I plan to do some fall and winter backpaking. Can anyone suggest a brand. I’ve always worn cotton at work but out and about I know that is not the way to go. I’ve been looking at capilene but don’t know the shrink factor after washing.
Thanks
Pete
pete56
Almost anything but cotton will work just fine. I’ve many different brands that I use while outside in winter. It includes Patagonia, EMS, LL Bean, and Helly Hansen. All seem to work equally well.
Peaks
I think you will find more comfort with 4 way stetch fabric, peel out the extra buck. It’s worth it.
can’t stop
How do the products fit after washing. When spending the extra money for a good quality base layer you want them to fit properly. Hanes and Fruit of the Loom shrink quite a bit and they don’t apply to backpacking. When you shell out for Patagonia you want them to fit after washing.
pete56
Hanes and Fruit of the Loom shrink because they are made out of cotton. Capilene and other polyester or synthetic materials won’t shrink when you wash them.
I also agree about stretchy fabric being more comfortable. For cold, winter activities, I like to use powerstretch as my base layer (several companies make powerstretch base layers, including REI). I’ve also been happy with Patagonia’s Capilene.
kanga
good stuff if you are doing short hikes, meaning a week or so. The downside I have found with capilene is that if you wear it for extended hikes such as a thru-hike, the stink get IMBEDDED in it. No matter how many times you wash it, it doesnt smell clean. And I know I’m not the first person to complain about that aspect of Capilene either Mountain Hardware Xtend is what I use for a base layer, it has X-static built into that kills the funk bacteria, good wicking in the heat, good insulation in the winter, great sleeping clothes, form-fitting and well-designed in terms of having all of the seams away from joints and moving parts of your body.
Swift
In my experience, capilene and mountain hardware shirts are among the best at wicking/insulation as well as stink resistance. The silkweight cap is great. I’ve had other wicking/mts shirts that smelled after one use and every time it was worn, no matter how long it was worn or how it was washed. On a long distance hike though, any material is going to retain some smell, even with nightly rinsing that we did on our hike. :x
Bramble