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There has been some discussion of this subject around on the forums, and I figured out I might as well make a poll about it.

Say, you're going camping for a week. Tenting, to be more specific. And of course, the weather is extreme. You have to stay outside and do easy work (say, doing weather measuring) for about ten continous hours a day. You have ample food, clothes and fuel, but you have to walk some distance to fetch water. In what temperature would you rather do it?

+40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), with 80% humidity and equally long days and nights (Equatorial savannah)
or -40 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit with a strong breeze and twice as much darkness as daylight (Arctic winter)?

In short, do you believe extreme heat or extreme cold is most uncomfortable?


Myself, I have experienced the winter, but not the heat. Still, I believe working in the heat would be a breeze provided you had enough water, and some shade. Cold, on the other hand... -25 is horrible enough, and 40 would be outright lethal. You have to balance your clothing perfectly, or you'll end up freezing (sweating is a BAD thing when it's cold). Your fingers and toes are always numb from cold. Stay in motion, or you'll regret you stopped. Clothing restricts movement, and never mind going to the toilet...

Your thoughts?

Lived in Alaska for 6 years, -40 FTW

Eye could probably withstand -40C...

^Which eye?

I'd rather go camping in +40 degree temperatures. By myself or with 1 friend I trust, because I don't like a lot of people seeing me... sweaty :P

is +40 SERIOUSLY hot to you???

I can clearly remember certain times I've been so bone-chilled cold, the wind stinging my face, and just being so miserable I wanted to die.

I cannot remember a single time, no matter how hot it's been, that I have been even the least bit uncomfortable. 'nuff said.

Quote from: winterkid09 on January 22, 2011, 04:58:54 PMis +40 SERIOUSLY hot to you???

I didn't switch it to Fahrenheit, so I just assumed, lol.

Quote from: SlowPokemon (rephrased) on January 22, 2011, 05:41:24 PMI cannot remember a single time that I have been even the least bit uncomfortable.

So you're saying you've been comfortable your whole life? [/grammar nazi]

Quote from: universe-X on January 22, 2011, 04:50:14 PM^Which eye?

You obviously didn't get the reference...

Dammit. :'(

Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 22, 2011, 05:41:24 PMI can clearly remember certain times I've been so bone-chilled cold, the wind stinging my face, and just being so miserable I wanted to die.

I cannot remember a single time, no matter how hot it's been, that I have been even the least bit uncomfortable in heat. 'nuff said.

Fixed, universe-x, you jerk.

In case anyone is lazy, -40C = -40F and 40C = 104F.

I'd rather be in 40C, as I get cold a LOT more easily than I get hot.

Humidity makes people stink. Especially if you have to sit next to fat people on the subway. So -40 C. :D

It's the humidity that made me go -40C. I've waited for the bus in 40C with a strong breeze. The air was dry as hell though. And on the walk up there my throat felt dry. It was ten times more bearable than hot, sticky weather. Shade would do nothing if the air was hot. Humidity...Gah. No. Anything but that. :P

Quote from: jake3343 on January 22, 2011, 07:52:23 PMIn case anyone is lazy, -40C = -40F and 40C = 104F.

I'd rather be in 40C, as I get cold a LOT more easily than I get hot.

I thought the physics of temperature change were the same for everyone.

When it's cold, you can stack layers.

When it's hot, you just go "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu".

I've experienced +40C but not -40C so I can't really say too much. I would definitely have more trouble staying warm at my current state though.

Quote from: winterkid09 on January 23, 2011, 05:23:05 AMI thought the physics of temperature change were the same for everyone.

Only Kelvin [K] is absolute.

212 F = 100 C
104 F = 40 C
32 F = 0 C
-40 F = -40 C

Quote from: Ruto on January 23, 2011, 07:00:46 AMI've experienced +40C but not -40C so I can't really say too much. I would definitely have more trouble staying warm at my current state though.

Only Kelvin [K] is absolute.

