Brrrr, the last few nights here at Ball’s Fall’s Conservation Centre have been chilly!! Almost too cold for a little owl like me!
Owls and humans are very different when it comes to staying warm. For one thing we have feathers and humans have clothes. My feathers keep me warm and dry; but humans have access to many different materials that work in similar ways to my feathers. With the amount of options and differences between materials it can all get very confusing fast! Which is why I flew to see my friends at Outdoors Oriented (www.outdoororiented.ca) to explain to me what are the different ways to stay warm as a human!
My new friends there were able to answer all my questions! And they were so friendly with me. I was informed that staying warm is achieved based on two main principles. 1- Layers and 2- Materials! (Just what I thought)
First, they explained to me that layering in the winter is crucial for survival. Being able to take off and on layers of clothes depending on weather conditions or if body temperatures change is ideal. Not having that ability to remove or add layers could result in danger. Most important is to have a “base layer” means the layer of clothing next to your skin. This layer minimizes airflow and is capable of wicking moisture away from your body. Wicking means the movement of water particles, preferably away from your skin. If water particles mix with air/wind, that combination cools the body. This mechanism is great for summer but is dangerous in the winter. Keeping the body dry and warm is the key!
I was told the next layer that goes on top acts as your insulation. Trapping in the heat your body produces, while the base layer keeps your dry! Wow this is so cool!
Last piece of clothing is your shell. The pieces of material keep out those gusts of wind, and dry from the elements of snow and rain, all while allowing breathability! I was a little confused about how a shell can breathe, don’t they live underwater! I was told that human bodies could produce too much heat and that the moisture should not remain on the body incase the air-cooling the body down. Which means the shell needs to be able to release that moisture, or as my new friends say- breathe. To keep the body dry and warm.
Then I was introduced to materials and fibers! Pretty cool stuff☺
Base layers are typically made from materials called polyester or polypropylene, which are synthetic materials (Man Made). It is made from plastic and the production costs have a high carbon footprint! But they are very successful at wicking moisture. The problems with this material are:
-Heavy pollution cost while manufacturing
-Trap odor and bacteria in the fibers
-Short life span, delicate material
But these materials are mass-produced and have a low cost for the consumer.
There is a new (old) material making its way as the base layer and is almost the complete opposite to synthetics. It comes from a particular sheep called the Morino all the way from New Zealand! It’s a completely natural fiber, which does not itch and has hypoallergenic qualities. Many people have nightmares of wool socks that mom made them wear when they were kids. Wool has always been known to keep you very warm, even when wet!! The Morino wool is very different than Canadian wool, in that it’s a finer fiber, which feels soft to the touch even before the production of a garment. The special qualities that the Morino offers are:
-Holds no odor or bacteria
-Keeps you insulated even when wet
-Wicks moisture away (naturally)
-Highest UV protections
-Long life span
-Fire resistant
-100% Biodegradable!
Wow!!! This stuff sounds great!!!
Lastly, I learnt about the materials used for the Shell! More specifically Gore-Tex! A material that allows moisture (in the evaporation stage) to exit through the tiny holes of the material, all while keeping water in its solid form trapped on the outside unable to seep in! A wonderful material keeping you dry and warm on top of all your layers! Gore-Tex is used is many rain coats, and winter coats.
So remember, when you are going out to play in the snow!! Do not forget to put on layers to stay warm and dry!! I don’t go out when it rains, as my feathers aren’t waterproof like your shell, you are very lucky!
