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Antarctica Pictures | Antarctica Cruise | Facts | History | Sandals | Store | Clothes | Whales | Books | Video | Schools | Forum | Site Map | FIDS / OAE's
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Clothing
in Antarctica - Modern Clothing
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Antarctica
Fact File index |
What's
it like in Antarctica? page 1 page
2 | Fascinating
Facts | FAQ's
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Threats |
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Cold and survival: Humans | Hypothermia | Food | Food 2 | Clothing | Penguins |
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Climate / Weather graphs: Comparisons | Australian Coastal | Deep South | Ozone hole |
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Climate Change: Global Warming | GW Antarctica | Misconceptions | Carbon sinks | Carbon cycle | Prevention | Carbon Offsetting | Tree Planting |
Man is unique amongst animals in that he can live in the widest range of environments from extreme heat to extreme cold. This he does by making his own environment either in the form of buildings or more obviously of clothing.
No where is clothing more important than in an extremely cold climate such as Antarctica's.
Providing good insulation and protection from the elements is not difficult. What is more difficult is being able to provide protection from the elements while maintaining mobility, the ability to work AND comfort.
Early Antarctic clothing was designed to be windproof, insulating and also to enable the wearer to move about. Nothing wrong with that you may think - but there is one MAJOR thing that was wrong with that and that is that the clothing was not able to let perspiration (sweat) escape or easily allow the wearer to adjust how insulated and protected he (and they always were he at this time) was.
Captain Robert Scott's expedition to the South Pole in 1911 - 1912 for example taught us a lot about the correct clothing. The men on that expedition were adequately insulated (most of the time) and could move about easily. Their clothing however lacked the ability to dissipate sweat and the possibility of easily adding or removing insulating layers without exposing the wearer to the elements (i.e. taking layers off to add or remove other layers underneath) or without removing gloves and mittens to make adjustments.
The result was that on Scott's fateful journey to the pole and back, the men's clothing became very wet with sweat during the day from the exertions of manhauling across the ice. When they stopped manhauling, they quickly cooled down, and the sweat made them colder than they would have been. A lack of fuel meant that they were unable to dry their clothes out properly overnight in the tent and so had to put them back on again the next day. Damp clothes lose much of their insulating properties.
This inadequacy in clothing wasn't the cause of their deaths on returning from the pole, but it was certainly a contributory factor.
We now know that for extreme cold weather clothing to be efficient it needs to:
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Modern Antarctic Clothing
This is achieved by what is generally referred to as the "layer method" of dressing. Several layers are built up, each of which has its own part to contribute.
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Foundation (base) layer
Things have come on an awful long way since the string vest (invented for the British Graham Land Expedition to Antarctica in 1934-1937). Modern foundation layer garments are generally made of synthetic material. In some cases the material is even treated so that it prevents the build up of bacteria that like to live in sweaty clothes and make them smell. |
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Insulating layer/s
Traditionally woollen sweaters and natural fibre trousers (pants) were worn. These days, these may still be worn or they may be supplemented or substituted by modern materials such as polypropylene fleece or pile fibre. Zips, collars, draw cords and the like allow for increased ventilation during exertion or for all openings to be pulled closed while at rest. Naturally this layer should provide insulation and also the passage and release of perspiration. Two or more garments in the insulating layer, shirts, sweaters or jackets allow for flexibility by adding or removing according to weather and activity. |
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The outer or shell layer
The outer layer could be simply that, a weather proof layer of natural or synthetic fibers with no extra insulation, or it could have insulation built in as in the traditional parka. Insulating materials for this outer layer could be synthetic or the traditional and arguably still the most effective - natural down. |
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Head, Fingers and toes (not forgetting ankles, wrists and neck) The extremities can get very cold very quickly. Fingers and toes have a high surface area compared to their volume - this means they lose heat easily and generate and retain heat poorly. Particular attention should be paid to keeping them warm. The head can lose up to 20% of the body's heat, in cold weather, the quickest and simplest thing that can be done to warm up is to put on a hat.