212 F = 100 C
104 F = 40 C
32 F = 0 C
-40 F = -40 C

I mean if 2 people of equal weight and the same clothing were sitting in identical chairs in identical rooms that were getting colder, one couldn't control the rate at which their temperature decreases.

C= 5/9 * (deg F) -32. What happens to the graph?

Quote from: winterkid09 on January 23, 2011, 07:03:45 AMI mean if 2 people of equal weight and the same clothing were sitting in identical chairs in identical rooms that were getting colder, one couldn't control the rate at which their temperature decreases.

Temperature would decrease at the same rate for same bodies actually. I don't remember the equation at the top of my head, but bodies have a lot more factors affecting heat loss/etc than a cup of coffee which are harder to measure than just from weight/clothing.

@Ruto
NERD!!!!!! ;D

I was implying that the factors were all the same

Quote from: jake3343 on January 22, 2011, 07:52:23 PMIn case anyone is lazy, -40C = -40F and 40C = 104F.

I'd rather be in 40C, as I get cold a LOT more easily than I get hot.

I was really tired when I quoted this the first time, I think I meant that I don't think that he's different from anyone else as far as the rate of which he get's colder compared to the rate he gets warmer.

Quote from: KefkaticFanatic on January 23, 2011, 06:44:46 AMWhen it's cold, you can stack layers.

When it's hot, you just go "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu".

True, when it's cold you can always get warmer... it's not so easy to cool down.

Really? I'd rather be hot and jump in a cold pool than be cold and jump in a hot pool, owwww

About a year ago when I was in military we went camping and it were -27 Celsius with strong breeze. There were moments when we just couldn't move at all and it was SO cold. I felt so cold that all I could think was "I want this to be overaarrrgghh!". Every minute felt like an hour and it never ended. I wouldn't be surprised if I still were there, lying in one stupid foxhole and shivering with cold. So, after all it was only -27 so I guess I couldn't take the -40 so I'd rather have the +40.

Quote from: Ruto on January 23, 2011, 07:19:34 AMTemperature would decrease at the same rate for same bodies actually. I don't remember the equation at the top of my head, but bodies have a lot more factors affecting heat loss/etc than a cup of coffee which are harder to measure than just from weight/clothing.

It actually has a little more to do with endurance/adaption, imo.

For example, I come from Pennsylvania, and I have a friend that lived in the North for a majority of her life time. She is skinny. And when I say skinny, I'm talking maybe 5% body fat, that's how she looks. (80 pounds, 5'2", iirc). Anyways, even with her stature, she can wear 2 shirts and a pair of jeans and say "It's not that cold." in 0 C while someone else that's 150 pounds and 5'6" complains about it because he's been living in the South for a majority of his life.

David Blaine could also probably live in extreme cold temperatures because he's trained for things of that nature.

Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 23, 2011, 07:31:15 AMTrue, when it's cold you can always get warmer... it's not so easy to cool down.

Drench yourself. Water evaporates => uses energy => you get colder. Recommended if your clothes can stand it.

And stacking layers when you are cold doesn't work too well in practise. First of all, once you start sweating, you're done for. Your inner garments keep the moisture, which sap heat from your body so it can evaporate. Second, it's not your clothes that keep the warmth, it's the layers of air between them. If your body can't warm up the inner layers, there's no help in adding outer layers. Once your inner garment gets wet, you'll have to swap it, or stay cold/freeze to death. If you don't move, so you don't start sweating, you don't produce as much heat either. Enter the windchill, and you're out. By the way, your feet produce sweat at any temperature anyway, so you're doomed to be cold on your feet if you don't move.

Then there's the "hate" factor. You see, once you become cold enough, you become sluggish. You move slowly, and act like you're half asleep (usually called "hate mode" in the Norwegian military). Even the simplest of tasks seems like a huge chore, and you stop caring about anything. Enter that mode, and you've got a foot inside the door to a downward spiral which ends in severe hypothermia (usually followed by death). It's a bit like dehydration in the heat, but a lot colder.

