Dress for Success – Outdoors
Common sense is anyone's best guide for the first step in how to dress for camping. But there are some specifics that will help inform you how to exercise that common sense.
First, consider the season and climate for your site. It's obvious to say that if you want to camp in New Hampshire in the winter, you'll choose one type of wardrobe. If your plans call for hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee in the summer, that calls for a different sort.
But the basic principles remains the same in either case: you want good protection and proper thermal control.
To satisfy the first principle, select sturdy clothing. It may look cool in a TV commercial to dress in an Hawaiian shirt and thin cotton shorts out in the woods. But that's the quickest way to suffer scrapes and cuts, not to mention exposure to toxic plants. In that environment, those can quickly turn septic and campsites are often far away from professional medical facilities.
Pick a shirt that is comfortable, but made of durable material. Synthetic blends of cotton, wool and modern materials satisfy both criteria.
For colder climates, choose thicker clothing, but it should be wickable and breathable. 'Wickable' means that it transports sweat from your skin to the outer layer of the garment. Breathable is similar in that it moves air in and out. Good shirts will do that, while maintaining good insulation.
For truly cold weather camping you will want to underlay that with some thermal underwear. Today those are made from blends of polypropylene, Capilene, cotton and other materials.
Wool provides good insulation, but it is mildly uncomfortable directly against the skin and worse if it gets wet. It becomes heavy and stays wet for a long time. Pure cotton is very comfortable, but it provides only moderate insulation and doesn't wick well. Go for modern blends.
For warmer climates, maintaining dry skin is still important. Dressing looser helps that, but you still need durable material to protect against tree branches, bushes and minor rock scrapes.
The same considerations apply to thermal underwear for the lower half of the body and to pants, during winter camping. Wickable, breathable, good insulation, sturdy and lightweight are important factors - and achievable in the same garment thanks to modern materials. Shorts, for warm climate camping, should only be worn in areas where you have lots of open space.
For outer layers in cold weather you want a jacket or coat that keeps off rain and snow and insulates well. But it should also be lightweight and not bulky. You need to be able to move freely. Fortunately, those can be had together thanks to advances in material in the last 20 years.
Synthetic down, Primaloft, Thinsulate and other materials - combined with more contemporary geometry used to arrange them - provide wicking, warmth and insulation in a comfortable, lightweight garment.
For warmer climates, but ones subject to rain, Gore-Tex is a great material - waterproof, but breathable. Garments made with it are sometimes more expensive, but well worth the extra cost. The best hiking boots, for example, all use Gore-Tex.
Remember, the common sense guidelines still apply. Dress in layers to allow you to adjust for the conditions, but keep it lightweight so you don't have to carry around heavy items that make camping a burden. Protect yourself from the elements and you'll enjoy your trip that much more.
Related Articles
Choosing GPS Receiver-Garmin is the market leader in Global Positioning System receivers, but they're not the only manufacturer. Magellan, Lowrance and others make good units, too. With so many manufacturers and models to choose from what should you look for?
Dress for Success Outdoors-Common sense is anyone's best guide for the first step in how to dress for camping. But there are some specifics that will help inform you how to exercise that common sense.
Camping What To Pack-Campers are always faced with a dilemma. Either you bring the entire house or you invariably find that the one thing you need was left at home. There's no perfect way out of this, but a little thought will help improve your odds. Bring what you really need, without overflowing your vehicle or breaking your back.
Choosing A Tent-Unlike previous generations, camping no longer always involves sleeping in a tent. RVs, commercial campgrounds and other options provide an alternative. But there's still nothing to complete that camping experience like sleeping in a tent.
Guide to Recreational Vehicles-Garmin is the market leader in Global Positioning System receivers, but they're not the only manufacturer. Magellan, Lowrance and others make good units, too. With so many manufacturers and models to choose from what should you look for?
Wildlif to Avoid - Camping can be one of the best adventures you'll find. " + _
"Fresh air, stunning mountains, spectacular trees and more are all around most " + _
"campsites. But humans aren't the only species to be found among them. And not " + _
"all the other ones are friendly.
Choosing A Tent - Unlike previous generations, camping no longer always involves sleeping in a tent. RVs, commercial campgrounds and other options provide an alternative.
Choosing GPS Receiver - Garmin is the market leader in Global Positioning System receivers, but they're not the only manufacturer.
Dress for Success - Common sense is anyone's best guide for the first step in how to dress for camping.
Etiquette Outdoors - One of the prime attractions of camping is the opportunity to enjoy peace and quiet. Living in the big city is exciting and there is a never ending parade of things to do and see.
Recreational Vehicles - Choosing a RV can be a task. Check out this guide to learn more about RV's
Hauling Gear - Learn the create way to Haul Gear.
Pick Sleeping Bags - Learn the correct way to pick a sleeping bag.
Planning Your Camping Trip - All you need to know to plan your camping trip.
Plants to Avoid - What plants to avoid and the problems associated with those plants
Powering Your Campsite - Learn about ways to power your campsite.
Safety Tips for Camping Trips - Here are some camping safty tips for any unexperienced or experienced camper
Convenient Cooking - Not having every comfort of home is part of the camping experience - and a very pleasurable part, as you test your hardiness while enjoying the outdoors. But even primitive man had fire, both for cooking and for providing needed heat on those chilly nights.
Weather Seasons Guide - One of the great things about camping is the opportunity to get out into the outdoors and enjoy the environment. One of the potential downsides in camping is getting out into the outdoors and enduring it.
Camping Styles - At one time, the only camping options were tent or open air.