Layered gambesons

[Sir James A]

Well ever since I realized how hot my current gambeson is in the heat I have been considering getting a layered gambeson in natural colored linen. I nearly passed out at PA ren faire from being dehydrated and the heat exhaustion.

You know you can mitigate that by drinking water throughout the day?  Whenever you've got your body under load (that is, carrying weight it wouldn't normally carry) then you have to take precautions to make sure said body can continue to function throughout a given period of time.  Drinking plenty of water, as well as upping your caloric intake, at least for that day, will help quite a bit in keeping such things manageable.

I should also add, sugary and/or alcoholic beverages will actually make it worse, so sucking down soda, ale or hard cider's not going to help in the long run.

Lies and blasphemy! Do you know how much Coke and Jolly Rancher soda was consumed by Sir Nathan and I this year at VARF? I think I spent most of the day in full harness, with a few "take off the cuirass" cheats on a day or two. You know what's a primary ingredient in sodas? Water! So if you aren't getting enough hydration, drink more soda, since it means more water from that soda.

OK completely sarcastic on that. Kinda. Sir Nathan and I did kill a number of sodas those two weekends and the weather was moderate compared to the 95* weekends we usually had.

I function great with soda / sugary stuff while in armor and heat... so long as that intake continues. An hour or two after I'm out of armor and haven't had soda? Mild headaches to outright migraine, and I get moody. But I'm built like a mule so I handle the weight fairly well. I do suggest following Sir William and Sir Ian's advice about more water.

If there's anything that breathes less than modern quilted padding, it's plate armor, and I'm quite familiar with that "I'm baking from the inside out!" feeling. If you're getting dehydrated, you're doing it wrong; if you have to pee, you're doing it wrong. Find that moderate spot.

But don't let it sway you from buying another gambeson too.

[Sir Ulrich]

Well lately I been deciding to wear my armor on a treadmill and run just to build up my stamina for it. Would do it outside but I'm in a small town and the cops already thought I was a burglar so I dun wanna be suspicious and get pulled over by them. Not sure if this is the best thing to do but it should work in theory. Still need a better gambeson for it though. Also need to keep my caloric intake better because my folks have a habit of buying low calorie food and I dont want to lose muscle mass by not eating enough stuff.

[Sir William]

That's not a bad idea, Ulrich- provided the treadmill can accomodate the extra weight- might be worth having a look at the owner's manual to see what the max weight load is that it can take.  Would not be worthwhile to break it, you know?  Those things can be pretty costly in and of themselves.

Sir Brian was having a little fun but he brings up a valid point- when you sweat, it isn't just water that you lose, but salt and sugar as well so it pays to resupply those reserves in the blood stream.  Some people opt for a quickfix of candy or soda- and if that works for you, then that's what you should go with.  Drink plenty of fluids- and if you find yourself having to pee, you might be drinking a tad too much (happens to me when I drink ale or cider, just runs right through lol) but also eat.  I prefer protein pickmeups like steak on a stake but I sometimes carry beef jerky in a pak in case I start feeling light headed and don't want to stand in line.

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Don't forget your electrolytes too. Drink some of the sports drinks as well to keep that up, sugar really isn't good for you, particularly the fructose, it leads to clotting of arteries in perfectly otherwise healthy athletes. It is fine in moderation and the sugar boost can help but honestly choosing a healthier option is best like fruit. You get the sugar but not the spike. As for headaches and migraines it sounds like the body has become dependent on that level of sugar and caffeine intake. Not the healthiest option but there ya go. Of course all of this comes from living with a scientist so.....yeah I have learned more about food, what is in food, and what it does to you than I ever had any desire to know before.

[Sir Nate]

Don't forget your electrolytes too. Drink some of the sports drinks as well to keep that up, sugar really isn't good for you, particularly the fructose, it leads to clotting of arteries in perfectly otherwise healthy athletes. It is fine in moderation and the sugar boost can help but honestly choosing a healthier option is best like fruit. You get the sugar but not the spike. As for headaches and migraines it sounds like the body has become dependent on that level of sugar and caffeine intake. Not the healthiest option but there ya go. Of course all of this comes from living with a scientist so.....yeah I have learned more about food, what is in food, and what it does to you than I ever had any desire to know before.

Yes gatorade and vitamin water do well for electrolytes or salt and sugar.

[Sir James A]

Sir Brian was having a little fun

Sir Brian, eh? Too much green grass in my profile pic?

[Sir Edward]

One of the rules of thumb for avoiding dehydration, is to replace water hourly, and salt/electrolytes daily.

That is, you can dehydrate very quickly if you're not careful, but the electrolytes can be replenished at the end of your workout, or later in the day if it comes to that. Salt deprivation can be pretty nasty, but it usually takes a day or two of sweating to drive you to lethargy and other problems, if you've kept up on re-hydrating with water alone.

[Lord Dane]

One of the rules of thumb for avoiding dehydration, is to replace water hourly, and salt/electrolytes daily.

That is, you can dehydrate very quickly if you're not careful, but the electrolytes can be replenished at the end of your workout, or later in the day if it comes to that. Salt deprivation can be pretty nasty, but it usually takes a day or two of sweating to drive you to lethargy and other problems, if you've kept up on re-hydrating with water alone.

The other rule of thumb is avoid getting hit in them. Right, Sir Brian?