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Post by cheaptentguy on Aug 30, 2015 9:59:35 GMT -8
I live in the Carolinas and am starting to get into camping/hiking. I've been reading about clothes and seeing a lot of people swearing by wool.
For someone getting started, what should I focus on (clothing items and material) beyond standard clothes to feel comfortable while hiking?
I'm thinking about some wool socks, pair of nylon underwear and maybe a wool t-shirt, though I'd love to see some cheaper alternatives for layered cool weather comfort.
Thanks in advance.
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Post by hikerjer on Aug 30, 2015 10:34:10 GMT -8
Wool can be very nice, indeed. But for quality wool outdoor clothing, you pay a pretty price. It can be very expensive and doesn't always wear that well. I have several pieces that I love, but they did cost. IMO, synthetics are your best bet as for bang for the buck. Just, for the most part, stay away form cotton especially if you plan on hiking in colder temperatures.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Aug 30, 2015 11:42:28 GMT -8
I agree with hikerjer. Wool is great, but synthetics can do the job at much lower cost, and usually with less weight. If you're just getting started and concerned about cost, I suggest waiting until experience refines your wardrobe selections before taking the plunge on anything other than socks.
FWIW, I wear wool socks, carry mid-weight wool base layers and a wool stocking cap. The base layers have a slight warmth advantage per unit weight, but they have a great odor advantage on longer trips. In everyday life, I wear wool almost constantly.
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Aug 30, 2015 18:35:55 GMT -8
I hike in the synthetics base and top layers. While moving, I generate heat so keeping cool is more of an issue and that includes winter in single digit temps. If anything, I add a rainshell. I use wool socks all year round. My wool top base layer and down layers are reserved for camp/sleeping only.
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daveg
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Post by daveg on Aug 30, 2015 20:50:49 GMT -8
I'm old and skinny and tend to get cold easily. I do a fair amount of hiking in cool/cold and wet conditions. FWIW, here is a list of my hiking clothing. What combination I take depends upon the conditions I expect to encounter.
Socks -- merino wool. I like Icebreaker and Smartwool the best.
Underwear -- polyester.
Pants/shorts -- nylon.
Base layer top -- polyester, polyester/wool blend, merino wool. I used polyester and polyester/wool blend tops for years. They were perfectly adequate and considerably less expensive than my merino wool tops.
Base layer bottom -- polyester. I've tried wool but prefer polyester.
Insulating layers -- 200 weight fleece vest. It's a pullover with no pockets or zippers, which keeps the weight reasonable. And/or a puffy synthetic jacket. Sometimes I'll wear just one; sometimes both. If they get wet, they dry quickly from body heat.
Head and hands -- Polyester gloves and polyester balaclava.
Camp wear -- Down jacket, down pants, Primaloft or down booties.
You may be able to find some of these items at a thrift store for significant savings.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Aug 31, 2015 10:32:09 GMT -8
I hike in the synthetics base and top layers. While moving, I generate heat so keeping cool is more of an issue and that includes winter in single digit temps. If anything, I add a rainshell. I use wool socks all year round. My wool top base layer and down layers are reserved for camp/sleeping only. This, more or less. For winter activities I use the HH Dry base layers while on the move and switch over to 260 weight Icebreaker wool at bed time. My mid-layers are all poly fleece. I use some no-name brand medium-weight wool-poly blend socks while on the move and a two layer wool-blend sock in the sleeping bag. On the shoulder seasons, I'll still wear the lighter poly base layer while working but forego the bed time base layer in favour of just a t-shirt and PJ pants. In both winter and the shoulders I can throw on my mid-layers for more warmth in the sleeping bag.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Aug 31, 2015 10:46:25 GMT -8
I hike in the synthetics base and top layers. While moving, I generate heat so keeping cool is more of an issue and that includes winter in single digit temps. If anything, I ... I use the HH Dry base layers while on the move ... It's a shame that Helly Hansen gear isn't more widely distributed in the US. I've never been disappointed in any of my HH stuff.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Aug 31, 2015 14:47:28 GMT -8
BL, try marine stores, boating supply stores, etc., if there are any near you. If I remember correctly they started as foul weather gear for sailors. There's lots of it in my area.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Aug 31, 2015 16:23:20 GMT -8
I sweat like a pig, then get cold in camp. Here's what I use:
I hike in a synthetic button-up sunshirt. But a cotton-poly dress shirt works pretty well too (used those for years before dropping money on the high tech stuff). Pants: light nylon hiking pants, usually convertible but that's just because I can't find any one-piece pants that fit (I almost never take the legs off; I value the bug and sun protection too much. You can't see it in my avatar, but I'm a redhead with very fair skin). These are both loose-fitting garments that allow for good ventilation, since I overheat easily when hiking. Also wear: High-tech synthetic undies. Wish I could find a bra that wicked as well as my ExOfficio undies do, because that soggy bra is a killer. Smartwool socks.
