Early Antarctic Clothing
Today, much of our knowledge about what to wear in Antarctica comes from the mistakes made by the early Antarctic explorers, such as Scott.
When Captain Robert Scott attempted to reach the South Pole in 1911-12, the clothing he and his men had were layers of cotton and wool that weren't easy to adjust because the ends of their clothes had been sealed to keep out the snow.
Scott at the Pole - L to R Wilson, Evans, Scott, Oates, Bowers
Because Scott and his men were manhauling their sledges, the effort involved made them sweat easily. This sweat then froze as ice, making them colder then they would have been and very uncomfortable. When Scott and his men finally got to bed in their fur sleeping bags at night, the warmth created would then melt this ice and drench their clothes and sleeping bags.
If this situation doesn't sound miserable enough, Scott and his men had to ration the fuel that they used to dry out their clothes in the tent overnight. As the fuel ran out, they had to face putting on damp clothes in the morning and then start another day of manhauling, freezing cold and wet. As a result, all the men suffered with frostbite, a painful condition that can result in the loss of limbs such as toes and fingers.
In contrast at this time, Amundsen used survival techniques he'd learnt from some of the many people living in the Arctic Circle to help him reach the South Pole. Amundsen and his team wore clothing that was made up of layers of mainly animal fur. This was light, warm and dry for the men and so they didn't suffer as Scott's party did. Although Scott's expedition failed for a number of reasons, the use inadequate clothing sadly played an important part in their tragic outcome.
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Early Polar Clothing
Native Arctic Clothing
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