Cotton is also known for being hard to dry and having poor moisture-wicking properties it rather absorbs the moisture than transfers it away from the skin. However, some manufacturers use blends of cotton and polyester in base layers for hiking. Here, cotton is added because of its breathability and pleasant feel — it is extremely soft to the touch.
In comparison to polyester, cotton also offers better odor-resistance. This fabric is used in many base layers produced by the well-known company ExOfficio. We do not recommend wearing base layers made of pure cotton while hiking. If you prefer the softness of cotton we recommend using base layers made of mixtures of cotton and polyester that offer the best properties of both fabrics. However, avoid cotton in cold weather due to its lack of performance when it comes to temperature regulation.
However, silk offers great performance as it is very compact and warm for its weight. Silk also dries very fast and offers great moisture-wicking performance.
It is naturally antimicrobial and feels pleasant against the skin. The only downside of silk is its price. A popular brand which uses silk for base layers is Swedish Klattermusen — their Eir shirt which we reviewed is made of a blend of silk and Merino wool.
We recommend base layers made of silk to those who are not afraid of trying something new. Silk base layers are suitable for all conditions. Average rating 4. Outdoor enthusiast with experience in all types of hiking and mountaineering. Hiked in the Alps, Iceland and other countries. In love with via ferrata trails and snow-covered slopes. Check out my hikes. Polyester vs. Merino Wool: Which material is better for sportswear? What are flatlock seams and when are they useful?
How to re-waterproof your rain jacket and other rainwear? Down vs Synthetic Jackets — Which jacket is right for you? Why should you wear quick drying clothes for hiking? Leave a Reply Cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. However, it is a very absorbent material and therefore it takes long to dry.
Many hikers and backpackers also report that it is not very durable and starts tearing fast. I have a pair of socks that are made of bamboo textile but they also utilize nylon and elastane fibers. They have similar characteristics as the Coolmax socks but this might very well be because the content of synthetic fibers is so high.
I hope that I get to test a bamboo base layer in the near feature to give more precise information on this. Or does a manufacturer have to do something special with the polyester to make it wick moisture? Thanks, Ken. Hi Ken, in my experience not all polyester base layers are equally moisture-wicking.
I have several old Under Armour base layers which are not so good at wicking the moisture away from the skin. Polyester is a man-made fiber and therefore its characteristics vary. Sort of agree: The warmth of all base layers is poor when wet. Perhaps you meant damp in the table?
How quickly a base layer dries against the skin is the property that should be promoted. Wicking is a pointless measure as most people who are backpacking will sweat enough to quickly overwhelm any fabric whether it wicks fast or wicks slow. Durability of wool is poor, especially in the fine fibres and low spinweights used for baselayers. Wool is not warm when wet, it is just less cold — it holds much more water so for really wet conditions i.
Nylon can be easily made into breathable base layers, I have several, but is more conductive when wet so feels colder. It dries very quickly however, which can be an advantage — good for hot to cool conditions.
Where is polypropylene here? Still a very good fibre for base layers — it absorbs no water, is so light it floats on water and is the cheapest.
Downside — smelly and scratchy as it gets older. Cycling mesh baselayers made of polypro are the best layers for aerobic exercise in cold weather as there is more air than baselayer. Nothing to get wet except the hydrophobic mesh. Can you recommend some brands that make polypropylene base layers for hiking? Thanks for sharing your experience with polypropylene base layers. Castelli, a cycling company, makes mesh polypro base layers that are my go to for xc skiing.
Mesh is highly regarded — check out Brjne norwegian base layers for reviews of the concept. Thanks Sean. I saw Brynje products on an outdoor fair several years ago and I was impressed. Geeves, interesting, I've never had an issue with smell not washing out. Sure, it stinks bad after a couple of days, but after a wash it's fine. I just saw Kathmandu have cheap polyprops, will go with them. But I find it strange Macpac have opted for polyester over polyprop. I'm not a tramper really, just walk to get to the river although sometimes it becomes like a tramp!
As I'm in the river often the main concern is fast drying, which polyprop seems the best at. Strange that polyester seems to wick better than polyprop, yet polyprop apparently dries faster. I buy too much fishing stuff to have merino kind of money :-P. Yes, it hardens up if washed in too hot water I think it's 60 degrees and does stink.
Definitely a polyester girl here. I have one pair of polypro longjohns because the guide on an expedition told me to bring it but it's very seldom worn, As you say, it does dry quicker. Sandflies can bite through I notice I've found an overnight bath in laundry soaker Sard or Frend or similar followed by a standard wash destinks polyprops nicely.
I wear merino baselayers these days, or a polyester fast drying tee in hot weather. Polyprops are relegated to knocking around home. What was most exciting was that most of his clothing and survival gear were still intact. Otzi wore a fur hat made of bear hide, a cloak of woven grass reeds, a belt of calf leather, bear skin shoes, and most importantly - long underwear made of goat skin wool.
Long before recorded history, early humans lived and thrived based upon their ability to endure the environment. The tools they created and and materials they formed into their clothing were a serious matter. One of the most enlightening parts of Otzi's attire was his long underwear. Made from goat skin, the woolen hide provided him insulation from the snow and wind.
