Desert survival

**Razz65** · 12-01-2007, 11:41 PM

it really doesn't matter if you have to lose such and such percentage of water...everyone is different...if you go without water for more than 5 - 7 days for most people, you're dead anyway...and you *can* drink your pee if it is an absolute last resort..more advice on the quiz that is wrong....

**FVR** · 12-02-2007, 12:29 AM

While doing ops in 29 Stumps, during the day, darn straight we burried ourselves, we would dig holes and crawl under the duece and a halfs and the jeeps, did whatever we could to get out of the heat. And it was hot.

As far as that pee drinking like what's his name? we've already put the kybosh on that here. That and the drinking of elephant poo water, biting the heads off and eating of raw snakes, and much more actions from that tv dude.

Like I said in the past, if that yahoo was in my team, oh yeh, he wouldn't be in my team.

**spiritman** · 12-02-2007, 03:46 AM

I think we just live with the quiz since it was here from the beginning of time, but it's not an essay quiz, and surely you could at least find SOME logic to what it says. Like th eating for example. If you don't have liquids then eating meat or most solid foods will only dehydrate you more. But the sand thing I could see going either way, Depending on how long you intend to stay buried.

**Rick** · 12-02-2007, 04:23 PM

This from Wikipedia:

"It has been suggested that when a person is in desert survival or surrounded by salt water and devoid of drinking water that the person must resort to drinking his/her own urine if it is the only liquid available. As it tends to cause further dehydration due to the salts in it, drinking urine for survival is advised against by the US Army Field Manual, the head of the Texas Urological Society, and numerous survival instructors and guides while the Discovery Channel advises it.

Aron Ralston claims to have used the technique when trapped for several days with his arm under a boulder.

Bear Grylls of the Discovery Channel's Man vs. Wild drank his own urine while he was in the Outback of Australia.

Alternatively Les Stroud drank water evaporated from urine that he made to collect on plastic wrap and drip into a cup."

I removed the citings but you can view the entire article here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urophagia

I couldn't find an article about squeezing water out of poop. Probably because know one would have guessed anyone goofy enough to do it. :O)

**Nativedude** · 12-03-2007, 03:53 AM

As your body gets more dehydrated, your urine gets more and more concentrated (thicker) and contains more sulfur, sodium (salt), bile proteins, etc., that are extracted from the blood, intestinal waste, and body moisture (from the lungs, skin, etc.) The little moisture in the urine would do nothing to hydrate your body. In fact it would cause the organs in the body to begin shutting down, not to mention the fact, that it will expedite dehydration. And drinking urine will cause bile in the stomach and intestinal tract that can, and most likely, will cause cramping, which in turn will expedite dehydration through the muscles of the stomach working through contraction. Anytime the muscles have to work hard, moisture is extracted exponentially. And if the concentrated urine were drunk, it would cause any further urine to be even more concentrated and worsen your condition, and most likely cause septic shock (which will kill you!)

When a person is properly hydrated, urine is sterile, but still should not be drunk, unless distilled or filtered!

It is possible to extract water (from urine), through distillation, or filtration, i.e; solar still or through sand, respectively, and that can be drunk to help in hydration.

The Discovery channel does not claim that you can drink urine. Man -v- Wild, more succinctly, Bear Grylls, makes claim that you can drink urine. Discovery is somewhat protected through the disclaimer that is posted, at the beginning and throughout, the M -v- W episodes.

**MCBushbaby** · 12-03-2007, 03:59 AM

QUOTE: "Alternatively Les Stroud drank water evaporated from urine that he made to collect on plastic wrap and drip into a cup."

EXACTLY right. Drinking urine is like drinking saltwater, though by the time you'd think of drinking it the amount of salt in your urine would have increased dramatically (maybe 10% or more salt content). The only way to obtain hydration from it is to distill.

Eating meat raw is harder for your body to digest. Eating raw camel fat (though he did it for the water content.. which is retarded as you don't want to eat anything if you're dehydrating) or snake meat forces your body to expel more energy into digesting it. Same reason why you boil/cook veggies... helps break down the cell wall (though, yes, animal meat does not have cell walls but it does similar things). Les eating raw salmon is only slightly better but, heck, if you've got a full Chinook you don't need to worry about conserving energy all that much.

**explodingearth** · 12-03-2007, 05:12 PM

youll die in one day in the desert with no water. best advice i can give is to STAY AWAY FROM DESERTS

**FVR** · 12-03-2007, 07:55 PM

Depends on the desert and what you have and know.

**Hellhound2k** · 12-10-2007, 06:45 PM

might be a stupid question... is it better to keep your clothing closed (zipped/buttoned) to keep the water close to your body and evaporate slower into the air (but increasing heat effects).. or to airate yourself and dehydrate quicker but keep a cooler body temp?

never mind... found it

**Rick** · 12-10-2007, 08:18 PM

We weren't going to answer you anyway. So there!

