Dealing with the heat...

[froggy]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Aside from seconding or thirding all of the advice given thus far (been to way too many Defcons on top of being an occasional burner), the advice given below bears repeating.

Vegas is a very car-centric town. It's not really dense enough to walk to most places, and there isn't a good public transit system. If you're planning on going somewhere in particular, double-check the walking distance on Google maps or similar.

Even though distances seem short on the maps, and even if you're a good hiker and walker, do NOT try to walk any more than a kilometer or so without at least a few liters of water and proper head gear, neck gear and clothing. it's often worth it to grab a cab, shuttle or ride in a friend's rental car if you intend on going anywhere on the strip. I have made the mistake way too many times of walking further than I should have because something "was only a block or two away". Vegas blocks are insanely big. Nighttime walks can be kinda nice, though.

Short story for the hell of it. Back when the event was at the AP, my wife and I decided to do some exploring and managed to walk from the AP to the strip and then from the strip to Fremont street over the course of a day. Foolish it was. We had to basically stop at every casino along the way, somehow swing a free bottle or glass of ice water (which isn't really that hard to do) and stay within every air conditioned walkway we could find. On top of that we managed to not get mugged on the not-so-nice sections of Las Vegas blvd between the strip and Fremont. It's a great story, but not really a good idea.

One final point: It always amazes me that people prefer and wear black t-shirts for Defcon. Sure they look snazzy and edgy, but shit are they way too hot to wear anywhere out during daylight hours. That said I'll probably wear at least one if I manage to make my way out there this year.

[priest]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Something to keep in mind as the word "Hydrated" is passed around here. Water is not the only thing you need to be drinking. You want to be adding electrolytes to the mix because you are also sweating/peeing out things like sodium, potassium, etc.

If all you are doing is pouring in water and not adding in electrolyte solution you put yourself at risk for hypovolemic hyponatremia which means you are loosing water as well as salt but salt faster than water. So be sure to add in a "sports drink" or add electrolyte solution/tabs to your water.

[Surreal]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Eek... "hypovolemic hyponatremia". Hadn't heard that before!

Phoenix native throwing in my $0.02.

If you're going to be outside and exposed to the sun shooting or whatever, get a loose, long-sleeved cotton shirt to go with your big, shady hat. Dress just like the guys you see doing landscaping out in the heat. A hat that breathes (straw or whatever) is way nicer than something that doesn't, like a felt or leather hat.

Here's a pro-tip: screw fashion - pour water over your head occasionally, moistening the shirt. Now you're wearing an evaporative cooler. Don't worry, you'll dry off pretty quick. You can also dump a Lot of heat by running water over your head and wrists. Wanna be even less fashionable? Snag one of those Asian bamboo/paper umbrellas from the casino shops with all the Hello Kitty swag. Shade Rocks!

Also, don't get sunscreen in your eyes. It freaking stings! If you're sweating like you should, after a couple hours you'll end up with your skin covered in little salt crystals. You'll be a lot more comfortable after you rinse off.

Surreal

The sun's down now; It's still 108F.

[noid]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

A lot of us goons carry Camelbak hydration packs. We also tend to put things like Nuun and Camelbak Elixir in them too. That Camelbak Elixir stuff is a freeking hangover miracle too.

[CrYpTiC_Sciss0r]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Everyone said the best advice anyone can give and I'll agree 100%.

I think the best thing to in combination with all of the above is to not to think about it. After 105 it all feels the same. It's hot enough that when you sweet you wont feel it on your skin because its gone. Be mindful of your fluid in take heat stroke is no joke! It get's a lot of people on the strip which is the hottest spot in town. If the weather says 100 it might be 115+. It's all metal and concert with thousands of people and tons of cars in a giant tunnel of lights.

If you do ride in a car or get in one at any point in time do not shut off the AC. If your car is facing the sun at any point in the day it can and dose reach 150+ on the inside. The sun will over take the AC if facing it. It's awesome to get out of your car in the morning and have an empty bottle in the cup holder to come back and having in implode.

Ware long light weight fabric lightly colored materials if you plan on being outside a lot. I'm with you I cant stand the heat yet I live in the desert now... Vegas is a rather acquired taste it's hotter then hell in the summer but the rest of the year is amazing not to cold not to humid always sunny and being ready to be explored.

[Zorlac]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

I bought a Camelpak the day after I knew my flights were booked, but wasnt aware of the Camelpak Elixir... i wonder if they sell that in the UK? I bet they dont... time to find a vegas supplier. Bass Pro maybe?

Again, I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, some very interesting points that werent obvious to someone from a cooler country.

[hinge]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

About walking in Vegas... as has already been said, things are farther away than they seem. The buildings/hotels/casinos are really big, and what looks close probably isn't. Also, you oftentimes can't walk directly to your destination, there are roads/freeways/fences/hedges/walls in the way that don't make themselves obvious until you reach them and have to turn around.

