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To stay as dry as possible, should you walk or run through the rain?


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Home Forums General Forums Philosophy & Technique To stay as dry as possible, should you walk or run through the rain?

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  • #1292267
    Tim Cheek
    BPL Member

    @hikerfan4sure

    "Basically, the best strategy for staying dry (or at least somewhat dry) is to run as fast as possible. Unless you’re really thin, in which case there may be a more optimal speed. And if you’ve got a tailwind behind you, then you should run exactly as fast as the wind at your back."

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/20/physicists-tackle-a-pressing-problem-how-to-stay-dry-in-the-rain/

    #1896944
    Randy Martin
    BPL Member

    @randalmartin

    Locale: Colorado

    For the non scientist types,

    if you are wearing no rain gear and just crossing the street then absolutely running makes sense, if you have no rain gear and have to travel a mile it doesn't matter, if you are hiking and have limited rain gear (just a top or just an umbrella) then walking will almost always be the best option because running would cause you to outrun your rain shield that your protection provides (i.e., rain coming in under the umbrella or under your hood visor).

    #1896949
    Jeffs Eleven
    BPL Member

    @woodenwizard

    Locale: NePo

    Mythbusters tackled this one.

    IIRC the runner gor more wet. (probly don't remember correctly, though)

    #1897006
    Franco Darioli
    Spectator

    @franco

    Locale: Gauche, CU.

    Yes, better to walk …

    YouTube video

    #1897164
    Ryan Smith
    BPL Member

    @violentgreen

    Locale: East TN

    You are remembering correctly Barry. Mythbusters found that running got a person more wet than walking. Seems like they weighed all clothing before/after the rain and found the runner's clothes to have gained more water weight.

    I don't care. I'm still running.

    Ryan

    #1897720
    Andy F
    Spectator

    @andyf

    Locale: Midwest/Midatlantic

    It's a trick question! To stay as dry as possible, you should stay out of the rain entirely. ;)

    #1897841
    joseph peterson
    Member

    @sparky

    Locale: Southern California

    I vote for get in my tent and wait it out.

    #1897860
    drowning in spam
    Member

    @leaftye

    Locale: SoCal

    It rain gear is not an option, then body temperature may be a much more significant factor. When cold and wet, walking may not produce enough heat to stay warm. Running would be warmer, but then you have the problem of keeping upright on a wet trail.

    #1897979
    peter vacco
    Member

    @fluffinreach-com

    Locale: no. california

    in any BPL theoritical ideal perfect situation the rain will be falling directly straight down. and of course the wind will be neutral direction or zero. so now that we have established conditions that can not actually exist, it's time for a BPL discussion ! that this discussion may eventually invoke religion, name calling, satire, and economics .. it's a foregone conclusion.

    here we go :

    let us assume that a pair of un-gendered folks named Runner and Walker are going travel from A to B over distance x~y, and it will be raining that nice statistically perfect precipitation so common on the internet.
    Runner and Walker, being a species of "folks" are conveniently shaped as upright rectangular boxes, not unlike small phone booths.
    because of their shape, and the ideal rain conditions, during their travels from X to Y in the rain, R and W will get wet only on their top and front surfaces.
    it gets good here ..
    the volume of area swept by the identical sized R and W in their travel will be the same.
    at any given moment, the amount of rain in this volume remains constant.
    both R and W will both sweep this volume and in doing so absorb the amount of water it contains on their front surfaces. R will sweep it faster than W, but the water amount will still be the same.
    HOWEVER, W takes longer than R, so it (no gender.. remember), because of the longer duration of exposure, will be exposed to a greater amount of rain impacting it's upper surface.
    we can all know from this astute analysis of the situation, that R will stay dryer than W.

    thusly, the correct answer to the question is "all other things being equal .. Run."

    you're welcome ..

    v.

    #1898080
    Larry De La Briandais
    BPL Member

    @hitech

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    You need to more forward at the same speed the rain is falling at.

    But, it really won't make much difference either way…

    #1898087
    Jay Wilkerson
    BPL Member

    @creachen

    Locale: East Bay

    I really enjoy a afternoon thunder shower! If it is really bad/windy or sideways rain I will stop and set up my tarp and that has happened to me once. All the other times I walk and take out the umbrella and enjoy the refreshing rain. Always check the forecast.

    #1898090
    John Donewar
    BPL Member

    @newton

    Locale: Southeastern Texas

    Walk!

    I'm 58 years old and I gave up running long ago unless my life is one the line.

    That being said lightening is life threatening.

    However my weather forecast for tomorrow morning is a 30% chance of thunderstorms all day long. When I left work today my goal was to go out and take a nice long walk early in the morning. I am a fat boy. I'm 5' 9" and @228 lbs. When I walk I perspire. If it rains I find it cooling and somewhat enjoyable. If the weather gets really rough I will have my poncho tarp with me and I will be able to hunker down somewhere until it calms down enough for me to continue my walk / hike.

    FWIW I live in SE Louisiana and tomorrow's forecast is avg. temp of 85 with a relative humidity of 90% and 30% chance of thunder showers. No matter what I do if I go walking I will get wet!;-)

    Party On,

    Newton

    #1898098
    Miguel Arboleda
    BPL Member

    @butuki

    Locale: Kanto Plain, Japan

    I say… Skip!

