jkund17
Dressing for outdoors
As much as you might admire Tarzan and George of the jungle’s histrionics atop trees with bare minimum clothing, venturing out without proper clothing is exactly what you and I can’t do. It is because clothing for outdoor activities is as important as the shell is to a tortoise or feathers to a bird. We need insulation and protection from the weather, be it from rains, sun, wind or storms.
What then should one choose to wear while going out for hiking in the woods or planning a few days of backpacking trip? I suggest the first step is to know the weather conditions of the area you are planning to go and then planning accordingly.
Most outdoor people swear by what they call layering. It is basically wearing a base, mid and outer layer of clothes of different materials that helps trap the body heat, provide aeration and also not let the sweat make you all wet, cold and miserable.
In general, the insulation a certain piece of clothing provides depends largely on the type of material. The general pointers to remember are,
1.Cotton is a fairly good insulator but it rapidly holds and absorbs water and takes time to dry.
2.Wool is very effective insulator and helps keep warm even when it is wet. A good thing is the surface of wool feels dry even when it is wet. But you obviously can’t wear it during hot summers!
3.Synthetic fibres like polyesters are all hydrophobic. Some fibres though are especially made so that they can wick away water from the body, a boon to those who sweat a lot.
The link below provides a quick and easy guide to layering and how you can go about feeling perfectly dressed for the next outdoor activity be it summer or winter.
Layering
Do read and the next time you feel a craving for the outdoors, remember the important role your clothes are playing in making the adventure more fun filled than ever.
