Hot weather clothes?

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Feb 9, 2008
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Ive become intolerant to heat. What clothes help keep a person cool? Shirts , pants, hats...
 
if you want cool ANDwant them to last- craghoppers offers some very light pants/shorts/shirts that are also very tough

I like nylon (vs cotton) as it dries out very quickly (important when multi day hiking)

I prefer long sleeve to short sleeve (you can always roll up long sleeves) as they are more versatile

for non button up shirts I like Patagonia Capilene 1 (again long sleeve)- does a good job cooling

I typically wear shorts for warm weather, but I have a trip planned for next year to the tropics and will be going pants for that trip (too many sharp/pointy/biting things around)

head gear something w/ a relatively wide brim that protects from the sun (but still sheds rain)- light material w/ some venting
 
^ I agree. Capiline from patagonia is great. Coolmax, under armour, etc...Long sleeves are nice for sun protection, as well as pants. I find myself in shorts and chacos more times then not in the summers. Missouri can get downright sticky outside.

Also lightweight nylon pants or shorts. I have a few from patagonia that breath very well, and dry super fast.

Lightweight boonie hat or tilly etc for shade.

Those bandannas you get wet and they stay cool for quite awhile. Those REALLY help in the heat.

Hydrate Hydrate Hydrate.
 
Yup to both those guys^

Nylon stuff is the way to go. The nylon fishing shirts with mesh (usually in the back and sometimes along the arms.) are really cool. I wear them alot in the summer.

The big thing is (especially here in texas.) if you put on a cotton shirt it just sticks to you, and absorbs sweat like crazy. Nylon doesn't.:thumbup:
 
I've got an EMS synthetic long-sleeve T-shirt that stays comfortable in 90+ weather. Also, never underestimate the value of a good haircut to beat the heat.
Photo26.jpg

:D
 
I'm definately a cold weather geared person and after spending two years in the south I had to adapt quick. A few products I have become huge fans of are:
the Eddie Bauer Bush Shirt, nice light canvas buttonup,
The North Face Inspiration Tee-100% merino wool, wicks moisture as fast as you can sweat so you stay dry and cool all day-plus it's odor resistant.
The North Face Sequoia-It's geared more towards angling I think but a great lightweight long sleeve buttonup with UPF protection.
Kakadu Fort Worth canvas shirt-great working/bushbeating buttonup made from high quality canvas. Keeps the sun off your back while still being breathable. They also have some sweet pants, some bush cargos and their walkabout model, made from the same heavy duty canvas material.
Alot of companies have lightweight packable pants now, most of which are made from very thin ripstop nylon-I have a pair of cargo pants like this from underarmor, they collapse into the size of a fist, weigh no more than a few ounces and keep you light, dry and protected from exposure. Bamboo is becoming real popular in teeshirt material, it's a bit more expensive but I also believe it wicks moisture a heck of alot better than cotton and most polyester/nylon-keep your eye on bamboo charcoal and merino wool and I think you'll find what you're looking for.
 
I'm a big fan of Mountain Hardware and Prana gear. The MH shorts I picked up this spring are flat out the fastest drying pants I've ever had. My biggest complaint is that most companies don't include what I think is essential; a small "cell phone" pocket. I hate digging in cargo pockets for the phone; and besides most cargo pockets are too low on the leg to be useful.
 
why did this thread was moved to gadgets and gear????
On a hike yesterday. We started on a very cool morning. Walking in shade with water around us and part of the trail was in sun going up a steep incline. My first time wearing this combo which worked great. I had a moister wicking t-shirt as a base layer and a heavy cotton shirt on top of it. It was a great combo keeped me nice and warm. Walking down by the river and cool on the sunny parts. I love to hike in the BDU pants which are 40%cotton and 60% nylon. You can actualy see they way i were dressed in the pics from the SO CALI group hike we did.

Sasha
 
Ive become intolerant to heat. What clothes help keep a person cool? Shirts , pants, hats...

Yes Sir on the heat intolerance!!! I left Texas in 1984 and ain't look back. When it gets 75 here:eek: I'm looking for shade.
 
Why not do what they do in tropical places?

Very loose cotton.

I didn't used to like summer. I hate being hot, and summer was my least favorite time of year. Then I took the advise of a coupke of co-workers who were from hot places.

Tam was from Vietnam, and Mamoduo was from the Ivrory Coast in West Africa. They told me that the clothes have to breath, and ventilate. They both wore loose cotton, so I went that way. After work that day, I went to a Salvation army store, and bought some very loose all cotton short sleave shirts thaty were two or three sizes too big on me. The short sleaves came all the way down to my elbow. Then I started wearing a light weight khacky cotton bucket hat, that kept the sun off my ears and the back of my neck.

The loose cotton will absorb the sweat, and when the breeze goes through it, it's like air conditioning.

Next thing I know, I'm enjoying summer again like I was a kid. 'ol lady and me went canoeing on nice summer afternoons.
 
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Ive become intolerant to heat. What clothes help keep a person cool? Shirts , pants, hats...
I like a loose fitting Coolmax t-shirt and briefs, with nylon shorts (I like "convertable" nylon cargo pants like those from Columbia), although I am in an area where the humidity is more of a problem than sun. If the sun is a real problem, a loose fitting long sleeve nylon button down shirt (like the Columbia fishing shirt) is nice.

For the head I have a couple broad-brimmed "boonie" style hats in UV resistent fabrics from Outdoor Research and others.
 
Those adidas soccer t-shirts are pretty good in hot weather, those or any other kind of loose athletic t-shirt. Short haircut too.
 
The biggest suggestion has been covered. The new synthetic stuff that wicks away moisture (coolmax, dri fit, and other names) makes a big difference.

Stay away from full leather shoes if you can, they don't breathe. A running type shoe with mesh can help keep you a little cooler.
 
I can't stand synthetics, they are all clammy and don't breathe. Another vote for loose cotton. Best thing ever for hot weather.
 
As nutty as it may sound, I've had great luck with the lightweight merino t-shirts from Smartwool.

They actually do keep you cooler in summer, warmer in winter.

Natural FR doesn't hurt either.
 
I prefer loose cotton in summer. Synthetics might dry quicker but when your out under the scorching sun that stuff gets hot quickly and heats you up fast.
 
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