In modern times we have the advantage of high performance synthetic thermals and time tested merino wool long underwear. We can learn from the ancient wisdom of primitive man and combine it with modern technical advancements. Designed to cut through the cold and wind, Premium Performance long underwear provides maximum comfort and mobility. It also benefits from antimicrobial odor control; a benefit that probably would have been greatly appreciated by Otzi's friends.
If you are more keen on natural and renewable materials, then premium merino wool long underwear is for you. If Otzi had premium grade merino wool thermals he would have been able to stay dry, keep warm, move faster, and smell better. Ancient wisdom still applies when you are venturing into the outdoors. Learn from the lessons of the past and clothe yourselves to thrive. Posted on May 20, by olinselot. Trying to decide which type of thermal underwear is best often leads to thoughts about deep winter blizzards and hypothermia.
Spring comes along and you stuff your base layers in the same storage bin as your heavy coat and snow gloves. When it comes to your spring and summer recreation , It's time to change your thinking about what thermal underwear is and when to use it. Consider almost every other fuzzy animal that lives and dies based on its fur coat. When warm weather comes they don't shed every strand of hair and bask in the warm sun with no fur at all.
Instead they shed their heavy winter coat and establish a lighter layer of fur to protect them from moisture, wind chill, and even the burning sun. So why do we humans suddenly ditch our common sense and put on a thin layer of non-insulating material as if that is the best option?
There are multiple lightweight or silk weight options that will expand your options beyond the cold temperatures of winter. The Duofold Varitherm Silk Weight thermal is an excellent example. This makes it a realistic option days per year. Silk weight thermals come in a variety of options including long sleeve, short sleeve, v-neck, tops and bottoms to suit your preference.
Many people want the insulating properties of thermal underwear without sacrificing the comfort they know and love from the feel of cotton.
You don't have to shy away from cotton based thermal underwear under the assumption that it doesn't have the moisture wicking properties of wool. Most of all you'll notice the considerable price difference in sizes for adults and even children.
Many of the thermal underwear options on Outersports have been reduced in price due to the change in season. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to get the thermal base layers you need for any season or occasion. This post was posted in Base Layer , Merino Wool , Polypropylene Underwear , Thermal Underwear , Uncategorized and was tagged with lightweight , polypro , polypro thermals , polypropylene , silk weight , thermal , thermal underwear.
Polypropylene was developed in the 's. When it was realized that polypro absorbed very little water and retained heat extremely well, it was spun into a thread for use in thermal underwear. Polypropylene has been a very popular performance thermal ever since. It has become a staple for many outdoor industries where the user is exposed to cold wet climates.
Cruise liners traveling through the Arctic or Antarctic request that travelers wear polypropylene thermal underwear as a base layer because of its' ability to retain heat better than any other fabric. Polypropylene is also very light weight. I have a friend that has run river rafting tours on the Colorado River where it winds through The Grand Canyon.
One problem river guides have faced over the years is hypothermia due to constant exposure to the cold river water. My friend says he wears polypropylene thermal underwear as a base layer because it is excellent at keeping you warm in cold water. Instead of the cold water sucking the heat away from your body, the polypropylene insulates you and keeps your body's natural warmth next to your skin. This leads us to the title of this article. Navy and the U. Coast Guard.
OuterSports has a contract with the U. Government to sell polypropylene thermal underwear in bulk to The U. Armed Forces. The U. Coast Guard and U.
There are many different brands you'll find polypro thermals in. But the Coldpruf brand has a much softer hand so it feels great worn next to your skin. Armed forces. The first rule of thermal insulation is that the more air a fabric is able to trap the better it will insulate and the warmer you will be. Polypropylene in fleece form traps more air while the fabric itself retains more body heat than any other fabric.
I love to wear the fleece polypropylene thermals when I go out snowmobiling on colder days so I don't have to worry about getting cold. Posted on October 2, by Justin. I've had many people ask me what the difference is between polypropylene fabric and polyester fabric used to make thermal underwear. In this post, I'll point out ony the factors that I think are the most relevant.
First of all, polypropylene and polyester are synthetic materials. They are both polymers, which is essentially plastic. As a result their colors won't fade or bleed when washed because the colors are built into the material. Polypropylene however, is more hydrophobic than polyester meaning that it does not absorb as much water.
Since the water cannot be absorbed into the fabric, the water or sweat has a tendancy to spread evenly throughout the garment which in turn helps the water to evaporate much quicker than a fabric that absorbs and retains the water.
As a quick example, if you cup your hand and put some water in it and continue to hold the water in your hand with your hand still in a cup shape, the water will take a very long time to dry. But, if you uncup your hand and use your other hand to spread the water evenly all over both of your hands, the water will dry in less than 1 tenth of the time. So, having explained this, polypropylene will dry much faster than polyester.
Polypropylene has a much lower melting point than polyester so you will want to avoid washing polypro in hot water or drying it. For this reason, polyester materials are much easier to care for than polypropylene.
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