In extremis for the sake of survival, if the body is losing so much heat that it may be in danger, blood flow to those parts losing the most heat and that are "expendable" may be shut down to a trickle (this will not happen to your head however). This could result in frostnip, frostbite and ultimately the loss of that body part. Fingers and toes are in the most danger. The layer principle can also apply to the hands and feet. A light first layer, then insulating layer/s and then weatherproof outer layer depending on use.
Ordinary plastic or leather hiking boots for instance cannot be worn when it is very cold and soft boots such as Bunny Boots, Mukluks or Onitsukas are worn. These have thick plastic soles, felt insulation, insoles and nylon outers, they are great at keeping you warm, but no use for walking over very rugged terrain or climbing. Likewise mittens are much warmer than gloves, but by the time you have 2 or 3 bulky pairs on to make your fingers lovely and toasty, the amount that you can do with them falls dramatically. When the body is insulated including extremities, the next most vulnerable regions become those that don't normally lose heat relative to the rest of the body and so are usually neglected. Wrists, ankles and the neck region can soon become very cold and uncomfortable. They can lose a lot of heat if not wrapped up as they pass the blood between other well insulated areas. The answer is:
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Antarctic Kit - a run-through of clothing for activity in
Antarctica
So, in summary, clothing you need to stay warm when it's really cold outside:
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The outer layer is particularly important and should have features such as draw-cords and fastenable cuffs to prevent warm air being lost to the outside and to prevent snow finding its way into nooks and crannies (snow in the cranny is most uncomfortable).
When fully dressed for extreme cold, there should be no cold-spots, or ways that you can move around (fairly normally!) and expose flesh or just a single layer at the wrists, neck, midriff (in particular) etc. The outer layer should be just that, the outer layer at ALL times. With goggles on and a good hood drawn about the face and a balaclava, it is possible to have no exposed flesh at all.
Also important is to be able to vary the clothing easily, release draw-cords, remove the hood, balaclava etc. according to changing weather and activity.
Generally Antarctic gear appears rather a bit too big when seen in isolation. Sleeves are long, shirt / jacket / sweater "tails" are long, boots and mittens are long and hoods are large.
Over trousers / pants in particular seem vast as they are designed to be put on when outdoors if the weather gets particularly bad. In such conditions, you can't sit down and calmly take your boots off first. The outer layers quickly go over everything underneath and then zip / draw / tie, closer to the body to keep the heat in.
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The
layer next to the skin. Should be soft, comfortable and able to wick away
perspiration quickly so feeling dry. 
This
is the most variable layer and can be added to as required depending on
how cold the conditions are. Several lightweight layers of clothes are
better than one thick heavy layer, for flexibility as well as for insulating
qualities as extra air gets trapped between the layers as well as within
them.
This
is the layer that is directly exposed to the elements and so should at least
be windproof. Waterproof is not necessary for very cold weather as no
rain falls. Also, fully waterproof garments are not as able to transmit
perspiration as readily as garments that are not fully waterproof and tend
not to be as flexible at low temperatures.
In
the coldest weather, the gloves and boots required become quite cumbersome
so limiting what can be achieved. 
Boxer
shorts - Simpson's, South Park, Paisley or a nice penguin pattern.
A
thin comfortable pair of socks.
One
or two pairs of thick warm socks, wool loop stitch (like towelling
- but wool) or similar.
Thick
warm trousers (pants) of a natural material such as moleskin
or synthetic material such as fleece or pile fibre.
Head
wear, an insulating headband for when it's not so cold, a hat
for when it's colder and with the addition of a balaclava for when
it's really cold.
Scarf
or neck gaiter for insulation and to prevent ingress of blown
snow.
Insulated
boots. Outer layer of leather with felt liner, plastic climbing
double-boots with insulated inner. Bunny Boots, mukluks, soft nylon
outer shell with felt insulation and thick insulated sole to prevent
heat loss to the snow and ice for really cold conditions.
Outer
/ shell layer, this needs to be windproof and may be waterproof.
It could be simply a "shell" i.e. no additional insulation or it
may have insulation built in. Jackets should always have
hoods, alternatives:
Sunglasses
to prevent glare from the snow and ice and stop you from developing
snow blindness. Goggles in colder weather or in conditions
of blowing snow to prevent snow from getting in the eyes and to
cover the top part of the face.