**FVR** · 12-10-2007, 10:20 PM

I'll bite.

Loose clothing, cover all your body parts, keep your t shirt on and let it pull sweat away and cool your upper body.

Keeping covered will prevent you from getting severe sunburn and if you take your time and not exert yourself.

Is my guess.

**Rick** · 12-10-2007, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by hellhound2k

never mind... found it

He found it that's why I razzed him.

**Nativedude** · 12-10-2007, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by Hellhound2k

"might be a stupid question... is it better to keep your clothing closed (zipped/buttoned) to keep the water close to your body and evaporate slower into the air (but increasing heat effects).. or to airate yourself and dehydrate quicker but keep a cooler body temp?. . . ."

You do not want to aerate in the desert. You want to try and stay as cool as you can and keep the moisture close to your body. The faster your clothes dry the faster you will dehydrate.

Cotton clothing is best for summer time in the desert. In the winter, clothing that wicks moisture is best. You want to make sure your clothes dry before night fall or you will get chilled. While there are usually big temperature changes between day and night, in the summer (30-40 degrees), it is even more prominent in the winter (50-70 degrees).

Hope this helps?!

**trax** · 12-11-2007, 01:33 PM

are fvr and nativedude on the money? cuz it sounds good to me (never been in the desert personally, here's my chance to learn about it) ...So...you found the answer, share dude....

Bet he's not answering cuz Rick pi**ed him off....way to go, Rick.

**Rick** · 12-11-2007, 02:22 PM

Human skin is the largest organ in the body. Burn it and you have an express way to dehydration. A painful one at that. FVR and Native Dude are right on the mark. I've spent some time in the desert, not a lot, but some. I have a nephew that lives in Pahrump, Nevada, which is at Hell's door; Death Valley.

We've all talked about the terrible insulating property of cotton and that's exactly what makes it so good in the desert. It absorbs your sweat and allows the evaporation to form some cooling. You just want to make certain your skin is covered. Even the backs of your hands. Folks seem to forget that area and it burns pretty quickly because it faces "up".

Sand doesn't hold heat very well (that seems almost counter intuitive) but once the sun sets it can get terribly cold. So you want to make certain you have something to keep you warm at night.

Obviously, you want to stay hydrated. I don't think you can drink too much water in the desert. You CAN NOT drink pee. Period. Trax, FVR and Native Dude have done a great job explaining that one.

My nephew insists day time is the best time to travel and he offers a good argument. All the nasties come out at night to hunt. Snakes, scorpions, etc. and you stand a very good chance of stepping on one or otherwise injuring yourself in the dark. He says you can hold up in the worst heat of the day but night time travel is not recommended. Okay, he lives there, I'll take his word for it. Who am I to argue?

As for finding something to drink in the desert. He swears all you have to do is follow the tracks. They will almost always lead to one of the three brothels. I'm bad. There, I admit it.

Trax - What was that you said about piston?

**dilligaf2u2** · 12-15-2007, 08:21 AM

I live in high desert. The summer sun can turn metal into a fry pan real fast. I carry a pair of cheep cotton gloves in my pack. I have burned my hands on my pack frame once!

I have crossed the flats a time or 3 and an early start is a must to make time. Lay low in the shade from noon to 4 pm and start again till the sun starts to go down.

Conserving water by not drinking is a mistake. If your lips are dry, you have waited too long between drinks. Saving water by rationing is Ok but if you are going to be active. Drink! Dehydration affects the thought process. You do not want to be out in 100+F weather and not able to think.

Food is important.

A still made from some plastic can give you some drinking water. That is if you have p;as with you? you could follow animal tracks for days without finding water. Follow bee's and other insects is a better idea.

If you do not know the area you will be in? Go with someone that does know or don't go!

Set up ration points along your rough by car and then go back to the start and walk it.

Adapt to your needs. Hydrate yourself with massive amounts of water, weeks before you head out in the dry lands.

Dilligaf2u2

**Rick** · 12-15-2007, 08:26 AM

Thanks, Dillagaf. Good information.

**FVR** · 12-15-2007, 11:02 AM

There is the myth of rationing water. I've always wondered? If you're thirsty and you take a sip now and then, does it help you or is it better to just drink a good gulp when needed rather than sipping all day.

I don't believe in the sipping, if I'm thirsty I take a mouthful. Figure that that mouthful will do me better than a freak'n sip.

**Rick** · 12-15-2007, 11:13 AM

Water isn't absorb until it reaches the large intestine. The more you drink the faster a larger volume of water reaches the large intestine. I would think if you sipped water in the desert your rate of perspiration would surpass your intake (or rate of absorption) and cause dehydration. I'm with you. I don't sip. I would think that would be true anywhere on a hot day, not just the desert. I do like Diligaf's dry lips rule. Waiting until you're thirsty is waiting too long.