Clothes

Nylon shorts, t-shirt, and Chacos for almost the whole year. As it gets colder, I layer and go to a wool jacket and hat. It has to get in the 40's and be damp before I will put on pants and shoes and if I do, it will usually be sweatpants over the the short and wool socks in the chacos - my wife hates that too - I am a fashion nightmare.
 
Polypros, fleece, and breathable waterproof shells are popular for very good reasons. Treated wool and waxed cotton are as good today as they have been for decades.
 
A much neglected topic. Less sex appeal?

Rain gear might deserve it's own thread. How, oh how, to keep the rain off and not get "WET FROM WITHIN," especially when working some? :rolleyes:

Recognizing the problem, some new stuff is out there to improve on "regular" Gore-Tex: Gore-Tex XCR; Lowe Triplepoint Ceramic; Entrant GII XT Laminate; EVENT Laminate. Some stuff is far less breathable: Conduit; Sympatex; North Face Hydroseal.

And an old idea, the water-repellant "windbreaker" for all but real downpores, has returned with better materials and a more trendy name: the "soft shell." Nextec and Schoeller Dryskin Extreme are VERY water repellant and so breathable that Gore-Tex is not in the race (Nextec is twice as breathable and Schoeller Dryskin Extreme is six times as breathable as the best Gore product. Nextec does not require reappliaction of "durable water-repellant" on outer surface, so the military likes it. Schoeller Dryskin Extreme now appearing in Marmot ATV on clearance at a well-known off-price/catelog/Internet seller. Google: Marmot ATV "Schoeller Dryskin" sierra for possibilities.)

Polyester fleece. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: I like polyester fleece for mid-layer insulation. I have not noted any problem with stink. I think that was a polyproplene issue (Phew! :eek: ).

Wool is surely good, even as compared to polyester fleece. Wool is: far more spark/fire resistant; less abrasion resistant; less warm when REALLY wet; actually generates significant heat (exothermic) as it gets damp - up to a point; heavier when wet; harder to dry; very wind resistant in some forms. Wool is still my choice for socks. (I've tried fleece sock, but they feel off to me somehow. Maybe too warm? Clammy 'casue it doesn't absorb moisture like wool does?) I have some "boiled wool" German and Swede surplus trousers that are real favorites.

It is axiomatic that cotton should be avoided in cold weather - and cool/rainy weather - even in Texas. :D It holds mosture on its inner surface and cools -as it does in hot weather. Especially bad for next-to-skin layers.

And I wonder why Under Armor pushes moisture transport in a hot weather inner layer. More "comfortable" to be dry, but don't you lose the cooling effect of evaporation if the moisture is wisked to the outside of the garment, away from your skin??????

Trapped air between multiple thin layers may offer more insulation than the material making up the layers.
 
My jacket seems to, but partly from not being so form fitting as contemporary designs. What I find most difficult is keeping the inside of any rainwear dry when off and back on over a couple of days' rain. Let the outside touch the inside or raise the arms vertical and it won't dry until the rain stops.
 
Put on a modern backpack, and anything becomes form-fitting. :o Only pit-zips and chest zips help then -- IF they can be used without letting water in.
 
Thomas Linton said:
And I wonder why Under Armor pushes moisture transport in a hot weather inner layer. More "comfortable" to be dry, but don't you lose the cooling effect of evaporation if the moisture is wisked to the outside of the garment, away from your skin??????
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No, it increases exponentialy as the fabric increases the surface area the moisture inhabits thus when the air and wind hits it, it evaporates that much faster cooling the skin. So much so there is real danger of hypothermia as body temp drops in ambient temps with wind and or dehydration from the increased efficiency of evaporation.

I personaly became pre hypothermic and dehydrated on a 3000 foot climb in mid summer about 10 yrs ago wearing only a thin synthetic top while sweating profusely in light wind. MY climbing partner saved my bacon on the summit by recognizing the symptoms and treating me as I was a mess medically.

That said there is nothing like an oversized silkweight synthetic shirt designed for high output activities in the hot humid summer, nothing beats it for cooling.

Skam
 
Although they have their problems like blowing about in the wind, I find that a simple poncho is good from the 'breathability' angle. Air is generally much freer to circulate under a poncho compared to form-fitting wet weather gear...especially if it is draped over your backpack. Another advantage of a poncho is that you can carry your gun under it when hunting...yet you can quickly shoot with it.
 
I finally popped for one of those "clearance" Marmot "soft shells" ("ATV") of Scholler Dryskin Extreme and plan on trying it under a poncho this Fall. I'll get condensation on the inside of the poncho, but the "soft shell" should keep it away from the inside layers.

Wind can be an issue with ponchos, but my backpacking is in fairly dense woods, so I avoid that concern.
 
Learned a long time ago to keep away from cotton for all outdoor clothes. Gets wet and stays wet. I have a pair of the new nylon 5.11 pants that I like alot. Worn over Polypro baselayer, then layer as needed. My son has the new official boy scout switchback zip off leg pants that are surprisingly good for $40. http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?

Socks are wool w/poly liner socks (varying thickness, year round.) (For those of you still wearing cotton or cotton blend socks: Do yourself a favor. Cotton is the worst possible material for socks (including cotton blend.) They get wet and stay wet. I also haven't had athletes foot once since changing to wool socks. If you are worried about itch, buy marino wool, or quality wicking acrylics.) Scout store sells polypro sock liners cheaper than Wallyworld if you live near one.

I like fishing shirts over polypro t-shirt. Haven't found the perfect one yet.
Like everyone else, I layer for the cold.

By the way: Advice is normally worth exactly what you paid for it.
 
Thomas Linton said:
So the free advice that free advice is worthless would be . . . . . :confused:
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I think that retread means that it's free, so take it or leave it...

I like wool, but I also have a Orc-Industries MCU (level 5) soft shell that works great at keeping water off, but more importantly dries out quick and is a good, light wind breaker. I wear wool under it for layering if needed.

I do agree about wool socks; much prefered even over synthetics and especially over cotton.

I'm going to try a few different pairs of covertible pants (REI, North Face and Columbia). I'm finding the newer synthetics pretty tough, dry fast and are lighter than many of the mixed variety or wool (I still like wool for hunting though). Railriders makes some great synthetic outdoors pants that are tough as nails.

ROCK6
 
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