Q: What area of your body gets the hottest while hiking uphill on a warm day?
A: Your crotchal area.
Ahhh, the 3rd leg vent. If you’re not using it when touring, you’re missing out. Here’s why:
Your crotch is the hottest part of your body when hiking on a warm day and it seriously needs venting. The 2 leg vents on your ski pants aren’t nearly enough to adequately ventilate this potentially fiery area. You need the 3rd leg vent – or more simply put, your fly zip – and you need it bad.
Your crotch gets hot because of a few thermal crucial factors:
1. Friction. There’s a lot of friction going on down there. Legs are moving & rubbing against each other. Man parts (if you have them) are rubbing against legs. Pants and underwear are rubbing against legs and man parts (if you have them).
2. Heat. Some of the largest muscles in the human body are located in crotchal area. The largest muscle in the human body is the Glueteus Maximus, which is directly connected to your crotch. When you’re hiking uphill, these large muscles are working hard and giving off intense heat directly into the crotchal area.
3. Over-Stimulation. If good looking members of the opposite sex are immediately in front of you on the skin track you may experience increased blood flow in this region which will raise this area’s temperatures significantly adding to the heat that subsequently needs to be ventilated.
Thankfully, operation of the 3rd Leg Vent is uncomplicated. The 3rd Leg Vent can be successfully operated in these 5 simple steps:
1. Reach down to your crotchal area.
2. Grab the zipper tab to your 3rd leg vent.
3. Pull zipper tab on 3rd leg vent down and into ventilation mode.
4. Leave vent open while keeping buttoning device at top of zipper fastened.
5. Continue hiking while enjoying your newfound gentle crotchal breeze.
Once your 3rd leg zip is operational, you’ll wonder how you ever skinned without it. It’s intensely practical. You’re welcome.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure to close the 3rd Leg Vent before skiing. 3rd Leg Vents left in ventilation mode while skiing deep powder can result in over-cooling and potential freezing injuries in the crotchal area. Be warned.
