Hot Weather Work Tip...

[RoyJackson]

For those of you who work outside in hot weather...especially those who wear glasses...you know how that sweat rolls down and, if you wear glasses, makes them slippery and falling off. And, for you guys that don't wear glasses, that sweat just pours into your eyes.
That's a real pain to have to work like that.

So, here's what I do...get one of those "doo-rags" like bikers wear on their heads and soak it in cool water. The water does a great job keeping your forehead cool and free of sweat as it evaporates.
To add to that,find a pith helmet (the type that mail carriers wear). I got mine from Good Will for a couple bucks, but you can buy them new for about $25. A proper pith helmet is made from (surprisingly)..pith. This is a corklike material.
Anyway, after that wet doo-rag is on your head, soak down the pith helmet and go mowing (or other outdoor work).
This combo, which I've been using for about two mowing seasons now, really works to keep you cool and shade your head and face. The pith helmet will also keep you reasonably dry during a sudden shower.

Granted, not as cool as the "bull" hat, but much more practical in hot, humid weather. The only downside is anyone wearing a pith helmet (not on safari) looks like a dork...but I'm fine with that.

There ya go...(yeth, I'm on my third Yuengling Black and Tan as I write this...)

 

[srjones]

Pith helmets...well known to beekeepers, mail carriers and Victorian era British explorers.

Plastic Helmet-Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Inc.
Ventilated Helmet-Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Inc.

Bee Cool/ Bee Dry Head Band-Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, Inc.


Ditto on the dork factor, but they do work. :thumbsup:

 

[MarkV]

I've worked in hot summers most of my life on construction sites. Always wore baseball type of caps until a few years ago. Found that head bands, like tennis players use, work sooooo much better. When it starts dripping in your eyes wring it out and you are good to go. Also works well under a hat if you are in direct sun.

MarkV

 

[NSBound]

I kinda like this one....... Straw Pith Helmet

 

[Cat_Driver]

Now were getting into my are, You guys wanna talk heat. It hits 125 plus out here and will be 111 this week.

What I do is use head bands with These large grain SAP particles hold about 400-times their weight in water and can be sewn into cool ties, headband and cooling vests. The Water Crystals. With the vest you can soak it in water and wear it and it keeps your whole body cool.

Also a trick that I always do if I know I'm working outside, I SUPER HYDRATE the night before. Drink water the entire night before and start again when you wake up and continue all day even though you are not thirsty.Like they say if you get thirsty it's already too late.

I got so over heated on day my wife found me laying in a mud pit I made with the ice cold well water pouring all over my head.

 

[MarkV]

Cat you should fill in your profile enough so we know where in the world you live. When you say 125+ I start thinking Death Valley. I've heard of the "cool vests" though it was a great idea. Never had an opportunity to use one.

MarkV

 

[MossRoad]

On really hot days I walk over to the pool and soak my hat in it, then put it back on. Evaporate cooling! :laughing:

But Roy is right about sweat in the eyes. Ouch! That stings!

I like old straw hats with sweat bands inside to help keep that from happening.

 

[jayste]

Ok! I'll ask first! Roy, does your pith helmet have horns?!:laughing: I can also add that a "bandana" as they're called around here, soaked in cold water and "wrung" out, rolled up and tied around your neck (loosely hanging) will also cool that blood that's circulating to and from your head.:thumbsup:

 

[mostly_gas]

Ice or cold water in towel, bandanna around the neck works well too. :thumbsup:

 

[EddieWalker]

I buy a new straw hat every year and wear it all summer long. I've found that the secret for me in dealing with the heat is to be out there in the morning when it's cool out and to stay outside the entire time. Coming in for just a short break will cool me off and make the heat unbearable, but if I don't cool off and just stay out there, it's not a problem. Last year, I never had it get so bad that I had to call it a day, the year before I had one day that got to be too much for me, but that was an extremely humid and hot day.

I also drink water non stop. Some days, it's several gallons.

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

A hat with a brim that goes all the way around is goodness since it keeps quite a bit of sun off of your body.

To really deal with the heat I will take a small cloth, one of those white cotton shop towels work well, and soak it in water. Fold it up so that part of the wet towel fits on the top of your head but under the wide brimmed hat. We hat as well. Part of the towel should hang out so it covers up the back of your neck.

If the sun hits your neck it will heat you up ASAP. The towel keeps direct sun off the neck and cools as long as it is wet.

