Cotton?

[rhapsody98]

All of the sites I'm reading tell me that cotton is not to be worn on the AT, but I've worn cotton and jeans on every day hike I've ever taken, rain or shine. Is cotton really that awful when you're over-nighting it?

[Rick500]

It's just that it takes forever to dry once it gets wet. And it gets wet very quickly.

[weary]

It's just that it takes forever to dry once it gets wet. And it gets wet very quickly.

Well, I hiked in winter using cotton underclothes for 20-25 years. I sweated often while hiking, but the moisture seemed to exit quite quickly once I stopped.

My winter hikes almost always involved stopping in late afternoon and building a fire. My cotton tee shirts always seemed to be dry when we finally gave up chatting around an impromtu fire -- typically 9-10 p.m -- and going to bed.

[kayak karl]

what temps are you talking about?

[rhapsody98]

what temps are you talking about?

Anything but the coldest temps. I've hiked in layers, granted it was only about three miles, but still, I had on one pair of cotton socks and one pair of fleece socks in my boots, my jeans, a cotton t-shirt under a cotton hoodie, with my heavy winter coat over top, and a fleece hat, and cotton gloves. I stayed warm, and I did notice the cotton was damp with my sweat, but never got beyond that, and was dry by the time I got home, (less than 15 min drive.) So I guess the answer is yes, cotton is bad for over-nighting it.

[sbhikes]

Anything but the coldest temps. I've hiked in layers, granted it was only about three miles, but still, I had on one pair of cotton socks and one pair of fleece socks in my boots, my jeans, a cotton t-shirt under a cotton hoodie, with my heavy winter coat over top, and a fleece hat, and cotton gloves. I stayed warm, and I did notice the cotton was damp with my sweat, but never got beyond that, and was dry by the time I got home, (less than 15 min drive.) So I guess the answer is yes, cotton is bad for over-nighting it.

Remember, on the AT you won't have a 15 minute drive home. You'll be stuck in your cold wet cotton clothing for days and days. Do you really want to roll out of your nice warm bag and put on cold wet jeans? Do you really want to watch your cotton t-shirt rot away against your back? What happens if you have to cross a deep stream or walk through wet bushes near the end of the day? Things won't always be perfectly planned so you can be dry right before bed time.

Cotton is only good in arctic conditions and desert conditions. Everywhere else there are better fabrics, such as synthetics or wool.

[Penguin]

Wow I couldn't imagine eve hiking in jeans!!! They have way to much drag and would cause horrible chafe! The motto that I always heard and follow is, Cotton Kills.

[Ranc0r]

Try this:
Put on your jeans and cotton Tshirt, maybe a cotton sweatshirt as well. Walk around and feel what it feels like to move around in them.
Take them off, and weigh them on a scale. Dry weight.
Now soak them in water. Wring them, shake them, spin them around, whatever you like to get the "excess" water out of them.
Weigh them again.
Now put those wet clothes on and move around. Heavy and cold, uncomfortable.

Cotton absorbs water, which then evaporates, which generally has a cooling effect. It has the capacity to hold a lot of water (added weight) and that water sucks away your body heat as it dries (evaporative cooling).

A better scenario would be clothing that doesn't hold much water and dries quickly, minimizing the cooling effect and returning to the dry, lighter, weight and feel.

Ranc0r
.

[weary]

...The motto that I always heard and follow is, Cotton Kills.

Yeah, I hear that. Though I've been wearing cotton on and off the trail for 81 years and I'm still alive.

Cotton kills in freezing and near freezing temperature during and after rain storms that occur when you are not wearing proper rain gear. In other circumstances cotton ranges from mildly inconvenient to ideal hiking clothing.

[nufsaid]

Yeah, I hear that. Though I've been wearing cotton on and off the trail for 81 years and I'm still alive.

Cotton kills in freezing and near freezing temperature during and after rain storms that occur when you are not wearing proper rain gear. In other circumstances cotton ranges from mildly inconvenient to ideal hiking clothing.

Cotton (when wet) can also lead to hypothermia in surprisingly warm temps.

[weary]

Cotton (when wet) can also lead to hypothermia in surprisingly warm temps.

Maybe. I've never happened to experience it. Perhaps you can provide us with some real life examples.

[Press]

I wore cotton t-shirts when I got back into hiking a few years ago and they invariably became soaked with sweat and basically never dried out. I also wore cotton shorts, same problem -- I burned a hole in them trying to dry them out over a campfire. Switched to synthetic, much better.

[jesse]

Jeans are too hot for warm weather, and in cold weather are dangerous if wet. Also too heavy.

[mmais68569]

Try hiking 10 miles with jeans & cotton tee shirt in 90 degree temps you will change your mind.

Mike (Mr. Mean)

[Slo-go'en]

We have a saying here about tourists in cotton : Dressed for death.

There is a reason you find blue jeans and other cotton clothes abandoned at shelters and along the trail. Once they get wet, you need to get out of them and then thier too heavy to carry out, so get left behind.

[fiddlehead]

Cotton kills.
Great for the tropics.
Sucks for cold temps.
Believe it.

[kayak karl]

Cotton kills.

when we make stupid and unexplained statements like this it is just the ignorant utterance of two words.
PS.... GUNS KILL PEOPLE

[Cookerhiker]

.... Great for the tropics...

I've worn cotton jeans in the desert, not backpacking but work projects and short hikes. They've provided great protection against cactus thorns.

[Wise Old Owl]

I guess they answered that, but jeans are heavier than tech pants or shorts, the Tech doesn't retain water, (You can ford a stream in them ) and half an hour later will dry while hiking. So its now a nubie thing to hike in jeans and t shirts.

[fiddlehead]

Interesting that you are a kayaker (I assume from your name anyway) and say that.
Because it was on one of my first whitewater kayaking trips in 1979 when a famous boater is the one who told me that quote.
I didn't have hypothermia that day, but only cause I was only in the water a short time and my car was nearby.