgrade Kit to optimize your equipment for year-round thermoregulation.