Outdoor Clothing Materials

[Beavah 205]

 

Yah, didn't want to hijack the original thread, eh? The topic was started by Slouchat about why we silly Yanks like plastic clothing so much. I responded because we have a lot more plastic bottles to recycle than we have sheep, and nobody wears cotton in the cold.

 

GoldWinger responds:

 

"Better than cotton, eh? "

 

Not really. At least when cotton is dry, it provides some insulation. Nylon never does. Also, the thin nylon doesn't stand up to abrasion. I do have a synthetic jacket for riding my 'Wing but that's a whole 'nother animal. As for cold weather, I went to school in the northern midwest. I've seen cold but I never said "Gee, I wish I had plastic clothing."

 

Yah, I agree GW. Nylon doesn't provide insulation, just a wind barrier. That's deliberate, eh? Most of us like that because we use layering. We can select the amount of insulation we want for the given conditions, with the added thriftiness of not ownin' separate clothes for different temperatures and conditions. Just one set, mix and match, from 0-100.

 

Cotton of course is a negative insulator when wet. Better to be naked than wearin' a cotton shirt or trousers, especially the small, thin guys. And what kid have we known that doesn't get wet in the woods, eh?

 

I agree that a downside of many types of nylon is abrasion resistance (some kinds of cotton, too, but in general the natural fibers are a bit better than the plastics). Bigger downside is thermal resistance. The suckers just melt near flame (though I suppose that's better than catchin' fire). But on the upside it's light, warm, reasonably priced, easily compressible, doesn't hold much water at all (and insulates when wet), wicks moisture away from the skin, not scratchy, etc.

 

I live in da northern midwest. Regularly hunt, camp, and ice fish when it's cold enough to freeze the tail off the devil. If yeh never tried plastic clothing, particularly polypro long johns, fleece jackets and pants, and nylon shells, yeh really don't know what you missed!

 

Beavah

[GernBlansten 10]

Beav, you are spot on.

 

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Benjamin: Yes, sir.

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?

Benjamin: Yes, I am.

Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Benjamin: Just how do you mean that, sir?

 

But you gots to do it right.

Three weeks ago, I took the scouts into the wild with questionable weather forecast. We woke to 9 inches of fresh snow and 20 degree weather. I was absolutely comfortable, including the 3 mile hike back out.

Bottom end...

Ploy skivvies, Polypro first layer, fleece middle layer, switchbacks (yes the flimsy, light BSA issued ones) outer layer.

Upper body...

polypro first layer, fleece middle layer, goretex shell.

Nothing natural touched my body.

 

All plastic. I was dry, warm, light, energized. Despite the 1500 ft climb with a 40lbs pack.

 

Wool may be nice, but plastic rules. Cotton outside your parlor meetings is nonsense. Go into the wilds with cotton, you deserve to be miserable.

 

I have a pair of REI supplex pants similar to the BSA Switchbacks. They have seen 11 days backpacking a Philmont, 10 days at Northern Tiers and climbed numerous mountains in Colorado. Probably more than 100 nights in the wilds. Still look like new. Ok, one of the zippers screwed up in Alaska. But that griz was pretty mean!

[Gold Winger 9]

Wool and silk. Renewable, natual and timeless.

[Gold Winger 9]

I have a wonderful, expensive Nautica fleece jacket. I've been caught in a downpour in it and it got very soggy and I got very cold.

 

I'll switch to plastic when we run of sheep.