    So what happens if you skip? Drier than walking, or drier than running? Wetter than either? Wetter than both? Inconsequential? Purely rhetorical? Brings you into an altered state, and therefore rain has no measurable effect? Or perhaps the downward shock loosens the rain? Anyone want an ice-cream?

    #1898114
    Diane “Piper” Soini
    BPL Member

    @sbhikes

    Locale: Santa Barbara

    How about bees? Should you walk or run through a swarm of bees? How about yellow jackets or those gray ground bees? Personally I run like hell but those yellow jackets still sting me every time.

    #1898116
    David Goodyear
    BPL Member

    @dmgoody

    Locale: mid-west

    If you are "singing in the rain" you won't care that it is raining

    #1898151
    Steofan M
    BPL Member

    @simaulius

    Locale: Bohemian Alps

    In town, run out of the rain and in the front door of a coffee shop. it makes for a movie-like moment.
    On a trail, I just turn sideways and walk between the raindrops. It helps to be 6'2" and 155 lbs. I think that Ben (in another thread) said that there is an equation for this on Amazon for 99 cents.

    #1898154
    John Donewar
    BPL Member

    @newton

    Locale: Southeastern Texas

    Sinatra said,

    "When you walk through a storm,
    Hold your head up high,
    And don't be afraid of the dark.
    At the end of the storm,

    Is the golden sky,
    And the sweet silver song of the lark.
    Walk on through the wind,
    Walk on through the rain,

    Though your dreams be tossed and blown,
    Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
    And you'll never walk alone,
    You'll never walk alone".
    ;-)

    Party On,

    Newton

    #1898208
    Larry De La Briandais
    BPL Member

    @hitech

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    Walk thru bees, run from wasps. BTW, yellow jackets are wasps not bees.

    #1899704
    michael levi
    Member

    @m-l

    Locale: W-Never Eat Soggy (W)affles

    More time in the rain more wet, less time less wet. Therefore run.

    #1900200
    M B
    BPL Member

    @livingontheroad

    you should run naked thru the rain.

    Then everyone will think you are crazy, and lock you up. There you will be dry for a long time.

    #1915166
    Jordo _99
    BPL Member

    @jordo_99

    Locale: Nebraska

    Basically, he's the way I look at it:

    Situation 1 – you have rain gear that will keep you dry
    * walking will likely keep rain from getting inside a hood and similar small gaps.

    Situation 2 – You only have a poncho that will keep you mostly dry.
    * the fastest you can go without getting more wet than walking…if you run your legs will likely move the poncho around enough to get you more wet than if you walked.

    Situation 3 – No rain gear
    * Absolutely run if the terrain isn't going to be too dangerous for it. You are going to get wet either way and at least if you run you'll be getting your body heat up and have more time to hang your clothes up to dry if/when you find shelter.

    AND THE BIGGEST CONCERN IN MY OPINION – Is the weather going to be getting worse?
    If yes, then book it because you might be able to get to shelter before it starts pouring.

    Needless to say, I'll run in almost any situation that involves rain so long as I'm not going to twist an ankle. If I'm in a group I'll usually let them walk while I go up ahead and find shelter (or set up a tarp).

    #1915744
    Everett Vinzant
    BPL Member

    @wn7ant

    Locale: CDT

    Pogo…

    Until you slip :)

    Rain doesn't worry me unless it effects my temperature or traction. Those would be my only concern. So I'm wet. I have shelter and can get dry when I want to. Or, I won't have shelter for a while, and wearing myself out in a hurry doesn't make much sense. I guess what the article lacks is, what's the point? Is the point to stay dry because being wet will effect temperature or traction? Great, let's discuss it. If it effects temperature but not traction, run. If it effects traction but not temperature, walk. If it effects both, you need to carefully asses your situation so that you don't die of exposure.

    Otherwise, walk and point and laugh at the people running.

    #1917853
    Larry Schwartz
    Spectator

    @larryschwartz

    My wife didn't believe me until I convinced her to try it last weekend. Walking, for the same distance, will get you less wet than running will. I can't prove it with a formula but my actual experience proves it out. It may be because if you run the water is more likely to penetrate and saturate your clothing, or you might be running into more raindrops when you run, I don't know.

    #1918193
    Jake D
    BPL Member

    @jakedatc

    Locale: Bristol,RI

    "Situation 3 – No rain gear
    * Absolutely run if the terrain isn't going to be too dangerous for it. You are going to get wet either way and at least if you run you'll be getting your body heat up and have more time to hang your clothes up to dry if/when you find shelter."

    This one! at least the time i got caught in a downpour this summer in VT. knew the shelter was 1.5mi away, insane downpour, trail was a 4-6" deep river. Ran like hell. no sense stopping to get out the rain gear. got to the shelter, changed into dry stuff and put rain gear over that while my main clothes dried out on the line.

    #1918336
    jason quick
    Spectator

    @jase

    Locale: A tent in my backyard - Melbourne

    "…you should run naked thru the rain. Then everyone will think you are crazy, and lock you up. There you will be dry for a long time."

    …classic. Very funny.

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