In camp, I shed the sweaty clothes, take a dip in the nearest lake or stream if possible, and put on synthetic base layers. If it's chilly or buggy, I add rain pants and/or fleece pants, and rain jacket and/or down jacket.
Cover my head with a Sunday Afternoons hat while hiking, and a Buff around camp, until it gets cold enough for a heavy fleece hat.
I don't do much wool besides the sox, because I can't take even the good stuff next to my skin in the more sensitive areas.
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Post by cheaptentguy on Sept 6, 2015 15:50:29 GMT -8
Thanks, everyone. I went ahead and purchased some wool blend socks and a pair of ExOfficio boxers. Looking into some Nylon hiking pants. Going to use some synthetic shirts that I already have to get started.
My goal is to get started and have a good experience without breaking the bank to do so.
For multi-day treks, are you often airing/washing and reusing the same garments? Any rules of thumb any of you follow or is it always trip by trip planning with clothes?
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Post by cheaptentguy on Sept 6, 2015 15:52:49 GMT -8
because that soggy bra is a killer. [asking for my wife] Do sports bras not do the trick?
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tigger
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Post by tigger on Sept 6, 2015 21:48:56 GMT -8
For multi-day treks, are you often airing/washing and reusing the same garments? Any rules of thumb any of you follow or is it always trip by trip planning with clothes? When I went to the arctic this last spring, Other than a few changes of underwear and socks, I wore the same garments the entire time (a month). For socks, I always have a minimum of three pair. Pair gets worn during the day, washed in the afternoon and go to bed with me to dry out. Fresh pair is always reserved for sleeping. Underwear can be rinsed and dried the same day if they are synthetic (they dry fast). I only bring enough insulation layers/outer layers to accomplish the task, no matter the length. In other words, the only extra I bring in general is socks and underwear. Everything else - base layer shirt/base layer thermal underwear is washed/reused.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 7, 2015 9:11:24 GMT -8
because that soggy bra is a killer. [asking for my wife] Do sports bras not do the trick? Sadly, no. Not when you sweat buckets. They all claim to be wicking, but in my opinion that isn't enough when they are wringing wet. Only solution is to take it off when reaching camp. For multi-day treks, are you often airing/washing and reusing the same garments? Any rules of thumb any of you follow or is it always trip by trip planning with clothes? I agree with Tigger. Usually as soon as camp is set up, we bathe and change to a thermal layer. Shirts, socks and underwear get rinsed (I wash my bra and shirt only if I'm sure they will get dry before morning. Otherwise, they get hung out to air as best I can). I carry spare socks and underwear, more than is strictly needed, so that I always have one for wearing, one for washing, and one clean to sleep in. On a week-long trip, my pants may get washed once, but I don't worry too much about it one way or the other.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Sept 7, 2015 9:29:13 GMT -8
Synthetics dry a LOT faster, which is a huge plus. Even if you think you haven't been sweating, you probably have, and if you go to sleep in those clothes you can get real cold real quick.
Everything is good when it's dry. That's why several posters above mention changing clothes after they've been in camp for a while. Let the wet stuff dry out for the next day, put on dry stuff to sleep in. Change back in the morning, especially underwear and socks.
Wool is generally warmer than synthetics - WHEN DRY.
At a higher level, clothes are way overrated. Think about hiking nekkid, but take plenty of sunscreen. Maybe a hat or umbrella. Go SUL.
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Post by k9education on Sept 19, 2015 21:46:37 GMT -8
I'm not a fan of wool anything. I prefer cotton/poly for my shirts, nylon pants, and poly blend socks. For my jackets, nothing beats down or down alternatives imho.
Generally speaking, I think hiking-specific clothing is overrated, though there are some exceptions. I've got a couple pair of ExOfficio Nomad pants that I think are the best damn pants ever created and my Arc'Teryx Atom LT is my favorite fall/early winter jacket. My hiking shirts though are standard poly/cotton tshirts, fleeces, hoodies, etc. My socks are actually running socks. Ultimately, my recommendation is to go for what's comfortable and what serves the most purpose for its weight. Try different things and see what you like before sinking a lot of money into what others recommend.
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