Buyers' Guide - Hot Weather Clothing

Sure, you can go on wearing your all year mountain gear, but there are good reasons to lighten up for summer. One issue is dehydration - if you're clothing's too warm, you're going to run hotter and lose more sweat in an effort to cool down. Relatively small levels of dehydration will cause significant reduction in physical and mental performance.

Then there's sun protection - getting burned isn't just uncomfortable, it significantly increases your risk of developing skin cancer. Plus,. of course, the more exposed to sunlight you are, the greater your risk of suffering from heat stroke which, at worse can kills you.

See the links at the bottom of this article for more OM hot weather advice.

One thing summer has in common with winter is hats. In winter you're wearing them to conserve heat, come the summer it's about sun protection and staying cool. As with clothing, you want something made from a quick-drying, light-coloured fabric.

Our favourite designs are either a classic wide-brimmed sun hat style or a French Legionnaire-type cap with a skirt to protect the back of the neck. Basesball caps will keep the sun out of your eyes, but offer no protection to the back of your neck or those easy-crisp ear things us humans are equipped with as standard... If you're after the Rolls Royce of hats, check out Tilley Enduranbles' famed offerings.

A water soaked kerchief or Buff can help cool you off in the heat, but won't offer much additional sun protection.

The classic modern outdoors next to skin kit is a wicking baselayer and, there's no reason why you shouldn't wear one in summer too, though there are other, arguably better alternatives.

If you do go the baselayer route, the most effective design is a long-sleeved, collared, zip-neck top. You can roll the sleeves down to protect your forearms from sun, the collar will give some shade to the sides and back of your neck and the zip will allow venting.

In really hot conditions though, close-fitting baselayers can feel stifling and uncomfortable, particularly synthetics. Merino wool doesn't manage moisture quite as well, but manages to feel much cooler and comfier against the skin in the heat. We'd go for a thin grade whatever fabric you choose and a light colour to reflect heat, particularly if you're contemplating glacier travel.

The traditional shirt has been largely replaced by baselayers for most outdoor use with their closer fit and better wicking performance plus more modern looks giving them an edge. In reallywarm conditions though, the pendulum swings back the other way and a traditionally cut shirt has some real plus points.

The looser cut will feel more comfortable. Long sleeves and collars offer sun protection and some travel shirts now have built-in vents and mesh panels to up comfort when the going gets sticky.

As far as fabrics go, we'd opt for some form of pure synthetic microfibre or possibly a poly-cotton mix which will dry much faster than pure cotton.

More and more companies are producing fabrics with a high SPF or Sun Protection Factor. These block out a high proportion of potentially harmful UV rays and could, in the long term, prevent you from developing skin cancer. You might think it can't happen to you, but it can and, believe it or not, a cotton tee-shirt offers little UV protection.

Finally, if you're off to a mosquito-ridden area, several companies including Berghaus and Craghoppers, now produce insect repellant clothing to set the little blighters on their midgey bikes... Worth considering.

As with shirts, we'd go for a loose fitting design made from some sort of microfibre in a lightish colour.

Shorts are an obvious option, but bear in mind that they, erm, obviously leave your legs exposed, so be wary of getting burned in the sun. Otherwise they're great, offer super venting and great freedom of movement.

Cargo pant type trousers in a lightweight fabric with a loose fit are also comfortable, but obviously warmer than shorts. Some designs now include lower-leg vents, which help cooling.

Zip-Off Pants are the third option and, you might thing, the ideal compromise. That's true on paper, but you need to be very careful when buying zip-offs. The zip area can be a problem with the zip and two flaps of material sometimes creating a stiff area which can chafe against the soft skin of your inner thigh and cause untold misery. If you find a pair that worlks for you though, they have a lot going for them. Just don't lose the legs after you've zipped 'em off though.

Skirts Why not, unless it's very windy, you're looking at excellent venting and yes, you can buy skirts for me, or you can in Sweden anyway...

Hot feet, more sweat. The two fabrics we find most comfortable in summer are CoolMax, a high-wicking synthetic and merino wool mixes. Stay away from pure cotton, they'll just get wet and stay wet, soften your skin and lead to blisters.

For cushioning without bulk, look for socks with padding in strategic areas like toes, heel and forefoot, but thinner zones on the top of the foot. If you're wearing a closer-fitting summer boot or shoe, that should help the fit too.

In really hot conditions, breathability is much more important than waterproofing. None of the waterproof / breathable liners we've tested have ever been able to cope with really hot weather - they simply don't breathe enough and you're left with damp feet and, eventually, a good chance of blisters, so steer clear of any sort of waterproof lining in the heat.

Leather without a waterproof liner is much better and breathes surprisingly well, but our favourite options would be either a fabric shoe or boot with mesh panels for direct venting or a technical walking sandal or hybrid from the likes of Teva or Keen which will give you maximum breathability albeit at the expense of weather protection.shoe, that should help the fit too.

Hopefully you'll be carrying your waterproof shell clothing more than you'll be wearing it, so lightness and compactness are a major advantage along with the highest possible breathability. The two materials we'd consider would be a lightweight eVENT or the latest Gore-Tex Paclite. Both work slightly differently, but are very effective.

A lightweight windshirt made from Pertex or similar is ideal if the wind gets up on the tops on a hot day. As for insulation, we'd say one word, microfleece :-)

One big plus of carrying light, summer kit is that you should be able to get away with a smaller pack. We'd prioritise two things: ventilation for the back and some sort of hydration system compatibility.

On the first count, the trampolene-type systems that create an air gap between back and pack work pretty well. Another option is a waist or lumbar pack that simply leaves more of your back uncovered. Simple eh?

Hydration systems aren't compulsory, but drinking little and often works well in hot conditions, so it's good to have the option. If you're a die-hard bottle fiend, look for something that allows easy access to your water bottle on the move like a mesh stuff pocket or a porter...

More Help and Advice

Hopefully this article will have given you some basic pointers. The good news is that there's a load more advice on OUTDOORSmagic:

• Ask on the gear forum about general issues or specific items.
  
• Check the member reviews section for user experiences of kit.
  
• See OM editorial reviews on the front of the site for our impressions.
  
• Ask Richard Gear if you have a specific question you need answering.

Discuss this story

flanker

Did a 30-miler in the heat on saturday and about 20 miles in my feet started to develop some meaty blisters, and strangley they seemed to be all sorts of unusual areas (of my feet!)

I was wearing well worn-in boots and my normal socks (liner & outer) which don't usually prove a problem. I'd come to the conclusion that it must have been due to sweaty feet (boots are fabric but Goretex lined). Other than purchasing another pair of boots, does anyone have any tricks that they swear by to prevent the pain I'm suffering today?

Thanks

Posted: 20/06/2005 at 16:55

fu

you can buy compeed sticks, sort of like a lip balm stick which you apply to your feet to recuce the chnaces of blisters

i havent used it yet but it does smell nice

Posted: 20/06/2005 at 17:09

ecco

Sounds like your feet swelled a little in the heat, not helped by lined boots. That'd be enough to blister. Try thinner socks, smartwool light are good or 1000 mile to go even thinner. Carry some moleskin plasters to stick on hotspots as they develop.

On a walk of that length, you should also be taking off your boots and socks frequently to let them air.

Posted: 20/06/2005 at 17:10

Talkback: Buyers' Guide - Hot Weather Clothing

First Name:
Last Name:
Nickname:
Email:
Security Image:	Enter the code shown:
I agree to the site's Terms and Conditions & Code of Conduct: