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This is why we talk about “base layers.”
BC isn’t nearly as harsh as the North (& we do °C, not °F), but pretty much my entire first 6 months of paycheques as a field geophysicist went into rent, bills, & gear.
None of it is stylish, but I can do 12-16hr field days while warm, dry, & visible. Mostly.
None of it is stylish, but I can do 12-16hr field days while warm, dry, & visible. Mostly.
For newbie-geos getting started, but figuring out how to balance quality & price, what gear needs to last & what gets replaced each gig, finding gear that fits, and repeating it all each season is EXPENSIVE.
If you’re a field crew chief, try to realistically brief your newbies.
If you’re a field crew chief, try to realistically brief your newbies.
Just for footwear:
Steel-toed rubber caulk boots, steel-toed rubber boots, no-metal rubber boots (all with bama socks), full-calf snow boots with felt liners, ankle snow boots, stiffened hiking boots, hiking boots, hip waders (borrowed), snowshoes, traction chains (borrowed)
Steel-toed rubber caulk boots, steel-toed rubber boots, no-metal rubber boots (all with bama socks), full-calf snow boots with felt liners, ankle snow boots, stiffened hiking boots, hiking boots, hip waders (borrowed), snowshoes, traction chains (borrowed)
I got lucky with hand-me-down boots from friends upgrading, a well-timed closure of a military surplus store, and abusing a discount pass at an outdoor supply coop, but even so, $$$
And it’s cheaper for me than smaller women because I can occasionally raid the men’s gear.
And it’s cheaper for me than smaller women because I can occasionally raid the men’s gear.
For base layers, I cheaped out & froze twice before shelling out for my perfect forever-love (Icebreakers 260). First & midlayers went easier, but only because BC’s climate is forgiving.
Quality boots & longjohns are a big part of my “how to gear up for this gig” briefings.
Quality boots & longjohns are a big part of my “how to gear up for this gig” briefings.
Fieldwork is amazing & painful & rewarding & miserable & so many things. But it’s also really freaking expensive to gear up for safety & comfort.
It’s hard to do when you’re inexperienced, broke, & uncertain if this will be one gig or a career.
It’s hard to do when you’re inexperienced, broke, & uncertain if this will be one gig or a career.
BC is a temperate rainforest. It took me FOREVER to work out every gig demands a customized impermeability, breathability, mobility, & durability:
Quality urban rain jacket & pants
Cheap af rainjacket
Rubber overalls & coat
Waxed highvis overalls & coat
Oilskin trenchcoat
Poncho
Quality urban rain jacket & pants
Cheap af rainjacket
Rubber overalls & coat
Waxed highvis overalls & coat
Oilskin trenchcoat
Poncho
It’s overwhelming to think about, and you can easily drop hundreds to thousands of dollars on entirely useless gear.
All of it is more frustrating in that if you’ve made a bad call, you’re stuck with it in the wilderness for weeks or months until the gig ends.
All of it is more frustrating in that if you’ve made a bad call, you’re stuck with it in the wilderness for weeks or months until the gig ends.
My 2nd field gig I did in cargo pants, Tshirts, an acrylic sweatshirt, a wool sweater, a cheap rain gear, a canvas hat, borrowed boots, & my high vis vest
For 30 days.
A 10min gear briefing from my crew chief would’ve helped so much.
For 30 days.
A 10min gear briefing from my crew chief would’ve helped so much.
