Thorofare Shirt as JMT sun shirt?

[Jonathan Ryan]

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone with experience in the Thorofare shirt could comment on its use in hot climates out west. I am planning on doing the JMT this summer and I am wondering if it will work in the high intensity sun. I have used mine once up here in New England to hold the bugs back and it was great, but then again it was only 75 degrees max. Thanks for the feedback.

[Nick Gatel]

I wore mine a few times when temps were under 70F and it was fine. Then I did a trip in late February where the temps hit around 85F at mid day. I had been hiking leisurely for about 2 hours, carrying a ULA Conduit, which can make the back sweat some. I was wearing my shirt tucked into my Thorofare pants.

I stopped for a snack and water and noticed my butt was soaked. I pulled my shirt out of the pants and perspiration poured out. I have never had this much moisture; ever. I mean, you could have captured it in a bucket.

I switched to my BPL Merino Hoody for the rest of the trip and was thrilled how much better it worked, even at 85F.

The Thorofare pants did okay on the trip, but the shirt is a no-go for me now. I do wish the pants were more breathable, as I like the weight and minimalist construction. However wearing these light colored pants when wet is… well, like a wet T shirt contest.

[Lynn Tramper]

Agree. The Thorofare material is good when it's colder and you want something that will spill some wind, and it does dry really fast, but when it gets hot, you're better off with something that actually absorbs some moisture and is thus slower drying. Could be wool, cotton, or any of those synthetic blends that mimic silk/cotton, but not the BPL stuff. I also don't know what the SPF of the Thorofare material is, but when the lighter colour gets wet, I doubt it has a very high SPF!

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