Too fit for altitude?

[DieselFan]

I was reading in MPL handbook about smoking causing hassles at altitude. A couple of guys at work were mentioning that when they did Kilomanjaro they were told they were TOO fit and had to take up smoking just before it? They all said this directly contradicts my mpl book

Whats the theory / truths behind this?

TA

[RV4ker (RIP)]

1 April still a bit far away

I think they may have been taking the p!ss

[DieselFan]

1 April still a bit far away

I think they may have been taking the p!ss

Odd thing is two guys verified the "truth" independantly. One's aunt and the other a guy I knew, who was VERY fit.

In a aircraft u can climb or descend fast compared to mountain climbing does that not perhaps have something to do with it?

[Morph]

But then again, half those porters, the ones who are saying you are too fit, are smoking something gold and green and glorious, and they just float up the mountain.

Besides, how often do you want to fly at 12000ft, even if your plane could get there in the first place. It's damn cold, you can't see much, it takes forever to get there

[DieselFan]

, the discussion came about with how smokers tend to suffer more and according to the mpl handbook, should fly at +-4000 below fit people. So their statement was "Nonsense, my aunt was told to start smoking as she was too fit" bla bla bla. So this has me confused as to why anyone would say "You're too fit to climb Kilman..."

[DieselFan]

Just an update, I googled this question and the statement of "You can never be too fit" came up many times. Infact at one site kili.org/faq - (something like that) it mentions to STOP smoking before hand and to make sure that you are FIT.

So sorry and thanks for all the replies - atleast this shut them all up, and I can go on reading my MPL handbook

[Nieuport12]

Well...think about this.Here we were sitting at FL300(yes..30 000') with a cabin alt of 17000'..This was a test flight!!I smoke,the captain does not...i was fine he wasnt feeloing to well...and yes we had O2 masks on pretty quickly!! Anyway as a smoker you are,shall we say,used to being a bit short of O2,so hypoxia does not affect you as bad as somebody who doesnt smoke!!!

Flame suit on!!

[DieselFan]

Flame suit on!!

- flame suit? smoke suit! , seriously though that was an argument brought up, that a fit person needs more air or uses more air? I used the analygy of a engine. A properly tuned motor uses less fuel not more and one that smokes ( ), more fuel. The tuned motor runs more efficiently?

I'm much more fit than my GF and when we went to Lesotho, she was panting on the walks where I was hardly breaking a sweat? I know that when I was training with cycling, I would swear madly withing the 1st 10mins and drink almost 800ml, after a few weeks I would do 60mins and drink about 250ml, and a LOT less sweat.

So yes I might use more air while walking fast, but if I walk at the same speed as a non-fit (dare I say smoker) than I'll use less air compared?

Perhaps your buddy has been exposed to a lot of secondary smoke or other pollutants in his everyday life?

[LarryMcG]

A buddy recently climed Kili. He is only average fit - doesnt run or anything stupid. Says that when near the top, he and wife both went past some superfit - marathon runner guys????????????

[DieselFan]

A buddy recently climed Kili. He is only average fit - doesnt run or anything stupid. Says that when near the top, he and wife both went past some superfit - marathon runner guys????????????

This is getting X-Filey

[Cali]

A buddy recently climed Kili. He is only average fit - doesnt run or anything stupid.

I firmly believe that you should NEVER run unless something is chasing you. :D

By the sound of it I should take on Kili with my habbits. :D :D :D

[The Agent]

Why drink and drive if you can smoke and FLY.

[Biggles]

I used to SCUBA dive with a super fit (ironman type) and I am a 20 a day smoker, I consistently used less air than he did. I realize that not exactly scientific conditions but being conscious of his high air usage, he was a sedate diver while I flap around like a hyperactive sardine. Apparently smokers are used to a higher level of CO and CO2 in their blood.

And for the record it is possible to be fit and smoke...

[Morph]

I used to SCUBA dive with a super fit (ironman type) and I am a 20 a day smoker, I consistently used less air than he did. I realize that not exactly scientific conditions but being conscious of his high air usage, he was a sedate diver while I flap around like a hyperactive sardine. Apparently smokers are used to a higher level of CO and CO2 in their blood.

And for the record it is possible to be fit and smoke...

Hi Bush Geo, you probably find that your use of less oxygen than a fit non-smoker has more to do with the decreased efficiency of your lungs than anything else. I guarantee you that if you and the non-smoker did some stress ECG type thing, and both had Blood Oxygen sensors on, yours would be lower. This to me would indicate that a smoker would suffer a lot quicker from hypoxia than a non-smoker, given equal fitness levels, lung capacity etc.

I used to smoke and stopped in 1996. I am also fit. Last year when I did my flight medical my lung capacity tests still are at 90% of what they should be, after 9 years.

BTW, Bush-geo, this is not a criticism, just my opinion

[Cali]

Bush_Geo, can you tell me how to keep a sigaret lit under water :D :D :D