Hiking Shirts Guide And
Recommendations

Hiking shirts for active people have to deal with a lot of moisture and body heat effectively. Hiking shirts should also be lightweight and comfortable...

Materials like CapileneŽ, made from treated polyester, help to keep you dry and comfortable instead of getting cold and clammy like cotton. Why?

Synthetic materials do a better job of managing moisture than does cotton. Where cotton absorbs and holds water, good quality synthetics wick the sweat from your skin and move it toward the outside of the shirt where it can evaporate more easily. Pretty cool, eh? ;-)

What's your favorite hiking shirt? Click here to share your opinion!

Keep in mind though if you want to get the most out of wicking fabrics, you'll want to get shirts that fit close to the skin. Fabrics that hang loosely won't be able to absorb sweat and wick it to the outside to evaporate as efficiently.

To put it another way... picture spilling a small glass of water on your countertop. Is it quicker to wipe up the water with a towel that's laid flat (close-fitting) over the spill, or with one that's bunched-up in a ball (loose-fit)? The one that's laid flat is going to absorb the water more quickly. The water can also spread out more quickly through capillary action, which in turn increases its surface area to help it evaporate faster.

It's the same idea with wicking fabrics. To perform at their best they should fit properly. The colder the weather the more important wicking and evaporation become.

Cold weather and sweat that doesn't evaporate chills the body and can eventually lead to hypothermia. So fabrics that wick, especially base-layers, are even more important in the winter time.

Hiking shirts can have either a snug performance fit, or a loose fit that gives them a more casual look. The snug fit is more performance-minded and athletic looking. Plus the slim profile helps to keep the shirt out of your way when you move.

Loose fitting hiking shirts have the advantage of being a touch dressier which makes them more versatile. There are many available that can blend right in on a city street, or even at your favorite casual restaurant.

Something you'll want to consider though is if you want long sleeve protection from thorns, the sun and bugs. This can and will vary with your location and preferences.

I also like pockets because they can help free up your hands so that you don't have to carry small items.

Organic cotton camp shirts are a good comfortable choice if you're going to be sitting around the campsite, or plan on taking it easy for the day. You can even do some light hiking in cotton too as long as the temperature and humidity cooperate and you don't sweat much.

Once you move to moderate or heavy hiking or backpacking and cold temperatures though, you're usually going to be more comfortable and safer in something like CapileneŽ.

I like good service as well as good products. Below are some recommendations, the links will take you to either Altrec a great outdoor store, or BackCountry a 3 year Bizrate award winner...

Great hiking equipment and camping gear don't happen by accident. They're designed with some thought put into them. The same can be said for Patagonia's Men's Long-sleeve CapileneŽ 1 Crew. It's a great lightweight shirt that has odor control built into it, so it can become an old friend... not a stinky old friend. ;-)

Another thing that's great about this shirt and something I really respect about Patagonia is that they are truly an environmentally friendly company. They care about what goes into their hiking shirts... the CapileneŽ Crew is 100% recycled polyester.

They also care about what happens to their clothing after it's lived out its useful life. Within 3 years Yvon Chouinard the founder/owner/CEO of Patagonia hopes to make 100% "of our products out of recycled and recyclable fibers". And it all started with switching to organic cotton in organic 1996. I'm not saying they're perfect, they are however, far ahead of most companies in the earth-friendly race. They walk the talk.

This list should well put you on your way toward a better trip...

Found a shirt you can't leave home without stuffing into your pack? Does it keep you warmer/cooler/drier than anything else you've had before? Tell us about it.

Have you got a picture of it... or even better a picture of you wearing it far away from civilization? Send it in.

Other hikers would love to hear about it. We all benefit from knowing about great gear.

Click on the links below to see some great reviews about hiking shirts. They were all written by other visitors to this page.

The Smartwool Microweight Crew Doesn't Stink... 
I've fallen completely in love with a Merino Wool t-shirt. I've worn it nearly every day since I bought it a month ago...

I hand wash it twice ...