David learns how to keep warm and dry in the Arctic with explorer Will Steger. But these people stay warm and dry, thanks to specially designed clothing and high-tech fibers. To decide which synthetic fabrics to wear, explorers need to decide what they want their protective clothing to do.
Many fabrics contain a combination of fibers.
Keeping dry is as important as keeping warm when it comes to survival and comfort in the Arctic. An adult normally loses about one liter of water a day through evaporation from the skin and lungs. During a day of strenuous activity, a person can lose ten liters of water. As the body burns energy during physical exertion, it creates heat. It then produces sweat, which provides a cooling effect as it evaporates.