Tag Archives | wicking
Cotton Kills

Why does Cotton Kill?

Have you ever wondered why people say Cotton Kills? Do you understand exactly why? Here’s an in-depth explanation as well as a list of other fabrics that you should avoid when shopping for hiking clothes. Insulation Clothing keeps you warm by trapping warm air near your skin. When cotton gets wet, it ceases to insulate [...]

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More Winter Layering Experiments

We got about 6 inches of fresh powder on Saturday night, so I got to go snowshoeing on Sunday and run another winter layering experiment. I think I’ve finally worked out a clothing system that will keep me warm without a lot of bulk. It’s based on the vapor barrier technique espoused by Mark Twight and [...]

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Winter Layering Experiments

The past couple of weeks I've been getting outdoors as often as possible and experimenting with different winter layers in order to develop the same level of layering expertise that I have with my 3 season hiking clothes In non-winter weather, I have a core set of gear that I've become very tuned into and [...]

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Patagonia Capilene Base Layers

I've tried oodles of base layers and nothing makes me feel better or warmer than my Capilenes. They are an excellent wicking base layer for many different activities including backpacking and whitewater kayaking. I've hijacked the Patagonia graphic (shown below) that best explains which fabric thickness is best for different activities. It is a very [...]

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