FABRICS

Choosing the fabric of your clothes is as important a decision as choosing what clothes you will bring. But glancing through the pages of an outdoors catalog is a mind-boggling experience! Synthetics with names such as Supplex nylon, Polartec polyester, Thinsulate and Polarguard polyesters, Taslan nylon, Lycra spandex, Cordura nylon, Tactel nylon, Orlon acrylic, Hydrofil nylon, Capilene polyester, and Ultrex nylon make you feel like you need a degree in chemistry to purchase your clothes. Fortunately, it is not as overwhelming as it seems.

ACRYLICS: Fibers polymerized from acrylonitrile are called acrylics and are rarely used in their “pure” form in clothing, except maybe in underwear. Acrylics such as Orlon are often found as a blend, especially in socks. The Orlon adds durability.

COTTON: An ancient fabric with many uses, cotton is an inefficient choice for most outdoor activities. It doesn’t keep you warm when it’s wet and it takes a long time to dry. For these reasons, cotton clothes that might serve you well at home will not do as well on a backpacking trip. The best example is blue jeans. Not only are they constricting but they double or triple in weight when wet. They also take forever to dry. Other cotton clothing to avoid include long johns, socks, sweaters, and 100-percent cotton T-shirts.

An alternative to 100-percent cotton clothing are trademarked cotton blends. For instance, Patagonia Baggies (shorts) are made of a nylon-cotton blend and are favored by many hikers because they are lightweight, roomy, and water resistant. Many manufacturers make pants and shorts of nylon-cotton blends. T-shirts made of cotton and a synthetic are the most popular hiking shirts because they allow freedom of movement and dry more quickly than all-cotton T-shirts. For day hikes in pleasant weather and moderate altitudes, a cotton T-shirt is a good choice.

DUOFOLD COOLMAX: A unique four-channel design that creates 20 percent more surface area than ordinary fibers, CoolMax ensures fast evaporation, keeping your skin drier. CoolMax comes in a number of different weights for everything from summer to winter wear.

FLEECE: Fleece is a polyester fabric, sometimes constructed with a nylon, Lycra, cotton or ceramic blend, that is generally lightweight and breathable with a high warmth to weight ratio. Some fleeces also have wicking properties.

GORE-TEX: This well-known composite fabric consists of a breathable membrane laminated to various fabrics, which makes them waterproof, windproof, and durable. Stripped-down versions provide only windproofing and breathability. Look carefully at the manufacturer’s tag to see which one you are buying.

H2 NO STORM HB: Patagonia’s proprietary waterproof, breathable membrane is a three-layer laminate used with fabrics such as nylon or polyester. Primary uses are waterproof, breathable outerwear pieces.

HIND DRYLETE AND ARCTIC DRYLETE: DryLete is an effective moisture-transfer material for a variety of weather conditions. A combination of polyester, hydro-nylon, and Lycra spandex, the fabric rejects sweat as the interior polyester transfers moisture away from your body to the exterior or hydro-nylon, where it can evaporate quickly. It can be both an inner and outer layer. Arctic DryLete is a multitask thermal fabric that siphons perspiration away from the skin. It is made of a soft non-pilling nylon/Lycra knit exterior and a non-pilling, low-pile, polyester-fleece interior.

LYCRA SPANDEX: Lycra is a very stretchy, strong synthetic used extensively in clothing—from cuffs and waistbands on jackets to bras, socks, running tights, and shorts. Tights made of a blend of polypropylene and Lycra are especially popular because they keep you warm and conform to your figure allowing you a lot of freedom of movement.

NYLON: Because it’s one of the easiest synthetics to manufacture, you will find many nylons on the market. Nylon is inexpensive, durable, abrasion-resistant, strong, and dries quickly. There are hundreds of types of nylon, from the crinkle-textured Taslan and the supertough Cordura to the supple, softer nylons such as Supplex and ripstop nylon.

OMNI-TECH: Columbia’s proprietary waterproof, breathable technology is coated or laminated to a nylon or polyester base fabric. Omni-Tech is primarily used for mountaineering, backpacking, and skiing outerwear, as well as an insert in gloves and footwear.

Midweight shell (Ground Dash Jacket)

POLARPLUS, POLARLITE, PATAGONIA SYNCHILLA: These bunting or pile materials are good insulators. PolarLite is a lighter and stretchier version of PolarPlus, and Synchilla, Patagonia’s well-known double-faced synthetic pile, is bulky and heavy but can be worth the extra bulk and weight on a cold night. For day hikes to higher altitudes, the insulation these materials provide offers good protection from wind and cold when taking a break. The materials are generally far too warm to hike in, but are supposed to be warmer per pound than wool and to dry more quickly than the natural fabric.

POLARTEC CLASSIC: This name applies to vintage Polartec, the product introduced in the 1980s, which revolutionized layering options for outdoor activities. The original still holds its own after repeated washings, and remains a good choice of fabric for backpackers.

POLARTEC WINDBLOC: This is a polyester fabric with a windproof, breathable membrane designed to protect from weather, wind, water, and abrasion.

POLYPROPYLENE: This petroleum-based synthetic is a lightweight fabric that keeps you warm when it’s wet. Unlike wool, it dries quickly. When used as first layer of clothing, it keeps your skin dry by transferring moisture to your next layer. Polypropylene is used in long johns and socks. One drawback to polypropylene is that it absorbs the scent of perspiration and must be washed in a special detergent to remove the odor. Polypropylene must be line-dried to prevent shrinkage.

SILK: Silk is one of the lightest fabrics and is often used in long underwear. Although silk is strong and flexible, it tends to be less sturdy than synthetics, giving way at the seams more quickly. It does give you warmth without the bulk, and provides an effective first layer. Silk must be hand-washed and line-dried.

SUPPLEX: Made by DuPont from nylon, Supplex offers the strength and durability of nylon with the supple feel of cotton. It is quick drying, wrinkle resistant, and has the strength to withstand most abrasions, punctures, and tears.

SYMPATEX: Sympatex is a windproof, waterproof, breathable fabric made from nonporous polyester; it is also produced as a nonporous membrane of hydrophilic film that can be laminated onto another fabric. Sympatex comes as three-ply laminates, linings, and inserts for outerwear, footwear, gloves, and other accessories.

THERMAX AND CAPILENE: These synthetics are used in garments that, like polypropylene, draw moisture away from your body to keep you warm. Thermax and Capilene are softer than polypropylene and provide a lot of warmth for their weight. They can be machine washed and tumble dried, and they do not retain perspiration odor.

TRIPLEPOINT CERAMIC: Lowe Alpine System’s proprietary waterproof and breathable coating technology, Triplepoint Ceramic is a twin-coated, high-pressure coating that can be applied to a variety of fabrics, including polyester or nylon. The combination of the coating process, fabrics, and durable, water repellent finishes (DWR) all play into the specific windproof, waterproof, or breathable function of each garment.

TYVEK: This high-tech fabric isn’t just for house wrap anymore. Some manufacturers use this lightweight, watertight fabric in the manufacture of rain gear.

WOOL: Wool used to be your best bet for winter wear, but it is rapidly being replaced by pile products. The new synthetics—the “Polars” and Synchilla—are giving wool a run for the money. When wool is blended with polypropylene or other synthetics, it makes good socks. Wool keeps you warm when it’s wet but it can also be heavy.