Uncle_Tall
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I love bird watching!
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Posts: 163
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"Arctic" birding - gears for sub-zero climate
« on: Dec 15th, 2003, 9:59pm » |
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This is really giving myself a challenge to bird in sub-zero climate in Hokkaido. Besides birds, I would also like to share the gear that really works for me and my wife at temperature of -5 degrees C and wind of 30+km/hr (during sea-watching)
Clothings (from outside to inside)
Wind-proof jacket, down jacket, fleece jumper, polartec underwear or equivalent
Trousers
Gortex trousers, fleece trousers
Hat
Fleece hat with retractable ear cover
Gloves
Gloves is a must but is the most tricky - thick glove is warm though clumsy, especially if you have to handle binoculars, telescopes, tripods, camera, DVCAM and field guides! Thin gloves let your hands work better for short time before they turn numb. The Japanese-made warm pad is very helpful in this situation. Put one inside the glove and thin gloves would be warm enough. They work for 5-6 hours.
Shoes
Thick wool stocklings, Gortex boots +/- warm pads. In thick snow, padded Wellington boots are needed but unfortuately, Uncle Tall is too tall to find a suitable size
Battery
Lithium battery only. No alkaline, NiMH etc.
Other
Lots of calory-rich junk food!
Antifog spray if you wear glasses
Don't shift your camera from ice-cold outdoor to warm indoors immediately. Every glass surface will fog up!
If you drive on ice, no more than 40km/hr.
Things that I have not used (but prepared)
Gortex garters, snow spikes for shoe attachment
Cheers
Uncle Tall
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