To: Mounted search and rescue <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [MSAR] Sanctioning Bodies
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 13:34:34 -0600
Chris PB wrote:
>This is what I have found out- the helmet is cooler in the summer and
>warmer in the winter than my cowboy hats. I think it's because of the
>thickness of the insulation.
That has been my experience also. The only time I overheated while
wearing my helmet was during a hike up a mountainside in knee deep
fresh snow. I was dressed for winter riding, meaning warmer than I
would have dressed to hike, but snowballing conditions were extreme
so I had to leave the horse and go on foot.
Here in the southwest US humidity is normally so low that overheating
is not a big concern except on the very worst days (110F in the Moab
Desert). Now in the southeast US high heat is a significant concern,
particularly when humidity is high. In that case, wearing a helmet
or not seems to be insignificant; the entire body is unable to shed
heat.
For evaporative cooling in hot weather I wear a wet bandana around my
neck. It works equally well, with or without helmet.