With summer threatening to break out at any time, he said hopefully, what are the best outdoor clothes to wear. Should I be gearing up with specialized kit full of wicking fabrics and technical bits and bobs, and should I get myself some cotton t-shirts. The simple answer is that is, well it depends. That’s not an answer I hear you cry, well it sort of is

We all sweat at different rates, and outside conditions, i.e. the weather, especially in the UK change. So if you are someone who sweats a lot when out walking and I saying after quite a short time, then it probably isn’t going to make a lot of difference what you wear, especially when it is humid. Some of us (me included) struggle when it’s humid and I sweat like a piggy in those types of conditions. Even a shirt with a high wicking factor is going to struggle and it is better for me to simple carry change of top in my rucksack when out in these conditions. At the other end of the scale if you are one of those lucky people who doesn’t sweat much that again unless you find the performance shirts more comfortable then wicking away non-existent sweat isn’t going to keep you any cooler than wearing an ordinary cotton t-shirt.

Cotton as a material easily soaks up water, but takes longer to get rid of it and dry out again, than others types such as wool or synthetic fibres. On the plus side this can help to keep you cool or male you feel decidedly uncomfortable depending on the surrounding conditions. For example the weather has been great the last couple of weekends, and properly kitted out I decided to take on the highest spot near me Shutlingsloe in Cheshire (nothing major but it is known as the Cheshire Matterhorn). As the temperatures were good, low 70s F and humidity was fine, even a lovely breeze in the hills, I was wearing a good cotton shirt and that saw me through most of the day. However, if the situation for that same walk had been humid, then from experience then I know from experience that it would have been a three or four cotton top day.

Synthetic materials do offer that additional bit of technical wizardry in that they now normally offer some form of sun protection which isn’t available with cotton. If you are outside for any length of time it is now the done thing to apply sunscreen if you are going to wear cotton, however if this makes you hot, as sunscreen can trap body heat against the cotton material then changing to the synthetic may be the choice for you.

Just remember to choose what is best for you, dependant on prevailing conditions, but whatever you choose you will find all your requirements for the best outdoor clothes for the summer here at Outdoor Look.