Stay hydrated but you need to replace minerals as well as water. OJ is a good source of Potassium but I can only drink a little. Sports drinks have too much sugar in them for me. A TBN Dr. years ago posted a reciepe for a home made sports drink that I use on the hottest days. But I make it much weaker than specified.

Bananas and pineapple are good to resupply minerals. A couple of weekends back I was working for 10-11 hours without a sit down break in very hot weather. Plenty of water, dried bananas, pineapple, and salt free peanuts kept me going on all day. You have to force yourself eat though.

Later,
Dan

 

[RoyJackson]

Ok! I'll ask first! Roy, does your pith helmet have horns?!:laughing: I can also add that a "bandana" as they're called around here, soaked in cold water and "wrung" out, rolled up and tied around your neck (loosely hanging) will also cool that blood that's circulating to and from your head.:thumbsup:

Negative on the pith helmet horns...just a standard pith helmet somebody bought, never wore and gave to the Good Will (you'd be amazed how much brand new, never worn, clothing is donated).

I've used the bandana around the neck, but if it's cold water, it'll give me a headache and stiff neck. For me, the bandana helps keep an outer garment collar from getting sweat stained.

 

[RobertN]

At the fire station, we have a urine color chart in the restroom. Gives you a good idea of your overall hydration.

A lot of people do not drink enough water, even when sitting in an office. The body needs plentiful water for proper function.

Also a trick that I always do if I know I'm working outside, I SUPER HYDRATE the night before. Drink water the entire night before and start again when you wake up and continue all day even though you are not thirsty.Like they say if you get thirsty it's already too late.

 

[deepNdirt]

I had a neighbor used to wear one of them Pith helmets always when working out in his garden or doing yard work, I just thought it was part of his attire,

but now that you have explained them now I know why he was wearing it.
My other neighbor wore one like this it was obvious the reason for him wearing his :thumbsup:

 

[deepNdirt]

another thing that helps to keep cool, is to wear terrycloth wrest bands I used to wear these to keep sweat off my palms when using a hammer to keep from being slippery, I would of course have to keep them ringed out, One day I decided to rinse them with my ice water and put them back on , them being cold over the arteries in my wrist kept me cool somehow....
:thumbsup: I've always heard that you can run cool water over your arms and behind your neck to cool down from a possible heat stroke,

 

[Jaylegger]

(yeth, I'm on my third Yuengling Black and Tan as I write this...)

LOL, prior to reading this snippet I was quietly thinking to myself that you've likely had a few. :thumbsup:

 

[2manyrocks]

LOL, prior to reading this snippet I was quietly thinking to myself that you've likely had a few. :thumbsup:

Was the hat your first clue? :laughing:

 

[timswi]

Yup..Cold water over the insides of you wrists works wonders. Used to do car reconditioning during college...It was 100+ outside and the grage was even hotter. The boss came out and said i looked like i was going to 'buy the farm"...He ushered me to the wash tub and forced me to run cold water over my wrists..a couple of minutes lateer and I felt like new...It works.

A pith is cool...I just don't have the nerve to wear one, my wife would mock me:ashamed:

 

[RoyJackson]

Yup..Cold water over the insides of you wrists works wonders. Used to do car reconditioning during college...It was 100+ outside and the grage was even hotter. The boss came out and said i looked like i was going to 'buy the farm"...He ushered me to the wash tub and forced me to run cold water over my wrists..a couple of minutes lateer and I felt like new...It works.

A pith is cool...I just don't have the nerve to wear one, my wife would mock me:ashamed:

Rather I'm wearing a pith helmet or not, my wife mocks me...just ignore and stay cooler!

 

[jinman]

Rather I'm wearing a pith helmet or not, my wife mocks me...just ignore and stay cooler!

One of the things I've noticed about my wife is that when she is outside, she is a lot more careful about sun exposure than I am. She wears a big awful-looking straw hat and long sleeves so the sun doesn't bring out her freckles. When it gets really hot out, I wear a ball cap with a bib in back to cover my exposed neck. The darn thing is very hot, but it keeps my neck from burning and looking like old shoe leather.

When I lived in town, I had a retired neighbor who wore a pith helmet everytime he mowed his lawn. When it was hot, he also wrapped a towel around his neck. He lived to the age of 94 and mowed his lawn all but about the last 5 years.