Staying cool and comfortable in excessive heat
As temperatures break records and 100-degree days are no longer a shock to our system, we’re learning to cope with extreme heat. Traveling while the heat index, a measurement of how the body feels in high temps and humidity, can be uncomfortable, but there are ways to cope. Here’s our take on staying cool while traveling during a heat wave.
- Wear a brimmed hat. Notice that very few construction and road workers and landscapers wear ball caps. They wear a brimmed hat with a neck flap, often with a headband as a sweat band to absorb the sweat.
- Wear sunscreen and reapply it every two hours if you’re outside.
- Limit your activity and take regular breaks. When you’re outside, find a shady spot under a tree.
- In the peak heat hours of the day, plan ahead and schedule time in an air conditioned museum or shopping mall.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated before, during and after outdoor activities.
- Wear loose-fitting, light colored and comfortable clothes and shoes.
- Wear sunglasses for UVA and UVB protection for your eyes. That means the lenses have special coatings or additives that filter out harmful rays, preventing them from reaching your eyes and reducing the risk of eye damage and related issues.
- Eat lighter meals than normal and include food with a high water content like berries, melons and cold soup.
- Alcohol causes dehydation so limit what you drink and drink responsibly.
- Traveling with kids or seniors? Pay attention to how they handle the heat, and adjust your day’s activities so they’re comfortable and not stressed.
- If you’re traveling with pets, make sure they have plenty of water to drink and a shady place to stay.
- Consider a neck fan (about $30). The u-shaped device looks like an over-the-ears headphone that drapes over your neck and some clip onto a shirt or hang from a lanyard.
Keep your car cool
- Avoid being underway during the hottest part of the day, and drive during early morning hours or late evening so your engine doesn’t overheat.
- Pay attention to the car’s fluid levels like in the battery, and oil, power steering, break and transmission fluids, all prone to evaporate in extreme heat.
- Park your car in a shady area when possible, and use sunshades or window covers to keep the interior as cool as possible.
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Gene and Katie Hamilton travel the U.S. extensively in search of a favorite place. They are members of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.
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