How to Survive INSANELY WET weather [Mistakes Were Made]

With this advice - especially things like ‘wear your wet clothes to dry them’ it is SO important to be vigilant for signs of hypothermia, even in warmer climates, even in summer. Drying clothes with your body heat is a massive risk factor for hypothermia, especially if you are of a smaller statue, have any health conditions or are female. Not everyone produces enough body heat for this to be safe. If you start feeling confused, euphoric or notice yourself becoming clumsy or notice this in other people immediately change into dry clothes and get a hot, preferably high calorie drink like soup or hot chocolate in you. This happened to me and a friend biking in august in England - it wasn’t a cold day, we didn’t notice being especially cold but we had been wet for so long that we became hypothermic. Both very confused and euphoric and only just able to keep it together long enough to realise we were in trouble and that we needed to go and get warm and dry.

I've a top tip for drying out socks, in particular, but it also works for gloves, hats etc. You'll need a Nalgene bottle and a stove... Empty all but 100-200ml of water from your Nalgene into your stove and boil it. Return the water to your Nalgene and close securely. Pull your socks, or other item of clothing over the Nalgene, and put it on something insulated (so the cold ground doesn't sap away the heat). Watch the steam rise off the socks, and pretty soon they'll be dry. Once they're dry you can swap for another item, or pop the bottle into your sleep system as a hot water bottle (leave the clothing on the bottle to slow the release of heat and keep warm all night). This has the advantage of preventing your water freezing in sub-zero conditions, and getting that morning coffee brewed a bit quicker, too. The only downside is the extra 100g a Nalgene bottle weighs over a 1L soda bottle, but on a cold, or wet day you'll appreciate the 100g is worth it.

An ironic sense of humour is key to having Type 2 fun.

I tell you it’s invaluable to have a UV umbrella on trail. Mine is lightweight, hands-free option, protects from sun, rain, hail, snow. Even with great rain gear, you’ll get wet but with an umbrella, you have a little shelter. 10/10 recommend.

What works for me practically to overcome our typical Belgian weather: - wearing merino toe socks: even soaking wet no blisters - using a poncho instead of a rain jacket, even over my backpack - setting up camp under a tarp. Whatever you use: bivvy, tent, hammock,... Always set up a tarp to keep the rain off your campspot, have a dry place to change clothes and to prepare your meal. But this won't work during heavy wind. Stay safe and enjoy your hikes!

I found that using a tent that can be erected fly first is super helpful to stay dry. I put up the fly, get myself and gear under it, get out of my wet clothes, cook and eat a meal, then attach the tent inner, and setup my sleeping gear last. If I'm anticipating wet weather I will keep the tent inner in a seperate dry bag.

Something that has changed my rainy hiking game forever is saying goodbye to rain jackets. Controversial, I know, but switching to a poncho made all the difference for me. I use one that's big enough to also cover my pack. Big bonus point is that a poncho is relatively cheap compared to membrane rain jackets. My rain jackets woud eventually soak through if I used them in prolonged rain. Unless you actually wear a trash bag, pretty much anything will soak through. There is also a lot of air flow coming in from the bottom, sonce there is a huge opening, so overheating wasn't such a big issue for me. Paired with some rain pants, it's my go-to method.

Great to be reminded that we're out to have a positive adventure...we need to endure with, most of the times, options. One thing I have learned to do with my sleeping socks, unacceptable to get wet category, is to carry 2 plastic bread bags. Once I have tent up, I remove the sole from my trail runners, leave the laces totally loose and replace my wet socks with my sleeping socks then I cover the dry socks with the plastic bags and put my shoes back on. It promotes fastert drying for the shoes and my feet enjoy the dry and warm wool socks. I eventually sleep with :) my soles, hence dryer shoes in the morning. When I first read/heard about this I first thought it was a bit of a prank. However, I do it after most days of hiking and it works amazingly well... Peace Outside 😊

I also opt for toe socks in wool. Keeps you from getting blisters even if your feet are wet

This! This is quality content! Moisture management is so important not only from the enjoyment perspective but "back country " survival as well. A huge part is the mental mindset. I love the a/b concept, what a great way to simplify an important and sometimes perplexing preparation process. Cheers.

Recalibrate- when you can make a change to keep hiking but not have it all be a slog, that is brilliant. Love it!

For me, its keeping the milage managable. Its easy to get sucked into massive mileage. Many others seem to want to do 20+ mile long hard days. Do what is comfortable, enjoy a shorter day and a longer camp. Its never a race, for some people it always seems to be 'how long did it take'

(1) Having a tent with a bathtub floor, and (2) packing everything in dry bags rather than in one big pack liner, might add a little bit of weight, but certainly it solves most of these issues pretty well. Great video though!

Loved this video. When I was younger and a member of the Australian Infantry as a new recruit. We had our first field exercises in Qld Australia during a cyclone low front. For two solid weeks it poured cats and dogs... Everything was saturated. We had to endure it as soldiers but by week two it united us as we accepted it, adopted to it and got on with the job we were training for. Out of difficulty came the rewards. Thank you for your videos. Glad I subscribed. Stay safe, happy trails 🙏

Also— wool dries fast if you sleep on it. Your body heat will dry it up over night.

Such a valuable lesson backpacking in the rain, I learned from this video. I love hiking in the rain, I always love the green of the forest in the rain. I have backpacked in downpours. It does suck especially setting up your tent. But I think putting on your wet clothes after your body has warmed up is a great idea. I will definitely try that next time. I will also if I am cold after walking in cold rain all day will just heat up some water and drink it. It will warm me up instantly, or if you have soup of tea, that would work too. Again, thank you for your valuable lessons. Happy hiking ❤

Love the hot frolicking tip 😂 Yet please consider the farmer who will want to cut that grass soon to make hay for his precious cows to eat during winter 😊

One thing that I always take on trips is a small umbrella. I can put it behind my backpack and it keeps my upper body dry pretty well. Especially in hotter weather is so much better to walk without the goretex rainjacket for most of the time. I personally never leave without an umbrella anymore.

Nylofume bags are available in the US, Litesmith sells them and they are so inexpensive.

I use a big drybag as a liner in my pack to keep all my stuff dry