I know not to wear cotton but: what about cotton/Polyester blend or cotton/spandex blend
I know not to wear cotton but: what about cotton/Polyester blend or cotton/spandex blend
honestly I've never tried one of the cotton blend shirts for hiking, but I can't see what the advantage would be. cotton has a better feel to it, but not when it's damp, which is inevitable when backpacking.
On the PCT in the desert I used an old cotton/poly white work shirt. Worked great out there. On the AT... I'd probably stick to synthetic only. Humidity is too high, a cotton shirt would never dry.
Don't take anything I say seriously... I certainly don't.
It won't kill you. I hiked the AT many years ago, wearing denim and cotton t-shirts Not a big deal. One of the issues with cotton is that when it gets wet, it stays wet - and is very heavy. The poly blend is probably lighter and will dry faster. Hiking in summer, the cotton may keep you cooler - but it will be damp.
In summer months, a cotton/poly blend should be fine. As noted, many of us hiked in jeans and cotton shirts years ago and survived. But that said, there are better options these days - nylon, polyester, merino wool to name a few that dry more quickly than cotton, hold less water, and insulate better when wet.
"That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett
50% cotton / 50% polyester tees are dirt cheap, easy to find (W-mart), and are a decent balance of being reasonably quick to dry yet able to provide some evaporative cooling on a hot day. Good on a warm dry day; exercise caution using them on cool days.
For may years I hiked in 50/50 blend t-shirts since that was all that was available at the time. They dry out reasonably quickly. In the heat of the summer, 100% cotton can be good as it holds the sweat and gives you some evaporative cooling. I'm also a big fan of Dickie work shirts which are 65/35 (poly/cotton) for conditions where it's too cool for just a t-shirt but too warm for anything heavier. Those shirts also dry out reasonably quickly with body heat.
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For my JMT thru, I purchased an ExOfficio BugsAway button down shirt advertised as "quick drying". It dried just as fast as other cloths I washed while on the trial.
Wasn't until I got home and was putting gear away that I noticed that the tag indicated the shirt was a 55/45 cotton/poly blend.
BTW, mosquitos and flies were terrible last July on the JMT... but having a set of ExOfficio BugsAway clothing (pants, shirt, head net) ment that I didn't use ANY bug spray the entire trip. My only disappointment is that the ExOfficio shirt (with it's buttons and pockets) were much heavier than a hiking shirt needs to be (I think the pants were lighter).
I had a 100% synthetic shirt in 2016. It soaked up sweat and regardless of the weather, it stayed damp to WET. On high humidity days, I could (and did) take it off and literally wring a cup or more of sweat from it. Very uncomfortable at times, but I didn't want to buy/try anything else. too stubborn, I guess.
Old Hiker
AT Hike 2012 - 497 Miles of 2184
AT Thru Hiker - 29 FEB - 03 OCT 2016 2189.1 miles
Just because my teeth are showing, does NOT mean I'm smiling.
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My selections:
cold = merino wool
warm = polyester shirt
hot = polyester active wicking shirt
so cotton pants are a big no? ;o
I like to wear long sleeve Columbia PFG™ its very lightweight and has some good SPF and ventilation. You most likely will have 2 shirts and 1 can easily be cotton. I play disc golf professionally and depending on the humidity and temp both cotton or poly will be soaked with sweat. I like cotton a bit better cause it doesn't feel as stuck to my back. But my ls PFG is the best I have found. I can burn pretty easy to.
Hiking the AT is “pointless.” What life is not “pointless”? Is it not pointless to work paycheck to paycheck just to conform?.....I want to make my life less ordinary. AWOL
If it's in cooler weather but not cool enough for long sleeves, I like Under Armour charged cotton. It's their name for their heat gear cotton/poly blend. Thick and warm enough if there's a chill in the air, but enough moisture wicking ability to keep you cool if the thermometer climbs a bit or you're in the sun.
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This is so true!
Note: I am a COTTON-LOVER!!! I only wear cotton at home - refuse to wear any poly...
However, on the trail, I have learned that poly is the way to go.
Wicking shirts - can be found as cheaply as $10 at Walmart. Wicking bras are about the same.
Shorts: Go the poly gym short route...
Underwear... yes, make those wicking too... guys can get compression shorts at Wally world for about $10-15.
Socks - WOOL! Smart wool is awesome. Fox River are a bit cheaper, but they "pill" with use.