A Few Tips for Survival and Comfort in the Field

I offer a few tips here to make your life a bit more comfortable when out photographing in the field. I’ll confine this discussion to treks of a short duration, say 2-3 miles or so roundtrip along an outdoor trail. In other words I’m not talking about a Rambo type adventure where you wander off several miles into the wilderness with a piece of string, a paper clip, and the clothes on your back to live off the land for several days.

This topic is more about comfort than survival, but when you get down to the nitty-gritty even a trek down a well worn trail close to civilization can turn into a survival situation, especially if you are alone and isolated and injure yourself so that you become immobile.

Even well traversed and populated trails during the busy season can seem like deserted islands in off season. Jaunting down a rugged and rocky trail can easily lead to trips and falls with consequent injury, so a pair of good hiking shoes is “mandatory”.

Personally the purchase of a good photography vest has made the whole photography experience much more pleasant because it leaves my hands free. In my opinion it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread. The vest is a personal preference, but I would recommend one or a photo backpack to carry most of your gear.

I like the vest because I don’t have to take a pack off to reach a specific lens or accessory. The right vest can even hold a tripod. Mine has a pouch in the back of the vest for holding a tripod. Grant you lugging around a full vest can be weighty and not what I would call comfort, but there is a hands free advantage especially if you are negotiating a steep trail.

Always carry plenty of water especially in the heat. I also wear an adjustable hip belt that holds two 16 oz plastic bottles with room for a 32 oz. bottle in the back pouch for an equivalent of ½ gallon of water. Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per gallon, so that adds roughly little more than 4 pounds to your packing weight.

I can’t speak from experience since I have never used one, but you might consider a Camelback hydration pack. I have seen it spelled both as Camelback and Camelbak without the “c”. It is a company name, but camelback is commonly used generically.

Camelbacks can be pricey and they are made to hold different volumes of fluid. I know one model, also one the military uses, can hold up to 100 ounces of fluid. That translates into about 6.5 pounds of water. One unit Camelbak sells that has a capacity of 70 ounces weighs 1.5 pounds empty. So, you are going to be adding in the neighborhood of 8 pounds to your load with a full 100 ounce capacity camelback.

Depending on your packing method the camelback may not fit your needs especially if you are using a photo backpack since the camelback is worn like a back pack. Canteens are also an option.

Now, I hear you asking how much water will I need for my excursion? Naturally, water/fluid use and requirements will depend on a number of factors including environmental conditions and exercise intensity.

Remember we are not off on a Rambo venture here, since we are going only a few miles, but still your thirst can get quite heavy in the summer heat. Check out the following link for a pdf file on some guidelines put together for athletes by the National Federation of High Schools titled “Recommendations for Hydration to Prevent Heat Illness”.

Recommendations for Hydration to Prevent Heat Illness

Of course you aren’t engaged in a high intensity sports competition when hiking some trail, but this will give you a good idea of what you can expect in terms of water requirements.

I also recommend taking some snack along with you on the trail particularly a high energy snack. If you are diabetic this is especially important. This is more along the lines of mental comfort in knowing it is there if you need it. I’ll leave it to the individuals to decide what form of “snack” to take to meet their particular emergency glucose needs.

Diabetics should be familiar with their personal health needs whether they are Type I or Type II diabetic and should take along their insulin accordingly. Of course wearing a medical ID health bracelet for whatever condition you have is a good idea in the field or in a bustling city setting.

It is a good idea to carry along a good whistle as well. Again, mental comfort as with the diabetic and his glucose needs. I don’t mean one of those Five and Dime plastic toys you get out of a Cracker Jack box either. I’m talking about one of those the high school football referee or your gym coach would use to call a play or break up a riot in the school yard.

Fork out a couple of bucks from the tight fist, hop on down to the sports and outdoor store, and invest in a good whistle. The shrill from a whistle can be heard better than a human holler. You never know when you might need one to help someone locate you should you get off trail and get lost or have an emergency.

There is a technique called “layering” that is used by hikers in cold country. Temperatures can change due to weather and personal activity can have a warming effect. Following layering techniques can be beneficial. So, wearing layers of clothing permits you to take off or don them as you please. For instance, you might have on long johns with a shirt pulled over that and a jacket on the outside. If conditions change you can adapt.

Taking along a rain repellent windbreaker or poncho will not only help keep you and your equipment dry, but it could prevent hypothermia as well. I have one that is large enough to fit over my equipment bulging photo vest.

“Survival” of your camera, lenses, and other gear is also important. I keep a 2 gallon plastic bag in my photo vest for times when I may not have rain gear handy. I keep it strictly for the purpose of stashing my camera with lens attached into it in order to protect it from the rain. Manufactured rain covers exist in different sizes that can be used to protect both camera and mounted lenses in less than admirable weather.

I often stash an umbrella in my vest or windbreaker pocket along with a C-clamp and other assorted clamps and some clothes pins. These come in handy to fill a variety of attachment needs including fastening the umbrella to my camera via a flash holder attachment or such in the event of rain and the need to continue shooting.

Don’t forget to pack some facial tissues. They are made in mini-packs for easy packing and are handy for all kinds of uses including wiping lenses, wiping noses, and other wiping needs.

These are just a few tips that hopefully will make for a more comfortable photo shoot experience. So, don’t wind up thirsting for water while you are trying to satisfy your unquenchable thirst for photos.

authored by Lon Britton