Having made this mistake a few times (and feeling like the sun was about to kill me), I avoid walking places in Vegas during the day unless I know for sure it's really close. Cabs are worth the money, and they don't kill your buzz.

At night, it's a different story, as long as you feel comfortable with your surroundings. I love walking the strip at night with a good buzz on. It's still hot, but no sun, and you can duck into air conditioning pretty easily. For a Vegas first timer, I'd really recommend a late night walk on the strip. Especially since you can drink while doing it (open alcohol is legal on the strip, and usually not enforced elsewhere in my experience).

Good times!

[noid]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

I bought a Camelpak the day after I knew my flights were booked, but wasnt aware of the Camelpak Elixir... i wonder if they sell that in the UK? I bet they dont... time to find a vegas supplier. Bass Pro maybe?

Again, I wish to thank everyone who has contributed to this thread, some very interesting points that werent obvious to someone from a cooler country.

I bet BassPro does. If not, let me know and I can bring a few tubes out for you with the rest of my gear.

[ButterSnatcher]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Basspro does hopefully they have them in stock its close to the airport so i could prob get the taxi to swing by on my way up to the hotel. They want 27$ to ship them which i think is outrage, why pay for shipping when you can pickup direct.

[Zorlac]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Many thanks for the offer of bringing some with you or buying some for me, but i`m good.... i arrive in Vegas a week early for a one night stay, then drive to the coast to visit some people/family before I return to Vegas on Wednesday night. Gives me plenty of time to stock up on essentials of all kinds...

[erehwon]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

About walking in Vegas... as has already been said, things are farther away than they seem. The buildings/hotels/casinos are really big, and what looks close probably isn't. Also, you oftentimes can't walk directly to your destination, there are roads/freeways/fences/hedges/walls in the way that don't make themselves obvious until you reach them and have to turn around.

Having made this mistake a few times (and feeling like the sun was about to kill me), I avoid walking places in Vegas during the day unless I know for sure it's really close. Cabs are worth the money, and they don't kill your buzz.

Two more things to keep in mind, the number one killer of tourists in Las Vegas is crossing the street without a crosswalk, jaywalking in the middle of street will get you killed sober or worse, drunk off your ass.

Cabs can't legally pick you up off the street like they can in the U.K. or any other major city, you have to hail them in a parking lot, and you're better off finding one at a casino. It doesn't hurt to tip the cab hop a $1 so if you are in a drunken state, s/he can advise the cabbie where you're going, so you avoid the cabbie taking you via the scenic route.

[astcell]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

And for the world travelers, here we look LEFT before crossing the road!

[erehwon]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

And for the world travelers, here we look LEFT before crossing the road!

Knowing friends that used to drive for Domino's Pizza and others that drove for Blackwater, I ALWAYS look both ways on a one-way street.

[chs]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Many thanks for the offer of bringing some with you or buying some for me, but i`m good.... i arrive in Vegas a week early for a one night stay, then drive to the coast to visit some people/family before I return to Vegas on Wednesday night. Gives me plenty of time to stock up on essentials of all kinds...

"The Coast" as in Southern California?

If so, drop by an REI store: http://www.rei.com/map/store

They have the entire Camelbak lineup, including all sorts of hydration salts, liquids, gels, mixes, etc.

I'm a huge fan of the Camelbak hydration tablets myself and have been using them for the past couple cons. The orange one tastes great, is very slightly fizzy, and has just enough caffeine to add to your alertness without making you twitch or shake.

Anyways, REI will probably be a better bet than Bass Pro, and likely cheaper for what you need. It looks like they have a couple locations in the Vegas area too.

One of the things to ask yourself during the day that will help keep you hydrated is "When was the last time I peed?". If it's been more than an hour, DRINK MORE. When I'm working days at con I use my 3-liter camelbak and probably go through 3 refills of that PER DAY. Even after drinking myself stupid, I'll then follow-up with a few (meaning, more than two!) glasses of water before bed.

[Zorlac]

Re: Dealing with the heat...

Yep, San Diego.... I am here at the moment, so may drop in Wednesday to take a look around before I head back to Vegas (REI was already added to my GPS locations list), but I got some of the elixir tablets from Bass Pro in vegas at the weekend.

After having some real worries about the heat, I found that it wasnt as bad as I had expected, if only because of the low humidity. I found I could do things I would normally do, so long as I stayed hydrated.... hell, I even decided to take a trip to Death Valley just to see how hot it was and how I coped. Yes, it was very very (118f/46c) hot, like walking in an oven, but I still managed to survive for a while before running back to the car.

The advice given in this thread has been awesome, and because of that, I have arrived fully prepared to deal with the heat. Maybe selected items from this thread need to be extracted and posted in a sticky somewhere for DEFCON newbies to use every year.