Wicking fantasy

[ian wright]

So many clothing products claim great wicking qualities to keep you ‘warm and dry’. But I can sweat like a pig (sorry pigs) and no clothing not made of sponge is gonna keep up. Does anyone really believe these claims or am I the only grossly oversweater there is ?

[Scott Ashdown]

Ian your post made me laugh. I too sweat heavilly, i’m especially crap in really hot conditions, or even mild conditions for that matter. I break into a sweat even after getting out of a shower!!!

I’ve often wondered about the high wicking properties of garments, normally as i’m hiking along – sweating like a pig. I’ve lost count of the number of sweat soaked super light weight high wicking hiking garments I’v used. I suppose, what I can say is that i’ve noticed they dry more quickly once I hit a breeze and for some of the lighter tshirts, are pleasant when you can feel the breeze through them too.

They are obviously more comfortable than wearing a plastic bag.

Sorry, I can’t recommend one that I’ve had huge success with yet. (Low weight yes, keeping me dry? Errm, No).

I had thought it was because I was the only grossly oversweater there is, but now I know there are two of us. Hurray.

If you find the answer let me know.

[Mark Verber]

Depends on the conditions. I seem to sweat less than a number of my friends. If the temp is less than say 75F or less and I am not fully exposed in the sun with no wind, there are a number of wicking fabrics which can keep up with me and I stay pretty dry (PowerDry and Coolmax being the best two for me). Even when it’s over 75F they do an ok job, I am damp, but I dry out as soon as the temp drops some which is way more comfortable than a cotton tee for me.

[EndoftheTrail]

My experience is that when you sweat, you sweat no matter what. The difference between cotton and synthetic wicking / quick drying fabrics is simply that once you stop your work out and rest in a shady spot — a cotton tee will feel like a wet rag on your back, taking a long time to dry, whereas synthetics will dry much quicker — thus making you feel more comfortable sooner — as well as reducing the chance of hypothermia.

[ian wright]

On my last trip I had 2 Ex-Officio tops, T-shirt style but made of some synth material. Very nice on the skin, dried quickly and didn’t pong or lose shape so I am very happy with them. But I could out sweat them easily. But that’s OK, it’s just the claims companies make that I find ludicrous. But if one company says it the others have to too.
What about that special moment when after a short spell, it’s time to throw your pack back on and your still very wet but now chilled base layer is pressed against your back !?! Very special !

[Summit CO]

I’m out almost every single day of the year in wicking layers… I agree with benjamin. They are better than cotton and reduce the chill and dry faster. The key thing to note is that it is comparatively better. They are no magic bullet and they are far from perfect. None seem to work (for me) as well as the manufacturers claim.

One thing I have noticed is that in no activity and I am sweating just a little bit, I may not feel like I am sweating at all in the right base layer. However, at that point, I’m not sure that it is completely a good thing. I think my body often uses the sensation of sweating to determine slight overheat and need for hydration. That is just my thoughts on it.

I’ve had days where I was stuck inside lounging in a capilene top and never felt hot, sweaty, or thirsty until I suddenly noticed that my mouth was parched and my calves were cramping.

Just some food for thought.

[Mark]

I agree with your experience. When I am sweating, I haven’t really found anything that can help me feel ‘dry’. The benefit of the top-line synthetics is that they dry fairly quickly and generally don’t retain much water in the first place. You might want to check out the skin-tight UnderArmor shirts or similar products. My experience with those is that I generally feel drier, though the fit can be hard to get used to.
-Mark

[Linsey Budden]

Have you tried merino wool? Icebreaker is deluxe (and spendy), also Ibex and Smartwool. I beleive you can still get 100 percent merino wool Duofold mens long underwear tops for $20.00 at Campmor. The lightest weights are cool when it’s warm. It typically absorbs 30 percent of its weight in water without feeling wet, then insulates when wet. Dries slower than synthetics, but doesn’t stink when lived in weeks at a time. I was at Pro Mountain Sports (Seattle)today and they have a huge selection of Icebreaker including men’s briefs.

[Dale Wambaugh]

“So many clothing products claim great wicking qualities to keep you ‘warm and dry’. But I can sweat like a pig (sorry pigs) and no clothing not made of sponge is gonna keep up. Does anyone really believe these claims or am I the only grossly oversweater there is ?”

1) Pigs don’t sweat– that’s why they like mud/wallowing

2) I DO sweat like Niagra Falls. Some medications will make you sweat too. Getting your body fat percents down and working on diet can help too, as can just getting in good aerobic shape— all things I am working on at the moment. You can overcome any garment with fluids, but they should transport the stuff off your skin and keep the moisture from transferring body heat with it. That is more of a concern when it is cold and you risk hypothermia. They can feel a little wierd when it is hot– until the faucet opens up.

I just did a bunch of work in a hot warehouse and my wicking shirt dried in nothing flat and cooled me off in the process. Had it been a cotton shirt, I would still be wet and sticky. I’ve put on a wicking shirt when my skin was just a little damp and I could feel the drying process. Throw a cup of water on a poly base layer tee and on a cotton tee and hang ’em up to dry– you’ll see the difference quickly.

I DO think the prices they charge for the stuff are ridiculous. Remember when polyester was the cheap alternative?

[Colin Parkinson]

HEY I am the guy who got a refund from Headsweats. Garanteed to keep the sweat out of your eyes. HA!
Non of the wicking materials keep me dry but they do dry faster. Recently I have been trying wickking shirts that don’t stink to high heaven when dry.
Suprisingly I find nylon tafeta or supplex to work the best. Reasonable wicking and minimal stink factor. Long live nylon spnadex shorts!

[ian wright]

Money well returned !

Maybe hiking nude on a sunny day is the answer !

[Neil Bender]

I haven’t tried this yet, but the sweat gasket in this design looks promising:

http://www.haloheadband.com/products_headbands.html

Has anyone experience with this?

[Paul Tree]

Then don’t worry about a wicking base layer – strip!

Still sweating too much – Soak your hat in water, bandana too if you use one. It will sweat for you.. cleaner though.

Still sweating too much? eat less carbs, go someplace less humid, do siestas, etc

I have heard of people using anti-perspirant on their feet, but wouldn’t suggest the whole body.

[Author]

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