Physiological Evaluation of A1 (Extreme-Cold-Weather) and A2 (Buoyant, Intermediate-Cold-Weather) Jackets.

• Main Author: Avellini, Barbara A.
• Other Authors: NAVY CLOTHING AND TEXTILE RESEARCH FACILITY NATICK MA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1983
• Subjects: Anatomy and Physiology; Protective Equipment; *PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS; *COLD WEATHER; *PROTECTIVE CLOTHING; TEST AND EVALUATION; TEMPERATURE; TEXTILES; EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY); WEATHER; INSULATION; NAVY CLOTHING; COLD WEATHER CLOTHING; Arctic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA258410; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA258410

The Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility (NCTRF) physiologically evaluated the Navy's cold-weather clothing by exposing subjects wearing either the Al (Extreme-Cold-Weather) clothing ensemble or the A2 (Buoyant, Intermediate Cold-Weather) clothing ensemble to various environmental temperatures. The environmental temperatures in which the clothing was tested included: 5 deg F (-15 deg C), -10 deg F (-23.3 deg C), -30 deg F (-34.4 deg C), and -40 deg F (-40 deg C) for evaluation of the Al ensemble; and 39 deg F ( 3.9 deg C), 20 deg F (-6.7 deg C), 0 deg F (-17.8 deg C) and -10 deg F (-23.3 deg C) for evaluation of the A2 ensemble. An additional exposure to -40 deg F was undertaken to compare responses with the Army Arctic gear, and an exposure to 70 deg F (21.1 deg C) while standard Navy utility clothing was worn served as a control. Exposures were 3 hours in duration, the first hour of which the subject sat quietly, followed by 1 hour of exercise at 3.5 mph, and again 1 hour of rest. Based on mean skin temperature responses, the results indicate that none of the test garments would keep an inactive person warm for prolonged periods of time (>4.O hours). Cold-Weather clothing; Buoyant, Cold-Weather clothing; Physiological testing; Clothing insulation values; Military protective clothing.