Frostbites are other nasty things. At -40 and windchill, bare skin will be frozen within two minutes. If you touch metal with your bare skin, it will only take seconds (yes, you can see the frostbites spreading, and no, it's not pleasant). Fun fact: frostbites never heal completely.

In short, I'd take the heat any day.

If it was +40 I would be happy! I would just relax outside ;) If it was -40 I would be in bed with a cold

Well I have camped when it was about 35°C with about 80% humidity, and while that was no fun it would certainly be better than -40°. At least my hands would function properly at +40°C. So yeah, combining my experience with heat and Cobra's experience with cold, my conclusion is that I'd definitely go with heat.

I... prefer the cold... but I'm sort of used to temperatures around 104 degrees.

Quote from: Jub3r7 on January 23, 2011, 04:36:16 PMI... prefer the cold...

No offense to you, but you are FROM Georgia and therefore have no idea what cold is. Even with recent temperatures. You have no idea. So you don't completely count. Nothing against you personally. xD

Quote from: Cobraroll on January 23, 2011, 09:06:58 AM[BEING COLD WILL FUCK YOU OVER]

Well, when I say "cold", I mean nothing below 0F.  I usually don't go walking around Alaska or whatever.

Quote from: SlowPokemon on January 23, 2011, 05:03:57 PMNo offense to you, but you are FROM Georgia and therefore have no idea what cold is. Even with recent temperatures. You have no idea. So you don't completely count. Nothing against you personally. xD

That's what I say to people from Texas xD

xD And you're from pennsylvania I believe so you are good

Yep yep xD

When I say cold, I mean cold 8)

104 isn't really even that hot, and for camping, that'd be a great temperature for swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the outdoors.

It's the humidity that sucks.

Yeah, but if it were -40, would you be able to warm up by taking a dip in a pond/pool/peaceful river/ocean/lake? Nope, didn't think so.

Time for me to chime in!

I have lived in Southern California for the past, oh, let's say 19 years and my verdict is this: It is warm year round, with hot weather peaking in the summer months. This year was a little different. The average temperature in July 2010 was around 95F and August cooled down a bit... what was terrible was Indian summer in late September where it was a hot, humid 117 Degrees and averaged around 112 the entire week.

I personally love the cold: why because you have a reason to stay inside and such. I am backing up the "rather freeze" aspect. I always loved it when we went skiing in Utah or up in British Columbia, but I hated dryland water polo in the summer, running miles in the baking sun... in our speedos. Luckily for me I don't sunburn without sun screen... I had an epic tan that is gone now. I kinda have the cold weather thing built into me. The furthest south in Europe my ancestry goes is Bavaria, and that's up in the hills. I am 50% Lithuanian, where its cold in the winter (around 0) and chilly in the summer (around 50s), but not as cold as Inuit Canada or Finland.

My favorite temperature range that I am comfortable in is 25-80. I especially hated Christmas in 2007, when it was 89... that was one hot winter

But have you ever been in -40?

-15 today :D I spit on the ground and watched it freeze in front of my face.

^At -30, you can spit on a rock and hear it "plink" as the spit hits the rock - frozen.

Or you can throw a bucket of warm water up in the air, and have a cascade of ice falling down around you. That's -30.

Isn't it -40 when you can spit and it freezes before the ground?

Cobra just said that would happen at -30.

Quote from: SuperFireKirby on February 03, 2011, 03:37:59 AMBut have you ever been in -40?

Lowest I've been in was -29F -- I was in St Petersberg with my family. I think I was wearing 5 layers that day. All I remember it was cold and my nose ran and the snot froze (This was back in the late 90s) 

Quote from: SuperFireKirby on February 03, 2011, 11:20:31 AMCobra just said that would happen at -30.

That's why I asked ;D

T'was -46 C outside earlier this week. Kinda cold.