Fabrics/clothes/help!

imported
#1

Alright-- another one. Thank you a million times over for helping to answer so many of these last minute questions I have about my upcoming hike. You all have been awesome!

This time I need to know about clothes. I have just about all of the rest of my gear, except clothes. I’ll be starting in early- or mid-march, so I need good cold weather gear. Everything company seems to have a different name for its version of a given fabric, and they all seems to claim to be wicking/quick drying. (When you tell me what fabrics to go for, please, also tell me what they are like and what they do.) Also, it’s tough to tell, when in an outfitter like Galyan’s, what’s made to look pretty and what’s serious outdoor gear. What’s best?

I have a rainsuit (frogg toggs) and it says it’s windproof, so I was thinking about using them for windbreaking. And my winter running tights have kept me super warm all winter, and I can fit silk long undies under them if I need. Will I need another pair of long pants? And how many layers on top?

And how many outfits/changes do most people carry during both winter and summer? I know people carry town clothes. I guess I need to know just how dirty most hikers get before they buckle and change clothes…

Thanks so much, you all!

Susan

#2

So many questions.

For a early March start, you probably need to be prepared for cold weather.

For a base layer, all the different names get confusing. However, almost anything that is synthetic should work. Polypro is the generic name.

Over that, an insulating layer. Fleece is typical. You probably don’t need all the bells and whistles, like “windstop.” Malden Mills makes good stuff. Everyone else is a knock off. Some pill more than others.

On top, a windbreaker, such as frogg toggs. However, from what I hear, you will probably need duct tape to hold it together. A better choice might be something like Marmont Precip.

For bottoms, I usually wear polypro long johns and a cardura nylon pants. Unless it’s real cold, I don’t wear a fleece layer on my legs. If you like winter running tights, and that works for you, then use them. Bear in mind, that it may be fine as long as you are moving. It sure would be nice to add something when you stop.

For tops, I usually wear polypro, a fleece layer, and a windbreaker.

Don’t forget about a hat and gloves also.

I’d suggest that you start out with a little more than you think you might want. The mountains of Georgia and North Carolina are high. If you haven’t used it by Fontana Dam, then send the extra clothing home.

As far as changes of clothes, I hiked in spring and summer, but carried or wore:

2 pair hiking socks
2 pair liner socks
gaiters
1 long pants
2 hiking shorts
2 T-shirts
1 long sleeve shirt
1 fleece top
1 rain jacket
rain pants was the first thing that went home (but got it back for the whites)
I carried a hat and polypro gloves for April in Georgia.

At laundrymats, I wore my cleanest pants and washed everything else.

Peaks

#3

Sue, watch the temps at the laundry. The driers will melt any synthetic. Check for done every few minutes and don’t ignore them. Also be carefull drying clothes around a fire. They’ll go up in a second. We lost a lot of sox that way.

B+B

#4

Susan, I agree mostly with Peaks. One thing though. Polypro is older material which I’ll doubt you’ll find anymore. Had a bad tendency to hold body odor. Just look for anything synthetic.

What you’ll need to create with your clothing is a moisture transport system. An effective one will keep you warm in the cold and cold in the warm.

As Peaks mentioned, the base layer should be something synthetic. Silk works but is not as durable as Polyester. I would go for something Midweight. The Patagonia Capeline worked great for me. The base layer will wick moisture away from your body and allow it to evaporate quickly keeping you dry.

On top of the base layer use either wool or fleece to stay warm. You may want to start with something heavier and then exchange for something lighter in the middle of your trip. Start with maybe 200 weight fleece or better yet, lightweight down parka 600-700 fill. This layer is what will keep you warm and because it is synthetic, will keep that moisture heading out.

On top, use your rain gear. Frog Toggs should work great. Sweeper, who posts here used them the whole way if I’m not mistaken. This layer should be breatheable to let moisture to continue out and prevent more from coming in.

I think you’ll find that you’ll need two sets of clothes sorta. As I hiked I wore the same thing everyday. Go with a skirt. I hiked in a kilt and loved it. And I wore a polyester shirt. If I was chilled when walking say below 40 degrees I’d throw on my midweight long undies top. Honestly, the only time I ever pulled out my rain gear was if it was below 40 and raining. I’d rather have the free shower. Just give up trying to stay dry during the day. You’ll either be sweating or rained on.

