Layering clothes
Everyone has surely heard of layering outdoor clothing. We would like to summarize in this place information and recommendations on how to dress effectively for sports.
Clothing layering
If you want to play sports even in colder weather, you have to rely on your own experience or get advice on choosing clothes. You need protection from cold and wind, but at the same time you need to maintain an optimal internal temperature for the proper functioning of the organism. And it is with this complex problem that the "onion strategy" tries to deal with. Feeling temperature is individual, and information or rules for combining individual layers must always be adapted to current circumstances and equipment.
The basic requirement is the ability to quickly react to the interplay of external conditions and the intensity of physical activity. The role of clothing, materials and their combination is the balance between the effective body temperature important for performance and the external conditions.
Thermodynamics and something extra: you know it: ...two systems with different temperatures will act on each other (conduction, radiation and flow) until their temperatures equalize... Insulating materials do not heat, but prevent air flow (insulating medium) that they retain in their structure. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of air is more than 40 times lower than that of water. And therefore minimizing internal humidity plays a significant role in achieving optimal thermoregulation.
Performance intensity: the more intense my physical performance, the more heat my body will produce. In order for the body to function properly, it needs the most ideal thermoregulation. Internal moisture can quickly cool the body, and the body cannot replace such a loss. Ideal materials should be elastic, breathable, adequately insulating or divided into insulating zones in the sense of body mapping.
Overheating of the body: the goal of the layering strategy is to prevent overheating of the body (>39°C) - excessive sweat production, which reduces performance and wet clothing can subsequently freeze or cause hypothermia - hypothermia after being hit by the wind (<32°C). You can prevent overheating by removing one layer or by using ventilation holes in your clothing.
Hypothermia of the body: hypothermia most often occurs in the mountains, for several reasons. Although clothing insulates, it is not able to quickly get rid of the accumulated heat, it absorbs moisture, which, together with the wind, quickly lowers the temperature. Without a waterproof top layer, you run the risk of getting wet with the same result. Insufficient but also low-quality insulation with increasing altitude is also a frequent reason for hypothermia.
Imitate nature
Onion strategy is based on functional layers. A bonus is the combination of different settings, but the possibility of quick replacement, replacement or reduction of any of them is essential.
1. layer
Functional underwear
Function: transports sweat from the body to other layers
Functional underwear is a basic layer that is worn directly on the body. Its purpose is to absorb and transport sweat to other layers of clothing, thus keeping the body dry and warm.
The material can be both synthetic (Polartec® Power Dry™; Polartec® Power Grid™) and natural (e.g. wool merino). Although wool does not wick away sweat as well as synthetic materials, it is warm even when wet. In addition, it also has antibacterial effects and neutralizes odors.
Elastic fibers are added to the underwear so that it follows the body's curves even during movement.
An alternative is a combination of functional underwear with an elastic T-shirt, which creates an intermediate layer to insulated jackets or directly to insulated jackets. But be sure to avoid cotton underwear, which soaks up sweat and creates a cooling film around the body and disables all other layers.
This layer includes functional underwear, socks, tank tops, light T-shirts with long or short sleeves.
2. layer
Sweatshirts, sweaters, thermal jackets
Function: insulation of body heat and transport of excess heat in the form of steam
The task of the 2nd layer (middle or thermal insulation layer) is to prevent the loss of produced heat and maintain an effective body climate, with the aim of guaranteeing optimal physical performance organism. Simply guarantee the correct "operating" temperature. This layer helps to transport the internal moisture (sweat) caused by the physical activity of the organism to the top layer of clothing. The material can again be made of synthetic or natural fibers. Artificial fibers have their advantages: they do not absorb moisture, they are easy to transport, they have adequate insulating properties and they dry quickly. Among the synthetic insulations suitable for intensive movement, active insulation Polartec® ALPHA®, which quickly regulates body temperature thanks to excellent breathability stands out.
The wide range of thermal insulation materials starts with fleece, which dominated the middle layer for many years. Thanks to new materials, the last few years mainly belong to the so-called "warmers", i.e. jackets with synthetic or natural filling. Their advantage is a great ratio of weight and insulation performance, complemented by flexibility, great breathability and packability.
This layer includes thermal jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters or vests.
3rd layer
Jacket, pants
Function:protection against adverse external influences
The main tasks of the third, outer, layer are to prevent getting wet and to block the wind. To protect the lower layers from mechanical damage in the field and to allow maximum ventilation of the accumulated heat.
Parameters
The shell of the outer layer should bewaterproof, wind resistant, reasonably flexible, but alsobreathable. The surface of the material is often treated with a hydrophobic layer that prevents the surface from being soaked. Waterproofness limits breathability and vice versa. Practice shows that the laboratory values of even the most breathable materials are not sufficient for ventilation during intense physical activity, therefore clothing is supplemented ventilation holes.
The shell of the outer layer should bewaterproof, wind resistant, reasonably flexible, but alsobreathable. The surface of the material is often treated with a hydrophobic layer that prevents the surface from being soaked. Waterproofness limits breathability and vice versa. Practice shows that the laboratory values of even the most breathable materials are not sufficient for ventilation during intense physical activity, therefore clothing is supplemented ventilation holes.
Water column
The water column shows the overall level of water resistance provided that the construction of the garment hasall seams taped. The necessary protection is mainly ensured by laminated materials with a porous membrane (hardshell). The offer is completed by softshell laminated materials, which, in addition to being waterproof, also offer optimal mobility thanks to their elasticity. Densely woven materials are available (Pertex®) with a surprising ratio of weight, waterproofness and breathability. A waterproof, non-porous membrane with excellent elasticity stands aloneDermizax™, but with poorer breathability.
Breathability
This parameter stands in direct contrast to waterproofness. However, in order to solve this puzzle, it is enough to realize the fact that the external humidity (molecule of water in liquid state) is several times larger than the molecule of steam. The pores of the membrane are too small for external moisture, but they allow the accumulated steam to escape. Breathability is expressed as the weight of released steam from an area of a square meter per day (g / m² / 24 hours).
Jackets
We present the advantages of individual types of jackets in a comprehensive list.
Hardshell jacket
+ The membrane guarantees waterproofness
+ Taped seams
+ The hood is usually part of the jacket
- Hadrshell material is less breathable, therefore less suitable for active sports
- Minimal isolation function
- A more expensive option
Softshell jacket
+ The jacket is breathable,
+ Softshell jackets are insulated on the back with a fine layer of fleece,
+ The material is pliable and flexible
+ Cheaper variant
- The material is partially waterproof, but it lets water through in heavy rain
- Frequent absence of glued seams
Test and combine, a different combination is suitable for each activity and temperature conditions. Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather, only...
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