Wick

[scw1217]

I recently saw this word used as a verb. The noun I was familiar with, but when I read "For added accuracy, they wore plastic garbage bags underneath the sweat suits to keep their underclothes from wicking away any water," I was stumped. And to further my frustration, it is found little if any in any web dictionaries.

(Incidentally, here's the source for that quote, though if you do a search with "wicking away" in quotes, you'd be surprised how much it turns up on the web.)

I did find the following at Wiktionary (which I did not know existed.)

to wick

1. (transitive) To transmit liquid by capillary action

The fabric wicks perspiration away from the body.

I found it again at Merriam-Webster.

Main Entry: 2wick
Function: transitive verb
: to absorb or drain (as a fluid or moisture) like a wick <a fabric that wicks away perspiration>

Some how "to wick" sounds like Elmer Fudd talking to me. [/url]

[skinem]

When you were an outdoorsy type in a cold climate in your younger days, you learn the importance of the word "wick". Some good capillary action can make the difference between frostbite or not, or lowering core temps.

Now, I like wicking because of the humidity...

[Stargzer]

When you were an outdoorsy type in a cold climate in your younger days, you learn the importance of the word "wick". Some good capillary action can make the difference between frostbite or not, or lowering core temps.

Now, I like wicking because of the humidity...

An outdoorsy type in ANY weather! You can buy sock liners to wick moisture away from you feet, and some insulated boots also have a liner to wick away moisture. Wool is good because it still provides insulation even when wet. It's also self-extinguising, which is why our forebears wore wool pants even in the hot summers of Colonial Jamestown when tending fires.

Wick away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away-ay.

In the boot sock, the cotton bootsock,
Moisture freezes up.
In the boot sock, the cotton bootsock,
Moisture freezes up.

Wick away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away-ay.

Wearing woolen socks or a sock liner
Keeps your tootsie all warm.
Wearing woolen socks or a sock liner
Keeps your tootsie all warm.

Wick away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away,
wicky away, wicky away-ay.

Hopefully, the Lion slept through this song ...

[scw1217]

Interesting, and to think I had never heard of this word as a verb.

[skinem]

Love the song, Stargzr!

In this day of man-made fibers, I still prefer wool in cold weather...it'll still retain heat when wet, unlike cotton. Cotton can be wicked when wet.

[scw1217]

Love the song, Stargzr!

In this day of man-made fibers, I still prefer wool in cold weather...it'll still retain heat when wet, unlike cotton. Cotton can be wicked when wet.

Maybe my problem is I live in central Florida where you don't need wool....ever. We do, however, get enough rain to warrant wicking water away. Well, except for this year when it has been really dry.

[Perry]

Cotton can be wicked when wet.

Considering the verb, which is the subject of this thread, the above is an oxymoron. Cotton, which doesn't wick moisture, is wicked when wet!

[scw1217]

Considering the verb, which is the subject of this thread, the above is an oxymoron. Cotton, which doesn't wick moisture, is wicked when wet!

Ha! And I didn't even catch that when I read it the first time.

[Bailey]

a plastic bread bag over your socks keeps ya warmy too, no wicked wicking, but you could get a wicked case of athletes foot!

mark no-athlete-but-still Bailey

[Stargzer]

a plastic bread bag over your socks keeps ya warmy too, no wicked wicking, but you could get a wicked case of athletes foot!

mark no-athlete-but-still Bailey

It probably won't keep you warm for long. The persperation will build up in your socks and your feet will get cold. When camping with the Boy Scouts it was always "clean, dry clothes or no clothes" when crawling into the sleeping bag, because the persperation in the clothes you wore during the day would make you cold at night. On one camping trip, when it was snowing and I was afraid my sleeping bag would slide out of the tent door because I was too close to it, I wrapped a waterproof poncho around the bottom of my sleeping bag. Bad move. It kept the sleeping bag from "breathing" and all the moisture collected at my feet. The only time I felt colder was one winter when Doc, the Scoutmaster, put a cold cast-iron skillet in my sleeping bag to wake me up for church. Brrrr!

In winter Stargzer always slept in an army surplus wool mummy bag inside another sleeping bag.

[gailr]

An outdoorsy type in ANY weather!
...
It's also self-extinguising, which is why our forebears wore wool pants even in the hot summers of Colonial Jamestown when tending fires.

[snip groovy song lyrics]

Hopefully, the Lion slept through this song ...

Lots of material in this post; where to start, where to start...

I was enchanted by the juxtaposition of the bears with the lions. Encountering them must be quite a hazard for all y'all outdoorsy types. Unless they're just guising as wildlife. (Or are those enterprising, self-extinguising types required to get a license to participate in their own hunting season?)

-gailr
Just back from a trip and full of questions about what's been going on in my absence...

[Stargzer]

Love the song, Stargzr!

In this day of man-made fibers, I still prefer wool in cold weather...it'll still retain heat when wet, unlike cotton. Cotton can be wicked when wet.

Maybe my problem is I live in central Florida where you don't need wool....ever. We do, however, get enough rain to warrant wicking water away. Well, except for this year when it has been really dry.

For rain you want Gore-Tex (R) that lets moisture out but keeps water from coming in. But it's kind of expensive compared to ordinary rainwear. For winter wear, sock liners are made from polypropylene.

An interesting tidbit from the Wikipedia article on socks:

The average foot has 250,000 sweat glands, and the average pair gives off about half a pint (almost 250 mL) of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can wick the perspiration away. In cold environments, socks help to remove the moisture given off by one's feet, decreasing the risk of frostbite.

The Wikipedia article on Frostbite says:

One should wear suitable clothing in cold temperatures and protect susceptible areas. In cold weather, wear mittens (not gloves); wind-proof, water-resistant, multi-layered clothing; two pairs of socks (synthetic liners next to skin, then insulator sock); and a scarf and a hat that covers the ears (to avoid substantial heat loss through the scalp).

One should not wear types of fabric, such as cotton, that retain moisture when exposed to extreme cold.

So, cotton is OK in warm weather, but not so good in the cold.

[Stargzer]

An outdoorsy type in ANY weather!
...
It's also self-extinguising, which is why our forebears wore wool pants even in the hot summers of Colonial Jamestown when tending fires.

[snip groovy song lyrics]

Hopefully, the Lion slept through this song ...

Lots of material in this post; where to start, where to start...

I was enchanted by the juxtaposition of the bears with the lions. Encountering them must be quite a hazard for all y'all outdoorsy types. Unless they're just guising as wildlife. (Or are those enterprising, self-extinguising types required to get a license to participate in their own hunting season?)

-gailr
Just back from a trip and full of questions about what's been going on in my absence...

Nothing to do with Chicago or Detroit football, but as for furry creatures my dear ...

[scw1217]

An interesting tidbit from the Wikipedia article on socks:

The average foot has 250,000 sweat glands, and the average pair gives off about half a pint (almost 250 mL) of perspiration per day. Socks help to absorb this sweat and draw it to areas where air can wick the perspiration away. In cold environments, socks help to remove the moisture given off by one's feet, decreasing the risk of frostbite.

So, cotton is OK in warm weather, but not so good in the cold.

I am a firm believer in socks. Just ask my spouse. I wear them to bed all months of the year. There is simply nothing worse to me than cold feet. That said, I think I can discount getting frostbite here in Florida!

And as to cotton. It is HOT and not the best material for our temperatures. I much prefer a cotton/poly blend.

[Bailey]

:our forebears wore wool pants

My fore bears wore the fur they grew. And it was warm!

mark chief-four-bears Bailey