Ever imagine what you would do if you were bitten by a snake while hiking? Bites of a rattlesnake are considered the most dangerous even though the figure of death by snake poisoning is low because of advancements in medicine. And how easily it is available. But medicines are not always available. Sometimes you are hiking in places where it is impossible to get medicine.
So, it’s better to be safe than sorry—an active hiker or professional working in the wild must-have snake protective gear. But a person who goes on a hike once a year might consider such gear a hassle. Denim jeans here come for the rescue as it is said to protect from a venomous bite. The question here is, does it really works?
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Do jeans protect from venomous bites?
To answer it, denim cannot act as a complete buffer to protect from a snake bite. However, it may reduce the effect of snake bites by reducing the venom transferred. The thick a pair of jeans are, the better at protecting them will be.
Putting it simply, the thicker your jeans are, the higher the chance of your survival. As it will reduce the amount of venom in snake bite, thus saving you from a life-threatening injury and increasing your chances of survival in case of an accident.
So, be smart and choose the thickest pair of jeans while deciding to go hiking. As thicker the jeans are better protective gear will be.
Study of snake bites on jeans
A study was done to determine whether a snake bite will go through jeans. Research showed that jean was able to reduce the venom of snake bite by two-thirds, and the rest was absorbed in the jeans. Following is the summary of the study done by scientists.
In order to study the effect of snakebite on jeans, they used an artificial human limb, one covered in jeans and another bare limb. The snakes were able to inject significantly less venom into denim-covered limbs than bare limbs during defensive strikes, with a 60% reduction for small snakes and 66% for large snakes.
Further, the study suggested that the thickness of denim jeans was abe to reduce the amount of venom. By reducing the snake’s ability to increase venom in snake bites while the rest of the venom spilled over the jeans due to its thickness.
The result of this study showed that jeans are a better option for reducing the effect of snake bites, and it cost-efficient too. As a hiker, you must invest in long pair of jeans instead of going on a hike wearing shorts.
Factors deciding on the effect of snake bites on jeans
We can’t say that jeans are snake-proof material. But they are reliable things to wear when going on hiking as it reduces the snake bite venom by one-third. So it’s a good idea to wear full-length denim and active leather boots. To fight against a snake bite.
Although the above study done by scientists is supported by many famous institutions, it is still better to wear snake-proof gear. As no matter how small a snake bite is, if left untreated can become painful and even life-threatening. Following are the factors that decide how well jeans will be able to protect you from a snake bite.
- Size of the rattlesnake
- Whether the snake spits the venom when biting
- Whether it was a defensive or a warning bite, it only contains a small amount of venom that jeans will be able to protect from.
Jean is a better option for hiking than shorts. However, it is not a snake-proof material. But it is a better option than any other material.
Conclusion
Jeans are not full fledge protection for people working outdoors daily. They should invest in snake-proof gear. But for people who rarely go on hikes or work in places where the population of snakes is low, jeans are the better option as they will reduce the severity of a bite.
Richard Sam is a 22-year-old Blogger from the USA. He loves traveling and exploring the terrific stuff. His hunting experience began at an early age. He enjoys outsmarting challenges.