Camp is a different story. I always tried to have something warm and dry for camp. I would put on my long undies bottoms and a fleece or 2nd long undies top depending on the season. If it was real cold I just got into my sleeping bag.

What I carried for clothing
2 hiking socks and 2 liners
1 pair of dry socks for camp
1 kilt/shorts
1 short sleeve polyester shirt
1 pair midweight synthetic long undie bottoms
2 pair midweight " " top / or one mid and one heavier fleece
1 coat

I did not have rain bottoms thoug you may want some for the snow.

Grimace

#5

Just wanted to second that caution about the drier temperature. And some of the hostels along the trail will actually do your laundry for you. I suggest that you insist on doing your own. I learned that the hard way after having a bunch of my good trail clothes shrunk by a hostel host who did our laundry.

Budder Ball

#6

There is a lot of stuff out there… But a lot of it is the same.

Here’s my suggestions.

In Georgia and until Damascus (weather dependent) you will need to plan on essentially winter clothes. Here’s what we carried

Windstopper hat
Windstopper gloves (I’ve added latex gloves to my med kit, and I love to use them when my fingers get cold. They fit under my other gloves, and really help keep the hands warm. Basically a vabor barrier)
Fleece top (100 weight, although you should think about a 200 weight top if your bag isn’t zero degrees)
Expedition weight underwear top and bottom(EMS brand)
Very Lightweight top and bottoms
Synthetic Teeshirt
Synthetic Shorts
Rain suit - top and bottoms (We started with precips, I switched to frogg togg like rain suit and liked it A LOT better. Breathed much better, so I didn’t get as wet from my sweat. Precips don’t breath well at all!)
two pairs of socks and liners

Make sure your bag is warm enough! Its what will really keep you warm. Unless it is a really good 20 degree bag, I would suggest a zero degree down bag.

Ah, fun fun…

Gravity Man

Gravity Man

#7

Thanks, guys! You made me feel not so stupid when I went into the outfitter. I ended up with a patagonia base layer and 200 weight fleece coat. Bought a Mountain Hardwear balaclava, too. I am using a Marmot sawtooth 20 degree sleeping bag, supplemented with a nylon liner that claime eight ectra degrees of warmth. I took it all out this weekend for an overnighter-- I think temperatures were in the mid twenties?-- and everything worked out great, except that my toes were still cold at night. I’ll have to work that out… But I’m sticking with my running pants (they’re soo comfy), the frogg toggs, and silkies for night time until they wear out (knock on wood).

Again, thanks for the input! You guys are the best!

Susan

#8

Once the temps warmed up…april/may, we went with two sets of clothing: a silkweight cap short sleeved t and shorts for hiking and silkweight or midweight long sleeved t and long pants for town/camp wear (and cheap lightweight flip-flops). We’d rinse out our hiking set each night; most nights it was dry the next morning :slight_smile: We went with the long sleeved t’s and pants to keep bugs off as well as provide a bit more warmth once you stop moving and you’ve rinsed off and cooled off. Oh yeah, we rinsed off every night once we started really sweating during the day…made for much nicer sleeping. Bushwhack had thin nylon pants; I wore thin cotton pajama bottoms that really didn’t look like jammies. Some stylish plaid from Wally-world. I still use them on hikes. We usually did 2 loads of laundry, but then, there were 2 of us. A lot of people wear their rain gear when doing laundry, or carry some ultralight set of clothing. One girl had the thinnest of nylon shirts and a skirt…she was popular!) We also had a set of clothes in a bounce box, but I don’t know if we’d rely on that as much again. We carried precip jackets the whole way. Pants up to Va and back in the Whites. One of our buddies had the frogg toggs jacket most of the way with no real blow outs. I carried a pair of thin liner glove from REI that weighed nothing but kept the wind off and provided enough warmth for the “icy claws of death” as my husband calls them. I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 years. We’re ready to go again!!!

Bramble 01