Short answer- depends, but pretty awesome.
Long answer-
I think you're asking because it depends on the flavor which can make it confussing?
Ripstop just means that there is a grid of heavier denier threads in the weave to prevent a tear from spreading or in the case of some of the hammock fabrics- give it some additional strength or control stretch.
From there you can then:
Calendar- run it through a hot roller to tighten up the weave. This process makes a fabric more downproof and improves wind resistance for outdoors stuff, otherwise it's just used to make one surface shiney in regular fabrics. (like satin)
DWR it- apply a DWR for water resistance (and improve downproofness typically)
Dip it- apply Sil or poly coatings to truly make it waterproof.
Plain old ripstop is what nearly all camping related pants are made of. Performs great in heat, sweat, etc. Dries fast.
Same with just calendared ripstop.
Coated fabrics is where you start to trade wind/water/down properties for breathability.
Sil-nylon is generally fully waterproof, but can wear out at some point and comes with various levels of success in terms of thickness of coating and eventual Hydrostatic Head (water resistance).
Nylon coated with Poly (and Sil) has more permanent waterproofness but is heavier than Sil-Nylon.
Skirts/shirts/pants specifically-
I have made lots of skirts out of plain jane 1.9 ounce ripstop nylon from Jo-Ann- works great, drys fast, starts stiff, but softens up after a few dozen washes and a hundred or so miles. Wind resistance is fairly low though, but otherwise it's a pretty good choice, especially when it's hot.
I used to make some skirts from M50, which is a .67 ounce Nylon Taffeta with DWR. On the plus side- they weight about an ounce and pack super small. But...
The taffeta is a plain weave, no ripstop, and calendared finish. It is awesome fabric for sleeping gear... not so much for a skirt as it can get a bit sticky/clingy. It is also too light to stay put in a skirt- but is fine for a wind pant or jacket fabric. You actually have to put stuff in the pockets to keep the skirt on you when you sweat, it gets clingy so ultimately it's a bust IMO.
The ripstop gives the fabric a little more stiffness than plain taffeta. Maybe personal perception only, but the ripstop also goes a long way to prevent cling and improve drapeability (how the fabric lays on you).
1.1 ounce ripstops have proven too light though, both durability and ability to stay put in a skirt.
1.9, or 2.3 ounce is pretty safe and would be a better choice for rough duty- but other than me- I don't see many people bushwhacking in a skirt. My initial 1.9 ounce skirts though are holding up well 3+ years later, the 2.3 ounce prototype shows almost no wear.
So- brings us to 1.6 ounce per yard HyperD. The D stands for diamond, as in the ripstop grid runs at a 45 degree angle in a diamond pattern.
http://ripstopbytheroll.com/collecti...erd-dark-olive
Besides being pretty cool looking, especially in an A-line skirt, I think it's a very nice weight to balance everything out. It's also strong enough to hold my 225 pound butt in a high stress bridge hammock, so no real durability concerns. It was developed by Kyle at RBTR specifically for hammocks.
It is calandered- which improves wind resistance.
It drapes very well- which helps keep it from sticking to you when say a chubby dad from the midwest hikes in Georgia in the summer. It's stiff enough that a breeze doesn't make it take off, but not stiff enough to get in your way. Very soft/silky so it slides easy on a big step or as you walk.
The only thing I don't personally like, since it is designed for hammocks it has a DWR coating on it. Initially this causes a bit more static than I'd like. On the plus side the initial water resistance is pretty high. Personally I beat them up a bit, wash them often early on, and after a bit the DWR wears enough that the static issue goes away. Eventually I plan to order a run with no DWR- but otherwise the fabric was perfect so I'll live with it.
A very clever tester from WB actually figured out that the skirt made a good water scoop because of the water resistance- so maybe a bonus, lol.
The main thing though if you made it this far- It's a skirt- nothing breezier or easier when it's hot out.
Asked before- answered again- if you will be in tick country- easiest thing to to is wear a tall pair of white liner socks. Makes the ticks easy to spot without having to resort to pants. You can also wear gaiters; I think it's overkill on the AT, but somehow just about every trip out I see somebody with shorts and knee high gaiters, so not like it's totally abnormal. The socks though are easier to wash and much less hot. Lately though I've taken to wearing the compression sleeves so those do the job for me just fine.