[pct-l] Shirts: Cotton versus Synthetic

[Diane Soini]

Cotton is entirely appropriate in an arid, hot climate.

Most of the time on the PCT you are at altitude and it can turn cold pretty quickly. I've found lightweight merino wool to be a good option. A little more like cotton, less stinky than synthetic and more comfortable in a wider range of conditions than synthetic.

On Apr 21, 2014, at 7:36 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

> Message: 16
> Date: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 21:27:45 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Chris Hauser <cehauser1 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: [pct-l] Shirts:  Cotton versus Synthetic
> 
> Hi everyone:
> 
> I might be opening a can of worms here, and maybe this has already discussed here on this list, but I'm experience something 180 degrees from everything I read and hear: ?whenever I wear any synthetic shirt, on a warm day, I sweat like a banshee, overheat, and nearly die... For me, outside on a warm day, a synthetic shirt breathes as well as a plastic trash bag.?
> 
> I have heard the saying that "cotton kills", but I assume this is is a wet cotton shirt on a cold day, which makes perfect sense. ?For me, "synthetic kills", whenever the temperature is 70 degrees or warmer, I overheat. ?So, when I'm hiking on a warm sunny day, I ALWAYS wear a long sleeve cotton shirt... breathes 100 times better than any synthetic.
> 
> Everything I read suggests that I am out of my mind. ?Am I the only one like this? ?Do I need professional help?
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Chris.