B

efore you have time to build that first shelter, before you
have the time to make a fire and even before you have the time to
figure out what you’re going to do next, your clothing is already
working for you. Your clothing is your first shelter and therefore your pri-
mary defense against the elements.
Yet despite its importance, most travelers don’t give clothing the
attention it deserves. Remember that people have died simply because
they wore the wrong clothing. Never underestimate the value of the
right clothes.
In choosing clothing for your expedition or adventure, you need to
ask yourself this question: “What does my clothing have to do?” It must
protect you from the wind and the rain, from the dry, from the cold and the
heat, from poisonous plants and creepy crawlies. It has to get you through
the various stages of the day and the night, and to be of a construction and
weight that allows you to travel without it becoming a hassle.

Research and Planning

RESEARCHING AND PLANNING WHAT CLOTHING (including extra clothing) you’re
going to take with you on a wilderness adventure is as vital as any other

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