Best clothing type for warm to hot weather hikes

[satillayakker]

Okay, so I am calling on some experts once more. I have read many conflicting articles and statements about clothing type for hot weather hiking. I have read that different types and materials are better. Some based on principles of perspiration, some on clothing weight, and all sorts of things. Back when I used to hike, there was pretty much a handfull of clothing materials for hikers. Cotton and wool in different blends and fabric styles. Therefore, I am pretty limited on prsonnal knowledge of choices, plus then I was in extremely good hiking shape! So here is the question: If I plan to hike in 90-100 degree conditions and on easy trails in the 1-2 mile range and I am in descent condition and stay very well hydrated, what clothing do the experts here recommend? (These hikes will generally take place early morning or later evening) Also, some ideas on things to take along on these short hikes, for emergencies and such would be appreciated....
Thanks in advance guys for all yuor help already!

[Jeffshadows]

Cotton is my choice and I hike in the 105F heat here in Tucson in the summer in full sun. Ripstop seems to breathe the best, but you pay for that luxury. A cheap, long-sleeve, and light-colored t-shirt from your favorite discount store can't be beat...

[Al_HikesAZ]

It's all about the evaporation of perspiration. You perspire to cool your motor and if your perspiration is evaporating at the same rate as you are perspiring, you are efficient.

If you are perspiring faster than it is evaporating, you are not efficient. Cody Lundin has a good quote "A drop of sweat lost is a drop of sweat wasted!!". Modern "breathable"fabrics allow for better evaporation. Cotton retains the perspiration which can interfere with evaporation. In a humid heat, cotton might not allow you to cool properly. If it's not evaporating, you are not cooling. In our dry heat, cotton is acceptable. Especially if there is a slight breeze. If you are wearing one of the modern "breathable"fabrics and the sweat is dripping off of you, that's not good - you are wasting your precious cooling fluid. So slow down, drink more water, put up the umbrella and change to the cotton shirt.

If you are evaporating faster than you are perspiring, that's not good. You should be hydrating more. This happens a lot in our dry heat. You don't realize how much you are perspiring - and dehydrating - so you aren't drinking enough. Drink before you are thirsty and keep drinking. If the damp cotton shirt gives you a false sense of how much you are perspiring, that's not good. If the "breathable" fabrics are allowing you to evaporate too fast, that's not good.

Bottom line - the modern "breathable" fabrics are probably better, but might not be enough better in our dry heat to justify the cost.

[nonot]

I have yet to find a fabric capable of evaporating as fast as I'm sweating. Some claim by underarmor, but I have my doubts.

I'm thinking the lightest weight mesh type fabric you can find. Long sleeves. White.

[trekkin_gecko]

i have several of these nike dri-fit singlets:

http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?cp=usns ... =377805410

there are short and long sleeve shirts with the same fabric, which is light mesh

[PaleoRob]

Gore-Tex, neoprene, and Thinsulate.
Just kidding. I like the breathable light stuff myself. Try out cotton, try out wool, and try out the breathables and come to your own conclusions about what one works best for you.

[SoldierSpike]

I prefer a microweight long sleeve wool shirt, and my mountain hardware elkommando kilt.

just my $0.02

Marc

[VVebb]

For warm-to-hot weather hiking, I wear quick-dry pants from Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops, such as these:

http://www.basspro.com/World-Wide-Sport ... 7/-1756836

Because:

- They're lightweight, so the wind comes through them to cool you, and they can zip into shorts
- There are lots of pockets of different shapes/sizes/security (inner-waistband pocket, zippered pockets)
- They're VERY tear-resistant (in hundreds of miles of use in desert scrub, barbed wire is the only thing I've seen tear them)
- They're cheap ($24.99 for most sizes, occasionally on sale for as little as $9.99)
- The waistband is partly elastic, which adds a little comfort over jeans
- They give more resistance to thorns/scratches than you would expect
- They dry quickly (10-15 minutes except for up high where your pockets and underoos are), which is great for trodding through creeks or kayaking.

If you're into cotton, and/or if you're going somewhere REALLY scratchy (a la Dragoon Mountains area), I suggest Carhartt canvas pants. I've known friends and other HAZ members to experience moderate bloodshed in the land of cat-claw acacia (even through multiple layers of clothes), but I recently spent three days hiking off-trail in cat-claw acacia flats near the Dragoons and my legs were almost untouched by thorns -- no pain while bushwhacking, and negligible scratches on my skin afterwards. Canvas pants are pricier ($37.99), but are VERY durable, as they're built for heavy construction work.

http://www.basspro.com/Carhartt-Canvas- ... 4/-1678520