Denim stops Rattle snake poison

[hopefulhiker]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100104/...us_denim_venom

[cheeks]

Interesting! Would have been nice to see what protection other types of fabric might offer, things that hikers might more often wear.

[Tinker]

Folks concerned about snakebite should wear long pants. Loose pants should be better, logically, than tight ones as the fangs may close upon the fabric before they hit flesh. Just theory. I'm sure it wouldn't foil every bite, but just once would be worth it. Sorry, but I just won't wear denim while hiking.

[Spokes]

I can picture it now........A whole line of "REI High Top Denim Hiking Gators", fashionable yet functional. $89.95 on sale.


BADA BING!

[Monkeyboy]

That's why in Florida, I hike with blue jeans everywhere...........

[Jester2000]

So they managed to prove that wearing something was better than wearing nothing at all. I don't know how much this study cost, but I could have told them that for a lot less.

Researchers wasting their time on things like this is why we don't yet have flying cars.

[Spokes]

So they managed to prove that wearing something was better than wearing nothing at all. I don't know how much this study cost, but I could have told them that for a lot less.

Researchers wasting their time on things like this is why we don't yet have flying cars.

So true.

I imagine it all started with some academic screwing around and filling up latex gloves with saline solution........the logical next step was to wrap denim around it. The rest was just creative grant writing!

[Monkeyboy]

I can picture it now........A whole line of "REI High Top Denim Hiking Gators", fashionable yet functional. $89.95 on sale.


BADA BING!

Sold right next to the denim cut-off shorts, I would imagine.......

[The_Saint]

All the snakes I saw didn't want anything to do with people. Watching were you step is the safest way to prevent problems.

[Del Q]

I for one would be "professionally" embarrassed as a Section hiker to having a rattlesnake see me on the AT in the Jeans!

[Fiddleback]

Seems logical...makes sense...probably a 'duh' realization that 'something' is better than 'nothing' (long pants vs short pants) when it comes to a rattler striking at the legs. But the article does not claim that denim "stops" venom injection. Thwarts, reduces, lessens...but not "stops" as in, 'prevents...' Word quibbling perhaps but an important consideration for those lining up at for REI snake pants.

Notably, the article comes just in time for fashion's push of denim this year...I can't wait!

FB

[sharonk868]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100104/...us_denim_venom

Such a very amazing link!
Thanks you for the post.

[The Old Fhart]

Jester2000-"Researchers wasting their time on things like this is why we don't yet have flying cars. "

Maybe you should check this link.

[Doooglas]

I can picture it now........A whole line of "REI High Top Denim Hiking Gators", fashionable yet functional. $89.95 on sale.


BADA BING!

Yeah. Or Arc'teryx super denim mountain snake gators.
$399.95

[el.com]

I'll just pick up this thread to ask about rattlesnakes on the trail. I don't have ANY experience about snakes, especially venomous rattlesnakes, because here in Germany they simply do not exist. So, how common are they on the trail? I think I'll see more of them in the southern regions of the AT, right? And what should I do, if I get bitten by a snake (unlikely, but it may happen)? Is it absolutely indispensable to seek medical attention after a snake bite or is it enough to chill down and wait til it goes away?

[Doooglas]

I'll just pick up this thread to ask about rattlesnakes on the trail. I don't have ANY experience about snakes, especially venomous rattlesnakes, because here in Germany they simply do not exist. So, how common are they on the trail? I think I'll see more of them in the southern regions of the AT, right? And what should I do, if I get bitten by a snake (unlikely, but it may happen)? Is it absolutely indispensable to seek medical attention after a snake bite or is it enough to chill down and wait til it goes away?

The only thing that " goes away" is your flesh
Get to the nearest hospital, hopefully within a couple of hours, if bitten.
Make sure you have insurance to cover you.

Unfortunately the AV Is $$$$$$$$$$ in the states. Thousands.Several thousand.
It'd be cheaper to fly here and get treated. 4 Vials for $60

[white_russian]

I wonder who paid for the study? It had better not have been tax dollars.

Wait, I have a hypothesis that leather chaps will do even better than denim for protection against snake bites. I will of course need several million dollars to research this.

[Snowleopard]

Well over a hundred years ago puttees were used in a fashion similar to gaitors. One version used canvas or wool strips wound spirally around the lower leg to cover it like a gaitor (but tighter fitting). According to Horace Kephart, Camping and Woodcraft, wool flannel puttees over a layer of clothing "... are a sufficient defense against any snakes except the great diamond back rattlers. 'In experiments, only in rare instances has a snake virus stained blotting paper behind two thicknesses of heavy flannel.' "

Snakes do not always inject venom when they strike. I knew someone who was struck by a fer-de-lance in central America, but was not injected with venom -- 62 milligrams of venom is fatal for humans.

[Snowleopard]

I'll just pick up this thread to ask about rattlesnakes on the trail. I don't have ANY experience about snakes, especially venomous rattlesnakes, because here in Germany they simply do not exist. So, how common are they on the trail? I think I'll see more of them in the southern regions of the AT, right? And what should I do, if I get bitten by a snake (unlikely, but it may happen)? Is it absolutely indispensable to seek medical attention after a snake bite or is it enough to chill down and wait til it goes away?

Don't worry about it. If you see one don't harass it. In the unlikely event that you are bitten, seek immediate medical attention.

There are copperheads as far north as Massachusetts. Bites are rarely fatal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agkistrodon_contortrix
There are rattlesnakes as far north as NH. Bites are rare, but can be dangerous. http://herpcenter.ipfw.edu/outreach/...rFactSheet.pdf

The one place near or on the AT where there are definitely rattlesnakes is in the Taconic range of NW Conn. and SW Mass. I've seen pictures of a large rattlesnake on Mt. Alander in Mass. about 2 miles (3 km) from the AT.

"New Hampshire - Nearly Extinct - Critically Endangered.
Maine - Extinct?
Rhode Island - Extinct?
Vermont - Severely Threatened - Endangered.
Massachusetts - Severely Threatened - Endangered."

[Jester2000]

Snakes do not always inject venom when they strike. I knew someone who was struck by a fer-de-lance in central America, but was not injected with venom -- 62 milligrams of venom is fatal for humans.

Up to 25% of the time a human is bitten by a pit viper it is a dry bite. There are two reasons this might be. Snakes may have recently discharged their venom in a hunting bite, and so may be dry. More likely is that snakes distinguish between hunting bites and defensive bites, and save their venom for something they know they can eat. This second reason is why people often say that younger snakes are more dangerous -- not only are they potentially more aggressive, but they're also inexperienced as far as saving their venom for hunting, and have less control over their venom.

The one place near or on the AT where there are definitely rattlesnakes is in the Taconic range of NW Conn. and SW Mass. . .

There are also definitely rattlesnakes in Pennsylvania. Hikers should note that
a) rattles don't rattle when they're wet, so in a wet hiking season take more care and
b) blasting your iPod with both ears blocked probably isn't the smartest thing to do in PA.