Saturday, January 11, 2014
Gear Guide: The War on Cold
REDBAND: In this Gear Guide series I’ll take you through the different components of a proper Winter wardrobe for the AV technician. I’d like to remind you all for a moment that when it comes to clothing technology I’m not your average guy. I spent four years in the U.S. Navy stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois. It’s located in a valley literally on the shores of Lake Michigan. I also live in Wisconsin which is well known for it’s brutal winter temperatures. I not only know cold, but I also know first hand the importance of having a clothing system that is robust and reliable. Over the next few weeks, I’ll outline every garment you need to keep warm and comfortable while working both in the field and around the shop. These garments aren’t just recommendations. I’ve put this wardrobe together out of the need to survive while doing my job as AV Systems Technician every day. I’m not an expert. I’m just sharing my personal experiences with you.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Over winter break I was working a local store-front theater in Chicago as their Master Carp with the guy I worked with last summer who is their TD. He also is the TD for a local middle school and so we did a lot of the build work there and ferried it over in/on his car. Most of this ferrying happened during the infamous polar vortex with temperatures as low as -15, -40 with windchill, and there we were, unloading sheets of ply from the roof of his car. Even though it was only a few feet from the car to the building, we both completely froze. The point I'm trying to make is that I now fully understand the need for good cold weather gear. One of the biggest problems I face is that I tend to overheat so I need something that keeps me warm, but doesn't cause me to overheat. After reading this I would guess that the real problem is my base layer, which tends to just be a t-shirt and maybe a sweatshirt or something similar over it, all under my jacket. I realize now that this probably traps a lot of moisture and heat and is most likely the reason I overheat. I think I'll rethink my choice of clothing when working in the cold next time. I am interested in reading about what gloves he recommends in the future as cold fingers and lack of dexterity are usually my biggest complaints.
Post a Comment