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Re: [at-l] Umbrellas again

Oh my, I had pretty well decided to just stop talking about umbrellas when this 
message came along. I'll try very hard not to mention the "u" word again, as 
I've said all I can about my own experiences with them. I'll try and make this 
as brief as possible and just correct some misconceptions. Here we go:

> Second - Jardine doesn't advocate an umbrella as rain gear - he uses it
> as a sunshade.

Alas, that's not so. He advocates using umbrellas for BOTH shade and rain 
protection. If you don't want to bother reading his book, check out the Pacific 
Crest Trail Hiker's Handbook web page. On it you'll find an interview of Ray 
Jardine by Chris Townsend which contains LOTS of discussion about using 
umbrellas as rain gear, including the following:

"The main advantage of carrying an umbrella in rainy conditions is the 
superb ventilation it provides. I've found the waterproof-breathable 
parka much less appropriate for long distance, ultra-marathon hiking 
This is because while hiking hard the body is pumping sweat. A poorly 
ventilated jacket holds that sweat in. Perspiration condenses on the 
inside and leaves you just as wet, or maybe wetter, than if you were not 
wearing the parka. The system that Jenny and I use is this - we wear 
fast-drying shirts made of 100% polyester. If the day is cold and breezy 
we also wear breathable lightweight I nylon jackets. If the wind is 
strong we block it with our umbrellas. Or if it's wet we use our 
umbrellas."

>  Michael Connick wrote:
> >I'm not concerned about covering my pack. My main compartment is 
water-proofed
> >via a plastic trash bag inside it. I put the plastic trash bag in first, then
> >the contents, and seal the bag. Any items going into my pack's pockets that
> >need to be protected from water are inside Ziplock bags. My sleeping bag is
> >water-proofed by a trash bag inside its stuff sack.
> 
> That's all very good - but it leaves your pack hangin' out in the rain soaking
> up water - and therefore getting heavier.  Not a thruhiker attitude.

Although my pack (North Face Exocet) certainly isn't completely waterproof, the 
material it's made of doesn't actually soak up water and retain it when wet. 
What's your pack made of, flannel? (In case you misunderstood, the last 
sentence is a JOKE, and an attempt at a little humor to lighten up this 
discussion. I don't really think you're carrying a pack made of flannel.)

> >Also, if you're really concerned about extreme wind
> >conditions during a part of your hike, there's no rule stating that you can't
> >bring along some type of emergency backup rain gear for that portion of your
> >hike.
> 
> Hmmmmm ---- what you just said is that if a thruhiker is gonna bring an
> umbrella, they need to bring  rain gear as well.  I don't think so - too much
> weight.

I think you missed a couple of key words, like IF and PORTION. Kindly reread 
the above sentence.

> >Basically the conditions were so bad we were crazy to be on the trail! The
> >umbrellas protected us very well from the very nasty freezing rain, though.
> >None of us had to use any other rain gear.
> 
> If you had other rain gear but didn't use it, that's cool.  If you didn't have
> other rain gear with you then you risked hypothermia - and I wouldn't
> appreciate your advocating that kind of behavior in a public forum
> where less experienced hikers could get the idea that it's OK to do
> things like that.   If you want to be stupid, that's your prerogative -
> but I'm going to assume the best - that you had your "other" rain
> gear with you.

First of all, a little background. I've been backpacking for over 30 years. 
I've backpacked all over California, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and New 
Jersey, including sections of the AT. I have also taken wilderness survival 
courses and always carry basic survival gear. I've hiked in all four seasons in 
all kinds of conditions and have never suffered from hypothermia. I also have a 
fairly high IQ and can't ever remember having been called stupid before, 
certainly not in a public forum. What are your qualifications?

Given the rude tone of the above, I frankly I don't feel it necessary to 
respond to it in detail. If you'd like to try rephrasing it, perhaps we could 
discuss the details of that AT hike in a more mature manner.

> Walk softly,
> Jim

Speak softly, too, Jim.

+-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+
Michael Connick
GA->ME on the Appalachian Trail in 98!

E-mail: Michael_Connick@clrmnt.com
Michael's Ultralight Backpacking Page:
    http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/mconnick  
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