Forging while in the oven 

Hibernicus

Hades. I'm working in HADES!

98F / 38C .. forging.. arghhh.. must've sweated away 9lbs, 4kilos, 2/3stone...

Reminds of an event at which we had to quench our helmets in water to makle them wearable...poured gallons/litres of water down our fronts and backs.. lift the seg a bit away form your torso and let the water flow... some of the kit rusted while we watched!

.. anyone else have a "survived the broiling heat at an event" story

scythius

I remember an event in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles) in July, where the air temperature was about 104 F - where I bitched at the tiros about drinking enough fluids; "If you're standing around, and it doesn't feel like you have to pee, drink water!"...

JRSCline

I don't wear metal armor, but there's nothing like modern body armor to make you overheat. In Kuwait, a dry heat if there ever was one, I never remember sweating or having to pee much -- but I still drank almost two gallons of water a day. Oddly, it never felt like it.

The water went in one end and never came out the other, just steamed right off the skin. At the end of the day, I'd actually have to dust myself off, because the salt had accumulated so much, but I never felt like I was sweating.

All in all much preferable to wet heat. Humidity is just awful!

rusty myers

Only "illness/injury" our legion has ever had involved heat/ dehydration stuff. Teenage members drinking coke instead of water (against the centurio's orders), but then they know everything right????????????

We monitor all our guys closely, South Carolina is hot and humid!!

Gashford

We don't get too hot weather in the UK, but occasionally it can go mad. I once got ready for our fights and picked up my provocator helmet and burnt my finger tips on it .... we didn't have time to cool it so I stuck it on my head and sweated.

Made me start to wonder how the original gladiators coped in the heat of the colisseum ... probably another reason that the main fights of the year were in december

I try to make sure everyone drinks water by the truckload. It when people complain of thigh cramps that I ask if they have been drinking, oh yes, they claim promptly before passing out ... only seems to happen to the under 18's ... perhaps we are all startingto spot a trend

Crispvs

I was standing guard in the amphitheatre at Caerleon in full parade order (ie: fighting order plus crest, feathers and extra shiny bits) overseeing gladiator fights on the hottest day in Britain since they started taking records. It was like standing in an oven and I think we would all have collapsed if it hadn't been for the junior members of the group running back and forth keeping us supplied with full water skins. I don't think I actually saw a toilet that day, much less used one.

Hibernicus

We've fought at too many events in Arizona and in So Cal that have been 90+... 3 days, 6 or so hours each day.. water bearers (hordes of non-fighters) with two 2 liter bottles of water or gatorade slung around their necks.. they can go through a few thousand gallons of water in an afternoon keeping us alive... only the loony youths (or as we call them : Jutes .. pronounced: yoots) forgo water, preferring heatstroke, passing out or leaving the battle before its over due to extreme fatique.

We hoary wizend vets learn the advantage of a large scutum in the searing Arizona desert sun... Sit down, back to the sun, rest the scutum against your back.. if you have to walk away your helmet goes under your shield, only the yoots learn that one the hard way!

And the simple joys of a damp cloth across the back of the neck or of water in a spray bottle spritzed onto the forearms or the exhilaration of a handful of crushed ice dumped into one's.. cup.. talk about cooling off fast!

scythius

Again, the old-timers have much to teach... I remember telling one of the 'jutes' that when he wasn't wearing his helmet, he should put it under his shield to keep it shaded.

The callow youth scoffed at me, and told me to mind my own damn business. It was a warm Arizona spring day (about 98F) and when the young buck went to pick up his helmet, he screamed like a little girl and tried to unstick his fingertips from the blued-steel spangenhelm that was now seared to his fingertips.

He gave the helmet a strong shake, and the helmet flipped away - with skin from 6 of his fingerprints stuck to the helm.

Guest

Nothing nearly that bad, but the Higgins was doing a show and tell in southern CT last year in June with 80F going on 90F heat with probably as close humidity. I felt really comfortable in just my tunic the first day, but forgot to shade the (older, heavier) armor, so when I had to haul it on, was already sweating buckets just getting into it. Also will not make the mistake of going without a hat or something on the head, my scalp peeled for a week after that weekend. The helmet was nice shade, the neckguard is really nice for the back of the neck too

I felt really bad for the Higgins guys doing armored combat demos in full plate high gothic steel...well not totally bad... ;D Then again I sweated buckets just getting THEM in and out of thier own armor, nevermind my own! Medieval kit wasn't exactly made for hot weather either me thinks...Gambesons are NOT fun in the sun...'specially when it's a black one!

I reaaaaally like the idea of using the Scutum to it's full potential...Makes ya think how nice a Republican would be...Just lay down on the grass with that huge monstrosity ontop of you...preferably held above you by either some tiro(s) or something And keeping the helmet under/behind the shield is really good.

Quintius Clavus

I learned to protect my helmet from the sun in the SCA, and yes, by covering it with my shield. Kept all my metal pieces in the shade (natural or man-made) when they weren't actually on my body during bright sunny weather.